Monday, October 27, 2014

Algae That Can Survive Climate Change

Source: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research

Date Published: Oct 20, 2014

URL: http://www.sciencefriday.com/blogs/10/20/2014/picture-of-the-week-phytoplankton.html?series=31

Summary:

Researchers from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, tested how well algae would survive in response to climate change. In particular, being exposed to certain ocean conditions such as increased temperatures and acidification resulting from rising levels of carbon dioxide. The type of algae was a species called Emiliania huxleyi—it can produce about 500 generations per year—that had already adapted to surviving high acidity levels. For a year they let them live in water with temperatures ranging from 59 degrees Fahrenheit--a little below the ocean’s average temperature--to a warm 79.3 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the hottest temperature it can still reproduce in. The researchers found out that the algae reproducing at higher temperatures were smaller—but also increased their growth rate by 16 percent. Also, the algae absorbed the same amount of carbon as algae under normal temperature conditions, despite their smaller size. The scientists also tried a "worst-case scenario" experiment: exposing algae that had not adapted to living in acidic water to both high temperatures and high acidity levels for a year. Thorsten Reusch, a marine ecologist at GEOMAR who oversaw the study, along with his team, discovered that the algae adapted as well as the specimens that had been exposed to one condition at a time (they absorbed slightly less carbon). The research suggests that E. huxleyi and other rapidly reproducing species might be able to adapt quickly enough to survive in extreme ocean conditions caused by climate change.

Relevance:

This experiment is very similar to the enzyme lab we just did. It involves treating something to a variety of conditions and trying to find out how it affects the performance or productivity of it. The algae experiment also demonstrates hypothesis-based science. The researchers wanted to find out how climate change affected algae. This was their question. They then simulated similar conditions in their tests in order to find out. They had multiple tests, and each one can be repeated. They had a group of algae already accustomed to high acidity levels, and one not. These were each one of their control groups; they used both of these types of algae in order to have something to compare their results or data to. They changed the acidity levels and temperature for each test, which were their independent variables. In the end, they found differences between the algae that reproduced at higher temperatures and the algae that didn't. The subject of their lab deals with how organisms can survive climate change, which is something we talked about briefly in our first unit on ecology in class. The conditions of the climate change that we are experiencing currently involve high carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere due to burning fossil fuels, and water becoming more acidic. In their experiment, the scientists tested mirrored these changes in the water to see how the algae would adapt.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Florida lizards evolve rapidly, within 15 years and 20 generations

Source: University of Texas at Austin
Date Published: October 23, 2014
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141023142306.htm

Summary:
On islands in Florida, a species of native lizards has evolved rapidly in 15 years, a very short span of time. They were pressured by an invading lizard species that was introduced from Cuba. Contact with the invasive species forced the native species to begin perching on trees. As generation after generation of native species came, their feet became more adapted to gripping the thinner, smoother, branches found higher up on the trees. The lizards evolved at such a rapid pace, that after a few months, they were perching on the higher trees, and after 15 years and 20 generations, their toe pads had become larger, with more sticky scales on their feet. The competition between the native and invasive species for the same food and space is driving the adaptations of the native species. It is noted that the adults of both species eat the hatchlings of the other species, causing the hatchlings to quickly move up the trees, causing them to adapt to living in trees.

Relevance:
This is relevant to what we've been learning so far because it is an example of discovery science. The scientists are observing and documenting the lizards. Through careful observation and data collection, the scientists are discovering the natural process of the native lizards evolving in response to the pressure of the invasive lizards. Also, we learned about invasive species being introduced to the habitats of native species and competing with the native species for food, space, and other life essentials. Non-native invasive species usually end up outcompeting the native species, for the native species aren't able to evolve fast enough alongside the invasives. In this case, however, the native lizard species was able to evolve fast enough. They evolved at an astonishing rate, becoming adapted to living in the trees in just fifteen years.

The Emergent Patterns of Climate Change

Source: TED Talks
Speaker: Gavin Schmidt
Date of Talk: March 2014
Date Published: May 1, 2014
Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/gavin_schmidt_the_emergent_patterns_of_climate_change?language=en

Summary: In this talk, Gavin Schmidt explains that one can't understand climate change in pieces; it's the whole or nothing. In order to do this, he pieces together small "puzzle pieces" of the biosphere – the condition of polar ice caps, the condition of the air, etc. For each piece, he puts together equations that help people understand what could affect it. After piecing all of the equations of all of the parts together, he is able to make a model showing the air and water movements of the earth. Those movements are a result of the small-scale interactions. Schmidt explains that this is a skillful model not because it's right, because models are often wrong since they are merely approximations. The model is a skillful model because it tells more information than one would have had otherwise. Therefore, he can use this model to find out what could happen if humans were to "kick the system", and shows that by the end of the 21st century, Earth will have become significantly warmer if we do not do anything. Schmidt ends saying, "The models are skillful, but what we do with the information from those models is totally up to you." We must use this model to make better changes of our environment.

Connection: This talk connects to our work during class in this semester because it shows how the different levels of organization affect each other. For example, small changes in a climate can eventually cause much larger changes in the biosphere, affecting all of the climates, not just the original one. He also mentions different "kicks" in the system, such as more greenhouse gases. In class, we talked about how one of the main greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide. Therefore, this kick would disrupt the carbon cycle. Finally, this is an example of hypothetical science. Based on observations, Schmidt puts together equations to create a large model of the earth in order to predict future events. After observing, he and his team will probably improve the model in order to make it more accurate, allowing it to be used for predicting even more future events.

