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A3.1.1 – Variation between organisms as a defining feature of life
A3.1.2 – Species as groups of organisms with shared traits

Reading: Slide 1-17

Task: Choose two different species of your choice. In the comment section, post:

Images of both species (side-by-side if possible)

A short comparison paragraph outlining at least three key morphological differences (e.g., body structure, coloration, limb type, leaf pattern, etc.)

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A3.1.3 – Binomial system for naming organisms
A3.1.4 – Biological species concept

Reading: Slide 18-36

Task: Choose one example of a hybrid organism (e.g., mule, liger, wholphin, beefalo). In the comment section, post the following:

Image of the hybrid organism

State the bimonial names of the parent species.

Explanation on why the hybrid cannot be classified as a true species under the biological species concept.

Mention at least one biological reason (e.g., sterility, different chromosome numbers, lack of natural reproduction).

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A3.1.5 – Difficulties distinguishing between populations and species during speciation

Reading: Section A3.1.5

Task: Research on one real-world example where scientists struggle to decide if two groups are separate species. Post a brief explanation (and link to the relevant article/journal/other source) it in the comment section!

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Task: Answer question 1 in the comment section. Try to focus on explaining the hypothesis (fusion of ch 12 and ch 13)!

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Skill - Extracting Genome Database (work in a pair!)

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Skill - Extracting Genome Database (work in a pair!)

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Look into the animal samples that the whole class gave in Checkpoint 1 yesterday - pick 10 of them!

Task: In a pair, try to put the animal in order from the smallest to largest genome size

In the cards that you will get, write down the scientific name of the animals

Order the card and write the order in the comment (add note: before data extraction)

Check your guess by extracting their genome from this site (enter the genus and species, and see the C-value. See slide 42 in the presentation)

Write down the genome size (in bp) for each animal in their card and order them again, now based on the real genome size

Finally, write the final order in the comment (add note: before data extraction)

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Final work - Chromosome Map (still in pair!)

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Final work - Chromosome Map (still in pair!)

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Draw a quick sketch of each other's face, highlighting 3 visible genetic traits (like..eye color, dimples, attached earlobes, tongue rolling, widow’s peak, eye color, etc.)

For each trait:

Search the gene responsible for the trait and its locus (gene position in the chromosome) using Genome Data Viewer from GeneBank

Good to know: The Chromosome Map -- outlining the major characteristics of the 46 human chromosomes and diseases related to it (as seen in the picture in this post)

Identify and note the chromosomal locus

You'll see that it's not as simple as "one gene for one trait", so just pick any that is responsible for your target trait.

For the gene that you want to pick/explore, click on the 'details' button to see the chromosome number

Example: Chromosome 2q12.3 > showing the exact position of the gene in the chromosome. Check this NHGRI website to learn more about the mapping

Annotate your sketch with the chromosome map (see the picture in this post as a reference) next to each feature. To be included in the annotation:

Cut out of the chromosome (you'll get this in class)

Label of the gene name (e.g OCA2), chromosome number (e.g. 15q12-15q13.1), and the trait (e.g. Blue eye color)

To be posted: Post a photo of your annotated sketch on the comment section with your names and the three genes/loci.

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Time: 30-40 minutes

Try to complete as many challenges as you can!

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What could you possibly have in common with a mushroom, or a dinosaur, or even a bacterium? More than you might think. Play NOVA's Evolution Lab to discover the evolutionary relationships that connect everything that has ever lived.

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Using the character table on page 2, try to construct the cladogram for the surfperches