The reading material is talking about the probable reasons of the extinction of the Steller's sea cows.
The reading material is talking about the probable reasons of the extinction of the Steller's sea cows. pRDYy
The reading material is talking about the probable reasons of the extinction of the Steller's sea cows. However, the professor in the listening material believe that we actually do not know what caused the extinction of the sea cows and the reasons in the reading material all have problems.
Firstly, the reading thinks that maybe the overhunting on the sea cows by native Siberian people is the reason, for sea cows was a perfect food source to the Siberian people in that harsh environment. So Siberian people could have hunted sea cows a lot and resulted their extinction. Nevertheless, the professor points out that sea cows is a sort of massive creatures, one sea cow can serve as the food of a Siberian village for couple of months. Considering the population of the Siberian people is not very large, their hunting on sea cows could not lead to the extinction.
Secondly, the reading holds the view that ecosystems disturbance could make the amount of sea cows' main food source, kelp, to decrease dramaticallly, which can be the reason of the extinction. Nonetheless, the professor proposes that if an ecosystems disturbance did happen, marine animals other than kelp in that area would also diminish. However, fishing record shows that such decreasing has not happened ever, so this can not be the reason of the extinction.
Finally, the reading argues that European fur traders with weapons that can quickly kill sea cows can be the reason. These people probably kill the sea cows to extinction only for their profitable fur and they caught the last sea cows. However, the professor shows the fact that the population of sea cows was already quite small when European fur traders arrived that area. Their amount is supposed to be much larger before that time. Therefore, something happened before the arrival of the fur traders caused the decreasing of the sea cows and the traders could not result the extinction.
The
reading
material is talking about the probable
reasons
of the
extinction
of the
Steller
's
sea
cows
.
However
, the
professor
in the listening material believe that we actually do not know what caused the
extinction
of the
sea
cows
and the
reasons
in the
reading
material all have problems.
Firstly
, the
reading
thinks
that maybe the overhunting on the
sea
cows
by native Siberian
people
is
the
reason
, for
sea
cows
was a perfect food source to the Siberian
people
in that harsh environment.
So
Siberian
people
could have hunted
sea
cows
a lot and resulted their
extinction
.
Nevertheless
, the
professor
points out that
sea
cows
is a sort of massive creatures, one
sea
cow
can serve as the food of a Siberian village for
couple of
months. Considering the population of the Siberian
people
is not
very
large, their hunting on
sea
cows
could not lead to the extinction.
Secondly
, the
reading
holds the view that
ecosystems
disturbance could
make
the amount of
sea
cows' main food source, kelp, to decrease
dramaticallly
, which can be the
reason
of the
extinction
. Nonetheless, the
professor
proposes that if an
ecosystems
disturbance did happen, marine animals other than kelp in that area would
also
diminish.
However
, fishing record
shows
that such decreasing has not happened ever,
so
this can not be the
reason
of the extinction.
Finally
, the
reading
argues that European
fur
traders
with weapons that can
quickly
kill
sea
cows
can be the
reason
. These
people
probably
kill the
sea
cows
to
extinction
only
for their profitable
fur and
they caught the last
sea
cows
.
However
, the
professor
shows
the fact that the population of
sea
cows
was already quite
small
when European
fur
traders
arrived that area. Their amount
is supposed
to be much larger
before
that time.
Therefore
, something happened
before
the arrival of the
fur
traders
caused the decreasing of the
sea
cows
and the
traders
could not result the
extinction
.