Cells' Powerhouses Were Once Energy Parasites: study upends current theories of how mitochondria began

Source: University of Virginia
Date Published: October 16, 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141016165955.htm

Summary:
This article provides an alternative theory to the current theories. U.Va. biologist Martin Wu suggested that the current theories -- all claiming that the relationship between the bacteria and the host cell at the very beginning of the symbiosis was mutually beneficial -- are likely wrong. Instead, he believed that the relationship likely was antagonistic -- that the bacteria were parasitic and only later became beneficial to the host cell by switching the direction of the ATP transport. He reconstructed the gene content of mitochondrial ancestors, he predicted it to be a parasite that actually stole energy in the form of ATP from its host. He also identified many human genes that are derived from mitochondria may contribute to several diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. This study has the potential to change the way we think about how mitochondria began.

Relevance:
This article is related to what we are learning these days because mitochondria is a part of a cell. Mitochondria is important to us because it provides energy to our cells. But the study in this article uncovered the real identity of the ancestor of the mitochondria. This article also talks about the symbiosis relationship, which we learned in unit 1. It stated in the article that the idea of the relationship between the bacteria and the host cell at the very beginning was mutualism was wrong. Instead, it is parasitism.

Early Exposure To Bacteria Protects Children From Asthma And Allergies

URL: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/06/06/319420973/early-exposure-to-bacteria-protects-children-from-asthma-and-allergies

Authors name: Nancy Shute

Date of publication: June 06, 2014

Summary:
Babies who are exposed to both bacteria and allergens within the first year of their life are less likely to have asthma and allergies in later life.The idea that children who are exposed to bacteria's in early life resulting in a stronger immune system in later life is referred to as the hygiene hypothesis, which states that inner city children who are exposed to cockroach, mouse and cat allergens in the first year of life have less wheezing at age 3 and children exposed to bacteria's in the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes groups have less allergies also, however children that were exposed to both will do best of all. However the hygiene hypothesis is not perfectly formed and a lot more tests and results need to be found in order for it to become a well believed theory. The hygiene hypothesis has flaws and contradictions, such as children who grow up in an urban area, and are exposed to cockroaches and mice should, under the hygiene hypothesis, be healthier in later life. This does not hold true for most children in these circumstances and they end up sicker than children not exposed to cockroaches and mice. Parents should not act upon this new hypothesis until clinical trials on animals and on human have been carried out

Description of relevance:
Anthony Fauci and Robert Wood used hypothesis-based science in their research on the hygiene hypothesis. They firstly observed many cases of infants living in different locations with different environments, by looking at health records. Then they made a hypothesis which stated that children exposed to particular stands of bacteria as an infant are less likely to have allergies and asthma in later life. This is a suggested answer to a well-defined scientific question. When this hypothesis was made, tests were carried out to test their predictions and many results stand in agreement with the hypothesis however evidence has been found that contradicts the hypothesis. This means that the test does not support the hypothesis fully and a revision of the hypothesis is needed in order for it to eventually become a scientific theory.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Caltech Researchers Believe Tiny Sea Animals Are Big Drivers Of Ocean Currents

watch?v=4WT0z3YI6aA

Connection: This article demonstrates how through applying the scientific method, scientists can come to ecological conclusions. After initial observation, Dabiri asks the question of how sea creature movement affects water movement. Dabiri hypothesizes that these movements drive ocean currents. He then tests this hypothesis by setting up a controlled experiment with sea monkeys and a beam of light and generated conclusions based off his results. Furthermore, his conclusion connects to the idea that all scientific theories must be repeatable by peers due to the skeptical nature of science. Overall, through research into surface circulation and deep circulation, the conclusions through this and future studies connect to the carbon cycle since oceans absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide. Therefore, with more understanding about the ocean and what effects it, we learn more about the carbon cycle and how to control it.

A Possible Treatment to Severe Peanut Allergies

Adarsh Suresh

Author: Carlyn Kolker
Date Published: October 14, 2014
Link: http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/my-son-the-live-peanut-allergy-science-experiment/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Summary:

In New York, five year old Caleb has a harmful peanut allergy that could kill him if he eats peanuts. When Caleb ingests peanuts, he can have an immediate allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis that causes hives, swelling, and contraction of the lungs, resulting in a difficulty to breathe. However, Mount Sinai Medical Center is conducting a clinical trial with a purpose to test a possible treatment for harsh peanut allergies. The treatment is to put the child near small enough amounts of peanut flour so that s/he can handle it, and increase the amount of flour gradually. Each child is either given actual peanut flour or brown flour, a placebo. The goal is to get the child to not have a reaction from the equivalent of a few peanuts in a few months, which turns out to happen to Caleb who is able to tolerate about 10 times the amount of peanuts than he could have at the start of the trial.

Connection:

This relates to our topic on hypothesis-based science. The scientists had a hypothesis that, gradually increasing the dosage of peanut flour, would give the child a certain tolerance to peanuts. The team then created an experiment with an independent variable, a dependent variable, controlled variables, and results of quantitative data. The independent variable is the increasing amount of peanut flour given throughout the experiment. The dependent variable is how the children react to the flour such as do they display an increase in tolerance, do they have a severe reaction to it, etc. Some controlled variables are the age range of the subjects of the experiment in that they’re all children, and the mentality of the children because they don’t know if they’re given the peanut flour or the brown flour. Lastly, the experiment produced quantitative data like Caleb having no reaction to the equivalent of 10 times the amount of peanuts he could have had at the beginning of the experiment, due to a measured increase in amount of peanut flour over time.

New Organic Fertilizer Helps Reforestation of Monarch Butterflies' Winter Retreat

Hannah Gearan

Video Provided by: Reuters
Date Produced: October 20, 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/biology/

Summary:
Every year, monarch butterflies migrate south to warmer land. But in some of the places where these butterflies arrive, the areas have been deforested and used for agricultural benefit. This video examines the efforts of conservationalist from the National Autonomous University of Mexico to reforest the land for the butterflies. The problem is that they have to develop a fertilizer that is safe for the butterflies, land, and people living in the area. Previously, the chemical fertilizers have cause sickness to people, killed the butterflies, and made the land infertile. The scientists are trying to develop an organic fertilizer that will be ideal for the butterflies and will be able to renew the forest.

