Co-evolution

The co-evolution activity we partook in during class involved separating into three groups, each a different variation of a species. Each group had different kinds of beaks with different evolutionary benefits; one group used plasticware spoons for beaks, the other forks, and one knives. Our food source consisted of various bean kinds. Initially, we'd count out a certain number of each bean and combine them. We then would stand in a circle on the floor, ready to get at the beans that would be poured on the floor. Naturally, it was more difficult for some of the beaks to gather the food, due to their shape (the knives had the hardest time). Even still, the food source eventually declined, decreasing the number of people per beak. When someone died off one group, they were added to a different once, hence evolving a different kind of beak. We repeated this process a couple times. Co-evolution is the evolution of two species in which the evolution of one affects the evolution of another. This activity demonstrates co-evolution because the evolutionary disadvantages of the knife beaks evolved into the evolutionary advantages of the spoons, through natural selection. The spoons were more fit (and sometimes the forks) to pick up beans than the knives. I happened to be in the knife group. One strategy we came up with was to flip the beans up with the tip of the knife, and catch it in our hand. We eventually came to the conclusion that it worked better to help push the beans onto the knives of our fellow knife beaks. I think this is a good activity to do with kids, and I would like to do it with my students some time in the future.

New Celebration

My absolute favorite time of year is fall. It's the perfect temperature: not too hot, and not too cold. Just right. Not only that, but the colors are gorgeous. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where I live amongst the different shades of red, yellow, and orange each fall. This fall, though, was the most breathtaking of all I've experienced. I was able to go back home to the Keweenaw one weekend in September, and spent some quality time with my family. One of my most beloved pastimes to do at home is take walks with my mom. We live in the country, so we take a wooded path that slowly emerges into an expansive field where potatoes once grew. I know this path like the back of my hand; every crooked apple tree, blackberry bush, and abandoned barn. Me, my mom, and my two dogs ventured down the trail. The smell of the fallen leaves was overwhelmingly strong, and whisked me back to my childhood when my brother and I would bury ourselves in the piles of leaves we'd raked. The crisp breeze bit at my nose as I kept my hands tight and warm in my coat pockets. I wish I could've paused life right there, with the vibrant colors, familiar smells, and those that I love surrounding me. It was the perfect picture.

Sand County Almanac Pt. 2

In the second part of the Sand County Almanac, the task was to identify elements X and Y. I was under the impression that element X was nitrogen. The essay talked about X laying in the soil, and being carried by the rains. That is part of the nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen is found in the soil, and used by plants. It is fixated by bacteria, and then is used by plants. The plants are eaten by other consumers, who eventually die, and the nitrogen is then decomposed into the soil. Then, the cycle begins again. As for element Y, I believe it is carbon. I'm led to this assumption by one of the final lines that says, "The atoms that once grew pasque-flowers to greet the returning plovers now lie inert, confused, imprisoned in oily sludge". Carbon is the main element in oil, which in some cases turns into diamonds, that are wholly carbon. I believe this last part of the essay is describing the process of the carbon cycle, where carbon is exchanged between the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and the atmosphere. The essay did a fantastic job at descriptively describing biogeochemical cycles via a narrative. It painted a pretty picture of how nitrogen and carbon are exchanged, and made it easier to understand. It made me think of these elements in a more rounded manner, that they aren't just a couple letters in the periodic table. They are a universal necessity that drives all life. It is impressive, to say the least. I think it's really fascinating that I'm made up of recycled nitrogen and carbon that could've been part of a tree in a past life, or another person, or animal. It'd be even more mind blowing if somehow we could trace the bits of nitrogen and carbon in our bodies to find where they originated. Who knows, maybe one day that'd be possible.

