Okay, so apparently my test standards don't count for SPs...soooooo here is a new assignment that I want graded for SP4.
SP4 - HERE
I used my transpiration lab. Hopefully this will still count because, as I said before, I was not aware that test scores did not count for standards.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
STANDARDS
Okay, so here are where you can find my standards for this semester. I have not received my Unit 10 test results yet, therefore I do not know if there are standards that I could use from there, but here is what I was able to come up with.
SP3 - HERE
SP4 - I received a 1 on the Unit 8 test for this standard.
SP5 - (HERE) I received a 3 on this standard on the Unit 8 test, so I will show my understanding of my errors and explain the concepts.
#28 and #29 are both questions that have to do with Hardy-Weinberg and Mendelian Genetics.
28. In a population of squirrels. the allele that causes bushy tail (B) is dominant, while the allele that causes bald tail is recessive (b). If 64 of the squirrels have a bushy tail, what is the frequency of the dominant allele?
I said the frequency was 0.8, but I was completely wrong. The frequency is actually 0.4 and this can be proven using the Hardy-Weinberg concept. In Hardy-Weinberg problems, the equation p² + 2pq + q² = 1. In this equation, p equals all of the alleles in individuals who are homozygous dominant (BB) and half of the alleles in people who are heterozygous (Bb) for this trait in a population, and q equals all of the alleles in individuals who are homozygous recessive (bb) and the other half of the alleles in people who are heterozygous (Bb). Because there are only two alleles in this question, the frequency of one plus the frequency of the other must equal 100%. In other words, p + q = 1. That means that p = 1-q. In this problem, we are looking for the dominant allele, which is p. So we know that 64 squirrels have bushy tails. And the frequency must equal 100%, so we subtract 64 from 100 to get the number of squirrels with bald tails, which ends up being 36. 36 is q squared, therefore we must square root 36 and we get 0.6, which is just q. Now we have q, so we can plug that into p + q = 1 or p = 1-q, and we discover that p equals 0.4. Therefore, the frequency of the dominant allele is 0.4.
29. A llamas coat color is controlled by a gene that exists in two allelic forms. If a homozygous yellow llama is crossed with a homozygous brown llama, the offspring have gray coats. If two gray-coated offspring were crossed, what percentage of their offspring would have brown coats?
Okay, for this one, I said that 0% would have brown coats, but I had originally chosen 25%. I guess I just second guessed myself. But anyway, the cross between the two gray offspring can be done on what is called a Punnett square.
Basically, this is what I first drew and then I second guessed myself and changed my answer. As you can see, 1/4 of the offspring would have brown coats, 25%.
This might also be able to go under SP9 (HERE).
SP6 - HERE
SP7 - HERE
SP8 - HERE
SP9 - (HERE) As I mentioned before, I believe I can use my explanation for standard 5 to get my standard 9, as well
I also have HBs that I need standards for:
WebbHB5/2 - I can construct models that connect the movement of molecules across membranes with membrane structure and function.DIFFUSION (HERE)
I received a 4 for this standard on the Unit 5 test, so allow me to explain what I did wrong and show my understanding for this topic.
The questioned explained that hospital patients are often given intravenous gluids (IVs) to maintain proper levels of water and salts in the body. Great care is used in preparing these solutions. If a manufacturer accidentally prepared a batch of I V fluid that contained much more than the usual amount of salt, harm to the patient could result. The most likely effect on a patient if this incorrectly prepared IV fluid was used is that _________________.
I said that water would move into body cells and cause them to burst, but the actual answer is that water would move out of the body cells and cause them to dehydrate. Obviously, this is the correct answer because obviously salt can cause dehydration. I obviously did not read the question correctly. When the body consumes to much salt, excess salt absorbs the body's water content, causing dehydration.
WebbHB7/1 - I can use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy. CELLULAR RESPIRATION (HERE)
I received a 3 for this standard on the Unit 7 test. Please allow me to explain what I did wrong and show my understanding for this topic.
Okay, so basically everything I got incorrect on this test involves cell respiration. Therefore, I am just going to explain the whole process of cell respiration.
The first stage is glycolysis, which occurs with oxygen. Basically, a six carbon sugar, glucose, is split into two molecules of a three carbon sugar. During this process, 2 molecules of ATP, 2 molecules of pyruvic acid and 2 NADH are produced. When there is no oxygen, glycolysis allows cells to make small amounts of ATP. This process is called fermentation. The second stage is the Krebs Cycle, which occurs only when there is oxygen; however, it does not use oxygen directly. During this stage, several compounds with the capability of storing electrons are produced, as are 2 ATP molecules. These compounds, known as NAD and FAD, are reduced in the process. These reduced forms carry the electrons to the next stage, which is the electron transport. This stage does require the use of oxygen directly. The electron transport "chain" is a chain of electron carriers in the membrane of the mitochondria in eukaryotic cells. Throughout this stage, the electrons are passed to oxygen. In the process, a gradient is formed, ultimately producing ATP. Yay!
