How ferns adapted to one of Earth's newest and most extreme environments

Amrita Krishnakumar
Author: University of Bristol
Published: October 23, 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141023142312.htm

Summary: Ferns have been in existence since over 200 years ago, during the Age of the Dinosaurs. However, a type of Fern has been growing in the Andean Mountains. Dr. Patricia Sanchez-Baracaldo and Dr. Gavin Thomas have been experimenting with molecular and morphological to study the unique temperatures and weather patterns of the mountains. In the Andean Mountains the extreme temperatures do not usually grow ferns. This new ecosystem is called the páramo, and was created around 3 to 5 million years ago, when the Andes underwent a major uplifting event. This provided new ecological opportunities for plants to grow and survive in. Higher altitudes cause the temperatures to fluctuate between very cold nights and very hot days. Many plants have adapted to the temperatures by changing their leaf structure and form so that they can survive in the climate. Both Dr.'s responded to the adaptations of the ferns. "These ferns are remarkable because...they quickly evolved a new morphology as a response to new and extreme environmental conditions. It's fascinating to notice that, by a process known as convergent evolution, whereby similar features evolve independently in species of different lineages, cloud forest ferns arrived at the same 'solution' in response to the same environmental pressures." It is truly amazing how the ferns were able to adapt to their surroundings and survive in an area with extreme temperatures.

Connections: This article relates to the last unit that we covered in Biology. In our class, we learnt about the how adaptations help organisms survive in their niches. Apart from the plants and animals adapting, we learnt about competition between different species causing some to become extinct. Although, there were no species competing with the fern, the temperature caused the fern's characteristics to change and allow it to grow in conditions different from it's suggested temperature. During class we also read an article in class called, "But how could a cell evolve?" by Michael J. Behe. In this article, it talked about how evolution did not appear out of thin air, but was a slow and complex process that required intelligence to produce them. The article connected back to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Darwin had developed a theory, that natural selection can change a species in small ways, causing a population to change color or size over the course of several generations. This theory also supports the idea of adaptation. Both of these ideas together describe the phenomenon occurring in the Andes Mountains.

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
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.

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.

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.

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.

Longer Life for Humans Linked to Further Loss of Endangered Species

Jonathan Liu
October 20, 2013

Published: October 9th, 2013

URL:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131009130122.htm

Summary: In a study from the September issue of Ecology and Society, scientists researched 15 social, economic, ecological variables -- from tourism and per capita gross domestic product to water stress and political stability. Then researchers examined their correlations with invasive and endangered birds and mammals. One variable that showed up during this study was human life expectancy. Human life expectancy was shown to be a key predictor of global invasions and extinctions. Wealthier countries (countries with high GDP) tend to have higher life expectancies because they have the money to afford medical expenses. The higher GDP a country has, the more invasive mammals and birds the country had. This was just one of the several findings of the research mentioned in the article. Also. increased life expectancy means that people live longer and affect the planet longer; each year is another year of carbon footprint, ecological footprint, use of natural resources, etc. The magnitude of this impact is increased as more people live longer.



Relevance: One of the things we studied this term were invasive species and factors that caused loss of biodiversity in ecosystems. This article talks about a factor that contributes to invasive birds and mammals, which is human life expectancy. In the study that the article talks about, it also looks at other unique variables that effect biodiversity, such as adult literacy. We also talked about biodiversity and the health of ecosystems in class, and this article talks about human factors that effect ecological health and biodiversity.

"Invisible" Red Lion Fish invade the Caribbean

"Invisible" Red Lion Fish invade the Caribbean

David Chen
October 20, 2013

James Cook University
Published Oct 18, 2013
http://phys.org/news/2013-10-ghost-fish-caribbean.html

Summary:
     Studies by James Cook University scientists Oona Lonnstedt and Professor Mark show the reason for the lionfishes' extreme success in the Caribbean, where it is thriving as an invasive species. Lionfish are native to the Pacific Ocean, but they were accidentally introduced to the Caribbean Basin ecosystem around 30 years ago. The studies show that they are so good at catching prey because, they are almost invisible to the small fish. The Red Lion Fishes' camouflage is so good, that they are virtually undetectable. Studies included two other native predatory fish, and the same small prey fish were forced into interaction with them. The prey fish could not adapt to the lionfish as a threat, and the lionfish could swim up and capture almost every single one of them. This was a big contrast from the other two predatory fish, where they had much lower feeding success. The ability to trick the learning mechanism of prey with their camouflage makes the lionfish very successful, and almost unstoppable.

