Everett Han
Mr. Mathieu
March 17, 2014
Author: Debora Netburn
Published: March 17, 2014
URL:http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-bionic-plants-20140317,0,1010735.story
Summary
Researchers at MIT are currently experimenting on ways to make a super plant. They are doing this by inserting tiny carbon nanotubes into their cell walls. Some of the altered plants have their photosynthesis increased by 30% compared to normal plants. The most difficult part of making a usper plant was inserting the tubes. They thought about watering the plant, but it didn't work because plant roots have a structure that blocks nanotubes from entering. Instead, the researchers decided to turn to the stomata. The researchers found that if they pressurized a solution that included nanoparticles in a syringe, it would enter the plant through the stomata. The next thing they had to do was get the nanotubes into the chloroplasts. They did this by wrapping them in a polymer that sticks to the lipid bubble that surrounds the organelle. The lipid bubble let the nanotubes right in without tearing or leaving a hole where they entered. After the experiment was success, they added nanotubes that can absorb more wavelengths of light to see if the photosynthetic rate increased. It did, but now they need to find out how it worked.
Connection
This article relates mainly to our plant unit because it talks about the rate of photosynthesis and how it can be manipulated to produce more results. Photosynthesis is used by the plant to create sugars out of sunlight and water. The article also talks about chloroplasts which are the main producers of photosynthesis in the plant. Chloroplasts contain pigments that absorb light but cannot absorb the green pigment so it is reflected which is why we see it green in plants. The article also talks about how the stomata takes in carbon-dioxide and releases water. This is an example of transpiration because water is leaving to plant through the stomata.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
Coral bleaching makes fish behave recklessly
Sonali Deshpande
Mr. Mathieu
March 10, 2014
Author: Sandhya Sekar
Published: Feb 14, 2014
Article URL: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25059-coral-bleaching-makes-fish-behave-recklessly.html#.Ux5GL_ldWSo
Summary
Oona Lonnstedt of the Australian Research Council's centre for coral reef studies and her colleagues conducted a study on how the fish known as pallid damselfish behave in the Great Barrier Reef. They were looking to find the difference between the behaviors of the fish that lived in and around live coral versus the fish who lived in dead coral, as coral bleaching is an event that often leaves coral dead. The result was that the death rate of the fish on the dead coral was 75% higher than those on the live coral. They observed that fish on the dead coral seemed to take more risks and branch out, while, unlike those on the live coral, not smelling the injury of a mate. If a fish smelled the injury, they would take cover, which they did in the live coral. Because the fish on the dead coral did not take cover, Lonnstedt suggested that dead coral masks chemical signals, so that the fish would swim farther out to find them. It was agreed, however, that if the rate of coral mortality increases, the diversity of fish will decrease.
Connection
This article relates to our microbes unit, where we first learned about coral bleaching. Coral often forms a mutualistic relationship with unicellular zooxanthallae algae, which lives in their tissues. The coral polyps provide the algae with a structure to live on, so that they can be closer to the sunlight, and have shelter and protection. Also, the algae provides its products of photosynthesis to the coral in exchange for inorganic materials. When conditions get extreme, such as a temperature increase, the coral expels the algae, making the coral a white color. From bleaching, corals often die.
Mr. Mathieu
March 10, 2014
Author: Sandhya Sekar
Published: Feb 14, 2014
Article URL: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25059-coral-bleaching-makes-fish-behave-recklessly.html#.Ux5GL_ldWSo
Summary
Oona Lonnstedt of the Australian Research Council's centre for coral reef studies and her colleagues conducted a study on how the fish known as pallid damselfish behave in the Great Barrier Reef. They were looking to find the difference between the behaviors of the fish that lived in and around live coral versus the fish who lived in dead coral, as coral bleaching is an event that often leaves coral dead. The result was that the death rate of the fish on the dead coral was 75% higher than those on the live coral. They observed that fish on the dead coral seemed to take more risks and branch out, while, unlike those on the live coral, not smelling the injury of a mate. If a fish smelled the injury, they would take cover, which they did in the live coral. Because the fish on the dead coral did not take cover, Lonnstedt suggested that dead coral masks chemical signals, so that the fish would swim farther out to find them. It was agreed, however, that if the rate of coral mortality increases, the diversity of fish will decrease.
Connection
This article relates to our microbes unit, where we first learned about coral bleaching. Coral often forms a mutualistic relationship with unicellular zooxanthallae algae, which lives in their tissues. The coral polyps provide the algae with a structure to live on, so that they can be closer to the sunlight, and have shelter and protection. Also, the algae provides its products of photosynthesis to the coral in exchange for inorganic materials. When conditions get extreme, such as a temperature increase, the coral expels the algae, making the coral a white color. From bleaching, corals often die.
Zombie Ants ... And Counter Zombie Fungi
Zombie Ants ... And Counter Zombie Fungi
David Chen
10 March 2014
Penn State
Published: 13 September 2013
David Chen
10 March 2014
Penn State
Published: 13 September 2013
Summary:
Today, many people write fiction about zombies. They have fictitious movies and TV shows. Emphasis on the word "fiction". But zombies are real, and they have existed for at least 50 million years. Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is a species of fungus that spends it's life cycle infecting a single species of ants. David Hughes, a behavioral ecologist at Penn State, describes it like this: "Once a disciplined member of a rigidly structured society, the affected ant stumbles out of its colony like the town drunkard, guided by a pathogen that has pickled its brain with a cocktail of chemicals." As the fungus infects the ant, it releases chemicals into the ant's brain, giving the fungus control over the ant's body. Then, the ant heads to a precise place in the forest. Once it dies, jaws clenched onto a leaf, a huge fruiting stalk erupts from its head to rain spores onto the rest of the ants below. But being around for 50 million years, the ants and fungus have co-evolved in a way, a host-parasite evolution. The ants can detect when a member has been infected, and responds by carrying it far away from the colony. However, an even stranger occurrence in this million year co-evolution is the appearance of hyper-parasites. This fungus invades the already infected ant and covers the fruiting stalk, making it so the spores cannot be released. This fungus is also dependent on one species of the other fungus.
Connection:
This article connects with the Fungus unit that we learned. This shows how fungi are not only decomposers, but can also be active members in parasitic relationships. Also, it shows the reproduction process of fungi, with the fruiting body of the fungi erupting through the head of the ant and showering spores. This article also connects with a past unit on evolution. The fungi and the counter-fungi fungi are so specific to each other through years of evolution that it can count as a type of co-evolution. Most co-evolution we have learned has been mutualist based, however, this case shows how host-parasite relationships can produce co-evolution.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Deer Proliferation Disrupts a Forest's Natural Growth
Shaina Sikka
Mr. Mathieu
March 9, 2014
Author: Joe Schwartz
Published: March 8, 2014
Article URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140308095500.htm
Summary
Connection
Mr. Mathieu
March 9, 2014
Author: Joe Schwartz
Published: March 8, 2014
Article URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140308095500.htm
Summary
Cornell researchers gathered soil cores below the surface from both within and outside of deer exclosures, or areas with no deers. Evidence shows that a growing deer population is altering the progression of a forest’s natural future by disrupting the soil’s natural seed banks. The researchers germinated the seeds they collected, and the soil cores found outside the exclosures contained a high number of seeds from non-native species. According to Cornell professor Anurag Agrawal, deers typically eat native, woody plants and keep out invasive species. However, the study showed that the consumption of native plants led to the flourishing of non-native ones, thus dropping more non-native seeds where the deer were present. This stalls the growth of a forest because it promotes the growth of thorny bushes and trees. In addition, the researchers found that the impacts of deer grazing resulted in bare soil and reduced plant biomass.
Connection
This article relates to our study on plants and ecology. In chapter 19, we learned that seed bearing plants evolved much later than Bryophytes and Pteridophytes. The native and non-native plants studied in this article are seed bearing plants. In addition, this connects to our study on ecology on the subject of competition, since the non-native or invasive species are out competing the native plants for their niche because the native plants are being eaten.
Mystery Microbes of the Sea
Anna Kramer
Author: Douglas Fox
Date: September 26, 2013
Link: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/mystery-microbes-sea?mode=topic&context=79
Summary
A biologist named Alyson Santoro may have discovered the reason to why the large amounts of waste do not turn the ocean into a giant pool of sewage, poisoned with ammonia. Also, the same organisms eating the ammonia must be releasing the nitrous oxide greenhouse gas into the air. Santoro collected samples of seawater in four water bottles and left them in her fridge, forgetting them for two years. Scientists had not been able to grow enough of these microbes to study them, but by leaving the samples in her fridge, Santoro allowed the slow-growing microbes to thrive while the fast-growing microbes which usually outnumber the other microbes died off. Once her sample had a large enough population of the more unique slow-growing microbes, they were able to study it. They realized that it was archaea that was eating the ammonia, not bacteria. Yes, bacteria in the ocean do eat ammonia and release nitrous oxide gas, but the gas did not have the same composition as the nitrous gas released from the ocean. The archaea produced nitrous oxide gas that was much more similar. They hypothesis that these microbes, archaea, that we do not know as much about as bacteria or eukaryotes, are keeping the oceans cleaner. Learning more about this could lead to future predictions about global warming because as more human waste containing ammonia leaks into the oceans, the microbes consume the higher quantities and as a result are releasing more of the nitrous oxide greenhouse gas.
