The author examines three studies on the effects of human destruction of habitats on plant and animal populations. The major findings from the studies were unexpected and did not support the author's hypothesis that the species would adapt and thrive. Many species did not survive the changes to their habitats caused by deforestation. The results showed population losses, particularly among larger animal species. The author concludes that plant and animal life is not as resilient to habitat destruction as initially hypothesized.

1. By Brittany Logan
Department of Environmental Sciences, Southern New Hampshire University
To Everything, Turn, Turn, Turn
Acknowledgements
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Introduction
Industries all over the world are making new
strides every day - from electronics to motor vehicles,
you name it, and the technology behind these products
is growing stronger by the hour. The advances made
have brought a greater sense of ease to the user of said
products, and we are seeing technology, in places like
the medical field, grow in spades. However, we must
look at the flip side of this coin: companies are able to
build bigger and better factories by tearing down trees,
green spaces, and as a result, destroying habitats for
plant and animal species. This doesn’t address what we
may also see as the greater good - if the services and
products that are created in these buildings is going to
somehow benefit human life, shouldn’t we reach for
that outcome over everything that might happen as a
result? The potential loss of endangered animal
species, pollinators, and beautiful trees cannot go by
the wayside for the sake of a dollar. If we lose these
species, we are not just saying goodbye to nature, it
means we are saying goodbye to our vitality, and the
potential to grow in the future. To that end, I will
examine three studies that deal with this very topic.
For my methodologies, I have chosen the Scientific
Method, Reseach Design, and Research from Data. I
have hypothesized that the plants and animals will be
able to survive the destruction of their former habitats.
The ways in which they have lived up to this point will
change, but they will be able to adapt, thrive, and
Abstract
The purpose of my research into this topic was to
investigate the effects of human destruction of
populations of plants and animals. The studies I
utilized included numbers and figures from areas
affected in this manner. The major findings of the
studies yielded unexpected results. I was surprised to
learn that a large number of species do not survive this
type of change - I was expecting the plant and animal
species to thrive and evolve alongside these changes.
My interpretation is that plant and animal species are
not as resistant to change as I had hypothesized.
Method
The first methodology is the scientific
method. The scientific method is
described as the principles and procedures
for the systematic pursuit of knowledge
involving the recognition and formulation
of a problem, the collection of data
through observation and experiment, and
the formulation and testing of hypotheses.
(2019) The second, more specific method
of research I plan to use is research
design. Research design is defined by the
Business Dictionary (2019) as a detailed
outline of how an investigation will take
place. A research design will typically
include how data is to be collected, what
instruments will be employed, how the
instruments will be used and the intended
means for analyzing data collected. Last,
but not least, I will use research from data
that was recorded in regards to plants and
animal groups that have been moved as a
result of human destruction and removal,
to compare it to that of research from
plants and animal groups that have
remained in their natural habitat.
According to GeorgiGeorgiev-Geo (2019),
a test group is one that is picked at random
and exposed to a different condition than
that of the control group.
Results Conclusions
Citations
The results from
the studies used
did not yield the
results I expected.
The first resource,
Habitat loss,
dispersal, and the
probability of
extinction of tree
species (Montoya,
2008), was the
biggest supporter
I could find for
my hypothesis.
The second
source I found
was Global
biodiversity loss
from tropical
deforestation
(Giam, 2017).
There was a
recorded loss of
ants and lizards,
and it was also
shown that larger
species of animals
suffered a greater
loss in population
than smaller
animals. These
findings do not
support my
hypothesis.
The third
and final source I
utilized was
Thresholds of
species loss in
Amazonian
deforestation
frontier
landscapes
(Ochoa-Quintero,
etc. 2015). This
source completely
disproves my
hypothesis.
To summarize the results of these readings, I can
conclude that deforestation and destruction of
habitats of plants and animals go hand in hand.
When I first started to research this topic, I was sure
that animal and plant life would be more resilient, or
more resilient than these populations have proven to
be. As much as I wanted to see the opposite, I must
give credit where credit is due to these findings.
They were discovered in areas directly affected by
deforestation, and they have measurable results of
the populations that were once there.
In regards to my hypothesis, I believe I may have
been overly optimistic with it. I was blinded by bias
in this case, which if I could encourage my readers to
do anything, it is to take a second look at your
hypothesis. I would encourage one to make sure
they have considered what the opposition, or facts,
might say regarding your topic.
Scientific method. In The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved November 23, 2019, from https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/scientific%20method
What comes after those ellipses? (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2019, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/research-
design.html.
GeorgiGeorgiev-Geo. (n.d.). What is a Test Group?: Glossary of online controlled experiments. Retrieved November 23, 2019, from
https://www.analytics-toolkit.com/glossary/test-group/
.
Montoya D. (2008). Habitat loss, dispersal, and the probability of extinction of tree species. Communicative & integrative biology, 1(2),
146–147. doi:10.4161/cib.1.2.6998
Giam, X. (2017, June 6). Global biodiversity loss from tropical deforestation.
Retrieved November 22, 2019, from https://www.pnas.org/content/114/23/5775.
Ochoa-Quintero, J. M., Gardner, T. A., Rosa, I., Ferraz, S. F. D. B., & Sutherland, W. J. (2015). Thresholds of species loss in Amazonian
deforestation frontier landscapes. Conservation Biology, 29(2), 440–451. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12446