The Imaginary Fish Lab

          When simulating alleles in a fish population, many alters occur over time.  The purpose of this scientific project was to show how an offspring is developed by the mating of a male and a female. Basically, it is formed by the combination of a male's sperm and the female's eggs. In this scenario, each allele symbolizes the color of the fish. It just so happens that a green colored (allele) is dominant over all other alleles which include red alleles, and yellow alleles. Interesting, both red alleles and yellow alleles are incompletely dominant  to eachother and produce a third  blending phenotype of orange. At the start of the lab, there was 24 alleles in the gene pool. 1/3 of the alleles were green, 1/3 were red, and 1/3 were yellow. To start off with, we had to make a first generation of imaginary fish. To do this, we had to take out 12 pairs of genes(toothpicks) from a genepool(plastic cup)(randomly) with our eyes closed and set them side by side. We used Direct Observation and counted the members of the population one by one. The gene pairs resulted into various fish colors. The group of investigators determined that approximately 58% of the population was green, 17% was red, 8% was yellow, and 17% was orange due to incomplete dominance combinations. Therefore, there was 7 green fish, 2 red fish, 1 yellow fish, and 2 orange fish. In the lush, green territory where the fish live, there are also many vicious predators in their surroundings. This area is home to lots of seaweed and algae. The fish can camaflouge themselves well and can adapt to the environment. However, unfortunately the yellow fish are visible targets and all of them failed to survive. Due to these extreme impacts, there was a dramatic drop in the fish population for the second generation. In this time period of fish, data suggests that there is now 11 fish in the pond. The aqua environment consists of about 63% green fish, 9% red fish, 18%, and 9% orange fish. These percents sum up to be 99% and not a full 100%, but this is an estimate using a scientific calculator. Hence, seven fish are green, 1 fish is red, 2 fish are yellow, and 1 fish is orange. Suddenly, because of their lack of strength, the yellow fish were once again eaten by predators. In the third generation, it is analyzed that there are 9 fish in all. 56% are green fish, 33% are red fish, 11% are yellow fish, and 0% are orange fish. In other words, there are 5 green fish, 3 red fish, 1 yellow fish, and 0 orange fish. This set of data proves that an orange offspring wasn't processed in the 3rd generation. Finally, the yellow fish are once again eaten by the predators and all of the yellow's have died out. All in all, the 1st through 3rd generations of the multiplicity of fish has been very intense and has been influenced by many external wild creatures. This is has lead to a large decrease in population size.

          In the 4th generation of fish, there is a total of 8 fish which include of 6 green fish and 2 red fish. This is 75% green fish, and 25% red fish. Abruptly, there is an environmental disaster in the living space of the fish. Harmful factory waste is poored into the body of water and kills seaweed and algae. The remaining fish are able to expose themselves to the attack, however the green fish are viewed easily and are eaten by predators. Sadly, in the end, there were only 2 red fish survivors. Interestingly, in the whole project, 20 alleles from the fish population has disappeared entirely and there evolution has come to an end. The recent disaster was massive and without this, the green fish population would've been living on for many more generations. The predators were biotic limiting factors because they were living features of the ecosystem that limited the population size of the fish. The red fish were the only survivors. An example of natural selection is that the the final 2 red fish had traits that enabled them to adapt to the environmental pressure of the "factory waste disaster" and the predators. This stream environment which was used by the fish was expressed as very deadly and unsafe. Ecology explains that an ecosystem is a space where a community of organisms live, interact, and have reactions. Some interactions include Parasatism, Commensalism, and Mutualism. These interactions are part of Symbiosis which simply means there is a relationship in which two different organisms live in close association with each other. One way to change how the lab went would be to make it impossible for any fish to be alive. Then, everyone in Omega would be pondering and examining how to keep a fish alive. You could make it impossible and trick everyone that there is a way to get atleast one survivor so you could get their brains thinking. On the other hand, you could make all the yellow fish go through resurrection at the end of the experiment, and that would surprise everyone that the yellow fish came back alive. The genotype for the final 2 red alleles are (rr) and it won't be capable of reproducing to make a green. This is because the traits of the alleles are homozygous, and it is recessive to Green(which is represented as a dominant (G)). Also, because there are no more yellow fish, it is not possible to create an orange fish. If yellow fish were alive, the red fish and the yellow fish would be incompletely dominant to eachother and they would be capable of blending to make an orange fish. Below are possible combinations of alleles which were demonstrated through the generations in this case.

