Chapter 6 Critical Thinking

2.) Only very few flowering plants have invaded the oceans, but those that have are very successful. What are some possible reasons for the small number of marine flowering plants? How do those that have taken the step manage to thrive in some environments?
-An example is the Seagrass flowers, whose closest relatives seem to be members of the lily family, which shows that seagrasses evolved from land plants. But they have very well adapted to life in the marine environment. Instead of attracting insect for pollination, the pollen is carried by the water currents. Tiny seeds result from successful fertilization. These seeds are dispersed by water currents and perhaps in the feces of the fish and other animals that browse on the plants.

Chapter 5 Critical Thinking

1.) Scientists use the particular structure of nucleic acids and other chemical differences to separate the archaea from the bacteria. Can you think of other characteristics that could be used to distinguish not only between these two domains but also between them and Protists?
Ancestral Organism
1)Prokaryotes
a. Archae
b. Bacteria
2)Eukaryotes
a. Fungi
b. plants
c. animals
The two prokaryotic domains, Bacteria and Archaea, have important differences, including the chemistry of their cell walls and plasma membranes, and the cellular machinery that manufactures proteins. They are the simpliest and most primitive form of life that we know. Protists are mostly aquatic primary producers that lack the specialized tissues of plants. They range in size and compllexity from single cells to large multicellular seaweeds.

Chapter 14 Critical Thinking

1)What factors might account for the fact that the vast majority of atolls occur in the INdian and Pacific oceans and that atolls are rare in the Atlantic?
-Atolls are strongly influenced by these winds called the trade winds blow from latitudes of about 30 degrees toward the equator. And there are more warm surface currents in the Indian and Pacific Ocean than in the Atlantic Ocean.

3)There are only a few reefs off the northeast coast of Brazil, even though it lies in the tropics. How would you explain this?
- It is common for reef building corals also because rivers bring in a lot of silty sediment, which is generally unfavorable to corals.

2) Scientist predict that the ocean will get warmer and the sea level will rise as a result of an intensified greenhouse effect. How might this affect coral reefs?
- Because of global warming the earth is getting warmer. This change will affect the already stressed ecosystems such as mangrove forests and estuaries will be flooded; coral reefs may not grow fast enough to keep up with the rising sea levels.

Chapter 9 Critical Thinking

Sea turtles have disappeared from many regions, and one way of trying to save them is to reintroduce them to areas where they have been wiped out. This is done by reburying eggs or by releasing newborn baby turtles on beaches. Why are eggs reburied or baby turtles released instead of fully grown individuals?

Maybe because new born and/or eggs would be more effective to reproduce again...the old turtles may be more relaxed and unable to reproduce. The only thing about reburying eggs is that other species may eat the egg which leads to no baby turtles.

Chapter 1 Critical thinking

2.) In Chapter 1 it was expalined that the statement "There are mermaids in the ocean" is not a valid scientific hypothesis. Can the same be said of the statment "There are no mermaids in the ocean"? Why?

-->The statement, "There are no mermaids in the ocean", is not a valid scientific hypothesis, because it is not testable. This statement cannot be potentially proven to be false. Even if an army of marine biologists were to spend their entire career looking for a mermaid, the ocean is far too large for such a study. There may be some comments on individuals seeing a mermaid...then again people say things to noticed or known...proof would be the first step to proving the statement, "There are no mermaids in the ocean" or "there are mermaids in the ocean". As for now no hard core evidence to prove both these statements.

Chapter 3 Critcal Thinking

4.) Most tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean, as indicated by the map in the "Waves that Kill" boxed reading. How would you explain this?-->Tsunamis are caused from earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, and other seismic disturbances of the sea floor. Unfortunately, 85% of all tsunamis occured in the Pacific Ocean. Around the rim of the Pacific Ocean are many volcanoes. This is known as the Pacific Rim of Fire. These eruptions are one of the main causes of the seismic activity in the Pacific Ocean.

Chapter 2 Critical Thinking

2.) Why are most oceanic trenches found in the Pacific Ocean?-->An oceanic trench is a linear depression of the sea floor caused by the subduction of one plate under another. These trenches are associated with earthquakes and volcanoes. They are generally parallel to a volcanic island arc. Examples include are the Mariana Islands which are located in the Pacific Ocean.

Oceanic trenches typically extend 3 to 4 km below the level of the surrounding oceanic floor. The deepest ocean depth to be sounded is in the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench at a depth of 10,911 m (35,798 ft) below sea level.

