Thursday, October 28, 2010
Galapagos- Marine Iguanas
The marine iguanas are the only reptile that can swim. They are cold-blooded so they can only be under the water for 10 minutes or their muscles will become tense and freeze and they cannot swim. The iguana came to the Galapagos as a land iguana, but it had to adapt to the cold water in order to get the food it needs to survive. The iguana is not used to the salt water so when it sneezes, it expels the salt out and the salt lands on it's head.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Guppy simulation
1. They are flashy colored because the more colorful they are, the more they attract the females to reproduce.
2. The common name is guppy or millions fish. The scientific name is Poecilia reticulata. The average size is 3.5cm.
3. The common name is pike cichild. The scientific name is crenichila alta. The origin is Trinidad and Latin America.
4. Dams are a good way to keep out big predators because they are too big to fit through holes that guppies can. Also a shallow pool keeps out big predators because they cannot stay underwater because of their size.
5. John Endler was an evolutionary biologist that studied guppies in Trinidad.
6.Pool 1: Brightly multi-colored large spots.
Pool 2: Medium coloration on body and tail with medium sized spots.
Pool 3: Drab coloration and very small spots concentrated near tail.
7. The fish have least coloration seem to live with the most predators, so if you had a lot of coloration with a lot of predators, the fish would get eaten.
8. If the fish are brighter, they're much more likely to be targeted by predators.
9. Yes, in areas with less predators the brightest guppies take over the population. In areas with more predators, only the drabber fish survive. This goes with the hypothesis.
10. Two factors influence the characteristics of a guppy population: the predators, and the mates (natural and sexual selection). Saying that male guppies are caught in the crossfire more or less means this; they need to find a safe median between attracting mates and avoiding predators.
11. Guppies have different coloration in different areas of the stream based on predator population. They adapt to be drabber/brighter when predators are more/less.
12. The guppies would not attract mates because they have so little coloration, but would not be preyed upon. If there are brighter guppies in the area, they would win out over time.
13. The brighter guppies would be preyed upon and would die off due to the high amount of predators, because their coloration would be more visible to predators.
Trial 6
Guppy: Mostly Bright
Predators: 30 Rivulus, 0% 0% 0% 100%
30 Acara, 30 Cichlid (20 generations) (20 generations) (20 generations) (20 generations)
2. The common name is guppy or millions fish. The scientific name is Poecilia reticulata. The average size is 3.5cm.
3. The common name is pike cichild. The scientific name is crenichila alta. The origin is Trinidad and Latin America.
4. Dams are a good way to keep out big predators because they are too big to fit through holes that guppies can. Also a shallow pool keeps out big predators because they cannot stay underwater because of their size.
5. John Endler was an evolutionary biologist that studied guppies in Trinidad.
6.Pool 1: Brightly multi-colored large spots.
Pool 2: Medium coloration on body and tail with medium sized spots.
Pool 3: Drab coloration and very small spots concentrated near tail.
7. The fish have least coloration seem to live with the most predators, so if you had a lot of coloration with a lot of predators, the fish would get eaten.
8. If the fish are brighter, they're much more likely to be targeted by predators.
9. Yes, in areas with less predators the brightest guppies take over the population. In areas with more predators, only the drabber fish survive. This goes with the hypothesis.
10. Two factors influence the characteristics of a guppy population: the predators, and the mates (natural and sexual selection). Saying that male guppies are caught in the crossfire more or less means this; they need to find a safe median between attracting mates and avoiding predators.
11. Guppies have different coloration in different areas of the stream based on predator population. They adapt to be drabber/brighter when predators are more/less.
12. The guppies would not attract mates because they have so little coloration, but would not be preyed upon. If there are brighter guppies in the area, they would win out over time.
13. The brighter guppies would be preyed upon and would die off due to the high amount of predators, because their coloration would be more visible to predators.
Trial 6
Guppy: Mostly Bright
Predators: 30 Rivulus, 0% 0% 0% 100%
30 Acara, 30 Cichlid (20 generations) (20 generations) (20 generations) (20 generations)
| % of Brightest Guppies (10 generations) | % of Bright Guppies (10 generations) | % of Drab Guppies (10 generations) | % of DrabbestGuppies (10 generations) | |
| Trial 1 Guppy: Even Mix Predators: 30 Rivulus | 70% | 21% | 6% | 2% |
| Trial 2 Guppy: Even Mix Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara | 14% | 86% | 0% | 0% |
| Trial 3 Guppy: Even Mix Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara, 30 Cichlid | 0% | 3% | 2% | 95% |
| Trial 4 Guppy: Mostly Bright Predators: 30 Rivulus | 88% | 9% | 1% | 3% |
| Trial 5 Guppy: Mostly Drab Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara, 30 Cichlid | 0% | 2% | 6% | 93% |
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Biodiversity
What are ways in which preserving biodiversity locally might have a global effect?