Connection
This connects to our unit on microbes. The whole article is based on the process that these forms of archaea perform in order to keep the oceans clean from the large amounts of ammonia. The article mentions a lot about how archaea were before mostly found in extreme environments, that's why this discovery of archaea in a milder environment like the ocean is appreciated. The similarities that bacteria have to archaea is something else we studied. They talk about how archaea, although seemingly similar to bacteria, are no more related to bacteria as an elephant is to an apple tree. Another topic we studied was the nitrogen cycle, and the story bases a lot on the circling of the ammonia to nitrous oxide gas.
Author: Douglas Fox
Date: September 26, 2013
Link: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/mystery-microbes-sea?mode=topic&context=79
Summary
A biologist named Alyson Santoro may have discovered the reason to why the large amounts of waste do not turn the ocean into a giant pool of sewage, poisoned with ammonia. Also, the same organisms eating the ammonia must be releasing the nitrous oxide greenhouse gas into the air. Santoro collected samples of seawater in four water bottles and left them in her fridge, forgetting them for two years. Scientists had not been able to grow enough of these microbes to study them, but by leaving the samples in her fridge, Santoro allowed the slow-growing microbes to thrive while the fast-growing microbes which usually outnumber the other microbes died off. Once her sample had a large enough population of the more unique slow-growing microbes, they were able to study it. They realized that it was archaea that was eating the ammonia, not bacteria. Yes, bacteria in the ocean do eat ammonia and release nitrous oxide gas, but the gas did not have the same composition as the nitrous gas released from the ocean. The archaea produced nitrous oxide gas that was much more similar. They hypothesis that these microbes, archaea, that we do not know as much about as bacteria or eukaryotes, are keeping the oceans cleaner. Learning more about this could lead to future predictions about global warming because as more human waste containing ammonia leaks into the oceans, the microbes consume the higher quantities and as a result are releasing more of the nitrous oxide greenhouse gas.
Connection
This connects to our unit on microbes. The whole article is based on the process that these forms of archaea perform in order to keep the oceans clean from the large amounts of ammonia. The article mentions a lot about how archaea were before mostly found in extreme environments, that's why this discovery of archaea in a milder environment like the ocean is appreciated. The similarities that bacteria have to archaea is something else we studied. They talk about how archaea, although seemingly similar to bacteria, are no more related to bacteria as an elephant is to an apple tree. Another topic we studied was the nitrogen cycle, and the story bases a lot on the circling of the ammonia to nitrous oxide gas.
Are Plants More Intelligent Than We Assumed?
Katie Liu
3/9/14
Published Date: March 4, 2014
Plants have been suggested to be more intelligent than previously thought. They are shown to be capable of making rather complex decisions, concluded from a study of barberry, a type of shrub. The seeds of barberry are often infected with the larvae of a certain species of fruit fly. The fly infects the seed where the larvae would eventually grow and feed on the plant. During a research, the seeds of the barberry were taken and examined. What was found that seeds containing the parasite have been cut off from receiving resources from the plant, essentially abandoning its development. Barberry fruits have a special characteristic in which they usually contain two seeds, as well as being able to stop the development of their seeds in order to save resources. This is to help protect the plant against the parasitic larvae. When one seed is infected, its resources from the plant are cut off. This effectively kills off the larvae while also protecting its second seed to ensure its survival. However, the research also found that the plant’s reaction to the larvae depends on the number of seeds the fruits have. If the fruits have two seeds, then one is aborted while the other uninfected seed continues to be supplied nutrients. However, if the fruit has one seed, then the plant continues to provide for the seed. This is because there is a small chance that the larvae could die by itself, which is better than no chance if the seed is aborted. This shows that plants are able to anticipate and calculate risks based on the circumstances it is in.
This article relates to our current curriculum about plants, which is the main feature in the article. More specifically, it relates to our talk of plants responding to changes in their environment. We discussed responses such as plants growing in the direction of light, which is beneficial to plants. The changes discussed in this article are also beneficial to plants as well since they allow plants to conserve their energy for other purposes. This also relates to Chapter 22 where it talks about plant defense against disease, which relates to this article as it also talks about how barberry defends itself against parasitic larvae.
Minnesotan Moose Numbers Are Dwindling
Victoria Zhou
March 9, 2014
Author: Brent McDonald
Published: March 5, 2014
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/us/minnesota-mystery-whats-killing-the-moose.html?_r=0
Summary:
Moose all over Minnesota are dying quickly and alarmingly. In the past couple of years, the population has shrunken so much so as to inspire a cancellation of the annual moose hunt in Minnesota in 2012. Recently, the population has been recovering slightly, but the moose are still dying two times faster than what is necessary to keep a population going. The decline of the moose have also been noted in places such as New Hampshire and Montana. Biologists and researchers have been tagging and tracking many moose in the area, so that they can know when one has died, locate it, and find a cause of death. There is still no direct answer as to why the moose are dying out, but one main reason seems to be climate change. There has been notably shorter winters and warmer temperatures all over southern moose habitat and this has been known to cause moose stress, as they tend to do better in cooler climates, which in turn weakens their immune systems. The warmer temperatures have also allowed white-tailed deer to become more plentiful. White-tailed dear carry brain worm, a parasite, which is deadly to moose. This combination is a likely reason as to why the moose may be dying. Although, there are other possible factors even things such as the actual tagging and tracking of the moose. Research and tracking is still going on as biologists rush to figure out the killer and a way to stop it.
Connection:
In this term, we will be studying animals and particularly worms and vertebrates. Moose are vertebrates and it is also mentioned that one possible reason for their many deaths are brain worms, which are obviously worms. White-tailed deer are mentioned as well as carriers of brain worms and they are also vertebrates. Previously, we studied ecology and relationships between animals. This article highlights how the growth of one population, white-tailed deer, which carries a parasite, brain worms, affects the numbers of another population, moose. This shows another relationship between moose and white-tailed deer besides just competition for resources, which we learned about in out ecology unit.
March 9, 2014
Author: Brent McDonald
Published: March 5, 2014
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/us/minnesota-mystery-whats-killing-the-moose.html?_r=0
Summary:
Moose all over Minnesota are dying quickly and alarmingly. In the past couple of years, the population has shrunken so much so as to inspire a cancellation of the annual moose hunt in Minnesota in 2012. Recently, the population has been recovering slightly, but the moose are still dying two times faster than what is necessary to keep a population going. The decline of the moose have also been noted in places such as New Hampshire and Montana. Biologists and researchers have been tagging and tracking many moose in the area, so that they can know when one has died, locate it, and find a cause of death. There is still no direct answer as to why the moose are dying out, but one main reason seems to be climate change. There has been notably shorter winters and warmer temperatures all over southern moose habitat and this has been known to cause moose stress, as they tend to do better in cooler climates, which in turn weakens their immune systems. The warmer temperatures have also allowed white-tailed deer to become more plentiful. White-tailed dear carry brain worm, a parasite, which is deadly to moose. This combination is a likely reason as to why the moose may be dying. Although, there are other possible factors even things such as the actual tagging and tracking of the moose. Research and tracking is still going on as biologists rush to figure out the killer and a way to stop it.
Connection:
In this term, we will be studying animals and particularly worms and vertebrates. Moose are vertebrates and it is also mentioned that one possible reason for their many deaths are brain worms, which are obviously worms. White-tailed deer are mentioned as well as carriers of brain worms and they are also vertebrates. Previously, we studied ecology and relationships between animals. This article highlights how the growth of one population, white-tailed deer, which carries a parasite, brain worms, affects the numbers of another population, moose. This shows another relationship between moose and white-tailed deer besides just competition for resources, which we learned about in out ecology unit.
Australian Flowers Bloom Red Because of Honeyeaters
Jessica Lim
Author: Sarah Zielinski
Published: March 6, 2014
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/wild-things/australian-flowers-bloom-red-because-honeyeaters
Summary:
The honeyeaters are a big and diverse type of birds that mainly feed on nectar from flowering plants, in Australia. In order for the flowers to reproduce, in return for feeding the bird, the bird carries the pollen to other plants, allowing fertilization. In effect these plants have "converged on a similar method of drawing honeyeaters to them". The common method that they use is to create flowers with certain colors that will attract the birds attention and lure them in. Researchers studied and examined 234 native flowering plants "and used a computer algorithm to convert the variety of wavelengths reflected by a flower into a single value that could be compared to the color vision system of a bird pollinator." Knowing that red or violet in wavelength attract and stand out to honeyeaters, researchers found that half of the studied flowering plants, that are bird-pollinated, were all the color red, even though they were all different flowering plants. This shows that they all converged into creating a similar pigment in the color red, to attract bird-pollinators.
Connection:
This directly connects to what we were talking about in class; how birds are attracted to the color red, and so that's why most of the bird-pollinated flowering plants are red. This article gives more evidence to that fact. This article also connects to fertilization and pollination because the flowers need to attract the attention of the birds in order to have their eggs fertilized, and in order to spread their pollen, to fertilize other eggs and reproduce. Also this is an example of animal-pollination, which is one way flowers spread there pollen other than wind-pollination. The animal, in this case a honeyeater, not only takes nectar from the flower, but pollen also attaches to the bird, and as the bird takes nectar from another flower the pollen is transferred down to the ovary and fertilizes the eggs.
Author: Sarah Zielinski
Published: March 6, 2014
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/wild-things/australian-flowers-bloom-red-because-honeyeaters
Summary:
The honeyeaters are a big and diverse type of birds that mainly feed on nectar from flowering plants, in Australia. In order for the flowers to reproduce, in return for feeding the bird, the bird carries the pollen to other plants, allowing fertilization. In effect these plants have "converged on a similar method of drawing honeyeaters to them". The common method that they use is to create flowers with certain colors that will attract the birds attention and lure them in. Researchers studied and examined 234 native flowering plants "and used a computer algorithm to convert the variety of wavelengths reflected by a flower into a single value that could be compared to the color vision system of a bird pollinator." Knowing that red or violet in wavelength attract and stand out to honeyeaters, researchers found that half of the studied flowering plants, that are bird-pollinated, were all the color red, even though they were all different flowering plants. This shows that they all converged into creating a similar pigment in the color red, to attract bird-pollinators.
