BIOL 1012 by

Padlet Assignment 1

atorre13_2 — 2025-08-30 02:16:43 UTC

This represents the concept of evolution because it is said that modern birds evolved from dinosaurs, which is represented by the feathers on the image above. According to Charles Darwin and evidence that he found in limestone quarry in Germany, he discovered a fossil that he felt like was linked to both dinosaurs and birds. This fossil appeared to look like a winged creature that was similar to the size of a raven. It was a small, bird like dinosaur called Archaeopteryx. It seemed to look like this creature had common features of what birds have now, such as broad wings and a small body. Many people including scientists, were in denial that animals could evolve over time. The more fossils found of this creature, the more people started believing it was in fact true. The fossil clearly showed the feather that in fact proves that dinosaurs evolved into birds. This finding is one that is significant to our history today.

Padlet Assignment 2

atorre13_2 — 2025-08-30 03:03:23 UTC

Mucor is a fungus found in different things such as soils, plants, decaying fruits and veggies. It belongs to the phylum zygomycota. It can cause infections in men, frogs, amphibians, cattle, and even swine. One of the most common species of Mucor is mucor indicus. Colonies of mucor grow fairly fast at 25-30°C and are quick to fill the surface of the agar. It looks like cotton candy with its fluffy tall appearance. The color starts off looking white and turns into a grayish brown over time. Mucor indicus is considered an aromatic species and can grow at higher temps such as 40°C.

Padlet Assignment 3

atorre13_2 — 2025-09-23 12:36:30 UTC

Some everyday plants we see like true lilies, orchids, grass, palms are considered to be monocots. There are even crops that are monocots such as corn, sugar cane and rice. These monocot plants have a single cotyledon in the seedling. Their veins run parallel to the leaf and flower parts are arranged in either three or six fold symmetry.

Some everyday plants that are eudicots or dicots are daisies, roses, dandelions, and sunflowers. These plants have two cotyledons. Their veins form a branched leaf. These flowers usually have parts in four or five.

Padlet Assignment 4

atorre13_2 — 2025-09-23 13:16:50 UTC

Annelids have a flexible segmented body with each segment containing it's own muscles. They have a gut that starts at the head and ends at their tail. They contain a nervous system and circulatory system.

Annelids dig deep! They are able to burrow deep into the earth. Earthworms help release nutrients to other organisms in soil by cycling leaf debrief through their gut. They are able to process them in their own way gut.

A leech is part of the annelid phylum and their function is to suck blood. They have an anesthetic that is released into the "victim" so they won't feel the blood sucking.

Padlet Assignment 5

atorre13_2 — 2025-10-06 18:11:51 UTC

Homeostasis is a process that is self-regulated to remain stable while environmental changes are happening. It is important for organisms to be able to maintain homeostasis because it is what helps organisms exist, if we are unable to maintain it then we die. There are many factors such as body temperature, blood pH, sugar levels, fluid and electrolyte balances that the body regulates. A widely known example of homeostasis is how humans are able to regulate their body temperature. There are factors that can alter the body temperature to go up or down such as hormones, metabolic rate, environmental factors, and even sickness. We have a structure in our brain called the hypothalamus that is in control of our body temperature. Body temperature feedback is transferred to the brain via the bloodstream and affects our metabolic rate, blood sugar levels, and even breathing rate. A decrease in activity, sweating, and heat-exchange mechanisms cause heat gain or for an increased blood flow. On the other hand, heat loss is prevented by our clothes, slowed skin circulation, and insulation.

Padlet Assignment 6

atorre13_2 — 2025-10-13 22:24:02 UTC

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a very common endocrine disease. It is a disease in where blood sugar is elevated because of the autoimmune destruction of insulin-secreting beta cells due to insulin resistance or deficiency. There are 3 types of DM which is type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 is where people are insulin-dependent due to absolute deficiency of insulin. Type 2 is non-insulin dependent and one of the most common type of diabetes. It normally happens in obese people who do not exercise often. Treatment options are typically oral medications and lifestyle changes. Gestational diabetes is when a pregnant women who were not previously diabetic, become diabetic while pregnant. It is a disease that creates economic problems for people due to the large amount of money that is spent on medical treatment.

Padlet Assignment 7

atorre13_2 — 2025-10-29 11:46:14 UTC

The terrestrial biome I chose to write about is the Tropical rainforest biome. A characteristic about this biome is the climate which is warm, humid, and rains all year long. The amount of rain varies between 50 to 260 inches a year. It's location is close to the equator, which is a reason why it is warm all year around. The structure of this biome is their distinct vertical layering. The reason for this layering structures is to allow diverse organisms to coexist in dense space. It is divided into 4 main layers that are the emergent layer, canopy, understory, and the forest floor. The emergent layer consists of the tallest trees. Canopy is made up of broad leaves and houses animals like monkeys, toucans, and many insects. The understory has small trees, shrubs, and vines and receives low light, but high humidity and serves as a habitat to reptiles and insects. The forest floor is dark and very humid that only gets about 2% of sunlight. A few plants grow in the forest floor, but fungi and roots are most dominant in this layer.

Padlet Assignment 8

atorre13_2 — 2025-10-29 19:56:37 UTC

Biodiversity is the web of life of all forms or interactions on earth and is crucial to maintaining our planet healthy. Living organisms interact in a single environment that is formed by ecosystems. Biodiversity can be found in many places like forests, rivers, desserts, and oceans. There are different types of categorized biodiversity's. One of the most complex diverse ecosystem is the Amazon that consists of a million different species and is made up of 1.4 billion acres of dense forest. A surprising 1/4 of all life on earth can be found right beneath our feet. Bacteria, insects, and spores are found in soil and are important to help plants grow, alter climate changes and form the ecosystem for our land. Biodiversity is key to us because without it we would not be able to breathe, eat, and survive. Nature is responsible for the food we consume, our water intake, and even medications we take. Without biodiversity, our ecosystems would not survive. Unfortunately, our human actions are hurting nature and not letting biodiversity do what it's supposed to. We can take action by reducing carbon emissions, prevent habitat loss, and advance policies to fight climate change. Some examples is by saving energy like turning off power when it's not in use, growing crops, and enjoying nature by going on walks.