Relevance:
This relates to ideas we studies in the ecology unit such as deforestation and factors that can influence a population. Deforestation resulted in habitat destruction for the butterflies, which in turn effects how their population can grow. If they no longer have a place to settle in the winter time, then the population will likely decrease because some of the population will die out. It also pertains to winter survival strategies, because the butterflies migrate south in order to be able to live in the winter. It also relates to organic and inorganic compounds because the conservationalists need to make an organic fertilizer. The video also mentions pH because they have to create a fertilizer that has a good pH balance.

New Microscope Captures 3-D Cellular Action in Real Time.

Author: Rosanne Skirble

Date: October 23, 2014 7:09 PM

Link: http://m.voanews.com/a/new-microscope-captures-3d-cellular-action-in-real-time/2494472.html

Summary:

A new microscope developed by Eric Betzig is able to allow us to view cells in real time. Eric, who works at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, won the 2014 Nobel prize for chemistry for the development of a microscope that allowed the viewing of an individual molecule. Now however he has taken his research in a different direction, more focused on "seeing fast dynamics without damaging the cell". This is done by sending out a plane of light rather that a beam, reducing the damage to the cell while allowing for high speed imaging. This microscope will allow scientists to better understand and prevent the spread of diseases.

Connection:

This connects to class because it's about the observation of cell structure, which we are currently learning about. We've been learning about the different structures or animal, plant and prokaryotic cells, as well as the different organelles and their functions. This article is about the development of a device that allows for better observation of what were currently studying. In addition this will allow us to learn about what happens in real time. Currently we only know what happens in a snapshot but this device will allow us to really see what happens inside a cell, in motion. This microscope may revolutionize what is taught in this course in the near future.

World population to keep growing this century, hit 11 billion by 2100

Author: University of Washington
Publication date: September 18, 2014
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140918141446.htm

Summary

The United Nations discovered that there is an 80% chance that the population in 2100 will be between 9.6 billion and 12.3 billion people. They say that the population will most likely not stabilize this century and will continue to grow rapidly. Scientists at the United Nations also discovered that Africa is where the huge population boom will occur because the birth rates still continue to grow in Africa, especially in the Saharan region. Rising populations are not a good sign. They can create major problems such as climate change, diseases, poverty, and more. Scientists presented a solution so the populations doesn’t rise so rapidly. They say education is one of the ways to prevent a rise, especially in Africa. Africa doesn’t benefit from a high-class education system, which is why birth rates are increasing so much all over the continent.

Connection

This article relates to chapter 35 because it talks a lot about population density and the effects of it. We learned that population density can increase demands for water, food, energy, and other supplies. As we take in more and more resources, we will start to have less of them in later years. An increase in water use would lead to severe shortages of water. By creating more heavy industry and factories, we learned that that there would be more CO2 in the atmosphere, trapping heat, and causing an overall rise in Earth’s average temperature. This overall rise is known as global warming. Also, this article connects to age structures and how they function. We learned that a country that has a higher population of people below 30 would have an increasing population. An example of a country that has this age structure would be Kenya.

Predicting the predator threatening a squirrel by analyzing its sounds and tail movements

Author: University of Miami
Publication date: October 21, 2014
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141021125943.htm

Summary:
Thaddeus McRae, an assistant research biology professor for the University of Miami, is researching the way squirrels communicate with each other. After thoroughly observing and studying squirrel colonies on the campus at Coral Gables, Florida, he noticed patterns in the sounds, expressions, and gestures that squirrels make. He wondered if these sounds and motions were used as a means of communication, particularly for alerting other squirrels of predatory threats. To observe the squirrels' reactions to ground and air predators, McRae constructed a remote controlled cat, painted gliders to look like eagles, and sent them to chase the squirrels around the university campus. While doing this, he recorded and observed specifically three common sounds, a short bark, a squeal, and a whistle, as well as two common tail "twitches", a movement in an arc shape and a movement in wavy patterns. After two years of research, McRae could accurately predict the predator in the squirrels' vicinity simply by watching the combination of sound and tail movement of a squirrel.

Relevance:
McRae's experiment determined that the squirrels' sounds and communicative actions are adaptations as a result of predator-prey relationships. The squirrels have evolved over time to develop a system of avoiding predators, much like the snakes in the case study from class developed mimicry. Additionally, McRae used both discovery and hypothesis-based science to come up with and validate his idea of predator alerts between squirrels. His observations of common squirrels around the university campus revealed a pattern in their gestures and noises, and this led him to form the hypothesis that the communication was a means of community survival. From this, he developed a test to gather more data, and using the data, he was able to make predictions. Thus, McRae clearly followed the steps of the scientific method throughout the course of his research.

Study holds hope of treatment for deadly genetic disease MPS IIIB

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140929180306.htm

Publication date: September 29, 2014

Source: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed)

Summary:

Researchers have reported of finding a cure for the devastating and currently untreatable MPSIIIB disease that causes continuous damage to the brain and leads to intellectual disability and other dangerous and occasionally life threatening neurological problems. This disease is caused in the patient due to the absence of a vital enzyme that breaks down sugars called mucopolysaccharides. This absence results in their accumulation and causing progressive brain damage. Researchers have found a way of replacing the missing enzyme by injecting a modified enzyme into the left ventricle of the brain that is capable of reaching the brain which was not previously been able to be done due to the barriers in the enzyme’s its path. Researchers at LA BioMed, the University of California, Los Angeles and BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. have already administered the modified enzyme (NAGLU) and reported that the cells readily absorbed it and that it reduced accumulation of the sugars and other metabolites to normal levels.