"Nitrogen Cycle". Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Sand County Almanac Pt. 1

This essay was about nature, and how if we let it run its course freely, it would be better off. The beginning made me feel as though I was there with the author, standing on the mountainside, looking at a pack of wolves. It was very descriptive and enticing. It definitely hit home for me. One line read, "Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf". To me, this means that the mountain (nature) knows best. Humans may think they know what's best to help nature thrive, but in the end, we only do what is best for us. We cannot think objectively. We think and act so we can survive. The essay talked about our urgent desire to rid the woods of wolves, because we think this is what is best for us, our livestock, and our well being. In reality, however, the wolves are here to keep a natural balance. Without wolves, deer populations would exponentially rise, and plant life would then die. We need the wolves, and we need to stop being "trigger happy". We need to think objectively, without emotion and selfishness, take a step back, and admire the beauty and benefits wolves (and other "harmful" things in nature) give us. We need to think like a mountain, because the mountain knows best. In the Marquette region, I think we are good at thinking objectively. There are a lot of activists in the area promoting the good of the nature that surrounds us. I think it is a well established idea (here and around the U.P.) that nature is an extremely important part of our lives, and we all do really well at protecting it. It seems strange that there is now a wolf hunt. I can understand that there are times when populations of species can get out of control, but I think we should let nature run its course. In starting a wolf hunt, we are looking out for the well being of deer hunters and the safety of our own pets. As for pets, it is pet owners own faults if their pet is attacked by a wolf. This most likely happens when they are left outside in rural areas, unchained. Wolves see these pets as a threat to their dominance, and attack. If you don't want your pet to be at risk, don't let it roam freely in the woods. This is no reason to hunt wolves. We need to be more careful about our decisions to take populations into our own hands. We must be sure it is for the good of all nature, and not just ourselves.

"Howlsnow" by Retron - self-made now. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Presque Isle Adventures

After spending some time out on Presque Isle island, we were able to identify some real life examples of different kinds of interaction. Firstly, an example of parasitism we saw was a "gall". Galls are essentially a tumor growing inside a tree (or plant) due to a parasite living off of it. As for commensalism, we saw a lot of squirrels running around the forest. The interaction between the squirrels and trees is considered commensalism, because the squirrels are using the trees for shelter and protection, but are not harming the tree in any way. Mutualism is beneficial to both organisms involved. We were unable to find an example of it on Presque Isle, but after some research of interactions in northern temperate deciduous forests, I found one. There are some birds that feed of insects that burrow in the fur of white tailed deer. The birds get their food, and the deer are rid of any harmful insects. Next, we looked for intraspecific competition. This is where members of the same species compete for limited resources. What came to mind for me is not something we could see at that moment in time. There are lots of deer on the island, and there is very limited food during the winter months, due to the lack of foliage, and the ground being covered with snow. The deer have to compete amongst themselves to find food, and in some cases, may be forced off the island. The opposite of intraspecific competition is interspecific. During this kind of competition, members of different species compete for resources. We did a study of trees on the island, and found that there were a lot of different species growing there (white and red pine, oak, spruce, fir...). Each of these species competes for space, sun, and nutrients. They compete by spreading their roots out, or growing taller than other trees. The taller, more spread out trees will be healthier in the long run, because they can obtain more nutrients. Finally, we had to identify a microhabitat. This is a habitat that is vastly different from its surroundings. We chose a rotting log, with a lot of moss growing on it. The log was a home for many different types of insects that wouldn't be found elsewhere in the woods, as well a moist area for moss and lichen to grow. Biogeochemcial cycles on the island are mostly that of decomposition (via the nitrogen cycle) and the water cycle. 

One of my favorite animals to watch on the island is the white tailed deer. It is an herbivore, and eats only plants in the mornings and late afternoons. Its diet changes as the seasons change. In the summer it eats foliage, in the fall, corn, acorns, and other nuts, and in the winter, it eats mostly buds and twigs. White tailed deer generally live in an area of one square mile, and groups of deer consist usually of a mother and her fawns. Bucks, on the other hand, group in threes or fours. They are the prey of wolves, coyotes, and of course, humans.

