Answer Key

Unit 2: Ecological Environment

Lesson 1: The Vanishing Night

WarmUp
1. c
Light pollution can be seen in most developed cities. It is an orange haze of light over
cities and is caused by the amount of artificial lights left on at night. These lights can be
seen from space. Light pollution has many negative effects on both humans and animals.
2. d
Circadian rhythms are a series of processes our bodies go through each day. Some
of the things controlled by these rhythms include metabolism, hormones and blood
pressure. The circadian rhythms restart at night when it is dark. However, when it is
not dark enough, such as when light pollution is present, some of the processes are
disrupted causing possible health issues.
3. a
When there is an excess of light, it is harder for animals to hide from their predators.
Many animals are also disoriented by lights and are drawn to them, like insects around
a porch light. Some animals, like birds, are known to breed earlier than usual, as well.
4. c
Light pollution affects the behavior of migratory birds in a couple of ways. They start
their migrations sooner, and so they mate sooner, too. They are also drawn into cities
where many fly into buildings. This can cause the birds to injure themselves or even
to die.

Preview
A type of lighting gaining popularity for use in street lamps due to its
Light emitting diodes
low cost and high energy efficiency
Any biological process that displays an endogenous, entrainable
oscillation of about 24 hours. These 24-hour rhythms are driven by
Circadian cycle
a circadian clock, and they have been widely observed in plants,
animals, fungi and cyanobacteria
A dramatic and catastrophic conflict, especially one seen as likely to
Armageddon
destroy the world or the human race
Nocturnal Being active or happening at night
Process of precisely coordinating or matching two or more activities,
Synchronization
devices, or process at the same time or rate
ornithologist One who studies or is an expert on birds

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 1. The title and subtitle are considered a concise/ condensed summary of the whole
article, so they reflect / mirror the main idea which is the frightful reality of losing
species –reduced numbers of various insects-and the endeavors done by scientists to
find out the reasons behind such phenomenon so that remedies will be searched for.
2. Paragraph 7 brings forward the experiment done by Kumlien in the 1880s in order
to examine the effects of nighttime lighting on migrating birds. Paragraph 8 brings
the issue further by focusing on another effect of such phenomenon- fragmenting
animals’ habitats. Hence, the two paragraphs are thematically related in a relation
of elaboration/ reinforcement/ addition. Using the direct cohesive device “also” in
paragraph 8 and indirect one like synonyms {nighttime lighting (para.7) = evening
lighting (para.8)}, the writer tightens such relations.
3. It’s clear that the tone is uncertain, hopeless, skeptic, depressed, doubtful, dubious
since the example used isn’t widely noticeable and is merely restricted to a specific
kind of organisms(ermine moths). Still scientists should be more mindful to other
factors that elevate the problem.
4. Kwon uses the cause-effect pattern to organize her ideas by listing the causal relation
in a form of a chain of causes and effects.

Add answers to 5 and 6

F. 1. nuanced
2. offset
3. awry
4. exponential
5. succumb

G. The figure by Longcore entitled “Response of Wildlife to Artificial Light” demonstrates

the relation between different artificial light colors and wildlife sensitivity. Artificial
lights come in a range of kinds and colors such as the yellow low-pressure sodium
lamp which seems of undamaging impact on species. This effect seems to be more
intense with the warm white LED. However, LED street lamps leave its greatest and
most troubling impact on different wildlife species. To conclude, LED street lamps that
emit large amounts of blue light making it a blue-rich lighting is the most dangerous
type of lighting on wildlife.

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