I was able to illustrate cellular respiration through the Pineapple and Jello lab, which is on my website. Click on the "HERE" above.
WebbHB8/2 - I can construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells.HORMONES (HERE)
I received a 2 on the Unit 8 test. Plus, I have my podcast on thyroid hormones under this standard on mys website.
WebbHB9/1 - I can evaluate the evidence for the role of group and individual behavior on individual and species’ chances to survive and reproduce. ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (HERE)
My pill bug lab is under this standard on my website.
I have not received the results for my Unit 10 test; therefore, I do not know if I need any standards for unit 10. When I find out, I will add on to this post.
SP3 - HERE
SP4 - I received a 1 on the Unit 8 test for this standard.
SP5 - (HERE) I received a 3 on this standard on the Unit 8 test, so I will show my understanding of my errors and explain the concepts.
#28 and #29 are both questions that have to do with Hardy-Weinberg and Mendelian Genetics.
28. In a population of squirrels. the allele that causes bushy tail (B) is dominant, while the allele that causes bald tail is recessive (b). If 64 of the squirrels have a bushy tail, what is the frequency of the dominant allele?
I said the frequency was 0.8, but I was completely wrong. The frequency is actually 0.4 and this can be proven using the Hardy-Weinberg concept. In Hardy-Weinberg problems, the equation p² + 2pq + q² = 1. In this equation, p equals all of the alleles in individuals who are homozygous dominant (BB) and half of the alleles in people who are heterozygous (Bb) for this trait in a population, and q equals all of the alleles in individuals who are homozygous recessive (bb) and the other half of the alleles in people who are heterozygous (Bb). Because there are only two alleles in this question, the frequency of one plus the frequency of the other must equal 100%. In other words, p + q = 1. That means that p = 1-q. In this problem, we are looking for the dominant allele, which is p. So we know that 64 squirrels have bushy tails. And the frequency must equal 100%, so we subtract 64 from 100 to get the number of squirrels with bald tails, which ends up being 36. 36 is q squared, therefore we must square root 36 and we get 0.6, which is just q. Now we have q, so we can plug that into p + q = 1 or p = 1-q, and we discover that p equals 0.4. Therefore, the frequency of the dominant allele is 0.4.
29. A llamas coat color is controlled by a gene that exists in two allelic forms. If a homozygous yellow llama is crossed with a homozygous brown llama, the offspring have gray coats. If two gray-coated offspring were crossed, what percentage of their offspring would have brown coats?
Okay, for this one, I said that 0% would have brown coats, but I had originally chosen 25%. I guess I just second guessed myself. But anyway, the cross between the two gray offspring can be done on what is called a Punnett square.
Basically, this is what I first drew and then I second guessed myself and changed my answer. As you can see, 1/4 of the offspring would have brown coats, 25%.This might also be able to go under SP9 (HERE).
SP6 - HERE
SP7 - HERE
SP8 - HERE
SP9 - (HERE) As I mentioned before, I believe I can use my explanation for standard 5 to get my standard 9, as well
I also have HBs that I need standards for:
WebbHB5/2 - I can construct models that connect the movement of molecules across membranes with membrane structure and function.DIFFUSION (HERE)
I received a 4 for this standard on the Unit 5 test, so allow me to explain what I did wrong and show my understanding for this topic.
The questioned explained that hospital patients are often given intravenous gluids (IVs) to maintain proper levels of water and salts in the body. Great care is used in preparing these solutions. If a manufacturer accidentally prepared a batch of I V fluid that contained much more than the usual amount of salt, harm to the patient could result. The most likely effect on a patient if this incorrectly prepared IV fluid was used is that _________________.
I said that water would move into body cells and cause them to burst, but the actual answer is that water would move out of the body cells and cause them to dehydrate. Obviously, this is the correct answer because obviously salt can cause dehydration. I obviously did not read the question correctly. When the body consumes to much salt, excess salt absorbs the body's water content, causing dehydration.
WebbHB7/1 - I can use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy. CELLULAR RESPIRATION (HERE)
I received a 3 for this standard on the Unit 7 test. Please allow me to explain what I did wrong and show my understanding for this topic.
Okay, so basically everything I got incorrect on this test involves cell respiration. Therefore, I am just going to explain the whole process of cell respiration.
The first stage is glycolysis, which occurs with oxygen. Basically, a six carbon sugar, glucose, is split into two molecules of a three carbon sugar. During this process, 2 molecules of ATP, 2 molecules of pyruvic acid and 2 NADH are produced. When there is no oxygen, glycolysis allows cells to make small amounts of ATP. This process is called fermentation. The second stage is the Krebs Cycle, which occurs only when there is oxygen; however, it does not use oxygen directly. During this stage, several compounds with the capability of storing electrons are produced, as are 2 ATP molecules. These compounds, known as NAD and FAD, are reduced in the process. These reduced forms carry the electrons to the next stage, which is the electron transport. This stage does require the use of oxygen directly. The electron transport "chain" is a chain of electron carriers in the membrane of the mitochondria in eukaryotic cells. Throughout this stage, the electrons are passed to oxygen. In the process, a gradient is formed, ultimately producing ATP. Yay!