Squid

a.) Digestive System: Squid, like all cephalopods, have complex digestive systems. Food is transported into a muscular stomach, found roughly in the midpoint of the visceral mass. The bolus is then transported into the caecum for digestion. The caecum, a long, white organ, is found next to the ovary or testis. In mature squid, more priority is given to reproduction and so the stomach and caecum often shrivel up during the later stages of life. Finally, food goes to the liver (or digestive gland), found at the siphon end of the squid, for absorption. Solid waste is passed out of the rectum. Beside the rectum is the ink sac, which allows a squid to discharge a black ink into the mantle cavity at short notice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid#Digestive_system

b.) Circulatory System: The circulatory system is open, except in Cephalopoda and usually includes a dorsal heart with one or two atrias and one ventricle. This is situated in a pericardial cavity. An anterior aorta and other vessels and many blood spaces (hemocoels) exist in the tissues.
http://marinebiology-shine.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html

c.)Nervous System: The giant axon of the squid, which may be up to 1 mm in diameter, innervates the mantle and controls part of the jet propulsion system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid#Digestive_system

d.) Excretory System: Squid have three hearts. Two branchial hearts, feeding the gills, each surrounding the larger systemic heart that pumps blood around the body. The hearts have a faint greenish appearance and are surrounded by the renal sacs - the main excretory system of the squid. The kidneys are faint and difficult to identify and stretch from the hearts (located at the posterior side of the ink sac) to the liver. The systemic heart is made of three chambers, a lower ventricle and two upper auricles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid#Digestive_system

e.) Reproductive System: In female squid, the ink sac is hidden from view by a pair of white nidamental glands, which lie anterior to the gills. There are also red-spotted accessory nidamental glands. Both of these organs are associated with manufacture of food supplies and shells for the eggs. Females also have a large translucent ovary, situated towards the posterior of the visceral mass.Male squid do not possess these organs, but instead have a large testis in place of the ovary, and a spermatophoric gland and sac. In mature males, this sac may contain spermatophores, which are placed inside the mantle of the female during mating.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid#Digestive_system

f.) Integumentary System: The integumentary system of a squid is enclosed in the mantle, which has two swimming fins along each side. These fins are not the main source of their motility. The skin of the squid is covered in chromatophores, which allows the squid to change color to suit its environment. The underside of the squid is also found to be lighter than the topside, in order to provide camouflage from both prey and predator (countershading).Under the body are openings to the mantle cavity, which contains the gill and openings to the excretory and reproductive systems. At the front of the mantle cavity lies the siphon, which the squid uses for locomotion through means of jet propulsion. This is done by sucking water into the mantle cavity and quickly expelling it out of the siphon in a fast, strong jet. The direction of the siphon can be changed in order to suit the direction of travel.Inside the mantle cavity, beyond the siphon, lies the visceral mass of the squid, which is covered in a thin skin. Under this are all the major internal organs of the squid.
http://taylorsinsight.blogspot.com/

g.) Body Plan: Like all cephalopods, squid are distinguished by having a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms and two tentacles arranged in pairs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid#Digestive_system
Description of its unique habitat, diet and what distinguishes it as a mollusk, echinoderm, or arthropod.
-->Squids live in the ocean - a few, most notably the giant squid and the colossal squid live out in the colder open ocean. Many of the smaller species of squid rely on color changing patterns in order to communicate with each other and to attract prey as well. Squids are considered to be one of the most successful and highly complex of all invertebrates.
http://taylorsinsight.blogspot.com/

Starfish

a.) Digestive System: Starfish digestion is carried out in two stomachs: the cardiac stomach and the pyloric stomach. The cardiac stomach, which is a sack like stomach located at the center of the body may be everted—pushed out of the organism's body and used to engulf and digest food. Some species take advantage of the endurance of their water vascular systems to force open the shells of bivalve mollusks such as clams and mussels by injecting their stomachs into the shells. With the stomach inserted inside the shell, it digests the mollusk in place. The cardiac stomach is then brought back inside the body, and the partially digested food is moved to the pyloric stomach. Further digestion occurs in the intestine and waste is either excreted through the anus on the aboral side of the body, or if the anus is absent (as in brittle stars), waste is excreted through the mouth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish#Digestion_and_excretion

