Computer Transpiration Lab

Here's what my table looked like for the lab:

Analysis Questions:

1) Describe the process of transpiration in vascular plants.

The process of evaporation through stomata (which are almost always on the tops of plants' leaves) is called transpiration.

2) Describe any experimental controls used in this investigation.

The controls were the amount of plant used, time of 1 hour for transpiration, and starting temperature conditions.

3) What environmental factors that you tested increased the rate of transpiration? Was the rate of transpiration increased for all plants tested?

The environmental factors tested were wind, heat, and light. Each factor increased transpiration rate in all plants, with one exception: light slightly decreased the rubber plant's transpiration rate.

4) Did any of the environmental factors (heat, light, or wind) increase the transpiration rate more than the others? Why?

Wind increased the transpiration rate more than the others probably because it increases the movement of the leaves, thereby moving around the water and washing off the waxy layer on the leaf.

5) Which species of plants that you tested had the highest transpiration rates? Why do you think different species of plants transpire at different rates?

The rubber plant had the highest transpiration rates. Some species of plants might transpire at different rates based on the environment they live in. For example, plants in a hot desert might have adapted transpire slower to retain water as much as possible.

6) Suppose you coated the leaves of a plant with petroleum jelly. How would the plant's rate of transpiration be affected?

The petroleum jelly would decrease transpiration rate because it would block the stomata on the plant's leaves.

7) Of what value to a plant is the ability to lose water through transpiration?

Through cohesion and adhesion, water is carried up through the plant's xylem. Once the water has been evaporated through transpiration, more water is carried up. The water has nutrients from the soil, allowing nutrients to continually be traveling through and absorbed by the plant.

Plants hormones

Auxins:

• growth/behavioral processes
• plant life cycle and development
• elongation during root and stem growth
• required for fruit growth and delays  fruit senescence
• important in phototropism

Abscisic Acid:

• reacts to stress like temperature
• abscission of fruits
• inhibits plant growth to make sure it can survive stress
• induces seeds to synthesize storage proteins

Ethylene:

• stimulates release of dormancy
• stimulates root and shoot growth
• leaf and root abscission
• stimulates fruit ripening and flower opening

SoCal Flowers

Yesterday, after discussing The Botany of Desire, I walked around campus and closely observed 4 flowers. All the flowers smelled nice and were bright colors to attract bees and other insects.  I'm not positive, but I think the pollen is the male part of the flower that can be transported by insects and wind. Here's the observations and pictures!

Flower 1: (Daylily)

• Soft/velvety/smooth petals
• Yellow/orange pollen
• Green curling leaves
• Curling/shimmering petals

Flower 2 (Arctostaphylos pungens)

• Grows on tree with red-brown bark
• Bell shaped flowers and buds
• Furry stems
• pollen difficult to see but looks white
• Lightly textured leaves

Flower 3: (Dietes bicolor)

 

• Cream/light yellow
• Orange/brown spots
• Long green leaves on plant

Flower 4: (Acanthus hungaricus)

 

• Leaves have spikes to protect flower
• White flower with purple and green leaves enclosing it
• Thick green stem
• Bottom of petals are furry
• Small flies (or some other tiny insect)
• Many spiderwebs
• Large leaves

The Botany of Desire

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzNOxqZVePazbGspfTJJ8HvZxdfIkSLxk_1VLv_CW0uEsrwMyVfucUBmxD9FR6U4cL8R1QYh_cZJ8EolXnsLuJNxVjFxhtb-V-LMYhvx3GDg5j4mEgLYx1bPUyfEgnAwAEU8pd05B_EA/s320/coevolution.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Bombus_6867.JPG/250px-Bombus_6867.JPG

Just as the bee depends on the flower for food, the flower depends on the bee to transport it's genes. Thus, the bee is not just the subject here, but so is the flower. They have a coevolutionary relationship.

http://www.osomeweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/apple-benefits.jpg

Bees are attracted to apples' sweetness, just as humans are. So bees transport the genes and humans plant more trees and the apple succeeds in its plan of reproducing.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRC3RHpAzj-mCtWLQlNa7UB-EwxJfuOnLk934xisUR6gF0_1mTVTg