I was able to illustrate cellular respiration through the Pineapple and Jello lab, which is on my website. Click on the "HERE" above.
WebbHB8/2 - I can construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells.HORMONES (HERE)
I received a 2 on the Unit 8 test. Plus, I have my podcast on thyroid hormones under this standard on mys website.
WebbHB9/1 - I can evaluate the evidence for the role of group and individual behavior on individual and species’ chances to survive and reproduce. ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (HERE)
My pill bug lab is under this standard on my website.
I have not received the results for my Unit 10 test; therefore, I do not know if I need any standards for unit 10. When I find out, I will add on to this post.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Plant Transpiration
- Describe the process of transpiration in vascular plants.
- Transpiration is the process in which vascular plants gain nutrients and lose excess water/moisture.
- Describe any experimental controls used in the Investigation.
- The amount of time
- What environmental factors that you tested increased the rate of transpiration? Was the rate of transpiration increased for all plants tested?
- Temperature, heat, light, and wind.
- Yes, the rate of transpiration was increased for all plants.
- Did any of the environmental factors (heat, light, or wind) increase the transpiration rate more than the others? Why?
- Yes, the wind from the fan increased the transpiration rate more than the others, probably because
- Which species of plants that you tested had the highest transpiration rates? Why do you think different species of plants transpire at different rates?
- Rubber plants had the highest transpiration rates.
- Maybe because they come from different environments.
- Suppose you coated the leaves of a plant with petroleum jelly. How would the plant's rate of transpiration be affected?
- The process of transpiration would completely stop, stopping the loss of water.
- Of what value to a plant is the ability to lose water through transpiration?
- Because water has cohesion between molecules it is drawn up when the water evaporates, carrying any dissolved nutrients upwards with the water. Having the ability to draw water and nutrients upwards to the leaves allows plants to spread the leaves to intercept more sunlight. Transpiration raises the air humidity and moderates the daily change in temperature.
- Transpiration is the process in which vascular plants gain nutrients and lose excess water/moisture.
- The amount of time
- Temperature, heat, light, and wind.
- Yes, the rate of transpiration was increased for all plants.
- Yes, the wind from the fan increased the transpiration rate more than the others, probably because
- Rubber plants had the highest transpiration rates.
- Maybe because they come from different environments.
- The process of transpiration would completely stop, stopping the loss of water.
- Because water has cohesion between molecules it is drawn up when the water evaporates, carrying any dissolved nutrients upwards with the water. Having the ability to draw water and nutrients upwards to the leaves allows plants to spread the leaves to intercept more sunlight. Transpiration raises the air humidity and moderates the daily change in temperature.
Table
| 3.6 | 7.5 | 6.6 | 4.0 |
| 0.9 | 6.0 | 3.9 | 3.0 |
| 2.9 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 3.0 |
| 4.1 | 7.7 | 6.0 | 3.9 |
| 1.8 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 2.1 |
| 1.2 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 2.4 |
| 4.9 | 8.4 | 6.8 | 4.3 |
| 3.3 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 2.5 |
| 4.2 | 7.6 | 6.1 | 3.2 |
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Those hormones that plants have
- Auxin - a class of plant hormone essential for plant body development
- Here are the functions of the auxin hormone, which I found here
- Stimulates cell elongation
- Stimulates cell division in the cambium and, in combination with cytokinins in tissue culture
- Stimulates differentiation of phloem and xylem
- Stimulates root initiation on stem cuttings and lateral root development in tissue culture
- Mediates the tropistic response of bending in response to gravity and light
- The auxin supply from the apical bud suppresses growth of lateral buds
- Delays leaf senescence
- Can inhibit or promote (via ethylene stimulation) leaf and fruit abscission
- Can induce fruit setting and growth in some plants
- Involved in assimilate movement toward auxin possibly by an effect on phloem transport
- Delays fruit ripening
- Promotes flowering in Bromeliads
- Stimulates growth of flower parts
- Promotes (via ethylene production) femaleness in dioecious flowers
- Stimulates the production of ethylene at high concentrations
- Abscisic Acid - a plant hormone that functions in many plant developmental processes, including bud dormancy. It is a single compound, unlike auxins.
- Here are the functions of the abscisic acid hormone, which I found here
- Stimulates the closure of stomata (water stress brings about an increase in ABA synthesis).
- Inhibits shoot growth but will not have as much affect on roots or may even promote growth of roots.
- Induces seeds to synthesize storage proteins.
- Inhibits the affect of gibberellins on stimulating de novo synthesis of a-amylase.
- Has some effect on induction and maintanance of dormancy.
- Induces gene transcription especially for proteinase inhibitors in response to wounding which may explain an apparent role in pathogen defense.
- Ethylene - an important natural plant hormone, used in agriculture to force the ripening of fruits. Unlike other plant hormones, it is a gaseous hormone.
- Here are the functions of the ethylene hormone, which I found here
- Stimulates the release of dormancy.