Connection:
     This article connects to our past unit on ecology. Although the article doesn't go into depth about how the lionfish actually affects the Caribbean Reef Basin i.e. "eating its way through the reef ecosystem" and "viewed as a huge nuisance.", it does explain why the lionfish is so overwhelmingly successful. It connects with our learning of invasive species and how they can change a native ecosystem, often drastically. This article shows exactly how an invasive species is able to thrive so well in a new environment. In this case, the lionfishes' camouflage tricks the native prey fish learning mechanism, and the lionfish is able to thrive and hunt freely.

 

Effects of a Five Degree Celsius Increase in Temprature

Doran Teverovsky 
October, 20, 2013

European Geosciences Union (EGU). "Terrestrial ecosystems at risk of major shifts as   temperatures increase." ScienceDaily, 8 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131008091232.htm

Summary:
In this article, research done by European Geosciences Union is used to show what changes in the environment are liable to occur by the year 2100. It shows that with a 5 degree Celsius increase in temperature, up to 80 percent of the Earth's terrestrial ecosystems are at risk for profound change. Some likely changes could include trees growing in the so formerly frozen tundra, forests transforming into temperate savannas, and even thriving rain forests slowly receding and withering away. The research was done using 150 different climate scenarios of the Earth in 90 years if we change almost nothing in terms of emissions. In addition, they also ran scenarios where we reduce emissions and only raise temperature 2 degrees Celsius. In the reduced emissions scenarios, there was a significant reduction in profound change. In these scenarios, only 20 percent of Earth's terrestrial ecosystems were impacted.

Connection:
In our first unit, we learned about ecosystems and different dangers to there balance and stability. One of the ways we did this was by making mini ecosystems and testing the effects of different variables on them. This research and scenario creation is very similar to what we did with our mini ecosystems. The only difference is that instead of making mini Earth's to run their tests on they used simulations. In addition, it relates to how ecosystems change and basic characteristics of ecosystems. When the article says, "trees growing in the freezing Arctic tundra" this indicates a serious change because we know a major characteristic of the tundra is the permafrost which stops deep root systems from forming. Without that knowledge, that phrase might have been seemingly normal.

Invasive Plant Thrives by Adapting Quickly to Local Climates

Madhuri Raman
October 20th, 2013

Author: Kim Luke
Published: October 17, 2013
http://news.utoronto.ca/invasive-plant-thrives-adapting-quickly-local-climates#

Summary: It was previously thought that invasive species such as purple loosestrife, thrived because of their ability to escape from predators, but research from the University of Toronto has found that more importantly, they are able to thrive based on their ability to adapt to their local climate. As a result, purple loosestrife has been flowering three weeks earlier than they normally would, and are also producing up to 30 times as many seeds. Researchers conducted an experiment using purple loosestrife plants from 3 different latitudes and planted them in areas climatically similar or different to their homelands. They saw that the plants that were grown closer to home had higher growth and reproductive rates, while plants grown in a climate much more different from their homelands had lower rates. The scientists found that northern populations flower at half the size and roughly 20 days earlier than southern populations. They went on to find that early flowering is an adaptive trait found in flowers in the northernmost regions because of an abundance of pollinators and improbability of frost damage. Overall we learned that adaptability is an important characteristic of invasive species.

Connection: In our ecosystems unit and term one project, we discussed how invasive species were harmful to their environment and surroundings. Purple loosestrife, the species used in the above experiment, was mentioned many times in class, and we were able to see examples of its growth and spreading in our school's nature trail. In class, we learned about how invasive species like purple loosestrife were able to survive and thrive in various environments. Specifically, we learned that they have to compete with native species for space and other resources. This article explains why purple loosestrife is able to survive in different environments. In addition to their ability to escape from predators and other natural enemies, they perhaps more importantly, have the naturally selected characteristic of adaptation. This is and important discovery because we learn that the ability to adapt to new surroundings plays an important role in the survival of invasive species. This article complements what we learned in class because we learned about how invasive species thrive and this article teaches us why. 