b.) Circulatory System: Circulation occurs in three places: the perivisceral coelom (basically, the space inside the body but outside the various organs), the water vascular system (of which the tube feet are the most obvious part), and the hemal system (which actually looks something like a circulatory system). The hemal system is shown below. There are hemal channels forming rings around the central part of the body around the mouth (the oral hemal ring), closer to the upper surface (the aboral hemal ring), and a third ring around the digestive system (the gastric hemal ring). These are connected by the axial sinus. There are also radial hemal channels running down the rays next to the gonads (which are also located in the rays). A dorsal sac attached to the axial sinus pulsates, sort of like a very inefficient heart (inefficient because it lacks a one-way valve system). The hemal system seems mostly organized to distribute nutrients from the digestive tract.
http://www.vsf.cape.com/%7Ejdale/science/digest.htm

c.) Nervous System: Echinoderms have rather complex nervous systems, but lack a true centralized brain. All echinoderms have a nerve plexus (a network of interlacing nerves), which lies within as well as below the skin. The esophagus is also surrounded by a number of nerve rings, which send radial nerves that are often parallel with the branches of the water vascular system. The ring nerves and radial nerves coordinate the starfish's balance and directional systems. Although the echinoderms do not have many well-defined sensory inputs, they are sensitive to touch, light, temperature, orientation, and the status of water around them. The tube feet, spines, and pedicellariae found on starfish are sensitive to touch, while eyespots on the ends of the rays are light-sensitive. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish#Digestion_and_excretion

d.) Excretory System: None.

e.) Reproductive System: Starfish are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. Individual starfish are male or female. Fertilization takes place externally, both male and female releasing their gametes into the environment. Resulting fertilized embryos form part of the zooplankton. Some species of starfish also reproduce asexually by fragmentation, often with part of an arm becoming detached and eventually developing into an independent individual starfish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish#Digestion_and_excretion

f.) Integumentary System: (structure ie skin, exoskeleton, shell, etc.)

g.) Body Plan: Most starfish have five arms, however some have more or fewer; in fact some starfish can have different numbers of arms even within one species. The mouth is located underneath the starfish on the oral or ventral surface, while the anus is located on the top of the animal. The spiny upper surface covering the species is called the aboral or dorsal surface. On the aboral surface there is a structure called the madreporite, a small white spot located slightly off-center on the central disc which acts as a water filter and supplies the starfish's water vascular system with water to move. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish#Digestion_and_excretion
Description of its unique habitat, diet and what distinguishes it as a mollusk, echinoderm, or arthropod.

Clam

http://kentsimmons.uwinnipeg.ca/16cm05/1116/33-21-ClamAnatomy-L.jpg
a.) Digestive System: A clam has food brought in through a siphon system and then to its mouth. It then goes to a digstive gland and to its intestine. Wastes via the anus.

b.) Circulatory System: A clam has a heart, blood, and blood vessels.

c.) Nervous System: A clam has no formal nervous system, but has a series of ganglia that conduct impulses.

d.) Excretory System: A clam has an excretory system with an anus. It has an organ called the nephridium that gets rid of wastes.

e.) Reproductive System: A clam is either male or female and reproduces sexually with a large organ called a gonad.

f.) Integumentary System: A Mollusk has a soft, thick, fleshy body. It can be very small or as big as six feet across.

g.) Body Plan: A clam has a soft, thick, fleshy body. It can be very small or as big as six feet across.Description of its unique habitat, diet and what distinguishes it as a mollusk, echinoderm, or arthropod.

Crayfish- Virtual Dissection

a.) Digestive System: The digestive tract consists of the foregut, which includes an enlarged stomach, part of which is specialized for grinding; the midgut, which extends from the foregut; and the hindgut, which leads to the anus and functions in water and salt regulation (Miller and Harley, 1992; Snodgrass,1965). The digestive gland secretes digestive enzymes and aids in the absorption of the products of digestion (Pennak, 1989). http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/Harbour/SPECIES/CRAYFISH/CRAYFISH.HTM#Digestive

b.) Circulatory System: The circlatory system of the crayfish is centred around a muscular heart with dorsal, anterior, and posterior arteries leading away from it . Branches of these vessels empty into the sinuses of the hemocoel (the large tissue spaces containing blood). The ventral sinus collects the blood, the blood travels through the gills, and then returns to the pericardial sinus surrounding ther heart (Miller and Hurley, 1992; Snodgrass, 1965). http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/Harbour/SPECIES/CRAYFISH/CRAYFISH.HTM#Digestive

