Now listen to part of a lecture in an environmental studies dass.
What happens, biologically speaking, when a major climate change occurs? Well, scientists generally agree that the extinction of various animal and plant species is one very likely effect. This has happened in the past. An example is, is the disappearance, 35,000 years ago, of a giant Australian bird, called the thunderbird.
Now, now, these birds were so big they couldn't fly. But as I was saying, many scientists are convinced that it was a change in climate that caused this species to become extinct. Here's the evidence. Here's why scientists think it was a climate change.
Researchers have discovered an enormous number of 35,000-year-old thunderbird bones, all together in one spot. The bones were found near an ancient, dried-up lake. Now, it's really rare to find so many bones from the same species in one place, but there it is. You have all these 35,000-year-old thunderbird bones all together near this dried-up lake. So what's the explanation?
Well, many scientists believe that a change in the Australian climate may be behind this. Their hypothesis is, they think that during a very long, dry period, when there was no rainfall, the birds may have flocked together at this lake. You see, during a drought, animals tend to gravitate towards the last few remaining water sources. But then if it still doesn't rain, if the drought lasts too long, the water source may dry up too. And...and if that happens, the animals that have gathered there...well...well...well...they die.
Scientists think, this ancient lake, where they found the bones, was one of the last remaining sources of freshwater during the drought. So that's where all these birds gathered. They survived there for a time, but eventually the lake dried up. And well...that was it. By the time the drought ended, the species was extinct.
Using the example of the thunderbird, explain a possible effect of a major climate change.
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In the lecture, the professor provides an example to illustrate the theory that when a major climate change occurs, it may lead to the extinction of various animals and plant species. That is, a giant Australian bird called thunderbird became extinct due to a climate change. Researchers have found many thunderbird bones all together in one spot which is really rare. So they believe that there is a climate change behind it. The hypothesis is, they think that during a long and dry period, the birds may have flocked together at this lake. And if it lasts too long without raining, the birds have to gather there and die. Scientists think the lake where they found the bones was one of the last remaining sources of freshwater during the drought. So the birds gathered there and struggled for a while and eventually the lake dried up and the species was extinct. And that's the example the speaker presented to explain the theory.