Climate Change Creates Complicated Consequences for North America's Forests

Carter Terranova
Oct. 21, 2013

Published by: Dartmouth College
Published on: Oct. 15, 2013
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131015103953.htm

Summary:

Climate change has been affecting North American forests in many ways, such as allowing insect outbreaks, plant diseases, and even wildfires. Though, after recent studies Dartmouth College researchers say the increase in temperatures are making some forests grow faster and be less affected by harmful organisms. This can increase forest health, timber production, carbon storage, and water recycling. Tree and plant-killing insects and diseases are natural for forests ecosystems, but with climate change, the "distribution and magnitude of forest pestilence" is being altered very quickly. Also, climate change is altering the biodiversity of the ecosystems, too. One example of this is the pine bark beetle, which has killed trees over more area in the U.S. than wildfires have, this is due the climate change. Over the last 50 years, the coldest winter night temperature averages have increased by 7 degrees, which has caused population explosions in bark beetles because the forests were protected by the coldness of the forests a night, though now they aren't because of the climate change. Also, invasive species are able to become established because of this.

Connection:

The connection to our Ecology unit is the biodiversity in the forests and what happens if a population becomes too big or too small. In the ecosystems unit we learned that biodiversity is very important because it means that if there is a change in the environment, more species will be able to survive and adapt to the changes. In the forests, this is key to the situation because the beetles were able to adapt to the climate change. The biodiversity in the forest lead to the increase in the pine bark beetle because of their ability to adapt to the increase in temperatures. This lead to them killing more trees over more area then ever before. Also, in the ecosystems unit we learned that the way species interact with one another is very important in the respect of the sizes of the populations. The connection is that the beetle's population became too big because of the increase in the temperature and then since the tree's population didn't increase also, the beetles killed off many of the trees. The beetle's population became too large and since they all still needed to eat, they ate the trees, and ended up killing many trees because the populations were not balanced.

Nutrient pollution threatens national park ecosystems, study says

Megan Zhou

Author: Tony Barboza

Published: October 14 2013

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-national-park-fertilize-nitrogen-air-pollution-20131014,0,6264129.story?track=rss

Summary:

National Parks are becoming fertilized by unneeded nutrients coming through the air from human activities such as agricultural operations. The increase of those nutrients, such as nitrogen, cause these natural landscapes to be at risk from ecological damage, says a new study. The study says that the changes to the lichen communities may be the sign of other ecosystem changes that will eventually alter the function and structure of the community. Although plants need nitrogen to grow, too much of it is harmful as it can disrupt the cycling of nutrients in the soil, lower the pH of water, and promote algae blooms. The air pollution regulations have been reducing the nitrogen oxides from fuel combustion steadily, but ammonia is still coming from fertilizers and livestock. A professor at Harvard University says that the ammonia production is, if anything, going up. The study projected that ammonia from agriculture could rise by up to 50% as the U.S. population grows. As of now, there is no effort to control ammonia emission, but there should be in order to protect the national parks from the effects of nitrogen deposition.

Connection:

This article relates to our studies on the nitrogen cycle's impact on ecosystems. The study shows that in national parks close to concentrated industry, the nitrogen deposition is worst. We learned that human activities impact the nitrogen cycle primarily by moving large amounts of nitrogen compounds into the water or air. The exhaust pipes from human activities can release nitrogen, and sulfur, compounds into the atmosphere where they will combine with water and precipitate as acid rain. This study says that lichen may be the signal that changes will occur that will affect the function and structure of the community as a whole, which relates to our study of ecology because we learned that lichen is one of the first species to inhabit a place from primary succession. We learned that algae blooms may cause eutrophication, which eventually makes the oxygen levels in water too low so that it cannot support other organisms. This article connects back to our study in class about the human activities' impact on other species in communities.

Has Plant Life Reached Its Limits?

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Sophia Li
Published September 20, 2012

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/20/has-plant-life-reached-its-limits/?ref=flowersandplants

Summery:

Dr. Steven Running has said that humans are coming close to the finite limit of plant life on Earth. His study suggests that no matter how much us humans try to increase the amount of plant growth each year, it is not possible because we have almost reached a limit. Dr. Running calls the plant limit a planetary boundary that cannot be crossed without major consequences. Nine of these boundaries were already identified. He also mentions that the current extinction rate is 100 times the natural rate. Dr. Running's research has also shown that while in colder climates plant life is increasing because of warming global temperatures, plant life in areas of warmth and drought have decreased. Dr. Running cautions that if nothing is done to stop this decrease of plant life, there could be a possible mass starvation in the future.