GG=Green

Gr=Green

Gy=Green

rr=Red

yy=Yellow

ry=Orange

          Overall, the lab went really well and was very interesting. It taught me a lot about the traits of genetic creatures such as a fish. It was fun to do it as a partner activity and I look forward to doing another project like this again.

Current Event - January 25, 2011 - THIS IS JUST AMAZING!

The Scientific Quest to Print Food

Who: Jeffrey Lipton is the leader of the Fab@Home project at Cornell University and his team has developed the 3-D printer. He says,"the future of culinary 3-D printing lies in creating foods with different textures"(Roach 1).


Dave Arnold is a chef at the French Culinary Institute and co-author of the Cooking Issues blog. He believes that the printer has great potential for making intricate cakes.


What: The 3-D printer could be the future of processing and making food. Basically, the printer is an advanced machine which produces 3-D structures like food. Additionally, it puts the snack into layers according to how the 3-D food is designed. If you buy this magnificent device, and you are hosting a birthday party for your child, guests will think you are an incredible chef.


When: This study has been going for the last few years. It doesn't mention it in the article but you could find more information about when the research was started at a similar reliable source. The source is: http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/June10/LipsonMacArthur.html





Where: The study, research, and making has been done at Cornell University.


Why: There are many significant reasons why the group has come with the idea. To start off with, if an adult has terrible art skills and their child is having a birthday, most times the cake won't produce very well and the design won't look neat. This device produces neatness, consistency, is accurate compared to the actual food, and is decently tasty. On the other hand, the mechanism could be used for prototypes in TV commercials and it could be a big hit. Differently, there is a possibility in the future that this device can make human organ transplants and it can save many lives of many people. Lastly, it could be a common use for parents, if they don't feel like cooking food after they come home from work. Instead, all you have to do is press the print button of the machine.


How: Using its syringe, "the printer essentially spits out paste, or frosting, or any malleable product...," declared Jeffrey Lipton. It tries to match the computerized food image to the actual food and puts the structure into multiple layers.





My Opinion: In my opinion, this product would make my day on any day. It is amazing that this mechanism could produce any food you wanted with just the click of the print button. In addition, it would make a gigantic difference in the economy and in a beneficial way. With this device, food would be free and that is unimaginable for me. On the other hand, it is unique, smart, and is leading to a good path for the future. This could be a great development in technology and a great contribution to human needs. It is interesting to watch how young people grow up to build products that will aid everyone dramatically. Therefore, the 3-D effect of the printer is a great addition to technology and it impacts many people in the world in many good ways.


Main Source: Link - http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/25/5915711-the-scientific-quest-to-print-food

Author of Article: John Roach

Reading the Punnett Squares - Class Response

Punnett Squares -

          On Tuesday, we discussed how to make, solve, read, and understand the great science/math method of Punnett Squares. Unfortunately, I misunderstood some concepts while catching up with other assignments. These four boxes make it easier to determine the probabilities of a future off-spring's traits. Basically, the baby's chances of having a particular trait is identified by evidence of the mother's and father's alleles.

          At first, I needed help on how to read a Punnett Square. My opinion was that it made no sense. I didn't get the idea of alleles and that it is a type of gene which is transferred to future generations of the family. Additionally, the system which contained phenotypes, genotypes, dominant alleles, recessive alleles, homozygous, heterozygous, and the genetic crosses confused me. Overall, interpreting the Punnett Squares and finding out possible trait probabilities gave me a hard time.
          On the other hand, Science class has been really interesting and fun. It is good to know how scientists use math to figure out things such as the probabilities of a baby's traits in Punnett Squares. Additionally, I believe that Gregor Mendel was a great man and he explained many significant things to us about what happened when he cross pollinated plants.