Connection:
This directly connects to what we were talking about in class; how birds are attracted to the color red, and so that's why most of the bird-pollinated flowering plants are red. This article gives more evidence to that fact. This article also connects to fertilization and pollination because the flowers need to attract the attention of the birds in order to have their eggs fertilized, and in order to spread their pollen, to fertilize other eggs and reproduce. Also this is an example of animal-pollination, which is one way flowers spread there pollen other than wind-pollination. The animal, in this case a honeyeater, not only takes nectar from the flower, but pollen also attaches to the bird, and as the bird takes nectar from another flower the pollen is transferred down to the ovary and fertilizes the eggs.
Plant-Killing Fungi Found to Preserve Rainforest Diversity
Jake Urso
Author: Heidi Ledford
Publish: January 23, 2014
Source
Summary:
This article talks about how having plant killing fungi in a rainforest helps diversify the plants in that area. A group of scientists sprayed a plot of land in the rainforest with fungicide and left another plot untouched. The plot sprayed with fungicide had a 16% reduction in species richness. Although the fungi are killing plants they are specialized to kill more common and dominant species which give the less common species a chance to flourish. As Keith Clay, an ecologist, said its "A mechanism for maintaining diversity".
Connection:
This unit connects to our units on both plants and fungi, and also ties back into our unit on natural selection. In our unit on fungi we learned about the diets of fungi and also about fungicide which are both mentioned in the article. The connection to natural selection is in the specialized fungi because the reason there is more specialized fungi for the more common plants is because they have been selected for due to the huge food supply those organisms have access to.
Author: Heidi Ledford
Publish: January 23, 2014
Source
Summary:
This article talks about how having plant killing fungi in a rainforest helps diversify the plants in that area. A group of scientists sprayed a plot of land in the rainforest with fungicide and left another plot untouched. The plot sprayed with fungicide had a 16% reduction in species richness. Although the fungi are killing plants they are specialized to kill more common and dominant species which give the less common species a chance to flourish. As Keith Clay, an ecologist, said its "A mechanism for maintaining diversity".
Connection:
This unit connects to our units on both plants and fungi, and also ties back into our unit on natural selection. In our unit on fungi we learned about the diets of fungi and also about fungicide which are both mentioned in the article. The connection to natural selection is in the specialized fungi because the reason there is more specialized fungi for the more common plants is because they have been selected for due to the huge food supply those organisms have access to.
Acetic Acid In Vinegar As a Key Antibiotic
Harshul Shukla
Article Publish Date: February 25th, 2014
Blog Publish Date: March 9th, 2014
Author: None
Summary
Acetic acid is an ingredient in vinegar which kills bacteria. It can kill many mycobacteria , including the alarming drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis. This was discovered by Claudia Cortesi when some acetic
acid killed a drug she was testing. Her collaborators from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York then tested the acid on many strands of tuberculosis. A 6% solution of the acid for 30 minutes killed off all the bacteria, even for strands of drug-resistant tuberculosis. The acid was even found to be effective against a very strong non-TB strains of bacteria, M. abscessus. This discovery is extremely valuable because in poorer countries, where most of TB occurs, they are not able to afford expensive antibacterial solutions. Instead, they could use acetic acid, which is present in vinegar. Vinegar would be much easier to obtain and afford. Also, vinegar does not have nearly as high toxicity as commercial disinfectants
Connection
During term 3, we had a whole lab on common household items that would inhibit bacterial growth. In our experiments we used E. Coli as the bacteria and these scientists used TB and various others. We used streptomycin as our control. We tested household items, just like the experiment in the article, that included substances such as lime juice. We even tested a type of vinegar called Apple Cider Vinegar but our vinegar did not inhibit bacterial growth even close to the extent of the acetic acid in the article. Our vinegar only had a zone of inhibition of 1 mm. This could be due to the possibility of a low concentration of acetic acid in our vinegar and perhaps that we used E. Coli as our bacteria and the article used strains of TB.
American Society for Microbiology. "Vinegar kills tuberculosis, other mycobacteria." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 February 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140225101501.htm>.
New antibiotic holds promise against deadly bacteria
Cole Winsor
Source: http://health.india.com/news/new-antibiotic-holds-promise-against-deadly-bacteria/
Author: not given
Date Published: March 8, 2014
Summary:
A team of researchers based out of the University of Notre Dame recently discovered a new class of antibiotics. This new class is called oxadiazoles. It was discovered by silico screening and so far has shown that it can treat methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) bacteria in mice. this is especially important during a time when any bacteria are becoming resistant to overly used antibiotics. the group screened over 1.2 million different compounds in search of new treatments for MRSA. they found that oxadiazole inhibits a penicillin binding protein, PBP2a, and the biosynthesis of a cell wall. these two components together allow MRSA to be resistant to many more common types of antibiotics. this new type of antibiotic can also be taken orally which adds to its marketability allowing it to be more commonly used. Currently there are only three antibiotics that work against MRSA and resistant strands have already begun to emerge in the bacterias gene pool. This new discovery could save thousands of lives worldwide.
Connection:
This article deals a lot with bacteria which we have learned a lot about. it talks about how methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus has become resistant to certain antibiotics, such as methicillin and penicillin, because of the overuse of these antibiotics on this bacteria has caused those that are resistant to multiply much quicker. The resistance of these antibiotics is probably spread among the population through conjugation. that is how this article connects to what we have learned about in class
Power-Packed Bacterial Spores Generate Electricity
Jonathan Liu
March 9th, 2014
Published: March 3, 2014
URL: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/power-packed-bacterial-spores-generate-electricity
Summary: Scientists have discovered that bacterial spores can actually be used as a source of renewable energy. The spores of Bacillus bloat up when exposed to humidity and shrivel up in dry environments. By transitioning through being shriveled up to being bloated, energy is generated. The transition takes roughly about two seconds. Biophysicists at Columbia University realized that this transition could generate energy, so they tested it. They smeared spores onto a piece of rubber roughly about the size of a human hand. By adding more parts, the scientists were able to make a spore-powered generator. Dry shriveled spores pull the rubber into a curve, while bloated spores make the rubber flat again. By linking it to a generator, every transition produced an electrical current. The scientists reported that the spore power rivaled the juice in a car battery, and that the spores have high energy potential (more than 1,000 times that of mammalian muscle).
Connection: In the first unit of this term, we learned about various micro-organisms. One of these organisms being bacteria. In earlier units we also learned about global warming and using renewable resources. This connects past units to our current unit by talking about using bacteria as a renewable resource. It also links to one of our older units that talked about potential energy because the article had talked about how the pores had high potential energy.
March 9th, 2014
Published: March 3, 2014
URL: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/power-packed-bacterial-spores-generate-electricity
Summary: Scientists have discovered that bacterial spores can actually be used as a source of renewable energy. The spores of Bacillus bloat up when exposed to humidity and shrivel up in dry environments. By transitioning through being shriveled up to being bloated, energy is generated. The transition takes roughly about two seconds. Biophysicists at Columbia University realized that this transition could generate energy, so they tested it. They smeared spores onto a piece of rubber roughly about the size of a human hand. By adding more parts, the scientists were able to make a spore-powered generator. Dry shriveled spores pull the rubber into a curve, while bloated spores make the rubber flat again. By linking it to a generator, every transition produced an electrical current. The scientists reported that the spore power rivaled the juice in a car battery, and that the spores have high energy potential (more than 1,000 times that of mammalian muscle).
Connection: In the first unit of this term, we learned about various micro-organisms. One of these organisms being bacteria. In earlier units we also learned about global warming and using renewable resources. This connects past units to our current unit by talking about using bacteria as a renewable resource. It also links to one of our older units that talked about potential energy because the article had talked about how the pores had high potential energy.
When Fig Wasps Can’t Take the Heat
Gabriella Ricciardone
March 9, 2014
Author: Sindya N. Bhanoo
Published: March 25, 2013
Summary:
There are more than 700 species of wild fig in the tropics, and most of these species are pollinated by one certain species of fig wasp. The wasp and fig have a mutualistic relationship; the wasps rely on the fig plants to host their eggs, and the fig plants are pollinated by the wasps. Researchers that are part of a study in Singapore have recently discovered that this species of wasp is very susceptible to climate change, making the fig plants vulnerable as well. This can be detrimental to the ecosystem in equatorial Singapore, as figs are a main food source for many different animal species. Scientists found that temperatures rising only a few degrees could cut the adult fig wasps' life spans down from one to two days to a mere few hours. The average daily temperature in Singapore is about 80˚F, and in this weather the wasps' life span is between eleven and twenty-four hours. If temperatures are raised to 87.8˚F, that life span drops to between six and eighteen hours, and at 93.2˚F, less than six hours.
Connection:
While studying Unit 9, we discussed animal pollination and relationships between pollinators and plants. The main ideas of this article center around the direct effect the wasps' vulnerability to climate change has on the tropical fig plant. Furthermore, the reduction in figs would directly impact the rest of the ecosystem. In class we have also talked about the symbiotic relationship called mutualism, which is the kind of relationship the wasp and fig have with one another. Earlier in the year we studied global warming and ecosystems' temperatures rising, which is again being visited in this article, with the severity of rising temperatures impacting this species of wasp's life span.