Connection:

This article relates to our discussion of plants. Since humans are almost completely dependent on angiosperms for food, a decrease in the growth rate of angiosperms and other plants could easily wipe out many humans as less plants means less food. Also, lots of medicines come out of plants. A large extinction rate would cause a loss of biodiversity. Less biodiversity of plants could mean less medicines being produced. Overall, the loss of plant life could affect the prosperity of humans in the future.

Bus-Size Sea Monster Found

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Brian Handwerk, National Geographic News

Published January 7, 2013

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/01/130107-sea-monster-new-species-paleontology-science-nevada/?source=hp_dl2_news_sea_monster_discovered20130108

Summery:

A new type of sea monster was found in Nevada. It was evolved to eat prey it's own size. While this might not seem that special if you think about dragonflies and the like, this Triassic Monster was 28 ft long. That's about the size of a bus! It is called Thalattoarchon It was part of the ichthyosaur family, whose members look a lot like modern dolphins but are fish. The skeleton was found in 1998, but only the body was found. As the digging crew was leaving on the last day, they noticed the monster's teeth. After 10 or so years the crew came back to excavate the rest of the fossil. The skull that was found was massive and it was filled with large teeth. The teeth were found to be capable of tearing apart prey the size of the of itself. Sea predators capable of doing this today include orcas and great white sharks. Also, the discovery of Thalattoarchon shows how the earth is capable of recovering from mass extinctions. Since this creature existed only eight million years after the largest mass extinction in the history of the earth, the Permian extinction, it is possible to tell that the oceanic ecosystem became very stable in a very short time. The appearance of such a large predator can only mean that the ecosystem evolved enough to support four or five tropic levels. 

Connection:

This article connects to evolution. The Thalattoarchon must have evolved in such a way that it was able to support it's size. Perhaps it's powerful teeth and jaws let it hunt in the most efficient method as to use as little energy. It also connects to ecosystem stability, in the way that the appearance of Thalattoarchon, shows a stable ecosystem. Perhaps the reasons behind the stabilization of the Triassic ecosystem, if found, could help to rebuild our own damaged ecosystems.

The Affects of Wildfires

Nicholas K. Geranios
Published August 18, 2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/18/washington-fires-2012-idaho_n_1800453.html

Summary:  In August, there were large wildfires covering 113 square miles and passing through Washington, California, and Idaho.  It lasted for 2 weeks, and was very dangerous and active. The fire threatened the lives of many and resulted in people having to evacuate their homes and towns in order to stay clear of its path.  It also moved very quickly and could reach towns within 24 to 36 hours.   A small town in Washington was in a scary situation when the roads leading in and out of the town were all under threats.  Firefighters worked to keep the fire under control and to slow it down.  Many others also helped with keeping the residents safe and also repairing the damages left by the fire.  Residents in Washington and California were allowed to return home while more residents in Idaho were told to evacuate due to the fire moving closer.

Connection:  This article connects to the ecology unit and to the matter and energy unit.  After an area has gone through a natural disaster, many of the plant and animal species are wiped out.  Therefore the land goes through secondary succession.  Also, a severe disturbance like a fire removes diseased plants and harmful insects to the ecosystem and also returns nutrients to the soil by burning dead or decaying matter.  The article also connects to the matter and energy unit because in order for a fire to survive and continue to grow, it needs three things and one of them is the element oxygen.  A fire dies out if not exposed to oxygen.

Thawing Arctic Sea: The Effect on the Artic Tundra

Natalie Boelman
Published Tuesday September 25, 2012 by CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/25/opinion/boelman-arctic-tundra/index.html?iref=allsearch

Summary

On September 16th, it was reported that the Arctic Sea ice cover reached the lowest level ever recorded. Due to global warming, the Arctic Sea ice has been melting. In addition to shrinking the polar bears’ habitat and reducing the amount of area that reflects the sun’s light, the melting ice also affects the nearby Arctic tundra. In the same way that large bodies of water moderate coastal temperature patterns, the Arctic Ocean has an impact on the tundra. Less sea ice means a warmer climate, which causes the permafrost, the tundra’s frozen soil, to thaw more. This releases stored carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane, both greenhouse gases, into the atmosphere. The last record low before this one was in 2007 and caused a fire that lasted for two and a half months and covered an area 10% larger than Manhattan.