          Gregor Mendel
          Today, since school has been closed due to the inclement weather, I decided to understand the concepts of Punnett Squares. It clicked to me that dominant alleles dominate over recessive alleles. I pictured in my head that dominant alleles are like big bullies and recessive alleles are like shy little girls. Big bullies scare little girls. Dominant alleles are shown as capital letters and recessive alleles are shown as lowercase letters. Homozygous is when there are two dominant alleles as one trait or two recessive alleles as one trait. Heterozygous is when there is a dominant and recessive allele as one trait. The most difficult part of reviewing  was learning about the Genotype and Phenotype, but eventually I got the hang of it. Phenotype is the physical appearance as you see it and Genotype is the allele combination.



          To sum up, I understand the basic concepts of Punnett Squares. I'm hoping I'll be prepared for science class on Thursday!

      

The Eco Garden State Times

The Eco- Garden State Times

By: Jack Goodman, Nikhil Parvathala, and Andrew Katz

                                                                                                                                        

NJ Forest Ecosystems

By: Nikhil Parvathala

What aspects make NJ forests ecosystems? 

In New Jersey, there is a multiplicity of plants, animals, and trees. For instance, it represents forest ecosystems because it allows stable living conditions for plants like orchids and carnivorous animals. Another possible reason is that 45% of New Jersey is covered by trees and this is clearly shown throughout the state. Since trees usually grow to humongous heights and develop larger life forms than standard plant forms, they have potential to widen to a numerous number of trees, creating forest structures. Forest ecology’s focal point concentrates on the population and community of organisms. This means that wild life, soil nutrients, water, and the Sun all contribute to the development of a forest. On the other hand, forests are home for trees with high amounts of density. They support a very environmental area for plants and animals to survive comfortably. To be specific, a shelter, food, clothing, stable internal conditions, and water are needed for them to survive. The communities of these highly dense lands have many cycles of interactions between organisms.

   

What area of New Jersey represents this ecosystem and how?

                        New Jersey is a deciduous forest! In Burlington County, the Bass River State Forest is recognized as and is a perfect example of a heavily forested area. This forest has millions of pine and oak trees. These plains are located in the Pine Barrens and stretches 23,563 acres.

In the middle of the Bass River Forest, there is Lake Absegami and surrounding it is lots of wildlife. From fish to birds and deer, there are various symbiotic relationships that take place in the community.

On the other hand, the Pine Barrens is a gigantic area of forests where very diverse life for different species of animals and plants take place. Additionally, this territory stretches across southern New Jersey and is seen as a mosaic of pitch pine woodlands. Similarly, on the coastal plains of NJ, there is a humid climate with sandy soils and a diverse pattern of vegetation.

   

Where are forests found in the world?

                        On Earth’s surface, approximately 1/3 of it is covered by trees. The three types of forests are tropical, temperate, and boreal forests. Tropical forests have very warm temperatures so they are usually found near the equator. Temperate forests apply climates of winter, summer, and fall. Also, it is a cycle of leaves growing in spring and falling off in winter. These deciduous forests are found in the United States, Canada, Europe, China, and Japan. For example, New Jersey has many temperate forests. Boreal forests have many evergreen trees because of their needles, which don’t need as much water as regular trees. They receive a low amount of rain (precipitation) every year. They can only be found in the northern hemisphere of Earth, mostly in Canada.    Some popular forests are located in the Philippines, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Madagascar, Borneo, and Columbia. They all have diverse life for plants and animals to live.