While studying Unit 9, we discussed animal pollination and relationships between pollinators and plants. The main ideas of this article center around the direct effect the wasps' vulnerability to climate change has on the tropical fig plant. Furthermore, the reduction in figs would directly impact the rest of the ecosystem. In class we have also talked about the symbiotic relationship called mutualism, which is the kind of relationship the wasp and fig have with one another. Earlier in the year we studied global warming and ecosystems' temperatures rising, which is again being visited in this article, with the severity of rising temperatures impacting this species of wasp's life span.
Algal blooms created ancient whale graveyard.
Andrew Robbertz
Author: Sarah Zielinski
Published: February 28, 2014
Article Link: https: //www.sciencenews.org/blog/wild-things/algal-blooms-created-ancient-whale-graveyard
Summary: In 2010, in the barren Atacama Desert of northern Chile, Came across a curious site while expanding a highway through the desert. In the rock were buried the fossils of many whales and other marine mammals. Researchers were able to remove some of the fossils and take 3D scans of others. The scans, which kept the orientation of the bones allowed the researchers to reason the cause of their death. The orientation suggested that the mammals had been washed onto a beach, where they were rapidly buried. They believed they had been washed ashore between 6 and 9 million years ago. They believed they had died to a similar cause to many whales around Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1987 and 1988. These waled were killed from eating Atlantic mackerel that had been contaminated with a neurotoxin produced by an algal bloom. A high iron runoff from the Andes Mountains often causes an algal bloom on the west coast of South America. On the beach the skeletons would be preserved as there were no wakes crashing on them and no predators to pick them apart.
Relevance: This article connects to our unit on Microbes, and the section that focused on algae. The algae blooms that were caused 9 million years ago, and causing mass deaths is continuing today with the death of the wales off of Cape Cod. The algae that killed the whales produced a neurotoxin that was harmless to the smaller organisms that ate the algae, but because of biomagnification the concentration of the toxin became denser, and was in a high enough concentration to kill the wales. A similar thing is happening today in the Gulf of Mexico. Runoff from farms along the Mississippi river dump into the Gulf of Mexico, causing algal bloom. The algae create a dead zone, where the water is deprived of oxygen. This is killing many species of fish as well as destroying coral reefs.
Author: Sarah Zielinski
Published: February 28, 2014
Article Link: https: //www.sciencenews.org/blog/wild-things/algal-blooms-created-ancient-whale-graveyard
Summary: In 2010, in the barren Atacama Desert of northern Chile, Came across a curious site while expanding a highway through the desert. In the rock were buried the fossils of many whales and other marine mammals. Researchers were able to remove some of the fossils and take 3D scans of others. The scans, which kept the orientation of the bones allowed the researchers to reason the cause of their death. The orientation suggested that the mammals had been washed onto a beach, where they were rapidly buried. They believed they had been washed ashore between 6 and 9 million years ago. They believed they had died to a similar cause to many whales around Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1987 and 1988. These waled were killed from eating Atlantic mackerel that had been contaminated with a neurotoxin produced by an algal bloom. A high iron runoff from the Andes Mountains often causes an algal bloom on the west coast of South America. On the beach the skeletons would be preserved as there were no wakes crashing on them and no predators to pick them apart.
Relevance: This article connects to our unit on Microbes, and the section that focused on algae. The algae blooms that were caused 9 million years ago, and causing mass deaths is continuing today with the death of the wales off of Cape Cod. The algae that killed the whales produced a neurotoxin that was harmless to the smaller organisms that ate the algae, but because of biomagnification the concentration of the toxin became denser, and was in a high enough concentration to kill the wales. A similar thing is happening today in the Gulf of Mexico. Runoff from farms along the Mississippi river dump into the Gulf of Mexico, causing algal bloom. The algae create a dead zone, where the water is deprived of oxygen. This is killing many species of fish as well as destroying coral reefs.
Team models photosynthesis, finds room for improvement
Marisa Patel
Published: March 4, 2014
Author: J. M. McGrath
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140304113536.htm
Summary:
Professor Stephen Long from University of Illinois led a study to test if adding a higher concentration of carbon dioxide in plant leaves could increase the photosynthesis efficiency. The team took genes from cyanobacteria to test on a computer model identical to plants, to see the effect on photosynthesis. They chose to use cyanobacteria because it containes carboxysomes which contain carbon dioxide. After the test, the team concluded that the carboxysomes, both, worked and did not work to enhance photosynthesis. It enhanced photosynthesis in crops such as soybean, rice, and cassava. They calculated that by adding 8 times the amount of carboxysomes could result in 60% more photosynthesis. By knowing the mechanisms for modeling photosynthesis, it helps to know which manipulations cause fruitful results, rather than wasting time and money on experiments that could fail. Professor Long admitted that it could take around 5 years for the experimentation to result in a model plant, and about 15 to 20 years for a live crop plant. He also said that these types of experiments are very crucial to the market because the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said there will be a 70% percent growth in the crop business, so any innovation regarding crops is very useful.
Connection:
This connects to the Plant Diversity unit because we are learning how plants need to take advantage of as much photosynthesis as possible, because it is there main nutrition source besides roots. We also learned how carbon dioxide in the air is necessary in the process of photosynthesis, so therefore it is necessary for plants to be able to have a high amount of carbon dioxide in able to promote as much photosynthesis as possible. We also learned about the process of Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration in the past units, and that unit connects to this article because the team is studying ways to improve the frequency of photosynthesis.
Published: March 4, 2014
Author: J. M. McGrath
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140304113536.htm
Summary:
Professor Stephen Long from University of Illinois led a study to test if adding a higher concentration of carbon dioxide in plant leaves could increase the photosynthesis efficiency. The team took genes from cyanobacteria to test on a computer model identical to plants, to see the effect on photosynthesis. They chose to use cyanobacteria because it containes carboxysomes which contain carbon dioxide. After the test, the team concluded that the carboxysomes, both, worked and did not work to enhance photosynthesis. It enhanced photosynthesis in crops such as soybean, rice, and cassava. They calculated that by adding 8 times the amount of carboxysomes could result in 60% more photosynthesis. By knowing the mechanisms for modeling photosynthesis, it helps to know which manipulations cause fruitful results, rather than wasting time and money on experiments that could fail. Professor Long admitted that it could take around 5 years for the experimentation to result in a model plant, and about 15 to 20 years for a live crop plant. He also said that these types of experiments are very crucial to the market because the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said there will be a 70% percent growth in the crop business, so any innovation regarding crops is very useful.
Connection:
This connects to the Plant Diversity unit because we are learning how plants need to take advantage of as much photosynthesis as possible, because it is there main nutrition source besides roots. We also learned how carbon dioxide in the air is necessary in the process of photosynthesis, so therefore it is necessary for plants to be able to have a high amount of carbon dioxide in able to promote as much photosynthesis as possible. We also learned about the process of Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration in the past units, and that unit connects to this article because the team is studying ways to improve the frequency of photosynthesis.
The First Animals Helped Oxygenate the Ocean
Thanoshi Balasuriya
Source: University of Exeter
Published: March 9, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140309150540.htm
Summary:
The common understanding is that the oxygenation of the ocean caused the development of animals. However, researchers have a new theory that the evolution of the first animals may have caused that oxygenation instead of the other way around. Of course, this oxygenation then did lead to more complex animals, but not the first animals. Sponges require very little oxygen, and therefore it was possible for them to have developed with the early Earth conditions. These sponges filtered out particles of organic material while pumping water out. This then lessened the demand for oxygen, since the ocean oxygen levels versus the organic material levels were now balanced, and thus the ocean was oxygenated. The productivity of the oceanic ecosystem was also reduced because phosphorus was no longer needed in the ecosystem, causing less oxygen to be needed, and therefore not trapped. Once the ocean became oxygenated with the help of these first animals, there were more suitable conditions for more complex, mobile animals to evolve and develop.
Connection:
In class, we learned that because of photosynthetic cyanobacteria, the carbon in the atmosphere was trapped, and oxygen was produced. This then led to the atmospheric oxygen levels to increase rapidly and the chemical composition of the atmosphere was predominantly oxygen based. Therefore, the first animals were able to develop and evolve, using the oxygen from the atmosphere. However, this article contradicts this theory about the evolution and development of the first animals. This says that instead of the first animals developing because of the high oxygen levels, the first animals actually themselves helped oxygenate the ocean, thus allowing for more complex animals to evolve and develop. These first animals were heterotrophic and used existing organic material in the ocean to help oxygenate the ocean, whereas in class, we learned that autotrophic photosynthetic organisms were the cause for atmospheric oxygen levels to be raised.
Source: University of Exeter
Published: March 9, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140309150540.htm
Summary:
The common understanding is that the oxygenation of the ocean caused the development of animals. However, researchers have a new theory that the evolution of the first animals may have caused that oxygenation instead of the other way around. Of course, this oxygenation then did lead to more complex animals, but not the first animals. Sponges require very little oxygen, and therefore it was possible for them to have developed with the early Earth conditions. These sponges filtered out particles of organic material while pumping water out. This then lessened the demand for oxygen, since the ocean oxygen levels versus the organic material levels were now balanced, and thus the ocean was oxygenated. The productivity of the oceanic ecosystem was also reduced because phosphorus was no longer needed in the ecosystem, causing less oxygen to be needed, and therefore not trapped. Once the ocean became oxygenated with the help of these first animals, there were more suitable conditions for more complex, mobile animals to evolve and develop.
