BIOL 1012 by

Assignment 1

daysmith160 — 2025-08-11 17:21:46 UTC

This image helps to create the concept of evolution. The text book states that "All species of living organisms... evolved at some point from a different species." From this image we can see how the fish has evolved into an amphibian. Now, evolutionary changes can happen quickly or slowly depending on the species environmental factors. For instance, when Darwin was researching the characteristics of Finches he discovered that their beak size and shape changed due to their current food supply. These changes can be accredited to microevolution. We can allude to the possibility of this fishes species having different colors, fin shapes, and teeth. The variations may be due to their environment but they are still the same species. This is considered microevolution because of the small changes that are presented to us. For macroevolution we can clearly see, from this image, that the fish has evolved into an amphibian. This could be due to its food supply no longer being available. So, the fish decided to evolve and go on land to find better food in order to sustain itself. We do not know how fast this change occurred so we can involve the inheritance of genes. As the parent fish try to adapt to the changes going on around them, they start passing down genes for their offspring to inherit. This is to give the offspring a better chance at survival. The new changes seen above involved the production of lungs, longer fins and a narrow slender tail. The next step for the new amphibian is to adapt to its environment, survive natural selection, and pass down genes to its offspring.

Assignment 2

daysmith160 — 2025-08-19 02:38:31 UTC

Anabaena circinalis comes from the genus Anabaena which is under the phylum Cynobacterium. These bacteria are found in freshwater and is quite toxic to the ecosystem around it. The toxin they produce is a compound that is not necessary for the bacteria’s survival, which is why it is so dangerous. It tends to form in entangled bundles or blooms which sit on the water’s surface or form vertically in the body of water. According to PubMed Central, A. circinalis works by "blocking neural sodium ion channels, resulting in death through respiratory failure." There seems to be a higher population of A. circinalis in Australia and Japan. Scientists believe this is due to economic pressures surrounding these geographical locations. A study was developed to help scientist identify A. circinalis in an environmental bloom. They used PCR primers on regions of 16S rDNA sequences which allowed the "specific molecular identification of A.circinalis." However, they were unable to use the primers to distinguish between toxic and non-toxic strains of A. circinalis. At least scientists are able to identify if the potential PSP (paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin) produced byA. circinalis is present in the water.

Assignment 3

daysmith160 — 2025-09-22 17:54:53 UTC

The two plant types we see in the diagram are both present in the world today. Some examples of monocots that align with the characteristics presented are corn. The leaves of the corn husks are a clear indication since the leaves are narrow and have parallel veins through them. The petals of an Iris are in multiples of threes so that would make them a monocot. A couple of examples for dicots are Campanulales and Kadsura coccinea. The petal arrangement of Campanulales are in fives. The Katsura coccinea is a type of fruit so you can't tell what the petals looked like when it is ripe. So we have to go off the leaves. When assessing them you can see that the leaves are oval shaped and have net like veins as stated on the diagram. In conclusion we use both types of plants in everyday life.

Assignment 4

daysmith160 — 2025-09-22 21:05:05 UTC

Echinoderms are strictly marine. They are found in all types of waters and depths. Some structures that they contain are an endoskeleton, a water-vascular system, pedicellariae, and Papulae. The endoskeleton is made up of large plates and small scattered ossicles. They are invertebrates so they do not have a spine allowing them to be flexible. Pedicellariae act as pinchers that remove unwanted things from the body as well as use them as a defense mechanism. The water-vascular system is made up of canals and reservoirs that are filled with fluid. These systems even extend to all the tube feet. Echinoderms use papulae for respiration. Papulae are skin gills that help spread oxygen and carbon dioxide into the surrounding water. These creatures help to keep algae populations down, process sediment, help release nutrients, and keep populations in check. We can say that they are an important part of their ecosystem.

Assignment 5

daysmith160 — 2025-10-04 17:45:36 UTC

Homeostasis is the regulation of your body systems and the ability to stay in equilibrium. Human bodies must maintain specific ranges for every organ, so they survive. Homeostasis is the mechanism for that. There are two processes involved such as positive feedback and negative feedback. Negative feedback allows the body to go against the unwanted change going on in the body. A few systems that are influenced by negative feedback are blood pressure, body temperature, fluid balance, and oxygen levels. Positive feedback allows the current reaction to get stronger until the stimulus is gone. For example, when you have a cut and your bleeding, clotting is needed for it to stop. Clotting factors will continue to be produced until the bleeding ceases. If we did not have these processes we would not be able to survive.

Assignment 6

daysmith160 — 2025-10-04 18:07:23 UTC

There are many factors that lead to respiratory diseases but one that caught my eye are Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These chemicals have become common in the environment and our food which leads to health concerns. ECDs “may induce oxidative stress, modify cell proliferation and differentiation, interfere with tissue repair, and modulate the inflammatory response,” according to the International Journal of Molecular Science. A few diseases caused by EDCs are asthma, COPD, and pulmonary fibrosis. The blood-air barrier is also affected allowing external substances to make it into the lung. Endocrine disruptors affect how natural hormones act. They can mimic, block, or even enhance their effect. Once EDCs are in the body they can reduce fertility, cause neurological disorders, or cause cancer. The biggest concern is the health problems in children. Their undeveloped lungs are having to fight these chemicals leading to the early development of respiratory diseases.

Assignment 7

daysmith160 — 2025-11-13 17:22:48 UTC

The Tropical Rainforest Biome has always fascinated me. It is so diverse that we are still discovering new species of plants and animals. Due to the dense flora and fauna rainforests help the climate by trapping carbon dioxide in the trees and roots. There are four layers to rainforests. The top layer is called the emergent layer. This layer receives the most sunlight. The second layer is called the canopy layer that "blocks the wind, rainfall, and sunlight, creating a humid, still and dark environment below" according to national geographic. The third layer is the understory layer. It is even more humid than the second layer and provides edible food. The last layer is the forest floor. This layer is for decomposition due to it being so dark. The temperature of rainforest range between 20 Celsius and 34 Celsius. Due to the temperature not changing throughout the year the rainforest is able to keep growing and producing. New drugs and medicine have been developed because of the resources of rainforests. That's cool.

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/rain-forest/

https://openstax.org/books/concepts-biology/pages/20-3-terrestrial-biomes

Assignment 8

daysmith160 — 2025-11-13 17:45:20 UTC

Biodiversity is dependent on three factors: ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity. The more diverse an ecosystem is the stronger the biome becomes. The rainforest is an example of that. There are many different small ecosystems within making it resilient. The varying species also help to keep the biome strong. Whenever there are changes they tend to survive. If there is a limited amount of species one loss of a species can devastate the entire biome. That is why there needs to be a huge variety. You also need genetic diversity within one species to help with adaptation and changes in the environment. Without these three things a biome would not be able to function.