Advance Your Thinking 4. Unlike cattle and sheep, goats are much more flexible i

Question

Advance Your Thinking

4. Unlike cattle and sheep, goats are much more flexible in what they eat, but their sharp hooves pulverize soil more easily. The data show that the growht in goat population is particularly dramatic in a developing country like Nigeria.

a. What might explain this pattern?

b. What might be some potential consequences?

5. a. How might the increase in the size of the goat herd be a potential social trap?

b. What are some ways that we could avoid this trap?

The following data show the number of different types of livestock grazed in the world and in Nigeria from 1961 to 2008. Use these graphs and Table 1.1 to answer the next five questions World Grazing Livestock by Type, 1961-2008 Grazing Livestock in Nigeria, 1961-2008 60 50 S 40 30 20 10 0 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 Cattle Goats Sheep Goats E 600 Cattle 2 400 200 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Year Year Table 1.1 Grazing Livestock Population (in millions.) Type of livestock World in 1961 Cattle Goats Sheep | Nigeria in 2008 % change World in 2008 1,372 864 1,086 % change Nigeria in 1961 942 349 994 16.3 53.8 33.9

Explanation / Answer

4) In the world in 2008, the cattle and sheep constituted the bulk of the grazing herds. In Nigeria, goats constituted the bulk of the grazing herds. According to the graph, in 1961 goats had the lowest population.

A) Cattle worldwide: 45.65%

Goat worldwide: 147.56%

Sheep Worldwide: 9.26%

Cattle Nigeria: 171.67%

Goat Nigeria: 8866.7%

Sheep Nigeria: 3290%

B) Goat populations increased in Nigeria because the soil was flexible for them to live on and they could eat a wider variety of food. Some consequences are that there might be fewer animals because they eat them and their population is large.

5) a) It could be a potential social trap because the increase in goats may seem like a positive thing but they will eat much of the plants and slowly wipe out animal populations.

B) We could avoid this by ensuring that the other animals grow in population as well.

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