Tulips take advantage of our desire for beauty. We love to look at them so we plant more, and they get to reproduce. Everybody's happy.

http://images.wisegeek.com/burlap-bag-with-potatoes.jpg

Humans love potatoes. We eat them mashed, boiled, and fried. We want big, good-tasting potatoes and grow them. We grow potatoes but do their great taste make us do it?

http://www.welovetheherb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Smoke-Cannabis-And-Enjoy-Life.jpg

The picture says it all. People like to smoke cannabis for the effects it has on them. Once again, the cannabis succeeds in it's goal of reproduction.

http://image.yaymicro.com/rz_1210x1210/0/5d2/used-green-success-stamp-5d2eff.jpg

So there you have it. Maybe humans aren't the only subjects in the garden of evolution. Maybe our desires and those of what we "domesticate" aren't that different at all. HMMMMM........

Predator vs. Prey Lab

Analysis:
We began with one rabbit of each color and one wolf. With this small amount of rabbits, the wolf died off within the first round. The rabbits were duplicated (reproduced) and this same pattern happened a few more times until there were enough rabbits to sustain the wolves. As we saw an increase in the population of wolves, we also noticed that larger wolves tended to be more common as their chances for survival were higher due to their surface area and thus reproduced more often.  Then however, once the wolf population became too large in comparison to that of the rabbits, it became to difficult to sustain themselves and the population died out. This same pattern continued throughout the lab.

OH NO! DISASTER!

OH NO!  A fungal infection has plagued the temperate forest. How will this disaster affect this forest??

Immediate Damage on Trees:

Fungal infections will cause problems with trees similar to that which would result from a root rot disease.  Trees' leaves will begin turning yellow/brown and decrease growth rate until the trees will either gradually or suddenly die.

Photo from Dr. L. F. Grand

Domino Effect - The Real Culprit:

So trees die...what's the big deal? There are three major effects of the deaths of hundreds of forest trees.

1. No tree canopies and branches --> hard to find shelter for animals --> increase in animal death
2. No trees --> decreased intake of CO2 and decreased output of O2
3. No tree canopies to filter light --> excessive sunlight on producers --> plant death

Overall,  a fungal infection will affect not just the trees themselves but the lives of most every organism of the forest.  Fungal infections spread rapidly from tree to tree, and are difficult to stop, so they can be extremely detrimental to a temperate forest.

Travel plans?

Photo from NASA "Earth Observatory"

WANT TO TRAVEL SOMEWHERE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THIS TEMPERATE FOREST? OF COURSE YOU DO!! BETTER KNOW A BIT ABOUT IT FIRST THOUGH........

Photo from Ducksters

Where to?
     Temperate forests are mostly located in the eastern United States, Europe, Canada, China, and some areas of Russia as shown to the left.



Back to basics
     The soil in temperate forests is typically fertile due to decaying litter. These forests get about 20-60 inches of precipitation each year. This is usually distributed evenly throughout the year and comes in the form of both rain and snow.  The growing season lasts for around 200 days, providing a large time span for organisms to thrive.  One of the great aspects of temperate forests is that their seasons are well defined. So you can pick a season and know exactly what you're getting yourself into!  Just as a reference though, the temperature throughout the year ranges from a low of 22°F and a high of 86°F.

Another great part of these forests is that although the tree canopy is dense, it still allows sunlight to get through to help the development of plants and animals.

Photo form Drift Creek Nature Center

All types of Life!

Many types of organisms live in the temperate forest. They find shelter in the ground plants, tree branches, and in hollow trees.

First up, let's get to know the producers/autographs! Don't know what I'm talking about. Well maybe the term "plants" will sound more familiar. Here's a few of the plant life you should expect to encounter:

Beech Tree - Photo from Mid-Atlantic Gardening

Aspen Tree - Photo from Lisa Carnahan

Trillium - Photo from Morgan Arboretum

Indian Paintbrush - Photo from Marietta.edu

Next up are the heterotrophs (consumers) that rely on the producers in order to survive. Common consumers in the temperate rainforest are deer, bears, and coyotes. However, these of course are very common. Animals such as the banana slug and Blue Grouse are consumers less commonly found in other biomes.