   

                 

NJ Forest Life

By: Andrew Klutz

Plants

There are many altering plants in “The Garden State.” They have different purposes, colors, and they go through Photosynthesis. Some significant ones include:

-Pitch Pine                           -Red Maple                   -Sheep Laurel              -Cinnamon Fern                             -Pitcher Plant                 -Greenbrier                                                                            

-Yellow Poplar                    -Smooth Alder              -Inkberry Holly            -Cow – Wheat                                -Red Chokeberry           -Mountain Laurel    

-Northern Red Oak              -Bushy Beardgrass       -Golden – Crest            -Winged Sumac                             -Short Leaf Pine             - Sweet Bay

-White Oak                          -Bear Berry                   -Pine Sap                      -Smooth Winter Berry Holly        -Turkeybeard                  -Fetter - bush

-Ash                                     -Arethusa                      -Indian Pipe                  -Trailing Artubus                          -Star – flower                 -Button Bush                                                                   

-Sweet gum                         -Grass Pink                    -Black Oak                   -Chestnut Oak                               -Goat’s Rue                    -Round-leaved Sundew

-Atlantic White Cedar         -Leather- Leaf               -Maleberry                    -Pickerelweed                               -Sassafras                       -Spatulate-leaved Sundew

-Dog wood                          -Teaberry                       -Black Chokeberry       -Highbush Blueberry                    -Scrub Oak                     - Thread-leaved Sundew

              

   Animals

There are also many animals in New Jersey’s environment. They interact differently from human beings and have different symbiotic relationships. There are also animals that live in the unique forest of the Pine Barrens. Some of the animals in New Jersey’s forests and the pine lands are:

-White – Tailed Deer                              -Honey bees                                             - Cayote                                                -Timber Rattlesnake                                       

-Gray squirrel                                         -Carpenter bees                                       -Wild Turkey                                        - Brook Trout                                                 

-Raccoon                                                - Ruffed Grouse                                       - Bobcat                                                -Masked Shrew             

-Black bear                                            -Gread Horned Owl                                 -Brook Trout                                         -Eastern Mole                    

-Canadian goose                                    -Pileated Woodpecker                             -Pine Barrens Tree Frog                       -Eastern Chipmunk

              

     Endangered

Endangered Species are those whose lives are in immediate danger and they need assistance to live. They can be endangered if they had a loss or change of habitat, predation, over population, competition, or disease struck them.

Endangered:

Red shouldered Hawk - It is not very visible and can be unidentified in wetland forests where it lives.

Atlantic Loggerhead – The population of these turtles is a tiny fraction of what it was before and it is decreasing tremendously. There could be a chance of extinction in the future for this species.

Indiana Bat – Over the last couple of decades, the steep population of this species has decreased. It is considered endangered throughout the eastern range of the United States.

Peregrine Falcon - this fast species that flies in the skies has fallen due to the fact of DDT which caused their eggs to fail, and they became extinct in the 1970’s. However, their existence was identified in the 1980’s and they are still struggling to survive.

Bald Eagle – Right now, there are about 80 of this species in the state of New Jersey. This is because of their sensitivity to their surroundings, habitat loss, and human disturbance. However, they have made a fantastic recovery from the past in increase in population.

American Bittern – this flying creature is a secretive marsh bird which is rarely seen. Hence, it is inferred that there has been a loss in population and habitat for this species.

Piping Plover – this bird is a common prey for many predators such as fox, cabs, cats, and dogs. As one gets eaten, there population decreases, therefore that is how they are endangered.

American Oystercatcher – they have a miniscule habitat and there has been increased predation.

Henslow’s Sparrow – Habitat loss, decreased development, less vegetative succession has all contributed to the decline of these birds.

Other endangered and threatened species:

Bobcat                                                      Blue – Spotted Salamander                     Osprey                                                Least Tern

Eastern Woodrat                                      American Burying Beetle                        Upland Sandpiper                               Sedge Wren

Indiana Rat                                              Shortnose Sturgeon                                  Northern Harrier                                 Black Skimmer

North Eastern Beach Tiger Beetle          Northern Goshawk                                   Vesper Sparrow                                  Atlantic Hawksbill

Mitchell’s Satyr                                      Corn Snake                                               Queen Snake                                       Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle

Appalachian Grizzled Skipper               Southern Gray Treefrog                            Bog Turtle                                           Green Floater

Bronze Copper                                       Brook Floater                                            Eastern Tiger Salamander                   Short- Eared Owl

Arogos Skipper                                      Dwarf Wedgemussel                                 Atlantic Ridley                                    Roseate Tern

NJ Forest Uses

By: Jack Goodman

How does this ecosystem help support our society?