c.) Nervous System: The crayfish nervous system is composed of a ventral nerve cord fused with segmental ganglia, and the supresophageal and subesophageal ganglia (Miller and Harley, 1992). Giant neurons in the ventral nerve cord function in escape responses (Bliss, 1990). The supraesophageal and subesophageal ganglia control the head appendages in response to sesory input recieved from receptors (Miller and Harley, 1992). http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/Harbour/SPECIES/CRAYFISH/CRAYFISH.HTM#Digestive

d.) Excretory System: The excretory organs are also called the antennal glands because they are located at the base of the second antenna. They exrete the waste products of blood filtration; ammonia is the primary waste product (Miller and Harley, 1992). Ammonia is also excreted across the gill surfaces and by diffusion across thin parts of the exoskeleton (Snodgrass, 1965) http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/Harbour/SPECIES/CRAYFISH/CRAYFISH.HTM#Digestive

e.) Reproductive System: Crayfish have separate male and female sexes (dioecious) and the gonads are located in the dorsal portion of the thorax (Miller and Harley, 1992). Mating occurs just after the female has molted, usually in the spring. The male deposits sperm near the openings of the female gonoducts (at the base of the 3rd periopods) and uses the two modified pleopods to guide the sperm into the female sperm receptacle. http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/Harbour/SPECIES/CRAYFISH/CRAYFISH.HTM#Digestive

f.) Integumentary System: This crustacean has a hard exoskeleton that protects and supports the body. The crayfish has 8 jointed walking legs, a segmented body, 2 pairs of sensory antennae, and compound eyes. It has 2 large pincers or claws called chelipeds. If a crayfish loses a leg, the leg will regenerate (regrow). The head and thorax are fused, forming the cephalothorax. Using gills, a crayfish breathes oxygen that is dissolved in water. Juvenile crawfish are light tan, but adults are deep red. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/invertebrates/crustacean/Crayfishprintout.shtml

g.) Body Plan: The body of the crayfish is divided into two regions: the cephalothorax, which has sensory, feeding, and locomotor functions; and the abdomen, which has locomotor and visceral functions (Miller and Harley, 1992) http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/Harbour/SPECIES/CRAYFISH/CRAYFISH.HTM#Digestive

Description of its unique habitat, diet and what distinguishes it as a mollusk, echinoderm, or arthropod.--> Crayfish live in streams, rivers, swamps, ponds, and other freshwater habitats. Most crayfish are strictly aquatic but some live in semi-aquatic environments. The semi-aquatic crayfish burrow into the soil to get to water (so that they can breathe). Crayfish are omnivores; they eat plants, animals, and decaying organisms. They are nocturnal (most active at night) and eat fish, shrimp, water plants, worms, insects, snails, and plankton. Larval crayfish are very tiny; they eat plankton. Their color depends on diet. As a crayfish grows, it often molts (loses its old shell and grows a new one). It eats the old shell. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects

Chapter 4 Critical Thinking

1.) During the day, algae carry out both photosynthesis and respiration, but at night, whent here is no light, they can only perform respiration. Small, isolate4d tide pools on rock shores are often inhabited by thick growths of seaweeds, which are algae. Would you expect the amount of oxygen in the water to differ between night and day? How?

--> Yes i would expext the aount of oxygen to decrease or lessen at night because without solar energy autotrophs do not produce oxygen.

Chapter 8 Critical Thinking
1.) Hagfishes and lampreys are the only living representatives of a very ancient group. Why do you suppose there are still some of these jawless fishes around?
--> Jawless fishes are know to be the most primitive fishes living today. I suppose they have exsited this long due to their feeding habits. They feed mostly on dead or dying fishes. This resource is simply impossible to run out off.
2.) A deep-water shark, new to science, is collected for the first time. The specimen is studied in detail, but its stomach is empty. How could you get a rough idea of its feeding habits? The specimen is a female, and its reproductive tract is found to contain 20 eggs. Can you tell the type of developement characteristic of this species?-->
In order to determine the feeding habits of this new specimen, you can study the jaws. Not all of the nearly 350 living species of sharks conform the same body plan, but the majority are known to contain rows of numerous sharp, often triangular teeth. This feature helps since sharks are known to be adapted for predatory feeding. Also to keep in mind, that there are sharks (whale sharks) that are filter feeders. This is could very well help explain an empty stomach. Because this specimen is yet to be unknown, it is hard to study the type of developement characteristic of the 20 eggs found. There are two different types of sharks that may very well affect the developement. One is oviparous and the other is viviparous. In an oviparous shark, the yolk is needed to provide energy for at least several months of development. Without this amount of time, the eggs won't be fully developed. And in a vivparous shark, nutrition is provided by direct contact with the reproductive tract of the female.
3.) Individuals of some species of bony fishes change sex, some to maintain more males than females, others more females than males. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each situation? Are there any advantages and disadvantages in having an equal number of males and females?
-->One advantage of maintaining more males than females is that there will be more chances of having a dominant male. Since a dominant male is needed to triger these changes (protandry and protogyny). A disadvantage of this situation will be that with less female, there will be less chances of reproduction. Whereas, this would be an advantage of having more females than males. And as for having an equal number of males and females, I think that there will be no advantages or disadvantages, since everything will turn out to be average.