- Stimulates shoot and root growth and differentiation (triple response)
- May have a role in adventitious root formation.
- Stimulates leaf and fruit abscission.
- Stimulates Bromiliad flower induction.
- Induction of femaleness in dioecious flowers.
- Stimulates flower opening.
- Stimulates flower and leaf senescence.
- Stimulates fruit ripening.
 |
| http://plantcellbiology.masters.grkraj.org/html/Plant_Growth_And_Development3-Plant_Hormones-Auxins.htm |
/Cress(Thale)_2011_04_23_Southport_Ainsdale_Hillside_216p1.jpg) |
| http://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/C/Cress(Thale)/Cress(Thale).htm |
 |
| http://www.pnas.org/content/103/20.cover-expansion |
Friday, May 2, 2014
Botany....Pretty Flowers!
So last class, we were given the opportunity to be one with nature.
This is the first flower I came across during my alone time with nature...
- Pink pedals that blend into yellow as it gets closer to the center
- specks, like splattered paint
- thorns on stem and spiky leaves, most likely used for protection
- somewhat soft petals, like a type of clothes material
- smells like a tea...sweet
- no insects spotted
- nearly dead or dying
This is the second flower I observed...
- small
- closed
- pink blended with yellow
- fuzzy stems
- insects fly in, suck up nectar, and some attaches to insects, spreading nectar, producing fruit
- no smell
- clear
- fuzzy inside, with white specks
- soft, rubbery
This is the third flower...
- purple pedals (velvet?)
- soft like silk pedals
- greenish yellow pollen
- looks like velvet clothing on rope
- fuzzy outside and fuzzy stem...rough leaves
- shiny and glimmery all around
- not a sweet smell
- pollen sticks to female part...sugary substance
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Botany of Desire
 |
| The relationship between bees and flowers is an example of what is called "coevolution." While the bee and the flower act on each other due to their individual interests, the two unconsciously trade favors: the flower gives food to the bee and the bee gives transportation to the flower genes (or other plant genes). Because of this, I found that the bee and the flower have a symbiotic relationship of mutualism. http://www.bee-hexagon.net/en/gibran.htm |
 |
| The relationship between the bee and the flower is similar to that of a human and whatever he/she is planting. In the photo above, you see a woman planting spuds. Just as the bee was attracted to the flower, the woman was interested in the spuds. Both the woman and the spuds benefit from acting on each other. The woman receives food and the spuds gets its genes spread. http://farmerjensgarden.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html |
 |
| The four desires: sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control. The apple represents our desire for sweetness; the tulip represents our desire for beauty; the cannabis represents our desire for intoxication; the potato represents our desire for control (and probably taste). All of the plants above are examples of domesticated plants. While they are given the title of domesticated, they all have the ability to manipulate our desires with their appearances and other qualities, making themselves popular in human agriculture. http://www.bubblews.com/news/3109549-no-no-no-i-am-not-give-you-my-appleapple-i-love-most-do-you-alsohttp://www.zeewallpaper.com/tulip-hd-wallpapers/ http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/04/16/want-to-get-rid-of-synthetic-cannabis-legalize-real-cannabis/ http://www.potatoes.com/ |
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Predator vs Prey Simulation
Here is a graph of my data from the predator vs prey lab activity. As you can see, my partner and I were not able to reach 25 rounds.
There were always more rabbits than wolves. The wolves did not begin to double until the 5th round. At some point in the 10th round, my partner and I are pretty sure we made a counting error.
The rabbit population in the "meadow" got to be as high as 84 rabbits. The wolf population in the "meadow" got to be as high as 16 wolves.
Neither species went through extinction. If the rabbits had gone through extinction, the wolves would then have lost there food source, therefore causing extinction on their species, as well.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
High Amount of Methane Gas in Chesapeake Bay
BREAKING NEWS!
The Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, has just been exposed to a high amount of methane gas. This is a huge problem due to the fact that methane is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted in the United States from human activities and it is a 100-year global warming potential. Methane gas has a huge impact on climate change. Over a 100-year period, it traps 29 times more heat per mass unit than carbon dioxide.
Now that methane gas has been exposed to the area, many things will be changing. Global warming will start to take effect, and this will result in more frequent hot days and fewer cool days. Most importantly, global warming will have an huge effect on the ecosystem. There will begin to be a change in the growing season. The shift in seasons may already be causing the life cycles of pollinators, like bees, to be out of sync with flowering plants and trees.This can then limit the ability of both pollinators and plants to survive and reproduce, reducing food availability throughout the food chain in the estuary.
Global warming also means an extension in growing seasons. In other words, plants will need more water to keep growing throughout the season or they will dry out. This increases the risk of failed crops and wildfires. Once the growing season ends, shorter, milder winters fail to kill dormant insects, increasing the risk of large, damaging infestations in subsequent seasons.