Connection:
In class, we learned that because of photosynthetic cyanobacteria, the carbon in the atmosphere was trapped, and oxygen was produced. This then led to the atmospheric oxygen levels to increase rapidly and the chemical composition of the atmosphere was predominantly oxygen based. Therefore, the first animals were able to develop and evolve, using the oxygen from the atmosphere. However, this article contradicts this theory about the evolution and development of the first animals. This says that instead of the first animals developing because of the high oxygen levels, the first animals actually themselves helped oxygenate the ocean, thus allowing for more complex animals to evolve and develop. These first animals were heterotrophic and used existing organic material in the ocean to help oxygenate the ocean, whereas in class, we learned that autotrophic photosynthetic organisms were the cause for atmospheric oxygen levels to be raised.
'Tree of Life' Distances are No Shortcut to Conservation
Adhirath Bollapragada
Publisher: University of Oxford
Published: 9 March 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140309171648.htm
Summary:
Some conservation strategies assume that the evolutionary distances between species on a phylogenetic 'tree of life' (a branching diagram of species popularized by Charles Darwin) can be used to predict how diverse their biological features will be. These distances are then used to select which species to conserve in order to maximize interesting biological features -- such as potentially useful drug compounds and resilience to climate change. But a new analysis of data from 223 studies of animals, plants, and fungi, shows that methods based on such distances are often no better at conserving interesting biological features than picking species at random.
Connection:
This article connects to our unit of Evolution. There is a clear connection between the idea of a phylogeny tree and how evolution can be diagramed by a phylogeny tree. In this article, Oxford explains how the distances between organisms, or in this scenario trees, can explain the diverse biological features. However what is interesting about this article, that connects back to the unit of evolution, is how distances in organisms and the affect of climate can really have various or no distinct change in biological features that are interesting. This article has multiple places where it can be connected to the unit of Evolution, and it is very interesting.
Publisher: University of Oxford
Published: 9 March 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140309171648.htm
Summary:
Some conservation strategies assume that the evolutionary distances between species on a phylogenetic 'tree of life' (a branching diagram of species popularized by Charles Darwin) can be used to predict how diverse their biological features will be. These distances are then used to select which species to conserve in order to maximize interesting biological features -- such as potentially useful drug compounds and resilience to climate change. But a new analysis of data from 223 studies of animals, plants, and fungi, shows that methods based on such distances are often no better at conserving interesting biological features than picking species at random.
Connection:
This article connects to our unit of Evolution. There is a clear connection between the idea of a phylogeny tree and how evolution can be diagramed by a phylogeny tree. In this article, Oxford explains how the distances between organisms, or in this scenario trees, can explain the diverse biological features. However what is interesting about this article, that connects back to the unit of evolution, is how distances in organisms and the affect of climate can really have various or no distinct change in biological features that are interesting. This article has multiple places where it can be connected to the unit of Evolution, and it is very interesting.
Horsetail spores don't need legs to jump
Sophia Li
Author: Susan Milius
Published: September 10, 2013
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/horsetail-spores-dont-need-legs-jump
Summary
Although they lack legs, the spores of spiky horsetail plants can jump about 200 times their body length. Equisetum (horsetail) spores are spherical bodies with four flexible arms called elaters. Elaters are long, double-layered ribbons that wrap around the main body of each spore. These elaters uncurl when the air humidity lowers, nudging the spore along in a small "walking step." Physicist Philippe Marmottant of the University of Grenoble in France noticed that these spores make speedy leaps after being soaked. When the elaters dry out, they can uncurl very quickly and launch the micro spores into jump about as high as a centimeter- often carrying them to a new home. Once the humidity rises again, the elaters curl up back up, preparing to make another jump when they dry out. According to Marmottant, uncurling begins when humidity drops below about 75 percent. The direction in which the spore moves, or whether it will "walk"or "jump" is unpredictable. Horsetail spores sometimes clump as well. These clumps move faster than individual spores, as they have more elaters facing outwards than individual spores. Elaters are unique to horsetail spores. These spores in motion have inspired Marmottant and his colleagues to develop a robot that moves like a horsetail spore, although they do not yet know what they will do with it.
Connection
This article relates to our study of plants and spores. As a part of our study of plants, we learned about the different kinds of plants, including pteridophytes. This article discusses horsetails, which are pteridophytes that grow in marshy, sandy areas. We also learned in this unit how many plants, such as pteridophytes, use spores as a means of reproduction. Previously in this term, we learned that spores are used in fungal reproduction as well. Many spores are dispersed through the wind, while others are flagellated and can swim through water. Horsetail spores are dispersed in yet another method, as they use elaters to propel them to new locations.
Author: Susan Milius
Published: September 10, 2013
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/horsetail-spores-dont-need-legs-jump
Summary
Although they lack legs, the spores of spiky horsetail plants can jump about 200 times their body length. Equisetum (horsetail) spores are spherical bodies with four flexible arms called elaters. Elaters are long, double-layered ribbons that wrap around the main body of each spore. These elaters uncurl when the air humidity lowers, nudging the spore along in a small "walking step." Physicist Philippe Marmottant of the University of Grenoble in France noticed that these spores make speedy leaps after being soaked. When the elaters dry out, they can uncurl very quickly and launch the micro spores into jump about as high as a centimeter- often carrying them to a new home. Once the humidity rises again, the elaters curl up back up, preparing to make another jump when they dry out. According to Marmottant, uncurling begins when humidity drops below about 75 percent. The direction in which the spore moves, or whether it will "walk"or "jump" is unpredictable. Horsetail spores sometimes clump as well. These clumps move faster than individual spores, as they have more elaters facing outwards than individual spores. Elaters are unique to horsetail spores. These spores in motion have inspired Marmottant and his colleagues to develop a robot that moves like a horsetail spore, although they do not yet know what they will do with it.
Connection
This article relates to our study of plants and spores. As a part of our study of plants, we learned about the different kinds of plants, including pteridophytes. This article discusses horsetails, which are pteridophytes that grow in marshy, sandy areas. We also learned in this unit how many plants, such as pteridophytes, use spores as a means of reproduction. Previously in this term, we learned that spores are used in fungal reproduction as well. Many spores are dispersed through the wind, while others are flagellated and can swim through water. Horsetail spores are dispersed in yet another method, as they use elaters to propel them to new locations.
Deer Proliferation Disrupts a Forest's Natural Growth
Carter Terranova
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140308095500.htm
Author: Not given
Date Published: Mar. 8, 2014
Summary:
Recent studies show that deer are preventing natural establishment of forests by preferring to eat native, woody species over non-native (invasive) species. To get these results, Cornell University conducted an experiment where they examined soil cores from inside and outside a fenced deer exclosure. After retrieving the cores, they observed that the cores from inside the exclosure had many more seeds from invasive species, and outside the exclosure had more seeds from native species. Cornell's conclusion was that deer choose their forests for the kinds of trees in them, while at the same time disrupt the forests' natural growth. Not only are the deer affecting the plant life above ground by promoting the growth of thorny invasive species, but are also affecting below the surface by creating a divergence of seeds in the soil from what really should be there. There are less seeds of woody plants and more of non-native seeds that threatal the elimination of woody plant seeds.
Connection:
This article connects to the ecosystems unit and the plants unit. Throughout the ecosystems unit we learned about competition between species of plants and animals. Each organism will try to reproduce more of its species and create more plants in this case where there will be more of that particular species than the other species of plants it is competing against. The non-native species are competing against the native species, and along with the help of the deer, the non-native species is reproducing more than the native species because the deer are eating more of the native, woody species than the non-native ones. In the plants unit, we learned how plants reproduce and create food by photosynthesis with their leaves. The deer are eating these parts of the plants that create the food for them to get the energy to create their reproductive parts, which is not allowing them to balance out the deer eating their leaves and food being made so they can reproduce. Therefore, the deer are eating the native plants' leaves and are not allowing those plants to reproduce, allowing the non-native plants to spread their seeds and begin to outcompete the native plants.
Flower Loss Doomed the Mammoths
Becky Nitschelm
Author: Stephen Ornes
Published: Feb 27 2014
https://student.societyforscience.org/article/flower-loss-doomed-mammoths
Summary: A new study shows that mammoths may have gone extinct do to the decrease of there main food, a type of flower called forbs. Before this study, many scientist thought that between 50,000 and 12,000 years ago, mammoths roamed grass filled fields, eating mostly grass. However, the study has shown that in fact mammoth's diets were about 63% forbs, 27% grasses. To find out the diet of these mammoths, the scientists looked at fossilized feces. Therefore, at the end of the ice age, when everything was melting and the lands were become wetter, many of the forbs could not survive. Other plants like cotton grass, willows, and horsetails soon out competed the forbs. Another scientist however, does not agree with this hypothesis. Michael Hofreiter, a biologist from the University of Potsman, has a different idea. He believes that the mammoths did not die out because of the lack of forbs as food. He says that the biggest decrease of forbs happened after the mammoths had already become extinct.
Connection: This term in science we have been talking about both animals and plants and the effects of the environment on them. Because of the change in temperature, which caused the melting of ice and increased wetness, the forbs, in order to stay alive, had to adapt, just like the water plants that adapted to fill the open niches on land. However, because they could not adapt, they were out competed for, which also connects to our study of evolution. In addition, this article connects to the fact about organisms being reliant on one another. The forbs becoming less common could have caused the mammoths to become extinct
Author: Stephen Ornes
Published: Feb 27 2014
https://student.societyforscience.org/article/flower-loss-doomed-mammoths
Summary: A new study shows that mammoths may have gone extinct do to the decrease of there main food, a type of flower called forbs. Before this study, many scientist thought that between 50,000 and 12,000 years ago, mammoths roamed grass filled fields, eating mostly grass. However, the study has shown that in fact mammoth's diets were about 63% forbs, 27% grasses. To find out the diet of these mammoths, the scientists looked at fossilized feces. Therefore, at the end of the ice age, when everything was melting and the lands were become wetter, many of the forbs could not survive. Other plants like cotton grass, willows, and horsetails soon out competed the forbs. Another scientist however, does not agree with this hypothesis. Michael Hofreiter, a biologist from the University of Potsman, has a different idea. He believes that the mammoths did not die out because of the lack of forbs as food. He says that the biggest decrease of forbs happened after the mammoths had already become extinct.