Relevance:

This article is relevant to the Honors Biology curriculum for this term as it is commenting and displaying the importance of enzymes and more broadly the importance of one of the most important macromolecules-protein on the human body.As studied, enzymes are biological catalysts that increase the rate of reaction without getting used up and are needed by our bodies for many different vital functions. Without enzymes as shown in the MPSIIIB disease our bodies will not function properly as it is needed to break down and synthesize certain substances which are vital to the functioning of the human body which in this case is decomposing sugars to avoid accumulation of substances that eventually cause harm. It displays the dependency of the body on enzymes and proteins to perform these vital functions that otherwise would cause problems.

Phosphorous Fed Algae Bloom Threatened Toledo's Tap Water

- Student makes specific connections to the curriculum

- Labels are made for specific content connections in your post

Host: Linda Wertheimer and David Greene
Interviewee: Steve Davis
Date: August 05, 2014
Link: http://www.npr.org/2014/08/05/337973447/phosphorous-fed-algae-bloom-that-threatened-toledo-s-tap-water

Summary:
Fertilizer runoff in Lake Erie causes the ban of tap water usage in the nearby town of Toledo, Ohio. Toledo is located near the shallow western basin of Lake Erie, so its water supply comes directly from the lake. The Lake faces a serious threat in its amount of toxic algae which are fed by phosphorous in fertilizer. Steve Davis, a USDA worker and watershed expert, states that the cause of this is not necessarily only due to farmer's excessive usage of fertilizer. Weather has a part in fertilizer runoff because if fertilizer is broadcast before rain or on frozen ground, there is a more likely chance it will move. In order to reduce the amount of fertilizer lost on the fields, farmers can help by spreading it efficiently as well as the obvious, reducing their usage. An example of a method of spreading the fertilizer in an efficient way is the precision nutrient management that helps target fertilizer to where it is most needed in the amount it is needed in with the use of a GPS.

Relevance:
This news source has to do with our current curriculum because it relates to our study of chemical cycles and the nitrogen cycle specifically. The phosphorus from fertilizer feeding the growth of toxic algae in Lake Erie is similar to our study of eutrophication, a negative impact of the nitrogen cycle. This is a condition where high levels of nitrogen along with phosphates feed the growth of algae in bodies of water. In eutrophication, when the algae dies, bacteria decomposing them use up all the oxygen, causing a lack of oxygen in the ecosystem. Pollution in Lake Erie was a big reason why the Clean Air Act was put in place. The Farmers in Toledo's help of reducing the amount of fertilizer runoff not only helps with the reducing toxic algae but also helps conserve the lake which can slow the loss of biodiversity and pollution.

Hydrogen Bonds

URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140715141755.htm
Author: American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Publication Date: July 15, 2014

Summary:
This article is about chemists at the University of Chicago being directly able to visualize the vibrations between hydrogen bonded molecules with a new infrared light source. This is the first time scientists have been able to observe this kind of bonding. Now they can compare different vibrations between different types of bonds. They describe these bonds as being intertwined, and not just a bond of two simple parts. In an experiment they were able to observe what happens when you pluck on the bonds of one molecule (or in this case both molecules). They used a peptide with a medium-strength hydrogen bond in their experiment; using three-pulse sequences of mid-infrared light. Also, they stress the importance of thinking of water as having structure and mechanical properties of its own. In the future they plan the visualize how water reacts with proteins and DNA molecules.

Relevance:
This article is relevant with our current unit of study because we are learning about different kinds of molecules and the bonds between them. This specific experiment shows how these molecules move in their bonds. In class we have talked about the polarity of water molecules and how the hydrogen bonds between them function and their structures, and this article gives us insight on how these bonds move/vibrate. These chemists also plan to observe the reaction between water and proteins, both of which we have learned about their functions and structure but haven't talked about together. They also plan to do the same with DNA which we are leading up to in class to learn about.

A New Virus Discovered In the Human Gut

A New Virus Discovered In the Human Gut
URL: http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/07/25/2014/a-newly-discovered-virus-that-lives-in-our-gut.html,
Audio is produced by: Alexa Lim
(Audio) Guest: Robert Edwards (Professor of Computer Science at San Diego University)
URL: http://www.sci-news.com/biology/science-crassphage-previously-unknown-ancient-gut-virus-02098.html
Author: By Sci-News.com

Summary
This virus, CrAssphage has been just recently discovered by Robert Edwards and his team at San Diego University in San Diego, California. What is rather interesting is that this virus was not discovered in a lab, but rather by Edwards and his team of computer scientists. Researchers at the National Institute of Health provided large amounts of data entailing the genetic sequences of bacteria. It is within this data that this new CrAssphage was discovered. Edwards explains that about for every human cell, there is about 10 times the amount of bacteria; and for every bacteria, there is about 10 viruses. Viruses are important to the human body because they can regulate the bacteria in the humans. If there is too much bacteria, the viruses can take over the bacteria and kill them and make them have a smaller population. Humans are also not born with this virus, instead they acquire it over time. Researchers are still learning more about

Relevance
Viruses are linked to what we have discussed in school because the success of a virus is up to the density dependent factors. If the bacteria starts to have a dip in population, then the viruses will start to also have a dip in population. This virus helps people because if they have too much of this bacteria it could have a negative impact on the body. When the bacteria population increases, the virus will do its job and makes the population of the bacteria decrease. Viruses are also linked entirely to cells; which links to our current unit about cells. Viruses themselves cannot reproduce, however, they can "hijack" a cell and use that as a source of reproduction. The virus injects its own genetic material and overrides the defense systems of the cell, then when the cell reproduces, it produces the replicated virus instead of the cell.