Sea Floor Spreading

What is sea floor spreading?
-->Sea-floor spreading is the process in which the ocean floor is extended when two plates move apart. As the plates move apart, the rocks break and form a crack between the plates. Earthquakes occur along the plate boundary. Magma rises through the cracks and seeps out onto the ocean floor like a long, thin, undersea volcano. library.thinkquest.org/17457/platetectonics/4.php
What are some of the major land forms that are created from plate movement?
-->A long chain of mountains forms gradually on the ocean floor as magma piles up along the crack. This chain is called an oceanic ridge. library.thinkquest.org/17457/platetectonics/4.php
How were the Mariana Islands formed?
-->A theory known as plate tectonics presumes that the Asian continent and the North and South American continents are moving and that the Lithosphere (crust) of the continents are composed of different material. The edge of these plates are believed to be moving in such a manner that one moves under the other and the cataclysmic forces that result push material upward to form islands. www.cnmi-guide.com/history/formation
What evidence exists today that the plates are still moving and that the islands are ancient volcanoes?
-->Plate tectonics is a theory of geology that has been developed to explain the observed evidence for large scale motions of the Earth's lithosphere. That facts that the fitting together of the coasts of the continents on the opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, the similarity of geologic formations and fossils found on the opposite sides, a geologically active mid-ocean ridge running along the central Atlantic between the opposite coasts, bottom sediments that get thicker the farther one travels from the ridge, and rocks on the sea floor on one side of the ridge show magnetic bands that are mirror images of rocks found on the opposite side of the ridge. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonics#Plate_tectonic_theory
What is an atoll?
-->An atoll is an island of coral that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. Darwin (an English Naturalist) reasoned that a fringing coral reef surrounding a volcanic island in the tropical sea will grow upwards as the island subsides, becoming an "almost atoll" (barrier reef island). The fringing reef becomes a barrier reef for the reason that the outer part of the reef maintains itself near sea level through biotic growth, while the inner part of the reef falls behind, becoming a lagoon because conditions are less favorable for the corals and calcareous algae responsible for most reef growth. In time, subsidence carries the old volcano below the ocean surface, but the barrier reef remains. At this point, the island has become an atoll. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atoll




Why are atolls mainly found on the Pacific?
Atolls are the product of the growth of tropical marine organisms, so these islands are only found in warm tropical waters. Volcanic islands located beyond the warm water temperature requirements of reef building organisms become seamounts as they subside and are eroded away at the surface. An island that is located where the ocean water temperatures are just sufficiently warm for upward reef growth to keep pace with the rate of subsidence is said to be at the Darwin Point.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atoll

Starfish

Lateral Canal- tube feet are attached.
Stone Canal- where water enters.
canal- leads from the ring canal to the madreporite.
abulacral groove- extends down the underside of each arm.
spines- protects starfish and are part of internal skeleton.
madreporite- this is where water enters.
central disc- center of starfish.
dorsal or aboral- top of starfish.
mouth- underside

Name of organism: Starfish - Phylum
Habitat: usually in rock places in the ocean, bottom of sea, coral reefs, or even sands.
Food source: algal films, feed on something dead, or mussels.
Life cycle: Male or female, Fertilization is external and occurs when sea stars release enormous numbers of sperm and eggs in the ocean.
Moves by: The underside of the starfish is covered with hundreds of tube feet, which it uses for walking around, for attaching tightly to rocks, and for holding on to prey. To move, each tube foot swings like a leg, lifting up and swinging forward, then planting itself on the ground and pushing back. At the tip of each tube foot is a suction cup. These aren't used when walking on level ground, but can be used when walking up sheer surfaces (How starfish move-online).
Unique Characteristics: On the underside of each sea star is the mouth along with a distinct cleft through which food is moved to the mouth. Some sea stars do not have a separate opening for removing waste and as such, their "mouths" act as both the site for the import of food and the export of waste materials. Interestingly, these invertebrates are also capable of regenerating body parts from body fragments.
Role: The starfish role in the ecosystem is just plain and simple. They are harmless and come in beautiful colors. They just tend to make the ocean more colrful and beautiful. it is an eye catcher to marine life and humans as well.

