BIOL 1012 by

Padlet Assignment #1 - Evolution of Humans

jortizcr1 — 2025-08-24 19:30:33 UTC

I chose this picture because it represents the overall evolution of humans. On the far left, there is a primate that walks on all fours, which symbolizes our ancestors from long ago. The second figure has ape-like characteristics and is primitive to its surroundings. The third figure has more human-like features and is carrying a tool. The fourth figure appears to have a spear in hand, which shows the development of intelligence and survival skills. The final figure shows an upright stance with modern human-like features. This illustration demonstrates how humans evolved physically and mentally over millions of years. Overall, the image simplifies the concept of evolution and displays the transformation of early primates to modern humans.

Padlet Assignment #2 - Agaricus Bisporus

jortizcr1 — 2025-08-26 01:32:26 UTC

Fungi are a kingdom of living organisms that includes yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. As we know, there are various living organisms such as plants, animals, and bacteria. Unlike other organisms, fungi absorb nutrients from other sources by breaking down dead plants and animals. The phylum Basidiomycetes contains diverse fungi. These are common mushrooms typically found in jelly fungi or plant parasites. An article titled Agaricus Bisporus, The Commercial Mushroom by Milne Library stated that the mushroom is the "most commonly used mushroom because it's sold in grocery stores and put on pizza." This mushroom grows in caves or underground structures alongside humid environments and stable temperatures. The structure of this mushroom is made up of branching filaments.

Source: https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/botany/chapter/agaricus-bisporus/

Padlet Assignment #3 Monocot and Dicot plants

jortizcr1 — 2025-09-29 04:20:12 UTC

Monocots have one cotyledon, parallel leaf veins, scattered vascular bundles, and flower parts usually in multiples of three. Dicots have two cotyledons, netlike (reticulate) leaf veins, vascular bundles arranged in a ring, and flower parts usually in fours or fives. Using that table, common grasses and cereals you see every day, like lawn grass, corn, wheat, and rice, are monocots. Bulbs and garden flowers such as onions, garlic, tulips, and lilies are also monocots. Most garden vegetables and fruit plants you use daily, like tomatoes, beans, apples, and roses, are dicots. A quick field check involves examining the leaf veins (parallel veins indicate a monocot, netted veins indicate a dicot) or counting flower parts to help identify which group a plant belongs to.

Sources:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monocot_vs_Dicot.svg

https://www.britannica.com/plant/angiosperm/Classification

Padlet Assignment #4- Mollusca

jortizcr1 — 2025-09-29 04:30:49 UTC

The video explains that mollusks are soft bodied animals, many of which have shells for protection. Their bodies are divided into three main parts: the foot, used for movement; the visceral mass, which holds the internal organs; and the mantle, which can produce the shell. Mollusks also have a complete digestive system with both a mouth and an anus. Many species use a radula, a rough tongue like organ, to scrape or cut food before eating. Most mollusks have an open circulatory system, but cephalopods like squids and octopuses have a closed system that allows them to move faster. The video also highlights that mollusks have gills for respiration, which are important for their survival in aquatic environments. Some, like cephalopods, use siphons for movement by expelling water. Overall, mollusks are a highly diverse phylum that encompasses clams, snails, and squid, each adapted to distinct environments.

Source: https://youtu.be/CiTFUok1-bs?si=zCklglC2XmZysucz

Padlet Assignment #5 - Homeostasis

jortizcr1 — 2025-10-17 02:45:03 UTC

This website explains that homeostasis is the body's way of keeping internal conditions stable, such as temperature, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. It describes how the body uses negative feedback loops to restore balance when something changes. For instance, if body temperature rises, the brain signals sweat glands and blood vessels to cool the body down. It also mentions positive feedback loops, which amplify changes until a specific outcome occurs, like in childbirth or blood clotting. Overall, homeostasis is a continuous process that helps the body function properly despite changes in the environment.

Source: https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/1-5-homeostasis

Padlet Assignment #6 - Digestive system

jortizcr1 — 2025-10-21 03:31:31 UTC

Source: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=98b32be7-ff60-31ac-be88-992daae671e5

This article examines misconceptions about the human digestive system among higher secondary students using concept maps. The authors, Chavan and Khandagale, sought to identify common msiconceptions about the digestive system. Their study subjects were 11th grade students, using concept maps as a diagnostic tool. The authrs explain how these concept maps are useful becuase they examine the connections and hierarchies between digestion, absorbtion or enzymes. The findings of this study revealed that there was a proportion of students which held misconceptions defining digestion as "hard food is converted into simple diffusible assimilable nutrients" and misunderstanding whre the canal "starts" amoung others. The authors found that once the misconceptions were identified, they set interventions to correct students' understanding. In the end, they concluded that concept mapping is the best way for teaching or learning for diagnosing and remediating misunderstandings in difficult discussions. This study relates to the digestive system because they discuss misconceptions within the system which is very vital to understand. It also sheds light on different learning stragies which best can help in these scenarios.

Padlet Assignment #7

jortizcr1 — 2025-11-18 04:27:52 UTC

The chaparral biome is found in areas with Mediterranean climates, featuring hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. It is dominated by drought resistant shrubs and small trees with hard, leathery leaves. This biome receives low annual rainfall, usually between 10 and 17 inches, making it prone to frequent droughts. Fire is a natural and essential part of the chaparral ecosystem, helping many plants reproduce and regrow. Some plants have adapted to fire by resprouting from deep roots or releasing seeds that only germinate after burning. The vegetation often contains oily compounds that make it highly flammable, aiding in the natural fire cycle. Wildlife in the chaparral includes animals like coyotes, deer, lizards, and many bird species that can adapt to heat and dry conditions. Overall, the chaparral is a highly specialized ecosystem with plants and animals adapted to survive extreme climate and fire.

Source:

https://www.californiachaparral.org/chaparral/

https://www.letstalkacademy.com/chaparral-biome-california-mediterranean/

https://www.britannica.com/plant/chaparral

Padlet Assignment #8

jortizcr1 — 2025-11-18 05:03:46 UTC

Video: https://youtu.be/GK_vRtHJZu4?si=stRZziHl7JOhu3TE

This video discusses the importance of biodiversity and how there is thriving ecosystems are vulnerable to collapse. Biodiversity is what makes ecosystems strong and resilient in the face of change. Biodiversity is divided between three features: ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity. These features are more denser and more resilient and navigate through the ecosystem, as seen in the amazon rainforest. Genetic diversity is within individual species which allows them to cope with fluctuations like disease or climate changes. A known fact is when species disappear this is due to a weakened gene pool. In other environments such as coral reefs, removing a certain organism like coral can undermine the system. this is important to know because thousands of other species depend on it for survival. Overall, this is important for the survival of all organisms on earth because its seen as a safety net.