WATER POLICY: 'Any place with water is a special place in Arizona'

Author: Annie Snider
Publication: October 20, 2014
Link: http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060007568

Summary In this article the state of the drought in Arizona is emphasized. It talked about the Grapevine Creek that runs between Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona. Most of the river is bone dry most of the year, but there is a spring fed stream underground that creates pockets of cool, perennial pools. These wet areas are in the Prescott National Forest's botanical garden making the creek a great area for Arizona Game and Fish Department to repopulate native Gila trout. The Obama administration decided to step in and propose the Clean Water Act that puts all streams and creeks under federal jurisdiction. This was fiercely opposed by farmers while supported by sportsmen. Conservationists argue that streams and creeks like this are needed because they point to meadows up in the mountains, that act like sponges and hold water in from rare rains. the meadows slowly release the water, which is vital for organisms that rely on water for a habitat or to survive. Many streams and creeks like Grapevine have been stuck in court without a ruling of whether or not roads or buildings will be built across or on them.

Relevance
In class, during our first unit we talked about ecology and habitats. This article shows how ecosystems do not function very well if they are missing something. Here the water was missing so the trout started to die out. We had built mini ecosystems that would not survive with out water, so everyone had to put in some amount of water then seal it because if the water was to escape everything would die. In Arizona there is a drought so many habitats are being hurt or destroyed without water and native organisms are being taken out by lack of resources and invasive species. Another danger to habitats that we talked about in class was human endangering habitats. A lot of construction has been stopped because of the destruction of habitats and endangering species.

City Life Key To Harlequin Ladybug Invasion in the UK

Publication Date: October 13, 2014

Author/Source: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141013090459.htm

Summary:

A new species of the ladybug has outcompeted the native species in urban areas such as in the United Kingdoms. The population of the harlequin ladybug has grown rapidly, while the native ladybird species has been suffering from the combined effects of habitat destruction or deterioration and competition with this invasive alien. The harlequin ladybug has a wider diet range and a high reproduction rate. To study the environmental factors that affect the harlequin ladybug, a new scientific study has been developed to understand the effect of climate and landscape factors in relation to the harlequin ladybug. It was discovered that the climate influenced the speed of the spread of different colored ladybugs. The habitat of the harlequin ladybug also seemed to play a role in the speed of invasion. The harlequin ladybug is best adapted to sunnier areas and has a preference towards urban areas. Coniferous forests are more resistant to the invasion of this alien species, and provides a refuge for the native species of ladybirds.

Relevance:

This article relates to our study of ecology, specifically how invasive species play an impact on our environment. Invasive species are species not native to an area, and generally outcompete a native species, and therefore affecting the entire ecosystem. Just like in our short study of the fresh water marsh ecosystem, the harlequin ladybug is competing with the native ladybird species, similar to how purple loosestrife competes with the native cattail. Both invasives are fighting for more space and resources. Since the harlequin ladybug is more well adapted to the sunnier urban areas, the alien species is succeeding in outcompeting the native species. If any other organism that depended on the native ladybird for survival cannot adapt to this new species, this organism will eventually die out, which results in a decrease of biodiversity.

Climate Change Alters Cast of Winter Birds

Author: Terry Devitt, University of Wisconsin
Website: Science Daily
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141017183444.htm

Summary:

According to University of Wisconsin-Madison wildlife biologists Benjamin Zuckerberg and Karine Princé, birds that are typically found in more southerly regions of the planet have been gradually pushing north over the past two decades, restructuring the communities of birds that spend their winters in the more northern latitudes of Earth. According to the wildlife biologists, birds such as cardinals, chipping sparrows, Carolina wrens, and other feathered species more adapted to warmer climates have greatly expanded the ranges of their winter migrations in a warmer world, a change that may have untold consequences for ecosystems in North America. According to research, these types of birds were rare in the more northern regions of North America fifty years ago. A shifting winter climate has allowed for smaller, more southerly distributed bird species to colonize new regions and create more unique groups of winter birds throughout North America, which will continue to occur in years to come if the rate of climate change on Earth remains the same. The changes in the mix of overwintering bird species are occurring due to recent winters with less snow, more varied and intense natural weather events, and a generally shorter overall snow season. Climate models based on data collected in past years predict even warmer temperatures occurring over the next 100 years, with seasonal climate effects being the most pronounced in northern regions of the world. It is noted in the article that "removing or introducing even a single species can have a cascade of ecological consequences, many of them unknown."

Connection:

This article connects to our unit on ecosystems and climate change, factors that limit a population, and our exploration in discovery science. This article revolves around the effects of climate change, which we touched highly upon in our unit as it invokes biotic and abiotic changes over time in an ecosystem. During our class, we discussed how limiting factors prevent a J-shaped growth curve in a species, one of these factors including living space. However, in the article, it is stated that how this limiting factor of living space is relaxed due to climate change is causing the gradual expansion up north by making northerly areas of North America more suitable for these species of birds. The scientists involved in this experiment use models to present the data collected by means of discovery science from past years in order to be able to analyze the effects of climate change on the bearings of winter birds.