DNA and RNA

DNA and RNA
1. What is DNA?
- DNA - the Blueprint of Life
Every living organism contains within itself the information it needs to build a new organism. This information, you could think of it as a blueprint of life, is stored in the organism's genome. The genome is made up of a material called DNA, which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. If you take a really, really close look at the DNA molecule you will see that it looks like an ordinary ladder, although somewhat twisted. The steps that connects the two strands in this ladder are composed of four different molecules of the same type, called nucleotides.
2. What are the 4 bases?
- In DNA they are A, T, C and G; where A stands for adenine, T for thymine, C for cytosine and finally G for guanine.
3. What 2 peices of information did the scientists need to solve the elusive structure of DNA?
- Phosphate backbone, double helix.
4. What are the specific base pairs?
- (adenine,thynine) (guanine,cytosine)
5. How does the pairing rule effect the shape and structure of DNA?
- Each rung of the twisted ladder in the Helix would be of equal size, and the sugar-phosphate backbone would be smooth.
6. What does the DNA do during cell division?
- It is able to unzip into two pairs.
7. How many base pairs does E. Coli have? How long does it take to replicate? How is the DNA packaged in the cell?
- It makes 4 million pairs in once every 20 minutes and it is curled up in a condensed fashion.
8. How many base pairs does Human DNA have? How long does it take to replicate? How is the DNA packaged in the cell?
- It makes 3 billion pairs in about 12 - 24 hours and is packaged into 23 distinct chromosome pairs.

1. What is RNA? How different is it from DNA?
RNA - a Blueprint Copy
-When an organism needs to use the data stored in the genome, e.g. to build components of a new cell, a copy of the required DNA part is made. This copy is called RNA and is almost identical to DNA. Just like DNA, RNA is an abbreviated form of a chemical name which in the case of RNA is ribonucleic acid.
2. How are the RNA messages formed?
- The alphabet in the RNA molecule contains 4 letters, i.e. A, U, C, G as previously mentioned. To construct a word in the RNA language, three of these letters are grouped together. This three-letter word are often referred to as a triplet or a codon. An example of such a codon is ACG. The letters don't have to be of different kinds, so UUU is also a valid codon. These codons are placed after each other in the RNA molecule, to construct a message, a RNA sequence. This message will later be read by the protein producing machinery in the body. The RNA part to the left contains 39 letters and since each codon contains 3 letters, 13 codons are present (39 letters divided by 3 letters equals 13 words or codons.)

3. How are the RNA messages interpreted?
- Every organism has an almost identical system that is able to read the RNA, interpret the different codons and construct a protein with various combinations of the amino acids mentioned previously. In fact every RNA word or codon, corresponds to one single amino acid. These codons and their correlation with the amino acids in a protein sequence is what defines the genetic code.
1. Describe cell cycle.
- The cell cycle illustrates the different phases of division. The key molecules which control and coordinate cell division are called “CDK” and “Cyclin”. Chromosomes in cell nucleus Gap 1 Phase: Cell growth begins Synthesis Phase: Chromosomes divide and duplicate, Cell growth continues Gap 2 Phase: Cell reaches proper size Mitosis Phase: Cell Division.
2. What is nuclear division.
-
3. What is interphase.
- A stage in the cell cycle when a cell doubles its cytoplasm and synthesizes DNA. Interphase is the "holding" stage or the stage between two successive cell divisions.
4. Cytokinesis.
- Cytokinesis refers to the division of a eukaryotic cell. Cytokinesis usually occurs after a cell has undergone nuclear division as part of mitosis or meiosis. Except for some special cases, the amount of cytoplasm and number of organelles and cellular components in each daughter cell is redistributed equally to each daughter cell. Notable exceptions include oogenesis, where the ovum nearly takes all the cytoplasm and organelles, leaving little for the resulting polar bodies, which then die.
5. Homologous chromosomes.
- A pair of chromosomes made up of two homologs. Homologous chromosomes have corresponding DNA sequences and come from separate parents; one homolog comes from the mother and the other comes from the father. Homologous chromosomes line up and synapse during meiosis.
6. Phases of mitosis (5 of them).
- Phase 1: Interphase the chromosomes replicate Phase 2: Prophase the nuclear memebrane disintergrates and the spindle is formed. Phase 3:Metaphase the chromosomes line up on the equatorial plate of cell Phase 4: Anaphase the centrioles will separate in animal cells. The chromatids are pulled apart. Phase 5: Telophase cytokinesis occurs (cytoplasm divides) and two new nuclei are formed.
7. Phases of meiosis and how it is different from mitosis.
- meiosis 1: prophase 1, metaphase 1, anaphase 1, and telophase 1
meiosis 2: prophase 2, metaphase 2, anaphase 2, and telophase 2.
It is different from mitosis because mitosis only has one phase not two.
8. Describe the process and purpose of crossing over.