The warming climate has an effect on the tundra’s plant and animal species. The short vegetation is becoming taller because warmer soils allow for larger, woody plants. This could have an effect on the animal species that nest in the grasses, some of which may not be able to adapt and could then create a disrupting domino effect on the tundra’s food web.

Connection

This connects to our unit on ecology. It talks about biomes, specifically the tundra, and the characteristics of the biome, such as climate patterns and vegetation. It also relates the effect human activity has on the ecosystem through global warming. It is related to the carbon cycle as the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane are released due to the thawing permafrost, which contributes to global warming. In addition, it connects to the lessons on the food web and chain because of the domino effect the warming climate has on the tundra’s species.

8 Ways Global Warming is Already Changing the World

Live Science
Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Published April 21, 2012
http://www.livescience.com/19833-8-ways-global-warming-changing-world.html

Summary
Over the past century, the temperature of the Earth has increased by approximately 1.33°F. This has led to many changes on Earth. First of all, the rich resources under the Arctic region are becoming more accessible to humans, causing militaries to move farther north to deal with security and border problems. Secondly, the breeding seasons of many animals are becoming longer or shorter. Changes in high elevation area are also occurring because less snowfall allows more species to move to the area. The new species affect the whole ecosystem. Another change is that many common plants around Massachusetts are flowering about 10 days earlier and some species have completely vanished because of earlier springs. Another effect of earlier springs is that people are visiting National Parks earlier in the year. An additional effect of global warming is that the genotypes of some species are changing to be more like similar species in areas closer to the equator. Furthermore, the population of polar bears is decreasing because the sea ice that they live on is melting, forcing them to swim farther between pieces of ice. This causes a higher mortality rate in polar bear cubs who can’t swim the entire distance. Finally, species are moving away from their natural habitats at a much faster rate than ever before.

Connection
      This connects to our unit on ecology. We learned that Earth’s temperature is increasing because a greater amount of carbon dioxide is being added to the atmosphere through the burning of wood and fossil fuels. The greenhouse effect of this carbon dioxide increases with more gas and prevents heat from escaping Earth. This global warming can have major effects on Earth. This article outlines some of these effects.

Oceans in year 2100 may 'sound' like dino-era seas

 Rising acidity could set underwater acoustic conditions back 110 million years



LiveScience Staff
NBC News
October 19, 2012
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49484120/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.UIMjLWlEQtp

Summary

       Global warming is a far reaching problem that is even affecting the sound conditions in the world's oceans. Firstly, the heightened levels of carbon dioxide, allow for more of the gas to dissolved into the waters. This in turn creates chemical reactions which increase the acidity of the oceans. Due to the lowered pH, the underwater sound absorption is decreased, which allows for better sound transmission (low-frequency sounds can travel significantly farther).
       With examinations of seafloor sediment, scientist have been able to discover the approximate pH levels of the past 300 million years and estimate the approximate levels of sound absorption. Acoustician David G. Brown predicts that sound conditions of modern day oceans are similar to the ones in Paleozoic Era 300 million years ago and will soon reach the levels of the Cretaceous period 110 million years ago.
       The information about the changing soundscape will affect how sonar systems are designed and the predicted performance they will have. In addition, it allows for more accurate estimations and understandings of the both the acoustic conditions surrounding marine animals and the effect of humans on the environment.

Connection

       The news article relates to our first unit on ecology since it describes one of the effects of human activity and global warming. Due to the high levels of carbon dioxide being added to the atmosphere, we are changing sound absorption in the water. Though this doesn't seem obviously bad, changes in environments can greatly affect the marine life and their niches. In addition, the article also connects to our second unit on matter and energy because it stresses the importance of pH since it affects the sound absorption of the oceans.