Connection: This term in science we have been talking about both animals and plants and the effects of the environment on them. Because of the change in temperature, which caused the melting of ice and increased wetness, the forbs, in order to stay alive, had to adapt, just like the water plants that adapted to fill the open niches on land. However, because they could not adapt, they were out competed for, which also connects to our study of evolution. In addition, this article connects to the fact about organisms being reliant on one another. The forbs becoming less common could have caused the mammoths to become extinct
The Remnants of Prehistoric Plant Pollen Reveal that Humans Shaped Forests 11,000 Years Ago
Sarah Jackman
Author: Josie Garthwaite
Published: March 5, 2014
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/remnants-prehistoric-plant-pollen-reveal-humans-shaped-forests-11000-years-ago-180949985/?no-ist
Summary:
A study was conducted in which paleocologist, Chris Hunt, collected and analyzed pollen from the tropical rain forests of southeast Asia in countries such as Borneo, Vietnam, and Thailand. Previous scientists believed the rain forests had been almost untouched by human influences, but in fact, the pollen showed evidence that humans had "shaped the landscape" for thousands of years. 11,000 years ago, humans imported seeds, cleared land, and cultivated plants for food. In tropical rain forests, it is hard to detect former human habitation due limited areal view(due to the canopy) and slow excavation. Pollen was used because it could survive for thousands of years. Hunt found evidence of fruiting trees, which indicated people cleared the forest vegetation to plant them. Pollen was also taken from areas of the rain forests in one region that were isolated and unlikely that any humans would have inhabited. The pollen samples were compared to find out if they had similar succession patterns because they were under the same conditions. The samples did not match up, which implied that humans interfered with the natural succession of the plants by clearing and cultivating the land. Throughout history all over the world, pre-agricultural people burned areas to improve hunting and promote growth of weedy edible plants. Also, some pollen from 6,500 years ago contained charcoal evidence of fire.
Connection:
This article connects to what we have learned about in class this current unit, as well as past units. The researcher Chris Hunt used the pollen to find evidence. We learned in class how pollen contains the male sperm. Pollen is in abundance in the rain forest because there are so many plants there. Pollen can also survive harsh environments for a substantial length of time. It is likely there was a mix of wind pollinated plants and animal pollination plants because there is such a diversity of plants in the rain forest. In class, we also learned about the difference between wind and animal pollinated plants such as that wind pollination occurs in gymnosperms and angiosperms while animal pollination only occurs in angiosperms. This connects to previous term units including biomes, and isolation.The article focuses on the rain forests in east Asia.We discussed in class how the amount of rainfall and climate in rain forest regions were the cause of the diversity of plants. We also discussed how isolation can lead to the adaptive radiation of species of plants and animals.
Author: Josie Garthwaite
Published: March 5, 2014
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/remnants-prehistoric-plant-pollen-reveal-humans-shaped-forests-11000-years-ago-180949985/?no-ist
Summary:
A study was conducted in which paleocologist, Chris Hunt, collected and analyzed pollen from the tropical rain forests of southeast Asia in countries such as Borneo, Vietnam, and Thailand. Previous scientists believed the rain forests had been almost untouched by human influences, but in fact, the pollen showed evidence that humans had "shaped the landscape" for thousands of years. 11,000 years ago, humans imported seeds, cleared land, and cultivated plants for food. In tropical rain forests, it is hard to detect former human habitation due limited areal view(due to the canopy) and slow excavation. Pollen was used because it could survive for thousands of years. Hunt found evidence of fruiting trees, which indicated people cleared the forest vegetation to plant them. Pollen was also taken from areas of the rain forests in one region that were isolated and unlikely that any humans would have inhabited. The pollen samples were compared to find out if they had similar succession patterns because they were under the same conditions. The samples did not match up, which implied that humans interfered with the natural succession of the plants by clearing and cultivating the land. Throughout history all over the world, pre-agricultural people burned areas to improve hunting and promote growth of weedy edible plants. Also, some pollen from 6,500 years ago contained charcoal evidence of fire.
Connection:
This article connects to what we have learned about in class this current unit, as well as past units. The researcher Chris Hunt used the pollen to find evidence. We learned in class how pollen contains the male sperm. Pollen is in abundance in the rain forest because there are so many plants there. Pollen can also survive harsh environments for a substantial length of time. It is likely there was a mix of wind pollinated plants and animal pollination plants because there is such a diversity of plants in the rain forest. In class, we also learned about the difference between wind and animal pollinated plants such as that wind pollination occurs in gymnosperms and angiosperms while animal pollination only occurs in angiosperms. This connects to previous term units including biomes, and isolation.The article focuses on the rain forests in east Asia.We discussed in class how the amount of rainfall and climate in rain forest regions were the cause of the diversity of plants. We also discussed how isolation can lead to the adaptive radiation of species of plants and animals.
In fight against parasites, Barberry sacrifices seeds depending on survival chance
Isabelle Terranova
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140304071204.htm
Author: No Author Given
Publishing Date: March 4, 2014
Summary:
Scientists from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the University of Göttingen have concluded from their investigations on Barberry that plants have the ability to make complex decisions. When Barberry plants are infested with parasites, they abort their seeds. This is an effort to prevent the infestation. This is because the parasite feeds on the seeds that are inside the fruit, if the plant senses that a parasite has laid eggs inside it's fruit it will stop developing the seeds inside that fruit. This will starve the larva and prevent it from spreading. The other seeds are then saved and have a greater chance of being planted. This discovery shows that plants have the ability to remember things. It also shows that they can sense conditions inside and outside of them. Not only this but hey can predict future conditions and make changes to better themselves for future situations. This discovery is ground breaking and exciting.
Connection:
The article connects to what we learned in the plant and ecosystem units. It connects to plants because the Barberry is a plant. It talks about the fruit of the plant that encase the seeds and protect them. They protect the seeds up to a certain point, but the parasite can still get in the fruit and devour the seeds. This is when the plant aborts the seeds in order to protect the other ones. This is a survival strategy and an adaptation to protect from the parasite. The plants with this adaptation will outcompete the other plants without it, like in the article.The scientist observed that the Oregon Grape, a very similar plant to the Barberry, has a higher density of larva because the Oregon Grape doesn't have the adaptation;"a highly specialized species of tephritid fruit fly, whose larvae actually feed on the seeds of the native Barberry, was found to have a tenfold higher population density on its new host plant, the Oregon grape,". The article connects to the ecosystems unit because this is an example of a parasitic relationship. The parasite uses the plant as a place to lay it's eggs. It also feed son the seeds. The parasite benefits while harming the plant. This article s relevant to our class in many ways.
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140304071204.htm
Author: No Author Given
Publishing Date: March 4, 2014
Summary:
Scientists from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the University of Göttingen have concluded from their investigations on Barberry that plants have the ability to make complex decisions. When Barberry plants are infested with parasites, they abort their seeds. This is an effort to prevent the infestation. This is because the parasite feeds on the seeds that are inside the fruit, if the plant senses that a parasite has laid eggs inside it's fruit it will stop developing the seeds inside that fruit. This will starve the larva and prevent it from spreading. The other seeds are then saved and have a greater chance of being planted. This discovery shows that plants have the ability to remember things. It also shows that they can sense conditions inside and outside of them. Not only this but hey can predict future conditions and make changes to better themselves for future situations. This discovery is ground breaking and exciting.
Connection:
The article connects to what we learned in the plant and ecosystem units. It connects to plants because the Barberry is a plant. It talks about the fruit of the plant that encase the seeds and protect them. They protect the seeds up to a certain point, but the parasite can still get in the fruit and devour the seeds. This is when the plant aborts the seeds in order to protect the other ones. This is a survival strategy and an adaptation to protect from the parasite. The plants with this adaptation will outcompete the other plants without it, like in the article.The scientist observed that the Oregon Grape, a very similar plant to the Barberry, has a higher density of larva because the Oregon Grape doesn't have the adaptation;"a highly specialized species of tephritid fruit fly, whose larvae actually feed on the seeds of the native Barberry, was found to have a tenfold higher population density on its new host plant, the Oregon grape,". The article connects to the ecosystems unit because this is an example of a parasitic relationship. The parasite uses the plant as a place to lay it's eggs. It also feed son the seeds. The parasite benefits while harming the plant. This article s relevant to our class in many ways.
Older Trees Grow Faster
Sophie Antonioli
March 8th, 2014
Author: Bob Grant
Published: January 20, 2014
Link: http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/38914/title/Older-Trees-Grow-Faster/
This article is based on another article, here is this informations for that one-
Author: unknown
Published: January 15th, 2014
Title: Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size
Link: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature12914.html
Summary:
Based on research and analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, it has been found that as trees increase in age they grow faster. As they get older, trees increase in size. If they are larger, that means their leaves are more developed and bigger and so are their trunks. Because of this, they are able to take in more carbon dioxide and perform more photosynthesis. If a tree is producing more glucose and food for itself, it can put that towards growing and do it at a faster rate. Not only are they giving off more carbon but also have the ability to hold an incredible amount because of their larger size. Apparently, in one year, one big and aged tree will release equal amounts of carbon that a mid-sized tree contains in itself.