Preserving biodiversity locally might have a global effect by saving species in the area. If we save the species in our local biodiversity, then there is more of a chance that the species will survive because we are protecting those animals. When we are protecting those species, they are not in any danger and if they are free of danger then that species will not go extinct.
How do habitat destruction and loss of species effect more than just one area?
Habitat destruction can effect more than one area by urbanization. If people create homes and buildings on the animals homes, then they have to find somewhere else to survive. Since they were kicked out of there homes, then they have to move into another animals homes. If there is not enough food for either species, then they start dying out. It started with one species losing their homes, then it lead to some of those and other species dying.
http://nativeplants.evergreen.ca/learn-more/02_sar_habitat.php
How does preserving biodiversity enhance the life of people?
Preserving biodiversity can enhance the life of people. When people kill a spider, they do not think of what the spider does for them. Spiders eat a lot of pesky bugs that could potentially end up eating our food or bugging us. If we did not have those spiders, then the bugs would be everywhere. Flies and gnats are what will be waking you up in the morning as they jump up and down on your face. We do not think about the long term effect before we kill something because at the time it is scary or annoying, but we need to start to think, what does this do for me?
Preserving biodiversity locally might have a global effect by saving species in the area. If we save the species in our local biodiversity, then there is more of a chance that the species will survive because we are protecting those animals. When we are protecting those species, they are not in any danger and if they are free of danger then that species will not go extinct.
How do habitat destruction and loss of species effect more than just one area?
Habitat destruction can effect more than one area by urbanization. If people create homes and buildings on the animals homes, then they have to find somewhere else to survive. Since they were kicked out of there homes, then they have to move into another animals homes. If there is not enough food for either species, then they start dying out. It started with one species losing their homes, then it lead to some of those and other species dying.
http://nativeplants.evergreen.ca/learn-more/02_sar_habitat.php
How does preserving biodiversity enhance the life of people?
Preserving biodiversity can enhance the life of people. When people kill a spider, they do not think of what the spider does for them. Spiders eat a lot of pesky bugs that could potentially end up eating our food or bugging us. If we did not have those spiders, then the bugs would be everywhere. Flies and gnats are what will be waking you up in the morning as they jump up and down on your face. We do not think about the long term effect before we kill something because at the time it is scary or annoying, but we need to start to think, what does this do for me?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Gases and Climate Change
1.) Combustion
Hypothesis: If the oil is evaporation into a gas on the inside of the the bottle, then the gases will ignite and they will shoot out fire.
Observations: When the flame of the lighter was near the end of the bottle, the oil in the bottle ignited and then the bottle shot off of the table about 8 feet.
I now know that gases are everywhere. The greenhouse gases are in everyday things that we see everyday, but we do not realize it. Greenhouse gases act like a jar that keeps in the sun's energy. These gases make Earth a sustainable place to live. That is called the nature greenhouse effect. The atmosphere absorbs the sun's heat and then the ground absorbs the heat and sends the heat back into space.
2.) CO2 gas
Hypothesis: If the gases are released from the bottle and the fire ignites it, then the gas will create a flame.
Observations: When the vinegar and the baking soda combined, then they produced CO2. When the CO2 was surrounding the flame, the flame went out because a flame needs oxygen to burn and when it was surrounded by CO2 there was no oxygen.
3.) Hydrogen Gas
Hypothesis: If the water evaporates and turns into a liquid, then the gas will not ignite because it still have oxygen in the gas.
Observations: When the zinc was combined with the HCI, the liquid started bubbling and crackling. The zinc dissolved inside of the HCI. When the gas was ignited, there was a small burst and then the liquid had flames on the surface because of the gases that were being put out.
Solar energy and wind energy are both good sources of natural energy. Wind energy uses giant windmills that when the are turn they power a turbine that consumes energy from that rotation of the blades.
4.) Air pressure
Hypothesis #1: If we place the heated can with vapor inside and place it in the ice bath, then it will freeze and turn into a solid.
Hypothesis #2: IF we have the opening on the bottom of the ice bath, then it will exploded under the pressure.
Observations #1: When we had the opening on the top of the can not submerged, nothing happened.
Observations #2: When the we place the can face down into the ice bath, the can was crushed under the pressure.
In the article, it talked about how the air pressure on Earth has changed over hundreds of years. Its also said that air pressure can affect othher natural things such as rain fall and temperature. The pressure in the air can affect the rain by having the pressure basically squeeze the rain right out of the cloud because there is no other place for it to go. The temperature is affected because if is it colder, then there is more pressure because cold areas are more dense.
Hypothesis: If the oil is evaporation into a gas on the inside of the the bottle, then the gases will ignite and they will shoot out fire.
Observations: When the flame of the lighter was near the end of the bottle, the oil in the bottle ignited and then the bottle shot off of the table about 8 feet.
