EINVIRONMENT MATTERS 117

GLOSSARRY.

putative: ommonly regarded as such; supposed

ending:
i m p e n
about to happen; imminent
holocaus
a great or
complete devastation or
destruction by
fire

or kind; type
ik: class,
catastrophic: disastrous

biota: the animals, plants, fungi, etc., of a region or period

blivion: the state of being completely forgotten or unknown
nti-alarmists: people who are against the propaganda or
warning that there is imminent danger
adduce: bring forward in argument as evidence
efficacy: capacity for producing a desired result or effect;
effectiveness
succours: helps or relieves
ineffable: incapable of being expressed or described in words;
inexpressible
seed bank: a lab that stores seeds to preserve genetic diversity;
hence it is a type of gene bank
diminished: reduced
Sentiment: an attitude toward something; regard; opinion
Ineradicable: not capable of being rooted out, or completely
removed
trauma: a powerful shock that may have long-lasting ettects
poverished: deprived of or having lost strength, vitality,
creativeness, etcC
riment: loss, damage, disadvantage, or injury
or consent
POpriation: the act of taking without permission
with
compatible: cons
Consistent or capable of existing
together
something else
able: uniform in operation or effect; steauy
 ISSUES THAT MATTER
118
or series of attached
filaments: a long slender cell
some algae and fungi
cells, asn
rather than imaginary or visi
tangible: real or actual,
an unknown idea or concls..
ary
extrapolating: inferring
something that is known onclusion from
unrestrained: uncontrolled

encompass: include; contain; comprehend

tracts: a large stretch or period
resilient: returning to the original form or position after
bent, compressed, or stretched; able to survive being
insult: attack; assault
vulnerable: capable of being physically or
emotionally
emotionally
wounded or hurt
precipitated: speeded up the occurrence of; brought about
prematurely, hastily, or suddenly
insidiously: operating or proceeding in an unnoticed or
seemingly harmless way but actually with serious effects
peril: something that causes or may cause injury, loss or
destruction
punctuated: interrupted at various points of time
extirpation: total destruction or extinction
snuffing out: extinguishing, suppressing or crushing
conspicuous: easily seen or noticed; readily visible or
observable
terrestrial vertebrates: organisms that possess a
spinal colu
or vertebra and live
predominantly on land
grind: laborious, usually uninteresting work; (here) the bw
but steady natural process
cataclysmic: of, relating to, or resulting from a sudden aand
violent physical action producing
changes in the ta
surtace
 ENVIRONMENT MATTERS 119
e t o r t s 'r e p l i e
sually in a sharp or retaliatory way
way
v a c a n c y ;
vacuur
empty space
a
d:
growing or developing quickly;
bungeor eoning:

furnishe as with some

urishing
talent, faculty, or
endowed
equipped
quality;
noisy and lively; unrestrained; (here)
o i s t e r

yirtually: almost whollv

o u s l y :

vigorously
irtu occurring, done, or
completed in a short span
instantaneous:
inst

of time

hastens:
accelerates; increases the pace of
slam: to dash; strike; knock with violent and noisy impact
harbinger: anything that foreshadows a future event; omen;
sign
inevitable: unavoidable

contemplate: to have in view as a future event; think about

recourse: the act of seeking assistance or advice

invincibility: capability of being unconquered, undefeated
foul: defile; dishonour; disgrace; spoil
sentient: having the power of perception by the senses;

Consciou1s
exhortation: an utterance, discourse or address conveying

urgent advice or recommendations

action; an
mperative: something that demands attention
or

unavoidable duty or requirement; necessity

never
before
instance;
unprecedented: without previous
known or experienced
naifeasance: a wrongful or illegal act
frienaly
ben intending or showing goodwill; kindly;
mpunity: exemption from punishment and

scientist who studies

fossils of animals
dcontologist:
plants
 MATTER
THAT
1SUES
120
a person who advocates or
conservationist: cts for the
preservation ot the
protection and ronment and ildi
compelling: having
a powertul and irresistible
tible effect;wildlií
(here)
convincing

QUESTIONS.

1. Answer the following questions in two or three

ree sentences..

a. Which three important areas of the value of biodiv

has Leakey identified?

b. What is Julian Simon's contention regarding thefuture

of material resources of Earth?
c. What might have precipitated mass extinctions in tho
past?
d. What is the first and most immediate message given hu
fossil records?
e. What is the second major message of fossil records?
f. What is the holistic understanding of Earth's biota?
g. How is the sixth extinction different from the Big Five
before it?
2. Answer the
following questions in about 100 words.
a. How does
Leakey establish that the loss of diversity of
species represents the loss of associated values?
b. What is
Julian Simon's view on the loss of species and
how is it contrasted with
the view of Les Kaufman?
c. How does
our
understanding of the input-output
relations of the natural our
economy on Earth form
concepts regarding preservation of
d. What are the
biodiversity
responses of the alarmists and ists
to the fossil anti-alarnu
records available?
e. What is the future of
Homo sapiens, according to Leakey
 IRONMENT MATTERS 121
f.Why
shoulo human ings be
ion of diversity in the concerned
face of the sixth about the
the
event in progress? extinction
the following questions in
3.
Answer
about 300 words.
Does the preservation of
a.

2bstantiate
Substantiate your view
biodiversity really matter?
point on
the basis of
arguments raised by various the
anti-alarmists.
prominent alarmists and
How does Leakey establish the
fact
that Homo sapiens
have a key responsibility preserve
to
biodiversity?