Photo AI
Aboriginal Australians co-existed with the megafauna for at least 17000 years Australia was once home to giant reptiles, marsupials and birds known as megafauna - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 10 - 2017 - Paper 1
Question 10
Aboriginal Australians co-existed with the megafauna for at least 17000 years Australia was once home to giant reptiles, marsupials and birds known as megafauna. M... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Aboriginal Australians co-existed with the megafauna for at least 17000 years Australia was once home to giant reptiles, marsupials and birds known as megafauna - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 10 - 2017 - Paper 1
Step 1
Identify that First Australians burnt the landscape/hunted
Answer
First Australians engaged in regular burning of the landscape, which promoted new vegetation growth crucial for both food sources and hunting. This massive alteration of the ecosystem could have influenced the availability of resources for megafauna.
Step 2
Describe consequences of this action, such as the large flightless bird laid eggs on the ground
Answer
The burning of the landscape could have led to a significant decrease in the food availability for megafauna. For instance, the large flightless bird Genyornis newtoni laid its eggs on the ground, making them susceptible to predators and environmental changes, which might have contributed to its decline.
Step 3
Acknowledge how the model is supported, such as this led to the extinction of the large flightless bird
Answer
Evidence supports that the frequent burning practices and changes in habitat led to the extinction of various megafauna species. Since Genyornis newtoni thrived in environments with certain floral groups, its vulnerable nesting strategy made it exposed to rapid ecological changes post European colonization, thereby leading to its extinction.
Step 4
Identify and explain evidence against rapid megafauna extinction
Answer
Evidence indicates that not all fire-sensitive plants showed signs of bottlenecking, suggesting a more complex interaction between humans and the ecosystem. This challenges the notion that the First Australians were solely responsible for the rapid extinction of megafauna.
Step 5
Discuss how the population of First Australians was not large enough to impact megafauna rapidly
Answer
Research suggests that the Aboriginal population was relatively small throughout the coexistence period, which may not have exerted enough pressure on megafauna populations for a rapid extinction. This challenges theories attributing the decline predominantly to human actions.