Module 8
1. Module 8
1.17. Lesson 4
Module 8—Populations, Individuals, and Gene Pools
Lesson 4—Human Activity, Biotechnology, and Gene Pools
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Get Focused
A specialized brain, an opposable thumb, and the capacity for speech are a winning combination that have allowed humans to change the world. The technologies humans have developed to meet our need for food, shelter, and safety seem to be limitless. Our species has thrived, and, with the use of technology, our habitat has extended into the farthest reaches of the globe. We are, however, becoming increasingly concerned about the intended and unintended consequences of our gain. Do practices and technologies that make life easier for us make life harder for the natural populations around us?
Increasingly, we are becoming aware that we are not separate from ecological communities that surround us. When we affect our environment, we affect our own survival. However, the same specialized human brains and dexterous opposable thumbs that produced technologies that may have harmed natural systems can be used to create technologies that restore balance and create a sustainable Earth.
Biotechnologies have the capacity to do a great deal of good, but the issues are complex. In this lesson you will study examples of human activities and technologies that were developed with good intentions, but that had unforeseen consequences.
In this lesson the following focusing question will be examined:
- What are the intended and unintended consequences of human activities and scientific and technological developments on gene pools?
Module 8: Lesson 4 Assignment
Download a copy of the Module 8: Lesson 4 Assignment to your computer now. You will receive further instructions on how to complete this assignment later in the lesson.
Any summary notes should be stored in the course folder for study as you prepare for exams.
You must decide what to do with the questions that are not marked by the teacher.
Remember that these questions provide you with the practice and feedback that you need to successfully complete this course. You should respond to all of the questions and place those answers in your course folder. Remember, you also have the option of trying additional questions from the textbook for further practice. Consult with your teacher for the answers to these questions. The Key will also provide you with many diploma exam-style multiple-choice, numerical-response, and written-response questions that will be an excellent review of the module. Practising your responses to these types of questions is good preparation for the diploma exam.