Connection:
These two articles related to what we have learned in this chapter. For example, the simple way to find a tree's age just by counting its rings. Since the age of the tree's is an important aspect of this study, this method could have been used. We also learned about where photosynthesis occurs in a plant and that is also important in this research. If certain parts of the tree are developed at an older age, then there will be more photosynthesis in those same parts. Chapter 21.1 taught us the specifics about how carbon dioxide enters the stomata so that connects as well. Photosynthesis as a whole was taught to us in Chapter 7 and that connects to this article because it produces glucose, which allows the trees to grow, and it uses carbon dioxide which is one of the variables measured in this research.
March 8th, 2014
Author: Bob Grant
Published: January 20, 2014
Link: http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/38914/title/Older-Trees-Grow-Faster/
This article is based on another article, here is this informations for that one-
Author: unknown
Published: January 15th, 2014
Title: Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size
Link: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature12914.html
Summary:
Based on research and analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, it has been found that as trees increase in age they grow faster. As they get older, trees increase in size. If they are larger, that means their leaves are more developed and bigger and so are their trunks. Because of this, they are able to take in more carbon dioxide and perform more photosynthesis. If a tree is producing more glucose and food for itself, it can put that towards growing and do it at a faster rate. Not only are they giving off more carbon but also have the ability to hold an incredible amount because of their larger size. Apparently, in one year, one big and aged tree will release equal amounts of carbon that a mid-sized tree contains in itself.
Connection:
These two articles related to what we have learned in this chapter. For example, the simple way to find a tree's age just by counting its rings. Since the age of the tree's is an important aspect of this study, this method could have been used. We also learned about where photosynthesis occurs in a plant and that is also important in this research. If certain parts of the tree are developed at an older age, then there will be more photosynthesis in those same parts. Chapter 21.1 taught us the specifics about how carbon dioxide enters the stomata so that connects as well. Photosynthesis as a whole was taught to us in Chapter 7 and that connects to this article because it produces glucose, which allows the trees to grow, and it uses carbon dioxide which is one of the variables measured in this research.
30,000 year-old giant virus found in Siberia
Madhuri Raman
March 9th, 2014
No author given
Published: March
4th, 2014
Summary:
Researchers from
the Information Génomique et Structurale laboratory
have recently discovered a giant virus over 30,000 years old in the frozen
ground of Siberia. It is a virus harmless to humans and animals, but infects amoebae. Previously, scientists believed that they had classified
giant viruses into two families: Megaviridae and Pandoravidae. These viruses,
unlike other more common viruses, contain about 2,500 genes while the new
virus, which has been named Pithovirus
sibericum, only has about 500
genes. The
Pandoravirus and the Pithovirus share similar shapes, which led scientists to
believe that they were actually part of the same family. However, they found
that the Pithovirus has about 500 genes in its genome while the Pandoravirus
has over 2500. They also discovered a difference in the viruses' replication
methods inside amoeba cells. The Pandoravirus mainly requires many parts of the
nucleus to replicate, while the Pithovirus mostly replicates in the amoeba's
cytoplasm and is not as reliant on the amoeba's cellular machinery. Overall, the
Pithovirus has been proven to be very different from any previously classified
giant viruses, making it the first member of a new family of viruses, and
bringing the number of virus families to three.
Connection:
This article relates to our class's study of amoebas, viruses, and even classification. In class, we learned about amoebas and their structure. Although only mentioned in the textbook and not in class, we learned about viruses' shapes and their replication mechanism through the Lytic and Lysogenic cycle. The Pithovirus's shape is somewhat different from a normal virus's shape, but it still shared similar properties with other giant viruses. This virus does not directly attack the amoeba's nucleus, and instead replicates itself in the cytoplasm, which is also different from other known viruses. The article also relates to what we have studied about classification because the discovery of this virus led to the formation of a new family of viruses.
Ancient Virus 'Resurrected' From 30,000-Year-Old Ice In Siberia
Ancient Virus 'Resurrected' From 30,000-Year-Old Ice In Siberia
Ronak Shah
Author-Ed Yong
Date: 03/04/2014
Summary:
This article talks about how recently Jean-Michel Claverie and Chantal Abergel led a group of researchers in the work to try and resurrect a virus in Siberia. This virus is one of the largest ever found, at 1.5 micrometers long it rivals the size of some small bacteria and has double stranded bacteria. The virus is also still infectious but only attacks amoeba. There are many surprising properties. Instead of attacking the nucleus, it creates virus factories in the host's cytoplasm. The most surprising part however, is the fact that though the virus is very large, it has a very small genome. It was thought that a property of a virus was to pack as much info into as small a space as possible but this virus is 150 times less compacted than any bacteriophage we know of. Conclusion:
This article directly relates back to our studies on microbes and viruses. This article relates to many of the studies we did on viruses because we learned about the shape of this huge virus is a little different than the traditional head-tail orientation. Also we studied both the Lytic and Lysogenic cycle and how bacteria normally recreate themselves and this giant virus is closer to the Lytic to the Lysogenic from what I have read. This also relates a little to what we have done on DNA because this virus is advanced in that it contains a double stranded DNA rather than a single stranded RNA. This also helps us relate it to our study on the volution of microbes because even though we know that it is not that old only 30000 years, RNA was a more simple way of copying genetic information so it is possible its origination is old.
Viruses in 700-year-old human feces have antibiotic resistance genes
Matthew He
Summary: Scientists have excavated uncovered latrines dating back to the 1300s in Belgium. After the specimen was carefully collected, the team carefully analyzed the substance, finding phages, or viruses, rather than Eukaryotes like plants or fungi. They compared the fossilized sample's DNA virome with the viromes of 21 modern human stool specimens and found that many of the viral sequences were related to viruses known today to infect bacteria in stools. This demonstrates how the human gastrointestinal tract has remained unchanged after so many centuries, even in the wake of changing diets and conditions. It also supports the theory that the viral community plays a vital role in the human gut and human health in general. Of the genes found in the phage, the team found antibiotic resistance genes and genes resistant to toxic compounds, which is a normal part of life, as toxins and antibiotics are common in nature.
9 March 2014
Written by Marie Ellis
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/273386.php
Connection: This is a direct relation to bacteria, and especially bacteria with resistant properties. For our term lab, we discussed the properties of natural antibiotics as an alternative to antibiotic resistant bacteria. However this discovery shows that resistance isn't always fostered by overuse of antibiotics, as there were none in the 1300s. However, it connects the principles of genetic variation and shows that viruses and phages helped humans, and haven't changed much in 700 years. The evidence demonstrates that indeed viruses and phages play an important role in human health, as the fact that they haven't changed shows that in some way the viruses must play a positive role in some way to the human gut.
Deer are Killing our Trees
Doran Teverovsky
No author given
March 8th, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140308095500.htm
Summary: This article is correlating booming deer populations, and growth of invasive species. Deer prefer to eat native, woody, plants. When these plants are eaten, it gives invasive species more of an opportunity to spread. A normal progression for a forest is grasses to shrubs to trees. When a large population of deer are introduced to an area, they interrupt the progression from shrubs to trees. When this occurs, other invasive plants and shrubs like buckthorn and multiflora rose. This also leads to barren soil, and greatly reduced biomass of plants.
Connection: This is a direct relation to ecosystems, and ecological threats, as well as plants and animals, and how trees reproduce. As the deer ate the seeds, they were both directly and indirectly threatening the forest. By eating too many seeds, there was less reproduction of trees in forests where there were large populations of deer. In addition, the invasive species also boomed crowding out trees because of the deer inhibiting the growth of native, woody trees. Also, this has to do with the reproduction strategies of trees. Deer help them reproduce, but with so many deer in a small area, the trees aren't maturing enough for them to fully create seeds.
No author given
March 8th, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140308095500.htm
Summary: This article is correlating booming deer populations, and growth of invasive species. Deer prefer to eat native, woody, plants. When these plants are eaten, it gives invasive species more of an opportunity to spread. A normal progression for a forest is grasses to shrubs to trees. When a large population of deer are introduced to an area, they interrupt the progression from shrubs to trees. When this occurs, other invasive plants and shrubs like buckthorn and multiflora rose. This also leads to barren soil, and greatly reduced biomass of plants.
Connection: This is a direct relation to ecosystems, and ecological threats, as well as plants and animals, and how trees reproduce. As the deer ate the seeds, they were both directly and indirectly threatening the forest. By eating too many seeds, there was less reproduction of trees in forests where there were large populations of deer. In addition, the invasive species also boomed crowding out trees because of the deer inhibiting the growth of native, woody trees. Also, this has to do with the reproduction strategies of trees. Deer help them reproduce, but with so many deer in a small area, the trees aren't maturing enough for them to fully create seeds.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Key Enzyme Found in Disease-Causing Bacteria Responsible for Heart Valve Disease
Shruti Suresh
Period 2 Mathieu
Biology Honors
8 March 2014
Published: 5 March 2014
Author: Sathya Achia Abraham
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140305125245.htm
Summary:
On March 5th, 2014, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Philips Institute for Oral Health research in the School of Dentistry, led a preclinical study which resulted in a discovery of a vital enzyme in a disease-causing bacterium. In order to cause a serious heart infection, the disease-causing bacterium, which is found in the mouth, needs manganese. This discovery may lead to new findings to solve the mystery why certain bacteria need manganese to cause diseases. Earlier this week, researchers confirmed that manganese provides the necessary building blocks to make DNA. When the Virginia Commonwealth University team eradicated this enzyme or the protein that attaches the manganese to the enzyme, the bacterium could not cause the heart disease, endocarditis, nor could survive. According to corresponding author Todd Kitten, Ph.D., associate professor at the Phillips Institute for Oral Health Research at the VCU School of Dentistry, "The best antibiotics attack parts of a bacterium that are critical for bacterial survival, but are not found in human cells." As stated by Kitten, this manganese-needing bacteria fulfills both conditions because without manganese, it cannot live, and manganese is not found in human cells.