- Jessica Luo

Electrically Conductive Polymers as Solar Cells

Christina Pathrose

Author: Emil Venere of Purdue University
Publication Date: October 9, 2014
Link:http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2014/Q4/electrically-conductive-plastics-promising-for-batteries,-solar-cells.html

Summary:
The race is on for finding alternative energy resources. Researchers at Purdue University have found a great alternative for solar cells. Scientists are studying a specific polymer called PTMA, a polymer with the ability to produce more than ten times the amount of electrical conductivity as commonly used semiconducting polymers. But what makes this polymer so special is that it is a radical polymer, an electrically conductive plastic that poses as a low-cost, easily manufacturable polymer that could possibly serve a purpose as lightweight, flexible batteries, antiglare coatings for cellphone displays, antistatic sheath to protect aircraft carriers from lightning strikes, flexible flash drives, and thermoelectric devices, which generate electricity from heat. It is a polymer that is similar to Plexiglas due to its inexpensiveness and ability to be used in a variety of products, but is able to conduct electricity. Polymers are composed of a central skeleton of monomers and depending on the polymer, contain side chains that are are attached to it known as “pendant groups”. Pendant groups in radical polymers are the main reason for electrical conductivity, because the pendant groups are able to let charge pass through, resulting in a current. The process of creating a radical polymer is known as deprotection, this process includes replacing a hydrogen atom in the pendant group with an oxygen atom. Electrons in an outer shell are usually paired with another, but in this polymer, the new oxygen atom is left without a pair and therefore, makes it capable of transporting electrical current.

Connection:
This article relates to our unit on macromolecules, specifically on polymers as well as our short unit on the six most important elements. We learned that polymers are composed of a chain of monomers and some with extra chains branching off. There is a vast number of polymers that make up life and surprisingly they are built from a series of about 50 kinds of monomers. Just as we studied the Hydrolysis reaction and Dehydration reaction which could create energy from the lysis or fusion of bonds, scientists used the process of deprotection in the side chains of polymers to make it more electrically active. They did this by replacing a hydrogen atom within a pendant group with an oxygen atom which makes its nucleus unstable. A hydrogen atom has one electron in its valence shell and an oxygen atom needs two electrons in order to fill its valence shell. This unstable particle is now an ion, a charged particle, thus, it is able to create a current.

Cow Farts Have ‘Larger Greenhouse Gas Impact’ Than Previously Thought; Methane Pushes Climate Change

Author: Phillip Ross (International Business Times)
Publication: November 26, 2013
Link: http://www.ibtimes.com/cow-farts-have-larger-greenhouse-gas-impact-previously-thought-methane-pushes-climate-change-1487502

Summary

In this article, the author looked at the production of the greenhouse gas, methane, and how it contributes to climate change. Like carbon dioxide, methane also traps heat but it traps heat 21 times better than carbon dioxide. The main focus was on the methane produced from the livestock industry, the main source of the meat that many people eat. It talked about how cows produce a significant amount of methane, about 250-500 liters (about 66-132 gallons), every single day just by farting. A typical car holds about 16 gallons of gas so a single cow could produce an amount of methane that would fill about 8 average gas tanks. The article also looked towards finding solutions to the problems presented by the livestock. The solution looked at was the changing of the cows’ diet. By reducing the amount of corn and soy that the cow consumes and mixing in alfalfa, linseed and grass, the cow would have lower levels of fatty acids. This lower level of fatty acids would then lead to reductions in the methane let out by the cows.

Relevance

In class we looked at greenhouse gas emissions mainly through the emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels and how that contributed to climate change. We also looked specifically at the carbon cycle and how carbon gets cycled through the biosphere. This article talks about another greenhouse gas, methane, which like carbon dioxide, is also a contributor to climate change (sometimes called global warming in the article”). It further connects by showing a different way greenhouse gases are emitted which many people aren't fully aware of. In class, we learned about the typical view of greenhouse gas emissions with carbon dioxide coming from the burning of fossil fuels. This article explained the effects methane could have on climate change through looking at the methane produced by livestock. Both methane and carbon dioxide together pose as a formidable threat to climate change. This also connects to our unit on matter and energy because methane is a gas formed from the two elements, carbon and hydrogen.

Climate change not responsible for altering forest tree composition

Summary:
In the eastern United States, scientists have found that over time, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the species of trees have shifted from oak trees to maples, and less oak. By looking at observations, scientists can tell that it is not climate change that caused this phenomena, but human disturbances within the forests like deforestation, fires set purposefully by humans, and the introduction of invasive species into areas as ornamental pieces, that resulted in the makeup of forests to change pretty dramatically. Because, fire suppression rules started coming about in the early 20th century, less fires resulted in more canopy cover to the forest floor. Because of this, forests became more damp, and dark, which do not support many species native to the area, and maples thrived under the circumstances with more space to flourish. This is known as mesophication, the forest getting more damp, dark, and dense upon the absence of fires. After looking at much data, scientists concluded that "disturbance regimes" caused the vegetation in many forests in the eastern United States to change in composition over time.

Connection:
This article connects with our study of ecosystems and density independent factors. This article shows how human interference, a density independent factor, is responsible for lowering the carrying capacity for a ecosystem, and producing more limiting factors. This is shown through a difference in temperature limiting the population growth of oaks, and as a result limiting the amount of individuals in that species that can live in a ecosystem. In addition, the ecosystem has changed over time because of a difference in many factors resulting in the alteration of the forest's tree composition. By adding in invasives, it takes out many of its competitors in the ecosystem, and changes the food web, resulting in a different ecosystem and different interactions between organisms and their environments. Therefore, this article relates directly to what we have been discussing in class.

Author: Science Daily
Source: Penn State
Date: October 15, 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141015112321.htm

Scientists Discover Oldest Human Genome Yet in a 45,000-Year-Old Leg Bone

Varun Aysola

Author: Geoff Brumfiel

Date: October 22, 2014

Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/10/22/358047524/a-45-000-year-old-leg-bone-reveals-the-oldest-human-genome-yet

Summary:

This article is about how researchers found the femur of a human that lived 45,000 years ago in Siberia. A local paleontologist found the bone on the Irtysh River, which was a strange place to live 45,000 years ago, as the temperature was frigid. The paleontologist handed it to the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, where they were so surprised by the age that they dated it twice. After sequencing the genome of the femur, Svante Pääbo, the director of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, decided that it was twice as old as the next oldest genome that had been sequenced. This provided insight as to early human life outside of Africa. Modern humans evolved 200,000 years ago in Africa, and left the continent 100,000 years later. However, it it known that humans were already living in Europe and Asia by then, such as the Neanderthals. The Siberian man's DNA contained a little of the Neanderthals' DNA, indicating that he was descended from the Neanderthals.

