Write your scientific argument about what caused the size of the orange-bellied parrot population to decrease. As you write, remember to: Clearly state your claim. You may choose to use one of the two claims below, or you can create your own. Use your strongest evidence from the Island Ecosystem Food Web or the Evidence Cards to support your claim. Use the Scientific Argument Sentence Starters and the Word Bank below to help you explain your thinking. Science Seminar Question: What was the main cause of the decrease in the size of the orange-bellied parrot population? The population decreased because . . . Claim 1: births decreased. Claim 2: deaths increased. Scientific Argument Sentence Starters. Describing Evidence: The evidence that supports my claim is... My first piece of evidence is... Another piece of evidence is... This evidence shows that... Describing how the evidence supports the claim: If [blank], then ... This is important because... Since [blank], then... Based on the evidence, I conclude that... This claim is stronger because... Word Bank consumer population indirect effect ecosystem population resource population energy storage molecule competition reproduction

There are about 50 Orange-bellied Parrots remaining in the wild and a captive breeding population of around 320 individuals. The species is at risk of extinction in the wild in the near term. Current expertise suggests that habitat loss and degradation, particularly in the non-breeding range, has caused the decline.

Explanation:

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