Banana Slug - Photo from Marietta.edu

Blue Grouse - Photo from Marietta.edu

Finally, you will also see the decomposers that break down chemicals form dead producers and consumers, so that they can be reused.  Fungi and mold often attach to trees that are either dead or currently in the process of dying. 

Photo from Marietta.edu

In case that was all to much to digest (sorry for the pun)...

Here's what a temperate forest food chain looks like:

Chart from Elizabeth Anne Viau

Don't forget Darwin!!!

Of course, over time certain adaptations have allowed organisms to thrive. For example, the black bear has extremely useful adaptations that help it to survive. First, the huge, layered coat provided warmth in the winter. Black bears are also omnivores, so you can imagine is very easy to find food. Lastly, black bears' long claws make them well suited to climb trees, as they often seek shelter in hollow trees.

NOW YOU'RE READY FOR YOUR TEMPERATE FOREST ADVENTURE!

But wait!! There's more!

Here's additional information on the producers, consumers, and decomposers: http://www.botany.wisc.edu/courses/botany_422/Lecture/pdf/TempDeciduous1.pdf

And here are the wonderful sources I used for the overview you just read!

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

http://www.eniscuola.net/en/ecosystems/contenuti/temperate-forest/left/temperate-forest-biome/plants-of-the-temperate-forest/

http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/temperateforest.html

http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/temprain.htm

Animal Behavior Lab

Abstract:

In order to determine how test how terrestrial isopods (pill bugs) respond to different environments and to see which ones they preferred, we tested different factors such as moisture, color, and scent. In each experiment, we used circular behavior chambers lined with filter paper adding water for the first test, blue/green rocks for the second test, and ammonia for the third test.  Ten pill bugs were then added to the chambers, and ever thirty seconds for seven minutes, we recorded the number of bugs in each section of the behavior chamber.  The first test, with one dry side and one wet side, showed that pill bugs prefer to be in dry conditions. The second test, with one side covered in blue rocks and one side covered in green rocks, showed the pill bugs shows no significant preference on color. The final test, with one dry side and one side covered in ammonia, showed that the pill bugs prefer unscented environment.

Background:

Behavior is the way in which something moves, reacts, or acts on its own and towards others. The study of animal behavior is called ethology, and requires the use of proximate and ultimate questions about behavior. Proximate questions ask for an explanation of immediate causes and factors, whereas ultimate questions ask for more of a long-term “bigger-picture” cause. In regard to pill bugs, an example of an proximate question would be, “Which area do the bugs prefer – wet or dry?” An example of an ultimate question would be, “Why does the pill bug prefer the dry conditions?” Fixed action patterns are the innate, instinctive behaviors and actions that animals are stimulated to complete, but have never been taught. An example of a fixed action pattern is the Greylag Goose’s action of egg rolling. When one of the goose’s eggs rolls out of the nest (stimulus), the goose instinctively rolls it back into the nest (response). Though these behaviors are not taught, many animal behaviors are learned. When an animal learns as response to a certain stimulus at a young age it is then “imprinted” with that response to a stimulus of the same characteristic.  Young geese will imprint based on the characteristics of the species around which it is raised, which means they can be imprinted on humans or any other species different than its own. A proximate cause for this could be that young geese just need something to follow and imitate so they look to and learn from whoever is closest. An ultimate cause could be that geese would not know how to survive or respond to certain stimuli and need someone to teach them in order to survive.  This specific response to a stimulus is called taxis, while kinesis is a random, undirected movement in response to a specific stimulus.  In our lab, the pill bugs were just randomly moving around until they found a condition they found acceptable, which is an example of kinesis. They were not specifically running away or towards the stimulus, so it was not an example of taxis. Responses to stimuli can further be categorized into classical conditions and operant conditioning. The difference between them is that classical conditioning requires a connection between an involuntary response and a stimulus, while operant conditions requires a connection between a voluntary action as the stimulus and the resulting consequence. For example, when we salivate while waiting for food to be served (an involuntary response to a stimulus) that is classical conditioning. When a dog fetches a toy in order to get a treat from his owner (a voluntary response for a resulting consequence), than is an example of operant conditioning.