Relevance:

The article is relevant to the Honors Biology curriculum because it has to do with macromolecules. A genome is the complete set of genes in an organism. The researchers sequenced the genome of the 45,000 year-old Siberian man's femur (leg-bone). When someone sequences a genome, they name the order of the different types of nucleotides in the DNA. There are 4 types of nucleotides in DNA, adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. DNA stores the organism's genetic information in these nucleotides. Nucleotides are the subunits of nucleic acids.which are one of the four macromolecules, which we learned in class. By sequencing the Siberian man's DNA, the scientists were able to figure out that his ancestors were Neanderthals.

As permafrost soil thaw, soil microbes amplify global climate change

Written By The University of Arizona

Date Published: October 22, 2014

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141022131434.htm

Summary:

Earlier this year, a group of scientists discovered a microbe that is extremely prominent in the permafrost. Researchers across the world believe that this microbe is a primary reason for the effects of climate change by releasing vast amounts of carbon in the form of methane. The scientific community has named this microbe as "Methanoflorens Stordalenmirensis" which means methane bloomer, but the real role is still unknown. Microbes generally release methane in two different ways. One is through an organic molecule that comes from plants, and the other is from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. This discovery challenges scientists to understand as to how soil microbes release methane in the environment and the threat that they pose. The climate model as of now uses the ratio between different isotopes of carbon in methane to determine the amount of carbon and methane released. In conclusion, scientists have realized that microbiology in ecology is a key player in the effects of climate change.

How this relates to class:
In class, we have studied the various biomes and how each biome plays a specific role in the biosphere. We learned about the greenhouse gas emissions and global warming which ties in to the article. We also learned about how theories and conclusions are changed very often and this article skillfully illustrates how the causes for global warming change so frequently. in addition, we learned about methane and how it plays a role in warming the earth as well as learning about the ozone layer and the effects of climate change. Next, we learned about how organisms change and react to different environmental changes and these microbes are a great example of adaptations. Finally, we learned about water's special property about how it is possible for life to survive underneath frozen ice and is the reason why these microbes were able to survive underneath the permafrost. These are the different ways for how this article relates to what we are learning in class.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Evolution of complex bioluminescent traits may be predictable

Source: University of California- Santa Barbara

Author: Julie Cohen

Date: October 21, 2014

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141021135020.htm

Leah Mills

Summary:

Scientists have been asking whether evolution can be predicted. A team of researchers from University of California Santa Barbara may have found a introductory answer. The genetics of complex traits in cephalopods may in fact be predictable because they evolved in the same way in two distinct species of squid did. UCSB professor Todd Oakley and Ph.D. student Sabrina Pankey profiled bioluminescent organs in 2 species of squid. And they found even though they evolved separately, they evolved in a very similar matter. Later, Oakley and vice chair of UCSB's Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marinebiology and Pankey leveraged advances in sequencing technology and cutting-edge genomic tools to test predictability in the evolution of biological light production. They then chose to work with the Hawaiian bobtail squid and the swordtip squid. They both contain the bioluminescent organs called photophores. Photophores contain a symbiotic, light emmiting bacteria. They then sequenced all the genes in the 2 species' organs to know how similar their genetic makeup was. The 2 organs evolved very similarily. They were able to tell this from their uncommon and unexpected genetic similarity. That means they both took very similar paths to be able to evolve these traits. They also showed that the global gene expression profiles (transcriptomes) underlying those organs are strikingly, even predictably similar. To confirm their finding and hypothesis, Oakley and Pankey got the help from statisticians from University of Washington and UCLA. And with their help, their hypothesis and finding were confirmed to be true. The results demonstrated that the evolution of overall gene expression underlying convergent complex traits may be predictable. And the probability of complex organs evolving so similarly, is astonishingly small, Oakley noted. These results will be able to help workers in the fields of evolution, genetics, genomics/bioinformatics, biomaterials, symbiosis, invertebrate zoology and evolutionary development.

Relevance:

This article is about the investigation of evolution of living things throughout time (specifically bioluminescent squid). As we said in class, one key characteristic of a living thing is that they change over time or evolve. It also talks about genetics which are also known as DNA or RNA. Both are made up of nucleotides which are chains or linked nucleic acids. Nucleic acids is one of the very important macromolecules of life as we learned. It also connects to the topic of cells. That's because as we learned, eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus and the nucleus is where all of the DNA or RNA is contained to carry out a cell's specific functions and characteristics. They also used the scientific process. They asked a question 1st, can evolution between species be predicted? Then, they created a hypothesis that yes, it can be predicted. After, they created multiple experiments and did many observations (like the 2 organs from the 2 species of squids). And then they analyzed their results and compared their observations. They even consulted the help of other scientists to conclude that their hypothesis was correct before formally stating that it was correct. Finally, they created and were able to state a conclusion, evolution of bioluminescent traits can be predicted.

Stem Cells Repair Damaged Lung Cells

Author: Science Daily
Publication Date: January 16, 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140116085059.htm

Summary: A new discovery is showing that a protein increases the rate at which the mitochondria of mesenchymal stem cells transfer to lung cells(epithelial cells). The research shows that the delivery of these mitochondria to the lungs helps repair damaged cells. It also repairs damaged tissue and inflammation in mice. The protein responsible for this increased rate of transfer is called Miro1. Researchers believe that in the future the mesenchymal cells could be changed to help with major lung diseases. In earlier research it was discovered that mitochondria could be transferred between cells through nanotubes, which increase based upon the amount of stress. The stem cells can transfer the mitochondria the same way, and the Miro1 protein just increases the efficiency of mitochondria transferred. When used on lab rats, was more effective in the healing of the lung cells.

