Belleza, Ed Mark Angel C.

2BSA- 3
Science, Technology and Society MW 2:30-4:00 PM

Biodiversity: Arctic Tale

Guided Viewing Worksheet

This movie takes place in the Arctic Tundra. How diverse is this ecosystem? Explain.
As you watch the movie, answer the questions. Some of the questions are not explicitly stated in
the movie but based on what you observe, please write a logical answer. These questions are
underlined.

1. What two very diverse organisms are we going to follow in this movie?
 The main feature creatures in the movie were the seals and polar bear; walruses
could also be included in this category.
2. List three different organisms that live in the tundra that you see during the opening
credits.
 There were the polar bear, sea seal, and the walrus.
3. Does your answer to #2 support or reject the answer you wrote for your DO NOW?
Explain.
 It supports as they were initially the main focus of the documentary film. They
were the main characters of the movie.
4. How many months did the polar bears live in the cave?
 The polar bears spent 6 months living in the cave.
5. What feature(s) do polar bears have that allow them to survive in the tundra? List 2.
 Polar Bears have this coated fur and a thick layer of blubber.
6. What feature (s) do walruses have that allow them to survive in the tundra?
 Walruses have a thick layer of fat that enables them to survive in such conditions.
7. What is the only threat to Nanu and her family in the tundra?
 A male polar bear was the eminent threat to Nanu and her family.
8. Why is Seela so treasured?
 This is because female walruses rarely give birth to offspring thus, Seela is so
treasured.

9. What is the one thing that can help the survival of the seal?
  Their setting; which is the ice or cold environments.
10. Predict what would happen to the biodiversity in the tundra if the heat was to increase by
ten degrees.
 It would cause the ice to melt fast and could endanger the different species in the
tundra, all in all affecting biodiversity.
11. Why are summers so “trying” on the polar bears?
 “Trying” in the sense that they are annoying because polar bears will be limited in
their actions and in their hunt for food.
12. How does summer increase the biodiversity of organisms living in the tundra?
 With the temporary melting of the ice and the change in temperature, it introduces
more animals capable of surviving such conditions.
13. List three “new” organisms that arrive for the summer months.
 They were the dolphin, whale, and sword fish.
14. What would happen to the biodiversity if the summer months began to last longer for
Nanu and Seela?
 It could potentially endanger their species as they will have a very hard time to
hunt foods; causing great amount of stress to the mothers and hunger to the
children.
15. What do you think accounts for the warmer temperatures?
 Climate Change, due to continued pollution and emission of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere- primarily caused by us, humans.
16. How do the bird’s actions impact the bears?
 Birds have the advantage of the upper ground giving them more access and
knowledge on food, by following these birds- bears, too, will have more food at
their disposal.
17. Why does Nanu’s mother force Nanu to separate from her?
 Nanu’s mother decided to separate from her because she cannot afford to feed and
protect her anymore; at another viewpoint this may also be to let Nanu be
dependent on herself.
18. What adaptive features do the Narwhal’s have?
 They have a horn in the head that enables them to navigate around the sea.

19. How does the broken ice affect Nanu and Seela?
  Both Nanu and Seela would then try to find a new settlement. In addition, they
would be having a hard time in hunting as more and more animals are appearing
in the tundra, giving them less space to find food.
20. Why is Nanu unable to attack the walruses?
 At the first place, Nanu was too young to be in a situation like that. To add that,
she was not taught by her mother what to do in a state where she would attack the
walruses.
21. How does a single “kill” impact many animals?
 It changes the different aspects in the living habits of animals and could change
the balance of the ecosystem.
22. Why do the walruses know that it is time to leave rock island for their “normal” habitat?
 This is because the cold winter season has finally ended and the walruses will go
back to their place.
23. What happens to Nanu when she is eight years old?
 Nanu is at a right age to mate and reproduce, she was excited to go home and to
seek a male polar bear. She also went to the snowy mountains seeking the warmth
of a hidden den.
24. Why is reproducing so important to animals like polar bears in this era?
 Polar Bears are listed as an endangered species. Reproduction helps them to
further increase their population and maintain the balance of the ecosystem.
25. How does this movie represent the “circle of life”?
 The movie clearly depicts the circle of life. From a bacterium, being the food of a
organism, then in turn becomes the food of an animal and as the animal dies off,
the bacteria thrives through this. A predator-prey relationship as one is dependent
on the other. Although, too much of it could potentially tip the balance of the
ecosystem and the biodiversity as a whole. That is why, as was shown that a
specific specie kept on reproducing because a specie is important for the survival
of another. The movie also shows the compassion and love of life. As seen on the
parents of polar bear and walruses, they will try to guide and protect their
offspring until they reach a certain point that they can be independent on their
own.

26. What percent has the Arctic’s ice shrunk by in recent decades and in what year do
scientists estimate the ice to be gone?
  The Arctic’s ice is said to be shrinking at a rate of 12.8% per decade thus, rough
estimates suggests that it will take 5000 years for the ice to be completely melted.
27. Besides hotter temperatures, what other threats may impact biodiversity of the tundra?
List 5. (HINT: some of these are explicitly observed/stated in the movies; others are
opinion)
1. Melting permafrost
2. Invasive and Migrating of other Species
3. Natural disasters
4. Air Pollution causing more heat to be trapped in the atmosphere
5. Less animals to hunt which leads to less food
28. Besides variety of organisms, what other types of biodiversity did you observe while
watching the movie?
 The ecosystem biodiversity played a huge role as the shift in conditions and
environment enabled other species to thrive while others decline.
29. Compare and contrast Nanu and Seela’s journeys in relation to threats that affect
biodiversity.
 Both Nanu and Seela are mammals, cared and trained by their parents in how to
survive in the tundra. Nanu had a hard time by herself because her mother left her
to be independent whereas Seela’s family are always grouped together in hunting.