Blog 13 What was most interesting about this week's dissections?

We finished dissecting the crayfish this week. The crayfish was a very weird experience because it was the first time using scissors to dissect instead of a scalpel. I would say the most annoying part of the entire dissection was the small, I think the specimen were already decomposing so the smell was just terrible and it made me very nauseous. However, the actual dissection itself was very interesting. The inside of the crayfish was very complex and filled with little tiny organs everywhere, the most interesting organ was probably the green gland because I had never seen one before. I wish we could have dissected the stomach to see the teeth, that would have been very interesting. I also didn't know that crayfish were also hermaphrodites just like the worm, so that they could reproduce more. By far though, the most interesting part was the fact that you told us that they thrive in the sewers, which just completely disgusted me. I've had crayfish before, and I thought it was pretty good, but I can never look at them the same now.

Blog#12 What surprised you from the worm's dissection?

The one thing that surprised me about the worm dissection was the fact that the worms had way more organs than I had initially thought there were. I also had no idea that the worm peed and produced mucous from it's skin, that part was a bit disgusting, because I am a bit of a germaphobe. I also did not expect the exterior skin to cut so easily. I was also very interested in the digestion process because all the worm eats is dirt. Apparently, worms also fertilize soil in a way somehow, which was also very interesting because of the fact that the mucous and urine is what fertilizes it. Another thing that i found was peculiar was the fact that the worm is a hermaphrodite. I never knew that worms had both male and female organs, nor did I even know how they mated. Being a hermaphrodite apparently increases birth rates and the general number of worms that can survive.

Blog #11 Get a picture of alternation of generations put it in your blog and explain how it relates to plants

The alternation of generations basically describes the life cycle of a plant. It is how many plants and algae go through sexual reproduction. Life cycles, such as those of plants, with alternating haploid and diploid phases can be referred to as diplohaplontic (the equivalent terms haplodiplontic, diplobiontic or dibiontic are also in use). Life cycles, such as those of animals, in which there is only a diploid phase are referred to as diplontic. (Life cycles in which there is only a haploid phase are referred to as haplontic.) There are many possible variations on the fundamental elements of a life cycle which has alternation of generations. Each variation may occur separately or in combination, resulting in a bewildering variety of life cycles. 


http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/A/Alternation.html

Blog #10 Why is dissection an important part of a biology curriculum? Which animals and/or plants should be included in biological studies?

Dissection is an important part of biology because it offers hands on experience for the students that take part in it. It promotes the fundamentals of field biology and the basic fact that students are allowed to see the insides of an organism and understand further how the organs and such work. To be able to see the internals of an organism is a big part of the study of life because it gives a visual example of how things work inside the life form. I believe that euthanized frogs and other small animals that are abundant in nature should be able to be used in labs for dissection. Any life form that offers a good example of what living things look like on the inside, and are very abundant in nature, and can be euthanized correctly.

Blog 9 Define the different forms of community interaction: competition, commensalism, mutualism, predation, parasitism Give an example and a picture for each

Competition:
In ecology, the interaction between two or more organisms, or groups of organisms, that use a common resource in short supply. 

Sea Anenomes compete for the territory in tide pools


Commensalism- In ecology, commensalism is a class of relationship between two organisms where one organism benefits but the other is neutral (there is no harm or benefit).

Barnacles attaching to scallops, not harming them. 


Mutualism- Mutualism is the way two organisms biologically interact where each individual derives a fitness benefit

A hummingbird benefitting from a flower, however the flower also benefits from it by getting pollinated.


Mutualism- In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator (an organism that is hunting) feeds on its prey (the organism that is attacked).

Praying mantis eating a bee. 


Parasitism- A type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host.

Brood parasitism, on the egg. 

Blog #8 Ecology: How can we stop overpopulation in any given area?

To stop overpopulation in any given area, we must advocate the use of apparatuses that prevent birth, such as: condoms, birth control pill, abortions, etc. In many places, abortion is actually outlawed and therefore the baby must come out. So, we must advocate condoms or birth control pills in some way. According to an experiment started some time ago, if we gave out condoms for free somehow, more people would use them, and therefore, less births would occur. 

"In 2005, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) made free condoms available to organizations through a Web-based ordering system. In 2006, we interviewed managers and patrons about free condom availability, acquisition, and use in venues where people at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus congregate. DOHMH condom distribution increased from 5.8 million in 2004 to 17.3 million in 2006. Overall, managers reported making condoms available at 76% (309/409) of high-priority venues, but only at 40% of gay bars. Among patrons who saw free condoms, 80% (280/351) reported taking them; 73% (205/280) of those who reported taking them also reported using them. A simple, Web-based ordering system dramatically increased condom distribution. In the venues we sampled, the majority of patrons acquired and used free condoms when available and visible, suggesting that increasing free condom availability may increase use." 


http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/aids/facts/condoms/nyscondom.htm

Blog 7 Compare and contrast two biomes describe them in detail include pictures of plants and animals you are liklely to see

Desert Biome: 
Usually very hot
Chilly at night
10 inches or less of rain per year
Precipitation is mainly rain
Located mostly around the Equator
Covers 1/5 of world's surface
Many varieties of plants and animals live there
Plants of the desert can usually store water
Animals can get water from unusual places
Plants and animals that live there can adapt to the extreme weather conditions.
Some animals avoid heat because they are nocturnal.
Some animals avoid heat by staying underground.
Deserts plants can store water.


Tundra Biome:
Soil is frozen most of the year.
10 inches or less of rain per year
Covers 1/5 of world's surface
Some plants grow close together to protects themselves from the cold.
Biome farthest north
Trees are small.
Plants and animals that live there can adapt to the extreme weather conditions.
Very short summer - some plants and small organisms may have a chance to grow.
Animals are able to adapt to cold.
Plants are small and grow close to the ground.
Water is not available most of the year.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert.htm

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/tundra.php