Relevance: This is relevant to the units we have studied because it is an example of hypothesis biased science. They tested to see if adding the protein Miro1 increased the efficiency of the transfer of mitochondria. They tested with and without the protein and they concluded that the protein benefited the efficiency of the transfer. It also shows the effects that macromolecules can have on other parts of the body. Here they are helping in the healing of lungs. One last reason why it relates to the units we have studied is because it is cells helping cells. The mitochondria of one cell helps repair a different damaged cell.

Biodiversity is Threatened by Alien Species

Author: Science Daily
Publication Date: Sep 30, 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140930171526.htm

Summary:

Humans have introduced nearly a thousand species including fish, crustaceans, and algae are now established from other seas through human activities with very serious impact. A hot spot for marine biodiversity, the Mediterranean of which around 20% occur nowhere else. But many invasive species can disrupt this delicate balance. For instance, communities of native algae, corals, and invertebrates die because they are starved of oxygen, light, and food beneath the fast-growing invasive alga Caulerpa cylindracea, which forms mats of up to 15 cm thick. Stelios Katsanevakis, a researcher at the European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), and colleagues looked at data on 986 alien species and tracked their spread. Analyzing this online resource, the researchers show severe consequences for food webs and ecosystem services as invasive species expand their range and native species are driven to local extinction. The researchers found that around 60 species, mainly algae, have been introduced accidentally through aquaculture, especially off the coast of Venice and southwestern France.These invasions will continue and will keep affecting biodiversity in the Mediterranean. Its future ecosystems will likely be very different to what they are now, people need further research to better understand what effect these changes will have, including on the vital services that humans obtain from marine ecosystems, such as food provision, coastal protection, recreation and tourism.

Relevance:

This article is related to the topic Invasive species and how it affects bio diversity. It talks about how biodiversity is the number of species in an ecosystem, and it matters because many of the species of an ecosystem are interconnected. If a specie is introduced or taken away it can affect the health of the whole ecosystem. Also, the article states that a threat to biodiversity are introduced/alien species. They do not have predators, and often out compete the native species. Human activity is also a problem and may harm biodiversity, because humans bring in introduced species from an area unintentionally. Finally this article talks about hot spots of the Mediterranean area. Hot spots are small geographic areas with high concentration of species. It is home to one third of all species of plants and vertebrates, the place of extinction and it should be conserved.

-Ruiqi Luo

Environmental Detectives Use Genetic Tools to Track Invasives

Jenna Rachman

Produced by: Christopher Intagliata
Guest Speaker: David Lodge of Environmental Change Initiative at the University of Notre Dame
South Bend, Indiana

Date: October 17, 2014

Link to podcast: http://www.sciencefriday.com/playlist/#play/segment/9568 Link to podcast:

Summary:
This podcast is about how scientists are now able to track invasive species using a technique called "environmental DNA." The guest speaker, David Lodge, talks about how there are a large number of invasive species in the Great Lakes and it is extremely hard to track them all, especially underwater. The environmental DNA technique allows scientists who track invasive species to get a time sensitive-fingerprint of which species are living where. This means that when invasive species trackers take a sample of lake water, they can identify through the genetic information (DNA) which of the organisms of which species are living in that vicinity. This includes the invasives they are after. The DNA traces of organisms that the scientists find in the sample of water is usually of organisms that are living nearby. Through experiments and observations, scientists have concluded that after an organism is removed from an aquatic ecosystem, their DNA is barely traceable because it degrades in a matter of hours to days. Now, this tool is used to look for invasive species all over the world.

Relevance:
This podcast is relevant to what we are learning about in class because it focuses on the investigation of invasive species. In the first unit of the year, we talked about what invasive species are, examples of invasive species, and the impacts of them. This podcast talks about how invasives are coming into the Great Lakes by boat because the aquatic plants get stuck onto ships and are carried across the world. Many of the invasive species are from Asia, and they impact the environments of the Great Lakes region drastically. David Lodge speaks about ways to track invasive species to eventually get rid of the most harmful ones to the environment. Another way this connects to what we are learning is through the discussion of DNA. We have learned briefly about how DNA is the genetic coding of our cells, it is made in the nucleus of cells, and it makes up nucleic acids. Scientists use DNA of aquatic organisms to figure out if invasive species are living in a particular ecosystem.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Every Shark Has a Unique Personality

Liam Bettez

Author: Jennifer Viegas
Date: November 21, 2014
Link: http://news.discovery.com/animals/sharks/from-shy-to-social-each-shark-has-its-own-personality-141002.htm

Summary
The article describes how sharks have personality traits similar to those of humans. To test this, David Jacoby and his research team assembled multiple tanks with slightly different habitat set ups. They then monitored ten groups of spotted catsharks’ interactions in the different tanks. They concluded that, “even though the sizes of the groups forming changed, socially well-connected individuals remained well-connected under each new habitat,”. He also described how some sharks blended into the “sea floor” rather than grouping with the other sharks. This shows that some sharks are more social or shy than others. Jacoby thinks that these characteristics in sharks may be due to predator-prey interactions in the past but that more research will have to be conducted to be certain of this prediction.

Relevance
Jacoby uses hypothesis-based science in his research because he observed the sharks interacting, then asked a question about their interactions. Which was whether or not sharks have certain personality traits similar to humans. Next, he came up with a hypothesis about the sharks characteristics, and predicted if the sharks had these traits. Lastly, Jacoby and his team designed an experiment to test his prediction.