Works Cited
 |
| http://www.annmeekins.com/pages.asp?pg=northernneck_tour |
 |
| http://www.askmeaboutgreen.com/2009/06/new-idea-to-pulverize-methane-gas/ |
 |
| Martin LaBar/Flickr, http://www.chesapeakebay.net/blog/post/five_signs_of_spring_in_the_chesapeake_bay_region |
Global warming also means an extension in growing seasons. In other words, plants will need more water to keep growing throughout the season or they will dry out. This increases the risk of failed crops and wildfires. Once the growing season ends, shorter, milder winters fail to kill dormant insects, increasing the risk of large, damaging infestations in subsequent seasons.
 |
| http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/wild_rice |
What's even worse is what will happen to the animals. In order to survive the extreme temperatures, both the marine and land animals will have to start migrating towards the poles. The animals that cannot quickly migrate or adapt will face extinction.
 |
| http://www.somdnews.com/article/20130712/NEWS/130719568/1103/Bald-eagles-thriving-in-Southern-Maryland&template=southernMaryland |
 |
| http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/ |
Works Cited
Thursday, April 17, 2014
The Chesapeake Bay
Each of the three components are unique and have their own abiotic/biotic factors. Furthermore, each represents a different habitat found within the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay.
^^(http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/) >>
Below is a graph showing the average maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and rainfall throughout the year.
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/weather_climate/climate_rev5.shtml)
OTTER POINT CREEK
The producers in Otter Point Creek are quite diverse. For instance, the shallow water consists of rooted aquatics, such as water milfoil and wild celery. On the other hand, road leafed vegetation, such as arrow-arum, spatterdock, and pickerel weed, are located in the regularly flooded portions of the marsh. If you look in the upper portion of the marsh, you will find cattail with large stands of sweet flag. Then, in the rest of the marsh there are other species that grow, such as wild rice, golden club, jewelweed, river bulrush and smartweed. (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
(http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/publiclands/natural_areas/otterpointcreek.asp)
In the picture above, you will notice an abundance of wild rice. The main consumers of wild rice include marshbirds such as rails, as well as red-winged blackbirds and bobolinks which are also known as "rice birds". (http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/publiclands/natural_areas/otterpointcreek.asp)
(http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/publiclands/natural_areas/otterpointcreek.asp)
This brings me to the composers of Otter Point Creek. Along with the "rice birds" known as bobolinks, there are various other animals inhabiting this estuary. There are various other birds, and also mammals such as muskrats, raccoons, river otters, beavers and an occasional white-tailed deer. Several different species of fish can also be found in the estuary, including the banded killfish, mummichog, tidewater silverside, bay anchovy, tesselated darter and spottail shiner. You may also find eels, snapping turtles, and even blue crabs.
(http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
River Otter(http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
JUG BAY
The Jug Bay is surrounded by upland forest and scattered farm fields. Various plant life can be found here, hardwood forest species, such as Spanish oak, hickory, sweet gum, American beech, tuliptree and other poplars, red maple and sassafras and related understory vegetation. You can also find cardinal flowers, red turtleheads, skunk cabbage, wild rice, pickerel weed, spatterdock, rose mallow and phragmites. The dominant plant of this estuary, like Otter Point Creek, is wild rice. This along with other seed-bearing plants such as water millet and smartweed, is food for as many as 25,000 waterfowl during winter months. (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
(http://sercblog.si.edu/?p=146) Waterfowl (http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_waterfowl.htm)
Along with the waterfowl, there are many birds that reside in this estuary, including large flocks of tundra swans, Canada geese and green-winged teal. Bald eagles are also very common in the winter. Other birds located in the area are pied-billed grebes, sharp-shinned hawks, northern sawhet owls, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, Swainson's thrushes, loggerhead shrikes, marsh wrens, golden crowned kinglets, red-breasted nuthatchs, mourning warblers and dark-eyed juncos. (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
(http://www.somdnews.com/article/20130712/NEWS/130719568/1103/Bald-eagles-thriving-in-Southern-Maryland&template=southernMaryland)The main soils found in the core area of the Jug Bay component are tidal marsh. Soil materials range from sand to clay and in some areas are mucky or peaty. Surrounding the estuary, you will find moderately well-drained, nearly level to gently sloping soil that is usually found on uplands. (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
MONIE BAY
The Monie Bay is primarily taken over by salt marsh vegetation.