By Ken Thomas (KenThomas.us (personal website of photographer)) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Chernoff Faces

 The picture above is my result of the activity we did in class called "Chernoff Faces". For each part of your head, there were three stipulations. For example, for the head shape itself, you had to pick one (round, oval, or oblong) based on where you lived (Upper Michigan, Lower Michigan, or other). Other questions included major/minor, favorite foods, favorite music, and what kind of pet you want. My result was oval head (U.P), oval eyes (science/math major), oval pupils (my favorite sport is baseball), oval nose (I like rabbits as pets), circle mouth (Italian food is my favorite), and circle ears (I enjoy country music). Eventually, everyone ended up with varying faces due to different likes and dislikes. Then we proceeded to classify the classroom by head shape. Each person of the same shape head went to separate corners of the room. There was about an even number of people in each group. But then, we continued to break down the groups by eye shape, nose shape, ear shape, etc. within groups, until each group was divided more and more. The point of this exercise was to show that with more conditions of classification, the harder it is to group many things together. The more conditions, the fewer people in each group. It also showed that we could classify in any way. After starting the entire thing over again, we made head shape signify major instead of where you live, so many peoples faces changed. We can look at classifying life in many ways as well.

EJ

Yellowstone Wolves

It was interesting to hear of the effect wolves hold on the ecosystem in Yellowstone National Park. I didn't know they were such a major species. In the video, a scientist showed us a graphic of the trophic level pyramid. Wolves are on top, and mainly prey on elk, who are in the middle. An elk’s diet consists of plant life in the park, which is located at the bottom of the pyramid, as the basis for all life. At one point, the wolf population was almost loss, and the elk population began to flourish. Because the elk population increased, the plant life was over eaten, and there wasn't enough food to go around. The elk killed a lot of shrubbery around the park. This all took place because of the loss of many wolves.  

This is where the reintroduction took place. Canadian wolves were placed into the park to restore the wolf population. Yes, this reintroduction did help to control the elk population, and helped to bring back much plant life. However, the return of wolves had an effect on something else that was not in the tropic level pyramid: coyotes. This is where intraspecific competition comes in. This is competition between species, such as the wolf and the coyote. Both species fought for the same food, but in different ways. Coyotes are scavengers, and would eat already dead elk. Wolves would seek out and kill the elk themselves, not leaving anything left to scavenge, thus, ridding the park of a big food source for coyotes. Also, the wolves saw any other dog as a threat, and if a coyote crossed its path, the coyote was surely dead. The park saw a decline in coyote population after the reintroduction of wolves.

Nomadic Lass - http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomadic_lass/5862614354/

Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center - West Yellowstone, Montana Alpha female of the High Country Wolves

I agree with the idea of reintroduction. The fluctuation of the wolf population was a natural one that would've continued had humans not stepped in. It was for the betterment of plant life in the park, and if they hadn't brought in the Canadian wolves, the park surely would've looked desolate. There was another introduction discussed in the video: the Florida panther. The state’s cat was on the decline, and when brought back, many people were upset due to the panthers wandering close to their homes. I, however, agree with the act of reintroduction in this instance as well. Panthers are a necessary element in the Florida forest ecosystem. They, as mentioned in the video, are the prime predator of the wild hog, who also inhabit the forests in that states. The wild hogs are a menace, that became even more so when the cats died out. Progress is already being seen in the decline of the wild hog population, as a result of the panther reintroduction.

As for wolves in our back yard (the U.P.), they are truly a natural part of the ecosystem, and belong here. I am glad that they are protected. On the other hand, I believe their population can fluctuate just as much as any other, and should be controlled. I think a hunting season is justified, but not for reasons such as “violent, menacing wolves”, but because more wolves means less deer, or moose. Too many wolves would throw off other populations of necessary species.

Wildlife is such a beautiful, majestic thing. I feel strongly that we are obligated to help it survive, and not only that, but flourish. It is our duty to protect the species that can’t do such for themselves (i.e. plant life in Yellowstone), and control species at risk of over or under population. We should feel honored to defend the gift that nature is.  

EJ

A Walk in the Bog

I'm so unbelievably thankful to live in the pristine place that I do, and here's why- the peace and quiet of nature is only five minutes from home. For one class session, we met at one of these beautiful locations that I'm so blessed to be near- the Presque Isle Bog, a small area between the mainland of Marquette, and Presque Isle Island.