Hypothesis:

Test 1: With the choice between dry and wet environments, pill bugs will choose the wet area because pill bugs are normally found in moist areas.

Test 2: With the choice between blue and green rock environments, pill bugs will show no clear choice, because pill bugs have minimal vision and cannot distinguish between the colors.

Test 3: With the choice between dry and ammonia covered environments, pill bugs will choose the dry environment because pill bugs’ normal conditions do not include the scent of ammonia.

Materials:

Part 1:

- 10 pill bugs

- 1 behavior chamber

- 2 pieces filter paper

- brushes

- 5 mL water

- clock/timer

Part 2:

- 10 pill bugs

- 1 behavior chamber

- 2 pieces filter paper

- brushes

- small cup blue rocks

- small cup green rocks

- clock/timer

Part 3:

- 10 pill bugs

- 1 behavior chamber

- 2 pieces filter paper

- brushes

- 5 mL ammonia

- clock/timer

Procedure:

Part 1:

Place a piece of filter paper in each side of the behavior chamber. On one side, wet the filter paper with water completely. Leave the other side dry. Using the brushes, move the pill bugs into the center of the chamber. Cover the chamber and start the timer. Uncover the chamber every thirty seconds and record how many bugs are on each side of the container. Repeat for 7 minutes.

Part 2:

Place a piece of filter paper in each side of the behavior chamber. On one side, cover the filter paper completely with blue rocks. On the other side, cover the filter paper completely with green rocks. Using the brushes, move the pill bugs into the center of the chamber. Cover the chamber and start the timer. Uncover the chamber every thirty seconds and record how many bugs are on each side of the container. Repeat for 7 minutes.

Part 3:

Place a piece of filter paper in each side of the behavior chamber. On one side, wet the filter paper with ammonia completely. Leave the other side dry.  Using the brushes, move the pill bugs into the center of the chamber. Cover the chamber and start the timer. Uncover the chamber every thirty seconds and record how many bugs are on each side of the container. Repeat for 7 minutes.

Results:

Part 1:

Most of the bugs either didn’t move at all or stayed on the dry side, showing that the pill bugs likely prefer wet to dry environments.

Time (min)	# in dry chamber	# in wet chamber
0	0	10
0.5	1	9
1.0	0	10
1.5	0	10
2.0	0	10
2.5	0	10
3.0	0	10
3.5	0	10
4.0	0	10
4.5	0	10
5.0	0	10
5.5	0	10
6.0	0	10
6.5	0	10
7.0	0	10

Part 2:

Hardly any changes took place, so pill bugs do not show a strong preference to a certain colored environment.

Time (min)	# in blue chamber	# in green chamber
0	5	5
0.5	6	4
1.0	6	4
1.5	6	4
2.0	6	4
2.5	6	4
3.0	6	4
3.5	6	4
4.0	6	4
4.5	6	4
5.0	6	4
5.5	6	4
6.0	6	4
6.5	7	3
7.0	7	3

Part 3:

Though the results varied, many of the bugs in the ammonia chamber moved into the dry chamber, showing that pill bugs preferred the dry environment.

Time (min)	# in dry chamber	# in ammonia chamber
0	0	10
0.5	4	6
1.0	6	6
1.5	5	5
2.0	5	5
2.5	3	7
3.0	5	5
3.5	5	5
4.0	5	5
4.5	6	4
5.0	6	4
5.5	3	7
6.0	4	6
6.5	5	5
7.0	5	5

Conclusion:

In this lab, our results for the three different environments showed that pill bugs prefer dry, unscented conditions and do not have a preference towards color.  The first test between dry and wet conditions gave surprising results since pill bugs are usually found in moist areas. The second test between green and blue colored environments coincided with our hypothesis as pill bugs’ poor eyesight causes them to not have a preference on the color of their environment. The third test between dry and ammonia-soaked conditions also supported our hypothesis, because the pill bugs did not prefer the strongly scented environment which contrasts to their normal living conditions.  Source of error could have come from the many pill bugs that landed on their backs and were struggling to make it right-side up and our own difficulty in making sure each side of the chamber was fully covered in whichever factor we were testing.