Our beautiful hike to Mt. LauLau...on the left is a picture of a Daog plantation up on the mountains. Locals burn up on the mountains to attract deers. The try and attract deers for hunting. The soil up on the mountains then get washed away into the ocean when it rains. The trees and plantation on the mountain is dry due to burning. The picture on the right is taken from from the mountain isn't it beautiful? If we allow hunters to keep burning LauLau beach would not look like this in the nest couple of years. SO PLEASE HELP SAVE THIS BEACH AND MOUNTAIN!!!!!

Photosynthesis is the process where green plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to make food and oxygen.Respiration is the process where cells use this food to release stored energy.

Photosynthesis: 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy --> 6O2 + C6H12O6

Cellular Respiration: 6O2 + C6H12O6 --> 6H2O + 6CO2 + energy

- Sunlight produces the energy source for Photosynthesis. It uses water and carbon dioxide to make glucose. Cellular Respiration is the opposite of Photosynthesis. It breaks down glucose, using oxygen which creates water and carbon dioxide.

Results are: O2+C6H12O6->H2O+ATP+CO2

cell membrane - the thin layer of protein and fat that surrounds the cell, but is inside the cell wall.
cell wall - a thick, rigid membrane that surrounds a plant cell.
amyloplast - an organelle in some plant cells that stores starch.
Golgi body - (also called the golgi apparatus or golgi complex) a flattened, layered, sac-like organelle that looks like a stack of pancakes and is located near the nucleus.
mitochondrion - spherical to rod-shaped organelles with a double membrane.
photosynthesis - a process in which plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food energy (sugars and starches), oxygen and water.
vacuole - a large, membrane-bound space within a plant cell that is filled with fluid.
nuclear membrane - the membrane that surrounds the nucleus.
nucleus - spherical body containing many organelles, including the nucleolus.

Questions:

- What is the process in which plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food energy, oxygen and water?

- What is the large, membrane-bound space within a plant cell that is filled with fluid?

- What part has a think, rigid membrane that surrounds a plant cell?

WALK IT DONT DRIVE IT

...Walk it Dont Drive it...

It's great that we have cops protecting our island and following the laws!!! Or are they? Recently the Marine Biology class of NMC attended a meeting about the walk it dont drive campaign. Presented was that cops were not follwing the law about not being able to drive on the sand of any beach on the island. While patrolling they drive through the sand that may cause erosion. Then we discussed what can help remind us about conserving all on the beach. DRIVE!!! D for Drip, this is where if people were to keep driving on the sand cars tend to drip oil which goes into the water where important marine organisms live. R for Ruts, this means that turtles lay eggs on the sand and their eggs could be destroyed by driving through it. I for illegal, it is illegal to drive on any beach of Saipan. VE for vegetation,when driving through the sand it kills vegetation that are grown on the sand.

Pau Pau Algae

While attending the marine biology lab last saturday at Pau Pau beach we were able to witness the drainage. The drainage is where runoff water flows along with dirt, chemicals, and other things that are threating to the ocean. Then we went further down and reached the sea shore. There we were able to see the great amount of algae that resides on the rocks. These rocks are in the water where creature such as fish, corals, and other important organisms of the marine life live. Algae is very dangerous especially when it is already residing on the rocks because then corlas would not be able to grow on it. These are the effects of algae: Corlas die if algae covers it up, marine life are threatened, and if algae is grown on the rocks first then corals will not be able to reside there.

1. Explain how currents contribute to the distribution of marine organisms around the planet.
*Currents have an effect to the distribution of marine organisms around the planet. The currents control the water temperature as it continually circulates throughout the sea or ocean.

2. The primary factor influencing ocean currents is temperature regulation. What might happen to the ocean currents (and has happened in the past) as global warming increases?
*As global warming increases, it is very possible to experience another ice-age.