A bog can form two ways; one by terrestrialization, and the other by paludification. Terrestrialization takes place when sediments and peat (dead plant material) build up in a small pond or lake. When enough sediment builds up, plants are able to take root. When a bog forms by paludification, the ground becomes over saturated over an extended period of time by water. This can happen because of beaver dams, or man made construction. Bogs are considerably different than other habitats. Soil in a bog is much more acidic, but low in nutrients. It takes a strong plant to grow there. You'll usually find that trees growing there are Tamaracks, Speckled Alder, or Birches. Plants grow slowly, and decay even slower. Bogs have a way of preserving things.

One thing I was particularly fascinated by was the pitcher plants, a carnivorous plant. It uses a liquid to attract insects which then fall inside the plant, and can't climb back out the slippery surface. The flowers don't always blossom, but there were plentiful flowers when we were there, which means it has been the perfect environment for them. I also liked learning about the horsetails that we found. They are among the oldest terrestrial plants, and resemble bamboo. Since they have a tough quality about them, Indians wove them and used them as pot scrubbers. It's crazy that these plants, plants that were around during the time of dinosaurs, are still found in bogs today. I think that represents how great of an environment a bog provides.

EJ

What's Alive?

Sometimes it's fun to get out of the classroom, and do something to keep students active. That's exactly what our Life Science class did a few days ago. One early, warm morning, we ventured into the courtyard with one task: to gather as many living things as possible. But what is living? I mentioned in my previous post, something is living if it grows, can reproduce, has a balanced internal environment, can respond to stimuli, and uses energy. We picked weeds, a flower, a pine cone, some berries, and even managed to get an ant, and put them all in a plastic bag. Back inside, we went through the contents of our bag, and labeled each item as living now, was living, dead, or never alive. We were also given objects from the classroom to label, which included popcorn kernels, a straw, cotton balls, etc. Once we had a consensus of what each object was, we dampened a paper towel, placed everything in it, and put the entire setup into the plastic bag. We gave the bag a nice puff of air, and closed it. We were to see if anything had grown the following week.

While some things did grow, others made no progress, and others died. The popcorn kernels sprouted into the cotton balls. Some beans that were thrown into the mixture had sprouted. We had guessed that both those items were still alive with potential to grow, and we were correct. The ant, however, hadn't had a source of food, and died. This activity showed us that life does abide by those 5 things I listed, but sometimes there are exceptions. We can create that environment life needs (the baggy), and though something may seem like it isn't currently alive (ie, not growing), it just might not have responded to necessary stimuli yet.

Seed Revival

5 things define life as we know it on earth:
1. Growth
2. Reproduction
3. Homeostasis (balance of internal environment)
4. Sense and respond to stimuli
5. Obtain and use energy 

Considering these stipulations, if a 2000 year old wheat seed in Egypt was taken, planted, and grew, was it alive or dead when buried in the pyramid? I have to say that it was alive. Though it did not grow while in the pyramid, it had the potential to grow. The seed itself was a gamete used in the reproduction of wheat, and therefore was alive at one point, and had its own maintained internal environment. When taken from the pyramid and planted, the seed grew, which means it still held the ability to respond to external stimuli. This means that, yes, the seed was still alive after 2000 years. This is no surprise to me. It is not uncommon for us to store and freeze our own human gametes in order for them to grow in the future. These eggs grow just as well as any other live egg currently in a body. If human "seeds" can respond to stimuli a mere 10 years in the future, a hardy wheat seed can most definitely survive, even thrive, after 2000 years. 

The Inquiry Wheel

In my previous post, I touched lightly on the subject of inquiry. When carrying out an experiment, there is no traditional scientific method, as we all learned as elementary students. When you are truly delving into science, it is never perfect. You will have to try and try again to carry out your experiment. You'll have to back track and ask more questions until you come up with the right answers. The ideal way to describe this circular process is through the inquiry wheel: 

This will cover all of your bases, where as the scientific method is the simple "ask question, research, form hypothesis, test hypothesis, analyze data, form conclusion". The inquiry wheel gives you more wiggle room, and allows you to retrace your steps. If you end up proving your hypothesis wrong, you can immediately ask why, reform your hypothesis, and continue with your experiment. With the scientific method, you're either right or wrong. This will be very helpful when my group and I begin to carry out our semester experiment. We plan on investigating the effects of deer scat in soil, and whether or not it helps plants grow compared to store bought fertilized soil. Though it can't be tested, we were also curious if using deer scat as fertilizer would also work as a repellent for keeping deer out of your garden. We surely won't limit ourselves to one try. The inquiry wheel will encourage us to keep at our research and testing, until we find an answer to our question.