Analysis Questions:

1. What conclusions do you draw from your data? Explain physiological reasons for the behavior observed in this activity?

From our data, we can conclude the pill bugs prefer dry, unscented conditions but don’t have a preference on the color of their surroundings. Reasons for this are discussed in my hypotheses and conclusion.

2. How do isopods locate appropriate environments?

They move around until they find conditions that they consider suitable.

3. If you suddenly turn a rock over and found isopods under it, what would you expect them to be doing? If you watch the isopods for a few minutes, how would you expect to see their behavior change.

When the rock is first uncovered, I would expect the isopods just to be still and not doing anything.  After watching for a few minutes, the isopods would likely start moving around to search for conditions they find more suitable.

4. Is the isopod’s response to moisture best classified as kinesis, or taxis? Explain your response.

Their response is best classified as kinesis, as they did not directly move to the dry side but rather moved around randomly until they found it.

5. Identify the control(s), independent variable, and dependent variable in this experiment and explain why you have identified the factor you chose as each.

Since nothing was changed about the dry chamber, that was the control. The independent variables were the factors that were tested in each. For example, in part 1, the independent variable was moisture. The dependent variable was the number of pill bugs that we recorded every thirty seconds. This was the dependent variable because it was being altered by the independent variable.

Immune System QUIZ

Here's the question for our Immune System Quiz:

An important defense against disease in vertebrate animals is the ability to eliminate, inactivate, or destroy foreign substances and organisms. Explain how the immune system achieves all the following.
1) Provides an immediate nonspecific immune response
2) Activates T and B cells in response to an infection
3) Responds to a later exposure to the same infectious agent
4) Distinguishes self from nonself

__________________________________________________________

1) First, our bodies have physical barriers, such as skin and clots, to protect us against pathogens. Saliva, mucous, vomiting, and diarrhea help to partially get rid of anything harmful that has entered our bodies. Chemical barriers such as salts and acids also help to breakdown harmful, foreign substances. Inflammatory responses (the dilation of blood vessels) help stimulate fever and changing body temperature to increasing clotting and white blood cells production. Cell interferons from infected cells provide stimulation for production of chemicals for inhibition of viral reproduction.

2) White blood cells begin to "eat" the pathogens and display the antigens on the body of the macrophages, signaling for T and B cells. The antigen activates and helper T cells. The antigen binds to B cells and activates B cells. The helper T cells then activates the B cell and/or cytotoxic T cells. It is Interleukin 1 from the macrophages that activate helper T cells and Interleukin 2 and cytokines from helper T cells activate B cells or cytotoxic T cells. T cells either become memory T cells or killer T cells. Memory T cells take note of the pathogen and store that in the blood so that if the same pathogen entered the body again, the body will be able to recognize it.  The killer T cells are the ones that go and destroy the pathogen.  The B cells can either become memory B cells, which function like memory T cells, or they can become plasma B cells that that produce antibodies that can attach on to and weaken the antigens of a pathogen.

3) As discussing in number 2, memory T and B cells stored information for recognition of pathogens in the blood stream.  Each memory cell is specific to the same previously encountered antigen.  Since the body has previously had to fight against the recognized antigen, the memory cells have greater power against the antigen and and are able to respond faster and to a greater extent.  Therefore, secondary immune response is stronger due to increased strength and concentration of memory cells and due to complex cytokines.

4) Each cell has a unique marker such as specific proteins, cytokines, glycoproteins, etc. In bone marrow and in the thymus, antigen receptors are tested and the binding stimulates an immune response. There self-antigen receptors are eliminated or inactivated.

Unit8 Mindmap 2

The second of my mind maps for Unit 8 combines information from Unit 8 will topics from several previous units. This map also especially helps review the muscular system relates to homeostasis, which is something we just learned about and to review how all the other systems are in someway involved. (Again, sorry for my small handwriting)