CLASSROOM COPY! Do NOT write on this paper!

The Golden Coqui Activty

In this learning experience, you will investigate environmental pressures that can lead to the extinction of a species such as the Golden Coqui frog. Some of these pressures include:

  • Habitat destruction due to environmental pollution or natural causes
  • Predation from man, natural and introduced species
  • Lack of food or water
  • Illegal poaching
  1. Copy Table 1 below into your journal.

DATA Table 1

0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10
Trial 1 / 15
Trial 2 / 15
Trial 3 / 15
  1. Each of the three games begin with 15 Coqui frogs living in the rainforest.
  2. Each partner will roll one die. Based on the results of both dice, the Coqui frog population will either increase,decrease, or stay the same.
  3. Use the information in the Game Key to determine what each roll of the dice will represent.
  4. For example, in Game One, if a combination of 7 is rolled with the dice, then oneof the Coqui frogs dies because an exotic species was introduced into its habitat.
  5. After each roll of the dice: Add or subtract frogs according to the information in the Game Key.
  6. Count the number of Coqui frogs at the end of each year (roll)and record the information in Table 1 in your science journal.
  7. When you are done, graph the population change over 10 years. Use map pencils to draw the lines.

CONCLUSIONS AND QUESTIONS:

1. Use graph paper to graph your results. (you’ll have 3 lines to represent the 3 trials)

2. Describe what happened to your population of Coqui frogs in each of the three trials.

3. Categorize the environmental changes below as either long-term or short-term changes and if it iscaused by man or natural causes.

Are changes
long-term or
short-term? / Are changes caused by man or natural causes?
Habitat is destroyed by environmental pollution.
Habitat is destroyed by natural disaster.
Death of an individual due to a natural predator.
Extinction of species due to an exotic or introduced species.
Death of a population due to starvation from competition.
Death of a population due to starvation from lack of food or water.
Reduction of population in the wild due to poachersremoving individuals for use in the pet trade.

3. Read the articles “Understanding Extinction Past, Present, and Future: A Look at the Various Species of Plants and Animals That Have Become Extinct Over the Past 100 Years” and “Why are Plants Endangered?”

4. Do plants compete with each other to avoid extinction? Explain your answer.

5. Research a plant and an animal that has become extinct in Texas over the past 100 years. On the back of this paper, write at least 2 paragraphs describing both organisms and the environmental changes that caused the extinction of both species.

Golden Coqui Activity

Trial Key

If you roll a… / ,then you…
2 / reproduce. (+1)
3 / continue living.
(no change in population)
4 / die from habitat destruction by environmental pollution/natural disaster. (-1)
5 / die from habitat destruction by environmental pollution/natural disaster. (-1)
6 / die from a natural predator.
(-1)
7 / die from an exotic or introduced animal species. (-1)
8 / die from starvation from a competition and/or lack of food or water. (-1)
9 / die in a poacher’s home aquarium. (-1)
10 / continue living.
(no change in population)
11 / continue living.
(no change in population)
12 / reproduce. (+1)