Welcome back from Break!
Here’s the next Extra Credit assignment. This one is a *little* more involved, so you have until Sunday, 04/26 to complete it.
Use this link: Bio-Flakes PageCast and notice on the right hand side the news articles that are available. If you “hover” over a title with your mouse (don’t click immediately) it will give you a one sentence description of the article. Select one that is of interest to you AND relates to something we have already done in class OR are currently covering.
Now, your assignment:
- Summarize the article – this means IN YOUR WORDS with NO TECHNICAL LANGUAGE! Terms we have used in class are fine.
- Copy and paste the link into your comment.
- One-two sentences explaining how this article relates to a topic in biology we have already covered.
Yes, this is a little more work, but it also means a few more points than the others! Also – you cannot do an article someone else has already done! Keep it short and sweet – a MAX of 10 sentences should be sufficient. Enjoy! Ms. F
“Inbreeding brought down Spanish dynasty”
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/04/16/2544396.htm
This article tells about how over a time span of nearly 174 years the Hapsburg dynasty of Spain came to an end. It came to an end after many incestial intermarriages occurred ending with a sterile king who was physically deformed and was also retarded.
This relates to biology in that we studied gene pools and how nature loves diversity. In the Hapsburg dynasty there is a very small gene pool that is specific instead of diverse. As the gene pools shrink the number of genetic diseases increases. These diseases and genetic mutations are what had caused the Hapsburg Dynasty of Spain to come to an end.
By: Dallas on 04/18/2009
at 12:49 am
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090415163205.htm
Animal Survival in Inherited Habitats
In this article, researchers discuss how certain environments/habitats affect the rise and fall of a population size. Scientists have been researching the possibility of the passing down of a favorable habitat as an inherited trait. Zoologist Eric M. Schauber believes inheriting a favorable habitat is just as important as other inherited traits such as camouflage and intelligence. He has done research of the affects of gypsy moths’ populations on mice populations and vice-versa. The location of one population’s habitat seems to affect the location of the other, and the best habitat to avoid predators is inherited by offspring. Schauber is tracking population sizes of different habitats and studying the relation to see if this is an inherited trait. Genetic inheritance has been proven, and now spatial inheritance is being tested and is hinting as a real possibility.
This article related to our studies of predator/prey relation of population size. Also, natural selection was showed by populations surviving with the best (possibly) inherited habitat, which we studied as well.
By: Meagan (7th) on 04/19/2009
at 5:35 pm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090417084128.htm
Forests are very useful in helping to suck up carbon emissions, but, with climate change, these trees with die. This is because with the heating of the climate, the trees will began to release more carbon than the suck up. This, with other environmental problems help us destroy the environment. Also, with climate change, droughts are going to occur more often.
This relates to biology in that currently we are learning about climate change and global warming. The increasing temperatures will melt the polar icecaps, create droughts, and create holes in the ozone, as well as turn the trees, our only help in using the carbon we use, against us.
By: Abby R on 04/21/2009
at 5:06 pm
A Vienna based International Union of Forest Research Organization (IUFRO) article:
This article is about the ability of a forest to adapt to climate change. Many people think that the forests are the reason why global warming is not occurring as fast as it should be. However, scientists are now saying that within the next few decades, these forests will put back some carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, increasing the total amount, not decreasing it. While deforestation is responsible for about 20% of greenhouse gas accumulation, the trees in the forest should be taking in more CO2 than emitting it. If the Earth rises another 2.5°C, the vital carbon-regulating service could be completely lost. Some of the threats scientists are saying fall in the category of droughts, desertification and/or deforestation. Trees are not so fast to adapt to the new climate, so they may not be able to have a great survival rate. Many scientists are now posing a warning; stop the accumulation of greenhouse gases if you want to see many more generations of life on Earth.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090417084128.htm
**This topic relates to what we are studying in bio right now. In the past few days, we have been learning about the different effects of global warming. This article further demonstrates the effects of GW.**
By: Krishan on 04/22/2009
at 11:46 am
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/04/24/2550891.htm
Fires fueling global warming: study
This article is about the discussion of weather forest fires help contribute to Global Warming ?
Many scientist believe that the amount of carbon from the burning of plants is equivalent to the carbon being reabsorbed by the growing of new plants, therefore it would do no damage or cause change. But recently scientists have discovered the burning of forest releases more carbon into the atmosphere than can be restored. Researches have discovered that 20% of all human-caused CO2 was created by burnings of forests and grazing. Also between 1997-2007 2/3 of variability of CO2 growth rate was caused by biomass burning itself. Researchers now know that burning of forests does contribute to Global Warming.
By: Andres. G (2nd) on 04/23/2009
at 10:59 pm
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/04/24/2550891.htm
This article is about fires that help contribute to climate change. According to international study, carbon emissions play a big role in global warming. Until now fire was underestimeted to having anything to do with this world-wide dilemma; long ago fire was thought to be a stable condition that didn’t change over time. Scientists have concluded that the carbon being discharged into the atmosphere substitutes the carbon that is being reabsorbed from the plants that regrow. As an outcome… fire releases a lot of carbon into the atmophere, places stress on the recovery of the forest, and results as less carbon being removed for the atmopshere. It has become very clear to scientists that fire does result in climate change.
**This topic relates to what we have been doing in biology because very recently, we discussed global warming. We learned that global warming is the increase of the average temperture in the world.
By: Dafina A. on 04/26/2009
at 8:11 am
“Methane climate shock less likely”
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/04/24/2548650.htm
The article talks about how methane gas that is trapped deep under oceanic plates and if it is released it will cause a catostropic climate change. The methane is released by the heating of the earth frome certain plates. Other scientists say that the methan was released from the wetlands and incresed activity in those regions. The scientist are try to figure out where the gas is being released by analyzing layers of ice to see the methane levels over time.
This relates to what we are studying now by showing other affects that global warming has on the earth. In this case the release of methane gas.
By: Garrett J on 04/26/2009
at 7:03 pm