I now know that gases are everywhere. The greenhouse gases are in everyday things that we see everyday, but we do not realize it. Greenhouse gases act like a jar that keeps in the sun's energy. These gases make Earth a sustainable place to live. That is called the nature greenhouse effect. The atmosphere absorbs the sun's heat and then the ground absorbs the heat and sends the heat back into space.
2.) CO2 gas
Hypothesis: If the gases are released from the bottle and the fire ignites it, then the gas will create a flame.
Observations: When the vinegar and the baking soda combined, then they produced CO2. When the CO2 was surrounding the flame, the flame went out because a flame needs oxygen to burn and when it was surrounded by CO2 there was no oxygen.
3.) Hydrogen Gas
Hypothesis: If the water evaporates and turns into a liquid, then the gas will not ignite because it still have oxygen in the gas.
Observations: When the zinc was combined with the HCI, the liquid started bubbling and crackling. The zinc dissolved inside of the HCI. When the gas was ignited, there was a small burst and then the liquid had flames on the surface because of the gases that were being put out.
Solar energy and wind energy are both good sources of natural energy. Wind energy uses giant windmills that when the are turn they power a turbine that consumes energy from that rotation of the blades.
4.) Air pressure
Hypothesis #1: If we place the heated can with vapor inside and place it in the ice bath, then it will freeze and turn into a solid.
Hypothesis #2: IF we have the opening on the bottom of the ice bath, then it will exploded under the pressure.
Observations #1: When we had the opening on the top of the can not submerged, nothing happened.
Observations #2: When the we place the can face down into the ice bath, the can was crushed under the pressure.
In the article, it talked about how the air pressure on Earth has changed over hundreds of years. Its also said that air pressure can affect othher natural things such as rain fall and temperature. The pressure in the air can affect the rain by having the pressure basically squeeze the rain right out of the cloud because there is no other place for it to go. The temperature is affected because if is it colder, then there is more pressure because cold areas are more dense.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Ten Years of the Chornobyl Era
1. What could have triggered an explosion as big as this one?
2. What could be done to prevent this from happened again?
3. What were similarities to this explosion and the Love Canal?
4. What could have been done to prevent a $20-$30 million disaster?
5. Are there some people that are effected by the nuclear effects today?
2. What could be done to prevent this from happened again?
3. What were similarities to this explosion and the Love Canal?
4. What could have been done to prevent a $20-$30 million disaster?
5. Are there some people that are effected by the nuclear effects today?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Question for panel
1. What are some effects of chemical encounters?
2. Are there still chemicals in the area now?
3. What has been done to help the chemicals stay underground?
4. How much of the chemicals are still underground if any?
5. How have the chemicals underground become safe overtime?
2. Are there still chemicals in the area now?
3. What has been done to help the chemicals stay underground?
4. How much of the chemicals are still underground if any?
5. How have the chemicals underground become safe overtime?
8/30/10 Catalyst
1.) What caused the toxic waste to begin being pushed to the surface?
After the blizzard of 1977 and heavy rain, there was an early spring and early thaw and all the water under the canal was forced up to the surface past the clay. An infrared scanner showed where the chemicals had spread to so they had an idea of where it spread to. The canal was 40 acres of land, so the chemicals spread a far distance.
2.) What are some of the health hazards associated with the chemicals dumped there?
Over 400 chemicals were found in the area of the Love Canal. The chemicals caused central nervous system problems and caused birth defects. When they found this out, everybody got scared because they wanted their families to be safe and healthy. One of the solutions to help contain the chemicals was to tear down the 99th street school and houses near by and put them over the canal. Then they placed a linen cover, then a plastic cover to help keep the rain out and from pushing the chemicals up again.
3.) Besides humans how are other parts of the ecosystem affected by this?
Not just humans were effect in this process. Some of animals in the area may have drank the water or ingested some of the chemicals making them very sick or even killing them. The birds who may have bathed in the water probably died because of the toxic chemicals they were bathing in.
After the blizzard of 1977 and heavy rain, there was an early spring and early thaw and all the water under the canal was forced up to the surface past the clay. An infrared scanner showed where the chemicals had spread to so they had an idea of where it spread to. The canal was 40 acres of land, so the chemicals spread a far distance.
2.) What are some of the health hazards associated with the chemicals dumped there?
Over 400 chemicals were found in the area of the Love Canal. The chemicals caused central nervous system problems and caused birth defects. When they found this out, everybody got scared because they wanted their families to be safe and healthy. One of the solutions to help contain the chemicals was to tear down the 99th street school and houses near by and put them over the canal. Then they placed a linen cover, then a plastic cover to help keep the rain out and from pushing the chemicals up again.
3.) Besides humans how are other parts of the ecosystem affected by this?
Not just humans were effect in this process. Some of animals in the area may have drank the water or ingested some of the chemicals making them very sick or even killing them. The birds who may have bathed in the water probably died because of the toxic chemicals they were bathing in.
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