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

What I found most interesting was how the anatomy of the crawfish has so many parts.  I found the circualtory system very interesting also.













http://www.schooltube.com/video/ee0277ab7e5dde4a9221/Crayfish-Dissection

Blog #11

Alternation of generations  is a term primarily used in describing the life cycle of plants A mature sporophyte produces spores by meiosis, a process which results in a reduction of the number of chromosomes by a half. Spores germinate and grow into a gametophyte. At maturity, the gametophyte produces gametes by mitosis. Two gametes (originating from different organisms of the same species or from the same organism) fuse to produce a zygote, which develops into a diploid sporophyte. This cycle, from sporophyte to sporophyte (or equally from gametophyte to gametophyte), is the way in which all land plants and many algae undergo sexual reproduction.

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 important because it help get a greater understanding of nature around us. Dissecting is a fundamental source of learning in biology. By dissecting, we are able to find out how thing work.  Since biology is the study of life, all animals should be included (except for endangered species).

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

Competition is the fight for survival by fighting for necesites such as food, water, and shelter.








Commensalism is when one organism benefits while the other is unaffected.


Mutualism is when both organisms benefit from interaction.


Predation is where one organism preys on another.


Parasitism is where one organism benefits while slowly killing the organism it feeds on.

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

Grassland biomes are large, rolling terrains of grasses, flowers and herbs. Latitude, soil and local climates for the most part determine what kinds of plants grow in a particular grassland. A grassland is a region where the average annual precipitation is great enough to support grasses, and in some areas a few trees. The precipitation is so eratic that drought and fire prevent large forests from growing. Grasses can survive fires because they grow from the bottom instead of the top. Their stems can grow again after being burned off. The soil of most grasslands is also too thin and dry for trees to survive.  In America, the animals found are: American Bald Eagle, badger, bobcat, bumble bee, coyote, and prairie dog.

A tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. An average of 50 to 260 inches of rain falls yearly. Animals located in these regions are: Africa forest elephant, Bengal tiger, chimpanzee, common calm civet or musang, dawn bat, golden lion, tamarin, harpy eagle, Jambu fruit dove, king cobra, kinkajou, Linn's sloth, orangutan, proboscis monkey, red-shanked douc, langur, silvery gibbon, Slender Loris, sumatran rhinoceros, toco toucan, vampire bat, and Wagler's Pit Viper.

Rainforest

Grass Land

Blog #6 Which level of the food pyramid is the most important? Why?

I believe that the bottom level of the food pyramid is the most important. Without a good base, the rest would fall apart. If the bottom level didn't exist, there would, by the law transitivity,  no food for any other animals. 

Blog #2 Why is the fossil record hard to interpret?

It is hard to interpret the fossil record because they are very old so it is hard to find the particular shape of an animal