Cassandra Cappello 1

Annotated Bibliography

Are Humans Causing the Sixth Mass Extinction?

Cassandra Cappello
Professor Malcolm Campbell
UWRT 1103
October 25, 2016

Block, Melissa, and Elizabeth Kolbert. "The Earth's 'Sixth Extinction' May Be One Of Our Own
Making." All Things Considered. NPR, 11 Feb. 2014. Radio.

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This is a transcript of an interview conducted by NPR, a popular and well-trusted news

Commented [1]: You need to clearly state what it is, "a

developed article from a popular source"

source. The interview focuses on a writer, Elizabeth Kolbert, who had recently written a

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book exploring the damage that human influences such as deforestation and carbon

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emissions have on biodiversity. Kolberts travels allowed her to assemble information

Commented [4]: "...human influences on

biodiversity,..."

that exposed the grim reality that humans are impacting the environment in a major, and

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harmful way. The authors awareness of species endangerment as well as carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions on oceanic health shows the broad scope of the detrimental human
impact on organisms, and the statistics that she provides make the situation feel like a
dire emergency. The Red List from the International Union for Conservation of Nature
stands as a large source of her statistical information about endangered species, meaning
that she has chosen a reliable source to support her claims. Kolbert has extensively
studied the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest, the extinction of tree frogs in
Panama, and the decline of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Her involvement in the
studies themselves aids in her credibility as a writer, the initiative that she took in order to
assemble accurate information for her novel makes her a believable source. Since this
interview occurred on NPR, a source that is more commonly objective, her discussion of
habitat loss and species endangerment seems more based on knowledge than speculation.
The specific information given by Kolbert after her experiences in field study will be
incredibly useful in assembling professional support for the claims given in my EIP,
which, in turn, would help in my credibility as someone researching the topic.

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McGregor, Reid Gordon, and Kevin C. Zippel. "Can Zoos and Aquariums Ensure the Survival of
Amphibians in the 21st Century?" International Zoo Yearbook, vol. 42, no. 1, 2008, pp.
1-6. Print.
This is a peer-reviewed article by Gordon McGregor and Kevin Zippel. Gordon
McGregor, prior to his retirement, was the Director General of the Chester Zoo in
England, a zoo that has received various awards for its commitment to conservation. The
other author, Kevin Zippel, was closely acquainted through Amphibian Ark (an
organization committed to the conservation of amphibians), and it is evident that their
connection led to the creation of this article. McGregor and Zippel evaluate the real
benefits and caveats involved in the preservation of various animals. They consider the
zoos ability to actually hold, protect, and help save endangered species. They also
recognize that the problem requires a larger and more complex solution than one would
hope. The authors acknowledge that the combined support of governments, museums,
universities and botanical gardens are much more likely to gather the resources necessary

Commented [7]: run on

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to take on the issue of species endangerment and make a significant impact. The authors
also discuss the practical realities of conservation, pointing out that most zoos cannot
easily breed large, endangered mammals solely because of the space that they occupy,
but smaller animals, like amphibians, can be held in large quantities because they do not
have many space requirements. Because of the smaller size of amphibians, they are easier

Commented [10]: great length of your summaryit

tells us just enough without being too long

to gather and breed, making them a good subject for captive conservation. Also,

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McGregor and Zippel seem to be aware that the animals that are held and bred in zoos
must represent their population genetically, which is a way to avoid the genetic drift that

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could eventually occur and dramatically affect the species. McGregor and Zippel, even
with the practical issues, seem to find hope in conservation. The statistic that 25% of wild
Mallorcan midwife toads are from captive breeding in zoos shows that there is a clear
benefit in rehabilitating species. These two authors long-time standing as heavily
involved researchers in conservation shows that they hold a knowledgeable stance on
how species can be helped in this desperate time. The credibility of these authors is also
emphasized because this is, in fact, a scholarly, peer-reviewed article that was published
in the International Zoo Yearbook. Also, the many studies and articles referenced shows
that there was a keen focus on accuracy in the piece. This article has greatly helped in

Commented [13]: with

making me consider the practical solutions and ways to save endangered species that are

Commented [14]: rt

on the brink of extinction. I will specifically use this in my EIP to propose solutions to
the issue at hand.
"Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web.
Accessed 27 Sept. 2016.
This webpage from the EPA analyzes the multiple causes of greenhouse gas emissions,
and their amounts in terms of percentage of total emissions. The page breaks the causes
into separate widgets, exploring industry, agriculture, electricity, and more. Each
hyperlink provided in the page conveniently directs the reader to the related sub-section,
allowing for an organized and informative source. The EPA states that humans have been
almost solely responsible for the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in the
last 150 years, and they seem to support their claims quite well with citations from other
governmental organizations committed to an understanding of greenhouse emissions. The

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Cassandra Cappello 5
author introduces graphs to model the steady increase of greenhouse gases within the last
20 years alongside a chart that shows the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions divided
into their most common sources. Graphs, charts, and actual statistics make this webpage
an incredibly useful citation for the Extended Inquiry Project. Since the EPA is an
organization with a known focus on the United States environmental impact on the
planet, it will serve as a trustworthy point of reference, and the statistics can be expected
to be fairly accurate. The information in this webpage will prove useful in composing the
overall argument of my EIP because it easily breaks information into topics that are

Commented [17]: Great!

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important to discuss when considering the human impact upon the planet, like the actual
emissions from our lightly regulated activities. Also, this will give further support to the

Commented [20]: great analysis and statement of how

you're going to use it

idea that high CO2 emissions are raising the oceans acidity and thus endangering

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organisms that live in the sea.

"The Extinction Crisis." Center for Biological Diversity. Web. Accessed 25 Sept. 2016.
This webpage from the Center for Biological Diversity attempts to evaluate the extinction
issue by each class of animals and organisms affected. In its introduction, the page
includes a number of statistics that outline the broad scope of human environmental
degradation. Using the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a
primary resource, the Center for Biological Diversity claims that 30-50 of all species
could be extinct by 2050. With this, the essay opens into the specific amount of species
lost in each class such as amphibians, birds, mammals, plants, reptiles and more. There is
a startling reality to each statistic, like the fact that 700 species of freshwater fish in the
United States are endangered, or that about 50 percent of all primate species are on the

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Cassandra Cappello 6
brink of extinction. The claims made by the Center for Biological Diversity, while
surprising, seem to hold truth after further exploration into the citations made. Since the
CBD relies mainly on the IUCN and other scientific journals, their information can be
expected to be held at a certain level of accuracy. Along with this, the CBDs standing as
a non-profit organization makes their statements more reliable because this shows a
commitment to the actual betterment of the earths habitats rather than corporate interest.
This source seems to be strongly connected to the previous NPR article, The Earth's
'Sixth Extinction' May Be One Of Our Own Making," because they both depend on the
statistics given by the IUCN. Their frequent references to this organization means that

Commented [23]: I like the way you are connecting

sources.

they refer to the proper authority in the field. This citation will be a great reference in my

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Extended Inquiry Project because it holds a large amount of information and statistics
that would strengthen many arguments that I would provide in my research.

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Commented [26]: wonderful job Cassie! The only

suggestion I have is to maybe look into sources from
the other side. I know you are arguing that humans are
causing extinction (and it's kinda stupid to argue
against that), but it may be good to find academic
sources that say extinction is just a myth. (if there even
are any)
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