BIOL 1012 by Torsia Kidd

Padlet Assignment 1

skidd6_1 — 2025-03-13 21:33:51 UTC

The DNA strand shows a flow in the dynamic nature of genetic change over time. The T-Rex shown in the picture represents the extinct anicent species. Kangaroos are related to marsupial evolution. They give birth young and are developed from a pouch. A bison's fossil records show that they evolved from Asian ancestors, migrating all over into natural selection. Each animal has their own traits that are processed through natural selection and are more common through generation after generation.

Padlet Assignment 2

skidd6_1 — 2025-03-19 00:20:40 UTC

Protists are a range of single-cell organisms, one including are dinoflagellates, which are distinct aquatic microorganisms with two different flagella that allow them to travel through the water while showing traits of both plants and animals. Dinoflagellates are commonly an important part of marine phytoplankton, showing interesting bioluminescence in the ocean. Scientists believe that they have extremely large nuclei and flexible eating habits, like plants making their own food. Some still argue whether dinoflagellates are algae or protozoan. Gymnodinium is a genus of dinoflagellates known of its outer covering instead of the usual hard shell. A few of these dinoflagellates are known to release toxins that can harm fish and cause irritation to humans.

I bet you didn't know that Akashiwio Sanguinea is a species of Dinoflagellates that used to be known as Gymnodinium sanguineum/splendens. In the summer and early fall, it creates thick blooms that can be harmful to fish and birds. Even though it doesn't make toxins, it can still hurt them by using up oxygen when it blooms and starts to die off. Sometimes, when dinoflagellate populations explode in growth, they can cause red tides or harmful algal blooms that change the color of coastal waters(seen on the Dinoflagella-Britannica website). This can lead to fish dying and other disruptions in the environment, either through creating toxins or physically blocking gills producing surfactants.

https://www.britannica.com/science/dinoflagellate

https://www.britannica.com/science/Gymnodinium

https://calhabmap.org/akashiwo-sanguinea

Padlet Assignment 3

skidd6_1 — 2025-03-31 02:21:45 UTC

Monocots have just one cotyledon, while dicots have two. Monocots make fibrous root systems, while dicots normally grow just one taproot. Monocot leaves have parallel veins and dicot leaves have net-like veins. The vascular bundles in monocot stems spread out, while in dicots, they form a ring. Flower parts in monocots are in multiples of three, but dicot flowers have multiples of four or five. Monocots include grasses, lilies, and corn, while dicots include maple trees, roses, and beans.

Both Monocots and Dicots are flowering plants that are called angiosperms. They are both believed to come from the same common ancestors, while monocots evolved from dicots. They both have roots, leaves, stems, and vascular plants.

LINK SOURCE TO THE FIRST HALF: https://www.holganix.com/blog/monocots-vs-dicots-what-you-need-to-know

Padlet Assignment 4

skidd6_1 — 2025-03-31 02:45:00 UTC

Glowy water animals with unique stinging cells known as cnidocytes are also called Cnidarians. These cells contain nematocysts that act like tiny harpoons when triggered. I liked how the Professor in the video explained nematocysts using the switchblade comparison; It helped me to understand how they open up to let out venom. Cnidarians have been around for over 580 million years, and there are over 10,000 species, including jellyfish, sea anemones, and corals. One interesting fact about cnidarians is that they have "radial symmetry" and only one opening that serves as both their mouth and anus. They come in two body forms: the stationary polyp form, like anemones, and the swimming medusa form, like jellyfish. These creatures don't have real organs and use diffusion for gas exchange because their cells are close to the surface. Some cnidarians have interesting relationships with other animals, like clownfish living among sea anemones without getting stung. Another interesting fact is that a few cnidarian species are considered "biologically immortal" because they don't age and can potentially live forever.

LINK SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhdmss0-x34

Padlet Assignment 6

skidd6_1 — 2025-04-15 05:48:52 UTC

Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS) is a common condition that affects the stomach and intestines, leading to uncomfortable symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, gas, and changes in bowel movements. This is a tough condition to deal with, even more difficult when other health problems like acid reflux(GERD), anxiety, or depression come into effect. In the article at the bottom of page 8, nearly 80% of people with IBS showed signs of having at least one psychosomatic syndrome, which means that mental and emotional health affects how people feel physically. IBS can really make it hard for people to enjoy life or even go about their day normally. According to the research in the article, people with both IBS and GERD have the worst symptoms and can experience struggles more emotionally than people who have just one of them. Doctors are looking more into the brain and not just the body when treating IBS now because stress, trauma, and certain traits can make symptoms much worse for anybody. The article also mentions using a tool called DCPR-R that can help doctors understand how emotional and physical problems have a hand in gut problems.

Padlet Assignment 5

skidd6_1 — 2025-04-17 02:41:45 UTC

Homeostasis is like a manager making sure everything(all systems) is running smoothly no matter the time. Our bodies keep balance through homeostasis so that all systems can work properly when we need to recover from any injuries. When the body needs to maintain its temperature, you will sweat to cool down or shiver to warm up. The negative side of homeostasis is where the body acts as a thermostat turning down the responses in the body when they get too strong to keep the temperature in the body at normal range(SOURCE). The positive feedback on homeostasis is where the responses are made much stronger until they come to a stop, like when the body forms blood clots after an injury to stop the bleeding(SOURCE-same source). The hypothalamus in the brain controls a lot of the homeostasis process, including fluid balance and temperature(SOURCE).

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/homeostasis

Padlet Assignment 7

skidd6_1 — 2025-04-30 03:08:24 UTC

The Arctic Tundra is the farthest north land area on Earth, expanding across northern Canada, Russia, and other cold places that have fewer trees(S1 & S2). Underneath the ground is permafrost that can stay frozen up to two years and can stop plants from growing roots, plus help trees survive tough areas. When summer approaches, only the top parts of the soil melt, making the ground wet enough for small plants and roots to grow just for a few weeks(SOURCE). It often looks wet in the Tundra because water doesn't dry up quickly there. The Arctic Tundra is actually very cold, with the winter lasting through most of the year, while also getting very little rain or snow. There aren't as many plants and animals in the Arctic as there are in the warmer places, but most animals have figured out how to survive the harsh weather(SOURCE).

Padlet Assignment 8

skidd6_1 — 2025-04-30 03:51:29 UTC

After watching this video, I learned that biodiversity is all the plants and animals living together on Earth. Each ecosystem has its own combination of living things that support each other to stay alive. The video states that a quarter of all life exists in the soil beneath our feet. If the soil is unhealthy, it can cause big problems in nature. People rely on biodiversity for food, water, medicine, and safety from thunderstorms. Didn't know that our actions have caused a lot of harm to the land and a lot to the ocean areas. For example, it says in the video, "30% of Borneo's forests have been wiped out in only 40 years, and we've lost half of all critically endangered Bornean orangutans in just 20 years." We can help nature heal better by making smarter choices and standing up for the environment.