EJ

The Mystery Within

During class, we were assigned to deduce what objects were clanking around inside an old film container. First, though, we had to ask many questions about the container and the potential objects inside. For example, how heavy is the container? What are the objects made of? Etc. Once we had obtained enough questions, we began our experiment. We were given an identical container, and a handful of objects that could be in the original. Our group decided to use a scale, though if we'd really wanted, we could've used another process (we brainstormed a process of identifying the objects inside, and letting the container float in a beaker of water to judge how much it sank or floated). We started by weighing the whole original container, and recording. Then, we shook it to see what sort of sound it made. By the sound of the shaking, we guessed which objects might be in the container.We put the empty container on the scale, and added each item, one by one, and watched the weight rise. We added a magnet, a piece of plastic, and a small nail. With the objects we guessed, the weight was only .1 ounce away from the controlled container. We were positive the original contained a magnet, because when we held the two containers together, they stuck. We then emptied the original, finding a magnet, and a small white piece of plastic. It lacked the tiny nail. In the end, we found that our .1 discrepancy was because our magnet weighed slightly less than the original. We hadn't actually needed the nail if we had known that.

Through this process, I learned that science has a great deal of guessing and checking. I also learned that there is a possibility of  inconsistency with results, and that isn't always in your control. You just have to make do with what you're given. This activity helped to introduce the idea of inquiry, which is neither short or easy. Sometimes, when experimenting, you'll have to go full circle. You'll ask questions, formulate hypotheses, and create experiments until you finally get an answer- just like we did with weighing and re-weighing our container.

EJ

Dangers of DHMO

DHMO is an odorless, colorless liquid that has been known to be deteriorating to property, and has even caused death. There is even research going on to find whether or not it can be found in tumors or cancer cells. Should public use of DHMO be banned?

This was only a snippet of information presented to me in the form a video during class. We were asked to pick one option: to ban it, or not. With that being the only information given, it was surprisingly hard to make a choice. We voted with our iClickers, so we were able to see the results forming on the screen in the classroom.The percentage of "Yes" continued to rise, while "No" only stayed at one percent. Due to the pressure of our peers, we all proceeded to pick yes, with the exception of one person. I, at this point, knew something was up. This had to be a trick question. But what was the trick?

Immediately after voting yes, I knew I should've said no. We weren't given enough information to make a good decision. I voted yes because that was what everyone else was doing. My gut feeling was soon proved correct. What is DHMO, you ask? None other than dihydrogen monoxide. Two hydrogens, and one oxygen, also known as water, and we should not go around banning water. We need water; we are made up of 75% water. We're often way too quick at answering questions, and quite frequently without substantial information to support our answer. Through this activity, I learned that I shouldn't let the decisions of others affect mine, and also that I should answer more cautiously when not given the right amount of information. That is a two way street, however. I will now be more aware of information I'm giving my future students, so that they can confidently answer questions from the knowledge they retain. 

Are You Smarter Than an 8th Grader?

Here. Take this science test. It's 8th grade level, so you should know most of it. Easy as pie.

Yeah right!

I was completely ready to ace this little test. I wasn't too worried about it, considering it wouldn't affect our grade. It was just for fun, just to see where we're at. Well, I'd soon find out I wasn't "at" where I thought I was. I received a 32/47. I guessed on a good amount of questions. This got me thinking. We, as prospective teachers, might think we're ready to jump into a classroom. But the truth is, we need classes such as Life Science to refresh our memories on the subject matter we learned way back when we were kids. There's no way we could retain information for that long.

