Unit 8 Reflection

In this unit we learned about what evolution . Variation exists everywhere and is only a difference in traits within a population. The gene pool is the total of all alleles in a population for a trait. Gene pools change as new allele combinations form when individuals of the population have offspring. The winners pass on their alleles to their offspring. A species is a group of individuals that can reproduce and have fertile offspring. Behavioral isolation is caused by changed in courtship or mating. behaviors or occupying different niches. Embryology is where similar stages of embryo development suggests common ancestry. Hox genes are responsible for turning on other genes during development. Index fossils are species that are understood well and used for comparison. Homologous structures have the same structures but have different functions which shows common ancestry. Analogous structures have the same function but different structures. It's not individuals that evolve, but the species that do. Natural selection can change the distribution of a trait in three ways, directional selection, stabilizing selection, and disruptive selection. Directional selection favor phenotypes at one extreme. Stabilizing selection favors both extreme phenotypes. Disruptive selection favors both extreme phenotypes. Genetic drift is when a random event drastically changes a population and results in change in allele frequency. Adaptive Radiation is when there is rapid speciation from a common ancestor. As demonstrated in the Hunger Games Lab, we simulated a real world population and we saw how the different species "evolved".





Homologous structures:
       



Analogous structures:      

Hunger Games Lab

1. In this lab, we simulated a real world population. There were three different genotypes. There were pinchers, knucklers, and stumpees. The pinchers and the knucklers had an advantage over the stumpees. 
2. The pinchers were the best at catching food because they could pick up the food the easiest with the least effort. 
3. Our population evolved, at first there were nine stumpees, but at the end there were only one or two.
4. How the stumpees had a disadvantage wasn't random. The way that certain people picked up food was random. Some people were better at picking up food that others. There was also that kuncklers seemed to only want to mate with knucklers so that affected the population as well 
5. If there was more food, the results might have been different. The stumpees would have more to gather before the others took them, and more of them might have survived
6. The results would have been different if there wasn't complete dominance.The stumpees would have probably all died out and only the pinchers would have survived. There wouldn't have been any knuckers. 
7. Natural selection is what causes evolution. Only the best traits survive and are passed on.
8. The way certain people picked up food, helped them survive. One person, used their hood to gather food, which made it a lot easier. This might have helped the knuckler population, which was why it remained really high. 

BIG IDEA: Only the best evolves. Natural selection acts on the phenotype. It selects if the phenotype makes it possible to survive, and then it gets passed on.

corks were used as "food"

Bird Beak Lab

We did a Bird Beak lab, where we tested to see which beak could get more offspring. We used tweezers, a binder clip, and scissors to mimic the different beak types. I thought that if one type of beak can pick up more food than the others, then that will overpower the others and only that species will survive. In this lab we asked the question: If natural selection occurs in a population, how do changes in selective pressures affect the evolution of that species. We found that the tweezers, which is the most similar to the woodpecker, could get the most offspring. In the first part, the tweezers got 20 chicks , while the binder clips and scissors only got 16 and 18. This data supports our claim because eventually, the woodpecker would gain more and more offspring, until it overpowers the other birds.

While our hypothesis was supported by our data, we could have had errors due to the speed of a person. One person might be able to pick up more "food" even with a weaker beak. To eliminate these possible errors, I would recommend having the same person test with all the different types of beaks rather than having different people using different beaks. Another thing we could do to improve this experiment is to have more tests. 

The lab was done to demonstrate how natural selection works. From this lab I learned the concept of natural selection. Based on my experience from this lab, I know how evolution can happen from natural selection. 

Unit 7 Reflection

In this unit we learned about ecology.We learned about food chains and food webs. Autotrophs provide energy for other organisms in an ecosystem. Heterotrophs are organisms that get their energy by eating other living things. Food chains and food webs model the flow of energy in an ecosystem. A food chain shows how each organisms get its energy. Tropic levels are levels in a food chain based on what something eats. From the bottom ts primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, and the lastly, Quaternary consumer. Biomass is the method of measuring energy. Biodiversity is threatened due to habitat loss, introduced species, overexploitation, and change in climate. We also watched a movie called bag it. We learned how much plastic we use and why we should stop using so much plastic. We also took a questionnaire and I learned that I am passive. I should try to be more assertive.

Candy Electrophoresis Lab

In this lab we used gel electrophoresis to see the dyes from candy. We did get dyes that were a different color than the reference bands. There weren't green ones in the reference bands. Our dyes did move in the wrong direction but that was only because we plugged in the power supply wrong. I think citrus red 2 would migrate like the dyes in our lab because it's very simple and short. Dog food manufacturers probably put artificial food colors in dog food to make it look more appealing to the owner. While the dog may not care, if the food is a pleasing color, it will catch some pet owners' eyes. The length of the strands and the power affect the distance the dye solutions migrate. The electric field helps move the dyes through the gel. The pores of the gel are what separates the molecules by size. The smaller ones move faster because they can get through easier. I would expect molecular weights of 600 daltons to move the furthest distnace, 1000 daltons in the far middle, 2000 closer middle , and 5000 daltons to not move much.

Recombinant DNA lab

The process for producing recombinant DNA is first to find a restriction enzyme that will cut the plasmid at one site and this same enzyme should be able to cut the cell DNA at two sites. Then we splice our insulin gene into the plasmid. Next we would add the enzyme ligase to glue the sticky ends together. We have now created a recombinant plasmdThere are different types of antibiotic resistances. Tetracycline, kanamycin, and ampiciliin are antibiotics which some plasmids provide resistance to it. I could use tetracycline and kanamycin to see if bacteria have taken in my plasmid because our plasmid doesn't have a resistance to those antibioics. I wouldn't use ampicillin because that is the antibiotic the plasmid is resistance to. Restriction enzymes are bacterial enzynes which are major tools of recombinant DNA techonology .We used Eco RI because it was the one closest to insulin and it cut the DNA twice. If I used an enzyme that cut the plasmid in two places, it wouldn't keep it's circular shape. This process is important in our everyday lives because it is essential to genetic engineering. It helps with diabetes by inserting the gene for insulin into a bacterial plasmid. This process can also be used to produce genetically modified food such as delaying fruit ripening and resistance to insects and plant viruses.

New Year's Goals

My goal for this year is to not procrastinate anymore with my homework. To achieve this I will try to do all the work I can on the first day rather than waiting till the last day. This will get me better quality work rather than rushed work that I put together on the last day. Another goal I have for this year is to sleep earlier and wake up earlier that way I won't get tardies.