Connection:
This article directly relates to our curriculum because by studying this bacteria's function and structure, we can try to prevent the risks of endocarditis in humans. For example, because of this study, we now know that the bacteria that causes endocarditis needs the enzyme, manganese to survive and cause the disease. By creating an antibiotic to directly eliminate manganese in the bacterium, we can eliminate the bacteria as well. Eradicating the bacteria results in a prevention of a dangerous heart disease in humans. With this understanding, researchers can look at other disease-causing bacteria and see if they share similar factors with the manganese and help prevent those diseases and save many lives as well.
Oxadiazoles: an anti-adaptive
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140307165953.htm
(highlight and right click to go to website)
summary(summarized by the university of Notre Dame on march 7th 2014): A new class of antibiotics to fight bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other drug-resistant bacteria that threaten public health has been discovered by a team of chemists. The new class, called oxadiazoles, was discovered in silico (by computer) screening and has shown promise in the treatment of MRSA in mouse models of infection. MRSA has become a global public-health problem since the 1960s because of its resistance to antibiotics. In the United States alone, 278,000 people are hospitalized and 19,000 die each year from infections caused by MRSA. Only three drugs currently are effective treatments, and resistance to each of those drugs already exists.
Relevance: This article is relevant to our study of the resistance of antibiotics to the medicines of today. MRSA is a bacteria that has adapted to many of the antibiotics that we commonly use to treat bacteria, such as penicillin. What is interesting about this new class of antibiotics is that it does not kill the bacteria, but "reverses" the adaptations to common drugs so that other drugs can treat is. It is also relevant because this new class of antibiotics is not just an antibiotic, but also is an anti-adaptive(I made that word up)
Deer Disrupt Natural Forest Growth
Leo Scheidemantel
March 8th 2014
No author given
Published: March 8, 2014
Source
Summary
Cornell University did a recent study on how deer impact the natural growth of forests. Surprisingly instead of benefiting the forest's growth the study showed that the deer negatively impacted the forest. The deer preferred eating the native plants and rejected the invasive species. Without the native species the invasive species thrives and reproduces. Another impact the deer had was overgrazing on the plants caused bare soil and less biodiversity of the area. Researchers germinated seeds found in forests with high populations of deer and compared them with germinated seeds from forests with low populations of deer. The forests with high deer population had more invasive species's seeds and fewer native plant's seeds than the forests with lower populations of deer.
Connections
This article relates to our ecosystems unit and our plants unit. In the ecosystem unit we learned about interspecific competition, which in this case the invasive species and the native species of plants are competing with each other. And the deer feed mostly on the native species, which helps the invasive species out-compete the native plants. In the plants unit we learned about plant's different ways of seed dispersal as well as how they grow. The deer feed on the native plants before they are able to reproduce as well as the fact that the deer do not eat the seeds or fruits, they eat the leaves and stems. Without the leaves and stems the native plants are not able to produce enough food for themselves through photosynthesis to grow reproductive parts. The invasive plants however survive and reproduce, even though the deer do not eat them other animals in the forest such as birds may feed on any fruit produced and spread the seeds. Thus further spreading the invasive species and diminishing the native species.
March 8th 2014
No author given
Published: March 8, 2014
Source
Summary
Cornell University did a recent study on how deer impact the natural growth of forests. Surprisingly instead of benefiting the forest's growth the study showed that the deer negatively impacted the forest. The deer preferred eating the native plants and rejected the invasive species. Without the native species the invasive species thrives and reproduces. Another impact the deer had was overgrazing on the plants caused bare soil and less biodiversity of the area. Researchers germinated seeds found in forests with high populations of deer and compared them with germinated seeds from forests with low populations of deer. The forests with high deer population had more invasive species's seeds and fewer native plant's seeds than the forests with lower populations of deer.
Connections
This article relates to our ecosystems unit and our plants unit. In the ecosystem unit we learned about interspecific competition, which in this case the invasive species and the native species of plants are competing with each other. And the deer feed mostly on the native species, which helps the invasive species out-compete the native plants. In the plants unit we learned about plant's different ways of seed dispersal as well as how they grow. The deer feed on the native plants before they are able to reproduce as well as the fact that the deer do not eat the seeds or fruits, they eat the leaves and stems. Without the leaves and stems the native plants are not able to produce enough food for themselves through photosynthesis to grow reproductive parts. The invasive plants however survive and reproduce, even though the deer do not eat them other animals in the forest such as birds may feed on any fruit produced and spread the seeds. Thus further spreading the invasive species and diminishing the native species.
Maize and bacteria: A one-two punch knocks copper out of stamp stand
Megan Zhou
No author given, but is based on materials provided by Michigan Technological University.
Published: March 5, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140305191717.htm
Summary:
Scientists have known for years that bacteria can help remediate contaminated sites, but now Ramakrishna Wusirika, of Michigan Technological University, has discovered that the way you add the bacteria to the plant mix can make a difference. He explains some of the biochemical pathways that allow plants and bacteria to increase the fertility of some of the worst soils, thereby cleaning them. Wusirika focused on the sands of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, which are human-made deserts caused from the remnants of crushed copper ore. Wusirika and his team planted maize in this highly concentrated chemical sand, incorporating bacteria by: mixing it in the stamp seed before planting seed; coating seed with bacteria and planting it; germinating seeds and planting them in soil to which bacteria were added; immersing the roots of maize seedlings in bacteria and planting them in stamp sand, which is the conventional method. After 45 days, as expected, the maize grown with bacteria was significantly larger, from two to five times, and the biggest were those planted as seedlings or as germinated seeds. They also have discovered that the smaller plants pulled more copper out of the stamp sands than the bigger ones. This opens the door to a simple, practical remediation of copper-contaminated soils. Based on the team's research, they believe that the bacteria are improving enzyme activity and increasing soil fertility, partially by freeing phosphorous. The bacteria helps change the copper into a form the plants can take up, enhances photosynthesis and helps the plant make growth hormones.The team believes that this work has applications in remediation, but also in organic agriculture.
Connection:
This article connects to our class' study about the human uses of prokaryotes. Bioremediation, the main focus of this article, is the human's use of other organisms to remove pollutants from water, air, and soil. We learned that cleaning toxic sites was traditionally very expensive, but the use of prokaryotes cuts the cost. This relates to the article because their study shows a simple way of cleaning the copper-contaminated soils. Other bacteria use are attempting to reduce toxins from mine runoff, but is limited due to the bacteria's metabolic processes, such as Thiobacillus adding sulfuric acid to water. From this group's study, the simplicity may not have such a limiting factor, as of now. Also, the team believes that the bacteria has helped the plant by freeing phosphorus that had been locked in the rock. From our studies of plants, we have learned that phosphorus is an essential plant mineral nutrient. It helps nucleic acid and ATP synthesis. Phosphorus is one of the top three nutrients needed, and is often found in fertilizer.
No author given, but is based on materials provided by Michigan Technological University.
Published: March 5, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140305191717.htm
Summary:
Scientists have known for years that bacteria can help remediate contaminated sites, but now Ramakrishna Wusirika, of Michigan Technological University, has discovered that the way you add the bacteria to the plant mix can make a difference. He explains some of the biochemical pathways that allow plants and bacteria to increase the fertility of some of the worst soils, thereby cleaning them. Wusirika focused on the sands of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, which are human-made deserts caused from the remnants of crushed copper ore. Wusirika and his team planted maize in this highly concentrated chemical sand, incorporating bacteria by: mixing it in the stamp seed before planting seed; coating seed with bacteria and planting it; germinating seeds and planting them in soil to which bacteria were added; immersing the roots of maize seedlings in bacteria and planting them in stamp sand, which is the conventional method. After 45 days, as expected, the maize grown with bacteria was significantly larger, from two to five times, and the biggest were those planted as seedlings or as germinated seeds. They also have discovered that the smaller plants pulled more copper out of the stamp sands than the bigger ones. This opens the door to a simple, practical remediation of copper-contaminated soils. Based on the team's research, they believe that the bacteria are improving enzyme activity and increasing soil fertility, partially by freeing phosphorous. The bacteria helps change the copper into a form the plants can take up, enhances photosynthesis and helps the plant make growth hormones.The team believes that this work has applications in remediation, but also in organic agriculture.
Connection:
This article connects to our class' study about the human uses of prokaryotes. Bioremediation, the main focus of this article, is the human's use of other organisms to remove pollutants from water, air, and soil. We learned that cleaning toxic sites was traditionally very expensive, but the use of prokaryotes cuts the cost. This relates to the article because their study shows a simple way of cleaning the copper-contaminated soils. Other bacteria use are attempting to reduce toxins from mine runoff, but is limited due to the bacteria's metabolic processes, such as Thiobacillus adding sulfuric acid to water. From this group's study, the simplicity may not have such a limiting factor, as of now. Also, the team believes that the bacteria has helped the plant by freeing phosphorus that had been locked in the rock. From our studies of plants, we have learned that phosphorus is an essential plant mineral nutrient. It helps nucleic acid and ATP synthesis. Phosphorus is one of the top three nutrients needed, and is often found in fertilizer.
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