Final answer:
The extinction of species can be caused by global climate change and the introduction of exotic species. These factors create conditions that can rapidly outpace an organism's ability to adapt, leading to their decline and eventual extinction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factors Contributing to Species Extinction
There are several factors that can lead to the extinction of a species. Two significant causes are global climate change and the introduction of exotic species. Climate change, which is largely driven by human actions such as the burning of fossil fuels, leads to changes in temperature, sea levels, and weather patterns that can quickly alter an organism's environment faster than they can adapt. Introduction of exotic species often leads to increased competition for resources and can result in the native species being outcompeted and eventually dying out.
For example, the woolly mammoth's extinction is thought to have been a consequence of climate change at the end of the last Ice Age coupled with human hunting pressures. As the climate warmed, their cold habitat reduced, impacting their food supply and making survival more difficult as humans also hunted them for food. Over a long period, these factors contributed to the species’ eventual demise.