Even though these classes can be difficult, I just need to push through. Sooner or later, I need to come to terms with the fact that this is the path I've chosen in life.I need to "man up" and get my degree. One day, I'm going to be in my own classroom. That's awesome AND frightening all at once. So even though I was surprised at my great failure on this little science test, it proves that I have some room for learning- learning so that I have the ability to teach my future students the best that I can- even though it may seem daunting right now.

It also proves that I am not, disappointingly, smarter than an 8th grader.

EJ

Let's Celebrate!

What good is the beauty of nature, if we don't slow down and take the time to appreciate it? Not only that, but celebrate it! It's not every day that you get the chance to see something so spectacular as a lone loon popping up sporadically around a still blue lake.

I had the opportunity over the Fourth of July to go kayaking. My family has a camp on a small lake, in an even smaller town known as Amasa, MI. Every summer, we have a family reunion of sorts, taking place over the fourth. A little R & R, and visiting with family we rarely see. We take advantage of four wheeling, swimming, canoeing, and sitting around the campfire. In more recent years, we obtained two kayaks. Let me just say, I immediately fell in love with them. My all time favorite thing to do at camp now, is to grab a kayak, and venture out onto the lake by myself. There's something so peaceful about the breeze on your face, as your paddles slightly dip in and out of the water with ease.

It was just one of those times; I'd taken the kayak out for a spin, and a little quiet. Can of coke in my lap, paddle in hand. Solitude. But I wasn't alone. I looked to my left. Very near to me, a tiny black head was poking through the surface. I immediately recognized it as a loon. There is only, as far as we know, a family of 2 loons living on the lake. We see them now and then, but it's always from a distance. They vanish just as quickly as they appear. But this time was different. I was a mere 10 feet away from the bird. There was a moment of pure intensity where we both stared at each other, and then it was gone. Not ready to give up our time together (ha ha), I decided to wait and see where it popped back up. I probably spent a good 5 minutes spinning around in my kayak, switching direction to make sure I wouldn't miss it. Soon enough, there it was again, much farther away than I'd expected. I was fascinated by how long it could hold its breath. I paddled closer, attempting to be as quiet as possible. But again, within 10 feet, she dove. We continued this cat and mouse game for nearly a half an hour. I'm almost positive it was playing along with me.

In that moment, I felt so attuned to nature. It was just me, my kayak, and the loon. What's not to celebrate about that? It's truly the little things in life.

EJ

About Me

Ellen Marie Jarvis. That is my full name. From that, I usually get the response: "You're a Jarvis, eh?". Being from a small town, I inevitably cross paths with someone who knows my dad, mom, or grandpa, anywhere (and I mean anywhere) in the Upper Peninsula. I was raised in the 4,000 person "city" of Hancock, MI, where we are known for a big lift bridge, pasties, and beautiful fall colors. "Where's Hancock?" is the typical response to that statement, especially when I'm here at school. Usually, with a simple short reply of Houghton, I get an "Oooohhhh, so by Michigan Tech". They are most definitely not the same. I like to think I live on the smaller, quainter, and quieter side of the bridge.

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have lived in a rural area of town. I was known to be gallivanting around the woods, climbing up trees, and trudging through rivers. Looking back, I'm actually surprised how much freedom my mom gave me, considering how much of a ruckus I was. My family consists of 6 people- My mom, dad, one brother, and two sisters. Of course, I did just say people. That didn't include our numerous pets. We own 3 loving, chubby outdoor cats, and 2 energetic dogs. 

You could say I've always wanted to be a teacher, or at least that's what my mother would tell you. I'd drag my sisters around the woods on "field trips" to look for bugs, or cram them in a blanket fort to teach them about Native Americans from my mom's books. My poor sisters. Considering this, it's no surprise that I'm sitting here typing out a blog for my Life Science for Educators course. I can't say I mind. It feels good to know that I have somewhat of a plan for my life. At the same time, it scares the living day light out of me. But you know what they say: if your dreams don't scare you, then they aren't big enough.

EJ

From left to right: My sister, Mary, my mom, Karen, and me at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island last summer.