Glowing Deep-Sea Creatures Found in Carribean

By Helen Scales, National Geographic
October 10, 2012
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/10/pictures/121009-glowing-bioluminescence-oceans-animals/

Summary:

At the bottom of the Bahamas, the shrimp Parapandalus has been found to give off a cloud of blue. Additionally, other species in the same area gave off bioluminescent light such as sea cucumbers, sea anemones, bamboo corals, and a new species of hermit crab. Scientist speculate that the light is given off either to confuse predators, color code food, or maybe as a way to communicate with each other. Usually, animals would use bioluminescence on their undersides to match the light coming from the surface. However, almost no light reaches the bottom, making it rare to find species with bioluminescence there. Additionally, scientist on this trip must examine other regions in order to make their findings on this trip valid.


Connection:

In our first unit on Ecology, we discussed limiting factors for a population as well as carrying capacity. At the bottom of the Bahamas, only a select few species can live there because of factors such as temperature, food, and pressure. Additionally, for species already there, their carrying capacity is greatly influenced by the amount of food available to them. We had defined Ecology as the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment. It is possible that the bioluminescence was a form of communication, which falls under interactions among organisms.

A Bird, a Crab and a Shared Fight to Survive

Lisa Foderaro, NY Times
June 5, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/nyregion/red-knots-horseshoe-crabs-and-fight-to-survive-in-delaware-bay.html?_r=3&

Summary:

Every Spring, red knots migrate more than 9000 miles from the southern tip of South America to Northern Canada, just in time for the spawning of green horseshoe crab eggs. However, due to the overfishing the crabs, the red knot population has dropped drastically from 100,000 in the 1980s to around 30,000 today, causing wildlife biologists to worry that the red knots could vanish. Thus, New Jersey has made horseshoe crab harvesting illegal and listed the red knots as endangered.

But, the main problem is that the crabs travel as far south as Maryland and Virginia, which haven’t been able to pass laws completely protecting the crabs. Both states have fishing limits, but they are not enough for the horseshoe crab population to rebound. Also, completely banning horseshoe crab harvesting would prevent pharmaceutical companies from using the crabs’ copper-rich blood to test medicines and devices for possible contamination. The companies later release the crabs, but many of them die. Therefore, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission monitors the use of crabs and has recently proposed a complex formula to restrict the amount of crabs harvested. However, many experts believe that stricter regulations are needed.

Relevance:

This article connects with our unit on ecology in that changes in one trophic level or population (in this case, the crabs) can affect countless other trophic levels and populations (the red knots) within the ecosystem, reinforcing the fact all life is connected. In the near future, if the crab population is not protected, the red knots could become extinct, destabilizing the ecosystem.

Scientists Race to Save World's Rice Bowl From Climate Change

Ker Than

For National Geographic News

Published May 2, 2012

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/120502-southeast-asia-climate-change/

Summary:

Scientists warn that global warming may could threaten rice farming and the livelihood of many people in Southeast Asia. Climatologists and researchers brainstormed ways to help the people in the region, especially farmers, deal with the effects of climate change. Some of the consequences of global warming include elevated temperatures, higher salt concentration in water, and irregular rainfall. Since a third of greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, forestry, and changes in land use, scientists also contemplated potential ways to use agriculture to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane.

Some areas aren’t experiencing drastic changes yet, and can be saved. For example, in the case of droughts, people may be able to use Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) technology. Basically, MAR captures and stores floodwater in natural underground aquifers. During droughts, the water can be pumped out. The MAR could also decrease the amount of destruction created by floods because it will divert water from already full rivers.

A different technology for solving this problem can also weaken the global impact of climate change by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released by crops. This method is involves alternately flooding and drying rice fields to reduce the amount of methane produced. Normally, farmers leave their rice fields submerged for the whole season, but this makes a lot of methane. By drying the fields periodically, water consumption decreased by 30 percent and greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 25 to 50  percent, without any change in rice crop yields.

Though MAR and rice drying are both effective solutions, scientists must implement a variety of different methods to resolve the agricultural problems caused by global warming.

Connection:

This article connects to our unit on Ecology because it relates human activities altering ecosystems through agriculture, greenhouse gases, and global warming’s effect on the environment. It illustrates how melting of the glaciers and polar ice caps causes rising sea levels and flooding, which impacts agriculture and ecosystems. The article discusses how crops can generate greenhouse gases and in turn, contribute to global warming. It describes methods for lessening production of methane (rice drying). As we learned, with less greenhouse gas production, less heat will be trapped in the atmosphere, so there will be reduced warming of the Earth.