                Forests in New Jersey aid in keeping and supporting society in many beneficial ways. To start off with, trees are very essential to our lives and can influence economics because the more of them we have, the more supply we have to build wood houses and wood-like structures in the community. On the other hand, another significant reason is that it can be a habitat or source of vitamins, nutrients, and food for needy animals in the community. Research has shown that injured people can get out of the hospital earlier if they have a tree outside their window because obviously, somewhere along the line, trees provide nutrients that will keep you stronger. Lastly, trees provide numerous edible items and this could be because of “Photosynthesis.” This process could also be a reason why it is useful in many ways.

       

Why should we save it?

We should save it because trees help everyone positively. For example, they provide paper. This is very helpful for educational purposes. Without trees, there wouldn’t be anything so slim and white to write on. Also, states and teacher would need paper to create tests every year. Some other things it provides are sources for ships, fences, and wood. Wood is strong and valuable material that is needed to have a safe living space or home. Trees also have nutrients to provide fruits, oil, nuts, spices, raw rubber, latex, resin, fibers, drugs, and insecticides. An example where these trees in forests help animals is that it can be a shady area for animals to hide from the steaming sun or a place for organisms to camouflage themselves against the colors of the tree to prevent being eaten by a predator. Trees also give clean water, air, and oxygen. The significance of drinking water is that it makes up most of your human body and it can build some of your stamina. Trees improve water quality and it reduces the pollution that gets in the way of water. It also prevents heart problems, lungs problems, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other severe, life threatening problems. Air is important because you need it to live. Trees provide a natural air filter by converting carbon dioxide to oxygen. Oxygen is important because it helps you breathe and keeps you alive. Besides, forests and trees can’t hurt you in any way that will impact your life dramatically. Lastly, trees save energy and can reduce your A/C bills in the summer because homes shaded by trees get more cooled with the leaves that cover it.

Possible consequences for not saving it…

If we don’t save this very useful source, we will barely have any oxygen to breathe and we will be inhaling carbon dioxide, which is very unhealthy for us. Trees convert carbon dioxide to oxygen and this could be because they carry the process of Photosynthesis. On the other hand, if trees disappeared, there would be no shelters for forest animals and they would lower in population. Sooner or later, if we don’t get oxygen, there would be a possibility that all of us would die.

Supported Industry

The NJDEP (the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) is willing to help all ecosystems in the state of New Jersey.  They are a government agency that is responsible for managing natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution in NJ. Additionally, the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forests is an aiding branch of the brilliant corporation. It is in charge of keeping order for plants, animals, organisms, and other species in forested lands.

The Native Plant Society of NJ is a statewide non-profit organization founded for the appreciation, protection, and study of the native flora of New Jersey. They give advice on maintenance of native gardens, forests, and landscapes. They are excellent at identifying native plants.

 Subsequently, The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey is a very caring organization. They are a very thoughtful organization. They adopt unknown or known species that don’t have a home and are endangered. They try to protect animals and let them live peacefully.

Citations

"Bass River State Forest." Bass River State Forest. Expanded Edition. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 2005. Print.

Wales, Jimmy. "Pine Barrens(New Jersey)." Pine Barrens( New Jersey). Expanded Edition. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 2010. Print.

"New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection." State Park Service. Trenton, New Jersey: 1996. Print.

"Habitat Restoration Projects." Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, Print.

Donohue, Steven. "Green Scapes - Native Plant Society of New Jersey." Revised. Mulica River, New Jersey: Print.

"Biomes of the World: Forests." Kidzworld Company, Print.

Textbook – Biomes – Tropical, Boreal, Temperate (Decidious) Forests