Low marsh zones are dominated by smooth cordgrass, while high marsh areas are dominated by salt cordgrass and big cordgrass, salt and three square grass, needlerush and marsh elder. Thick beds of widgeon grass, a type of submerged aquatic vegetation, can also be found in the estuary. Poison ivy can also be found in the Monie Bay. It covers many of the trees and grasses dominate the herbaceous zone. These areas are wet and sometimes act as buffers between previously logged areas and marshes at the component boundaries. (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
(https://blogs.nicholas.duke.edu/nicolecarlozo/love-that-water/)
Fish are very common in the Monie Bay, including the mummichog, white perch, spot and menhaden fish. Blue crabs, American oysters, marsh periwinkles and common grass shrimp can also be found in the water of the estuary. Many reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals commonly found in the Monie Bay are also commonly found in Otter Point Creek. This estuary is a great place for migratory birds to, well, migrate. These bird populations include bald eagles, osprey and numerous hawk species. Canada geese, mallards, black ducks and green-winged teals can also be seem in the estuary. (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
Osprey (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
Most of the soils at Monie Bay are classified as tidal marsh soils, containing material ranging from sand to clay, and may be peaty to mucky and highly sulfurous. The majority of the upland areas in the estuary are in the Othello soil series, typically flat areas just above sea level. This series is generally composed of poorly drained, gray, silty soils over a mottled, silty clay loam subsoil. These soils are strongly acidic. (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151085/)
(http://www.innvirginia.com/regions_chesapeake.php)
Bacteria play an important role in all of the components of Chesapeake Bay. They are the decomposers, which break down dead plants and other matter. Through this process, nutrients in dead plant and animal matter once again become available for growing plants. Zooplankton and other filter-feeding animals eat bacteria. Some bacteria are permanent Bay residents. Others, such as coliform bacteria, are introduced through various pathways, including human sewage and polluted runoff. (http://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/bayecosystem/plankton)
The air surrounding the Chesapeake Bay is known for being polluted, especially by nitrogen. Ammonia, a form of nitrogen, is emitted into the air by natural and man-made sources. More than 90% of the ammonia emissions in the Bay region are generated by agricultural activities, including confined and unconfined animal fertilizers. Some urban influences are wastewater treatment facilities and fossil fuel combustion from engines. (http://www.chesapeakebay.net/documents/5401/air.pdf)
Sunlight is very important for the Chesapeake Bay, specifically the water of the bay. Clear water is critical to bay grasses. The sun’s rays must be able to pass through the water to reach the underwater plants growing in the Bay’s shallow waters. Sunlight is the single most important factor in helping bay grass survive. Fish also need clear water so as to avoid getting eaten by their predators and see their prey.
Pollution, funny enough, is the main cause of the Bay’s poor water clarity. When excess nutrients go into the Bay, they can fuel the growth of water-clouding algae. Similarly, when soil erodes and washes into the Bay, particles of sediment can become suspended in the water. Weather also plays a large role in water clarity. During rain storms, dirt and pollutants can be washed into the Bay, which causes the water to look muddy. During drier conditions, the water tends to be clearer. Water clarity will always fluctuate naturally depending on weather conditions. (http://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/bayecosystem/waterclarity)
FOOD WEB
Below is a visual representation of the basic food web of the Chesapeake Bay.
HERE IS A MAP OF SOME OF THE MANY OTHER ESTUARIES IN THE WORLD
San Francisco Bay
New York Harbor
(http://architecture.about.com/od/disastersandcollapses/ig/September-11-2001/New-York-City-Reconstruction.htm)
Amazon River(http://wvtf.org/post/pulse-amazon)
Neva Estuary
(http://stpetersburgrussia.ru/St-Petersburg)
Friday, April 11, 2014
Animal Behavior: The Life of a Pill Bug (Lab Report)
To grade this lab report, click on WebbHB9/1, SP1 (1), and SP3 (1,2, and 3)...
ABSTRACT
In this lab, my partner and I observed the behavior of pill bugs. Our objective was to determine what type of environment they prefer living in. We did this by collecting 10 pill bugs and placing them in what is a called a choice chamber, a "tool" that allowed the pill bugs to move freely and choose between two different environments. Each side of the chamber had something different done to it, creating two different "environments." By recording the number of pill bugs on each side every so often, we were able to observe and determine which environment the pill bugs preferred.
INTRODUCTION
Behavior can be defined as the way an animal or person responds to a certain situation. For an animal, behavior is the way it interacts with other animals, with other living beings, and with the environment. Animal behavior explores how animals find and defend resources, avoid predators, choose mates, reproduce, and care for their young. Questions about animal behavior fall into four different categories, two of them being proximate issues and ultimate issues. A proximate question asks how an animal knows to behave in a certain way, and an ultimate question asks why an animal behaves in a certain way. For example, in the case of a bird song, a proximate question that could be asked is "how does the bird know when/what/how to sing?" An ultimate question, for example, could be "why does the bird sing?"
Something very common in animal behavior is fixed action pattern. Fixed action patterns are, as dictionary.com puts it, highly stereotyped patterns of behavior that are characteristic of a particular species. In other words, they're instincts. An animal is triggered by a specific stimulus, causing it to go through a routine every time. An example of a fixed action pattern is the egg rolling behavior of a Greylag Goose. When a goose's egg rolls out of the nest, the goose instinctively begins to roll the egg back to the nest using a repeated movement with her beak and neck. If, while the goose is still rolling the egg back to the nest, the egg rolls away or someone takes it away, the goose will continue the movements without the egg until she has gotten back to the nest. The, the goose will relocate the egg and start again.