3. Explain how density changes cause currents.Use google image to find a world map. Copy and paste into paint and use the drawing tools to create the currents and label them.
*When water changes its temperature, it becomes more dense. Therefore, the colder water will ascend to the surface. This movement helps cause the currents.

Holes in bread

Virtual Chemistry Labs (Bread)

Question:
What molecules make the holes in bread?

Hypothesis:
I predict that carbon dioxide gas bubbles make the holes in bread.

Procedure:
Step1: I added three scoops of yeast into the tube.
Step 2: I added three scoops of sugar into the tube.
Step 3: I filled up the tube with ¾ of water.
Step 4: I used a stick to stir the yeast, sugar, and water to become same color.
Step 5: I then shined the flashlight on the side of the tube.

Data:
After adding the three scoops of yeast and sugar into the tube by the spoon I poured in ¾ of water then stirred it till the color came out the same. After shining the flashlight I noticed tiny bubble streaming up.

Results:
My hypothesis was proven to be true. Carbon dioxide gas bubbles are the cause of holes in bead.

Explanation:
Carbon dioxide gas bubbles are trapped in the bread dough and leaves holes in the bread when in it baked.



Holes in Bread.
What gas causes the bubbles?
*Carbon dioxide gas is what causes the bubbles.

How was the gas produced?
*By the Yeast that feeds on the sugar molecules and that breaks the sugar molecules apart into new molecules.

How does CO2 get in the ocean?
*When there is very little sink. Sink is what mops up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Therefore without sink carbon dioxide will continue to get into the ocean.

Atoms

Virtual Chemistry Labs (Atoms)
Question:
What atoms are in sour foods?

Hypothesis:
I predict that sour foods contain high concentration of loose hydrogen atoms.

Procedure:
Step 1: Numbered all five cups.
Step 2: Added in all five cups five drops of food.
Step 3: Added one drop of dye into all five cups.
Step 4: Put cups in order, from high concentration to low concentration.

Data:
After adding the dye it showed the concentration of loose hydrogen atoms in the food. Cup 1 turned yellow, cup 2 turned green, cup 3 turned peach, cup 4 turned orange, and cup 5 turned blue. Then I was able to tell which cup had the most or lease concentration. Cup 3 had the highest concentration followed by cup 4, cup1, cup 2, least concentration was cup5.
I was able to identify what types of food were in each cup. Cup 3 the highest concentration was lemon juice, cup 4 was vinegar, cup 1 was orange juice, cup 2 was milk, and cup 5 was water.

Results:
My hypothesis was proven true. Sour foods contain high concentration of loose hydrogen atoms.

Explanation:
Sour foods contain high concentration of loose atoms.


Atoms in sour food.
What are acids and bases?
Acids are known to be compounds that include hydrogen and can dissolve in water to release hydrogen ions into solution. Bases can make an acid weaker, and is sodium hydroxide.

What is a molecule?
Molecules are tiny particles that make up everything around us.

Why is PH important in the ocean?
Because it is saturated with calcium carbonate, important organic molecule for organisms like corals, mollusks and crustaceans.

The shape of life

1) Ancient Sponge was the organism thought to be the first multi-cellular animal.

2) The alikes from animals today: The differences from animals today:
Sponges reproduce lke animals today. Sponges cells come together (Reinvent) Sponges has prey on other animals for food. Sponges does not have a brain, head,etc. Sponges have a heart like other animals do. Sponges pumps water for food (Fast)(2secs)

3) Scientist know it's an animal because it has a heart, reproduces, and preys on other animals for food.

4) DNA is the evidence that can prove that other animals evolved from this organism.

5) I want to know how other animals can evolve from a sponge when a sponge is simple. other animals move around alot and is just very different from a sponge.

Homework: Tidal Range

What is tidal range?
* Tidal range is the difference in water level between successive high and low tides (Marine
Biology, 67).

What causes high and low tides?
* High and low tides are caused by a combination of the gravity of the sun and the moon
and also the centrifugal force that results from the rotatin of the earth, moon, and the sun
(Marine Biology, 67).

What causes spring and neap tides?
* When the sun and the moon are aligned with each other, or the tide range is large. Neap
tides are caused when the sun and moon are at right angles their effects partially cancel
each other, or when the tidal range is small (Marine Biology, 67).

How does tidal range effect the types of organisms and the shape and size of the organisms?
* The tides alternately expose and submerge organisms on the shore drive the circulation of
bays and estaries, trigger spawning, and influence the lives of marine organisms in
countless other ways (Marine Biology, 65).

tides