Imprinting is another part of animal behavior, and no it's not how when Jacob imprinted on Bella's daughter (yes, I read Twilight, don't judge me). It is when a young animal comes to recognize another animal, person, or thing as a parent. For young geese, the proximate cause for them following and imprinting on their mother is that during an early stage in their lives, the young geese see their mother moving away from them and calling them, so they instinctively follow. The ultimate cause is that geese that follow and imprint on their mother receive more care and learn more necessary skills; therefore, they have a greater chance of surviving than those geese that do not follow their mother.
Orientation behaviors, an element of animal behavior, place the animal in its most favorable environment. These behaviors include movements known as taxis and kenisis. In taxis, the animal moves toward or away from a stimulus, such as algae moves towards the directional stimulus of light in positive phototaxis as it needs light to photosynthesis. Taxis often occurs when the stimulus is light, heat, sound, or chemicals. Kinesis, on the other hand, is a random movement that does not result in orientation with respect to a stimulus. In other words, when an organism experiences unpleasant stimulus, they increase random movement in order to find an area of more pleasant stimulus. For example, when woodlice are in light, dry conditions (unpleasant), they increase random movement so that they may increase the chance of them finding dark, moist conditions.
Two learning behaviors for animals are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Conditioning involves learning associations between events that occur in an organism's environment. Classical conditioning is a type of learning which forms an association between two stimuli. Operant conditioning is a type of learning that forms an association between a behavior and a consequence. While classical conditioning is passive on the part of the learner, operant conditioning relies on the learner to actively participate in the learning process. An experiment was done with a dog on classical conditioning by a Russian scientist known as Ivan Pavlov. In his experiment, he suggested that salivation (drooling) was a learned response. He proved this by using the sound of a metronome as a neutral stimulus before the dogs received food. After many trials, Pavlov began to notice that the dogs began to drool after hearing the metronome.
Now, the question we are asking for this lab is "Do pill bugs prefer living in a lighted environment or a dark environment?" By observing the actions and behaviors of the various pill bugs, we can determine what environment is more suitable for them.
HYPOTHESIS
My partner and I hypothesized that if the pill bugs are given a choice to either rest in a hot, lighted area or a dark, shady area, then the majority will choose the dark, shady area because pill bugs are used to inhabiting dark, cold spaces (under rocks). Our independent variable is obviously the difference in light exposure on either side of the choice chamber, while our dependent variable is the amount of pill bugs on either side. We kept the number of pill bugs, the temperature, the pH level, and the sizes of both the circular spaces and filter paper constant throughout the experiment.
MATERIALS
ABSTRACT
In this lab, my partner and I observed the behavior of pill bugs. Our objective was to determine what type of environment they prefer living in. We did this by collecting 10 pill bugs and placing them in what is a called a choice chamber, a "tool" that allowed the pill bugs to move freely and choose between two different environments. Each side of the chamber had something different done to it, creating two different "environments." By recording the number of pill bugs on each side every so often, we were able to observe and determine which environment the pill bugs preferred.
INTRODUCTION
Behavior can be defined as the way an animal or person responds to a certain situation. For an animal, behavior is the way it interacts with other animals, with other living beings, and with the environment. Animal behavior explores how animals find and defend resources, avoid predators, choose mates, reproduce, and care for their young. Questions about animal behavior fall into four different categories, two of them being proximate issues and ultimate issues. A proximate question asks how an animal knows to behave in a certain way, and an ultimate question asks why an animal behaves in a certain way. For example, in the case of a bird song, a proximate question that could be asked is "how does the bird know when/what/how to sing?" An ultimate question, for example, could be "why does the bird sing?"
Something very common in animal behavior is fixed action pattern. Fixed action patterns are, as dictionary.com puts it, highly stereotyped patterns of behavior that are characteristic of a particular species. In other words, they're instincts. An animal is triggered by a specific stimulus, causing it to go through a routine every time. An example of a fixed action pattern is the egg rolling behavior of a Greylag Goose. When a goose's egg rolls out of the nest, the goose instinctively begins to roll the egg back to the nest using a repeated movement with her beak and neck. If, while the goose is still rolling the egg back to the nest, the egg rolls away or someone takes it away, the goose will continue the movements without the egg until she has gotten back to the nest. The, the goose will relocate the egg and start again.
Imprinting is another part of animal behavior, and no it's not how when Jacob imprinted on Bella's daughter (yes, I read Twilight, don't judge me). It is when a young animal comes to recognize another animal, person, or thing as a parent. For young geese, the proximate cause for them following and imprinting on their mother is that during an early stage in their lives, the young geese see their mother moving away from them and calling them, so they instinctively follow. The ultimate cause is that geese that follow and imprint on their mother receive more care and learn more necessary skills; therefore, they have a greater chance of surviving than those geese that do not follow their mother.
Orientation behaviors, an element of animal behavior, place the animal in its most favorable environment. These behaviors include movements known as taxis and kenisis. In taxis, the animal moves toward or away from a stimulus, such as algae moves towards the directional stimulus of light in positive phototaxis as it needs light to photosynthesis. Taxis often occurs when the stimulus is light, heat, sound, or chemicals. Kinesis, on the other hand, is a random movement that does not result in orientation with respect to a stimulus. In other words, when an organism experiences unpleasant stimulus, they increase random movement in order to find an area of more pleasant stimulus. For example, when woodlice are in light, dry conditions (unpleasant), they increase random movement so that they may increase the chance of them finding dark, moist conditions.
Two learning behaviors for animals are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Conditioning involves learning associations between events that occur in an organism's environment. Classical conditioning is a type of learning which forms an association between two stimuli. Operant conditioning is a type of learning that forms an association between a behavior and a consequence. While classical conditioning is passive on the part of the learner, operant conditioning relies on the learner to actively participate in the learning process. An experiment was done with a dog on classical conditioning by a Russian scientist known as Ivan Pavlov. In his experiment, he suggested that salivation (drooling) was a learned response. He proved this by using the sound of a metronome as a neutral stimulus before the dogs received food. After many trials, Pavlov began to notice that the dogs began to drool after hearing the metronome.
Now, the question we are asking for this lab is "Do pill bugs prefer living in a lighted environment or a dark environment?" By observing the actions and behaviors of the various pill bugs, we can determine what environment is more suitable for them.
HYPOTHESIS
My partner and I hypothesized that if the pill bugs are given a choice to either rest in a hot, lighted area or a dark, shady area, then the majority will choose the dark, shady area because pill bugs are used to inhabiting dark, cold spaces (under rocks). Our independent variable is obviously the difference in light exposure on either side of the choice chamber, while our dependent variable is the amount of pill bugs on either side. We kept the number of pill bugs, the temperature, the pH level, and the sizes of both the circular spaces and filter paper constant throughout the experiment.
MATERIALS
- (2) choice chambers
- plastic wrap of some sort (optional)
- (2) filter paper
- (10) pill bugs
- a data sheet (w/ table)
- a paint brush (or some type of brush w/ soft bristles)
- a timer (phone)
- a lamp
- pencil and paper
PROCEDURE
- Place 10 pill bugs in a choice chamber. They generally try to get out so cover the chamber with some kind of plastic wrap (if you want).
- Observe the pill bugs for to minutes. Make notes on their general appearance, movements about the chamber, and interactions with each other. Notice if they seem to prefer one area over another, if they keep moving, settle down or move sporadically. Note any behaviors that involve 2 or more pill bugs. Do not interfere with the specimens in any way.
- Make a detailed sketch of a pill bug,
- Prepare the other choice chamber and place a filter paper on either side.
- Place one side of the chamber under a bright lamp and cover the other side with a plastic wrap of some sort or another choice chamber.
- Use a soft brush (i.e. paint brush) to transfer the ten pill bugs into the second choice chamber.
- Count how many pill bugs are on each side of the choice chamber every 30 seconds for 5 minutes. Record data in a table. Continue to record even if they all move to one side or stop moving.
- When done recording, return the pill bugs into the first choice chamber.
- Graph both the number of pill bugs in the lighted chamber and the number in the dark chamber.
DATA
(my sketch of a pill bug)
Time (minutes)
|
Number of pill bugs in lighted chamber
|
Number of pill bugs in dark chamber
|
Other Notes
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
|
0.5
|
0
|
10
|
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
|
1.5
|
4
|
6
|
|
2
|
1
|
9
|
some bugs on the dark side were hiding under the filter
paper
|
2.5
|
1
|
9
|
|
3
|
1
|
9
|
|
3.5
|
2
|
8
|
|
4
|
4
|
6
|
|
4.5
|
2
|
8
|
|
5
|
2
|
8
|
CONCLUSION
Based on our data and observations, my partner and I concluded that the pill bugs prefer living in a dark environment to living in a lighted one. While a few pill bugs did stay in the lighted area, the majority constantly returned to the dark, shaded area. An error that occurred during our lab was that at 2 minutes, some of the pill bugs began to bury themselves under the filter paper. However, this error could actually further prove that pill bugs prefer dark environments over lighted ones.
CITATIONS
"Animal Behavior Chapter 51." Animal Behavior Chapter 51. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
"Animal Behavior/Definition." - Wikibooks, Open Books for an Open World. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
"Lab 5 - Animal Behavior." Lab 5 - Animal Behavior. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
"Pavlov's Dogs." About.com Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
"Taxis vs. Kinesis - Biology-Online." Taxis vs. Kinesis - Biology-Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
http://asfgenglish12.wikispaces.com/file/view/Classical+Conditioning.pdf
http://www.scienceprofonline.org/animal-behavior/fixed-action-pattern-instinctive-behavior-FAP.html
"Animal Behavior/Definition." - Wikibooks, Open Books for an Open World. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
"Lab 5 - Animal Behavior." Lab 5 - Animal Behavior. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
"Pavlov's Dogs." About.com Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
"Taxis vs. Kinesis - Biology-Online." Taxis vs. Kinesis - Biology-Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
http://asfgenglish12.wikispaces.com/file/view/Classical+Conditioning.pdf
http://www.scienceprofonline.org/animal-behavior/fixed-action-pattern-instinctive-behavior-FAP.html
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