Category: NSE 5: Population Flux (HS)

Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.​

Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 1: Behavior and Reproduction (MS), Inheritance 2: Genes and Growth (MS), Inheritance 2: Role of DNA (HS), Inheritance 4: Population Genetics (HS), Inheritance 5: DNA Technology (MS), Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, IR 1: Ecosystem Interactions (MS), IR 3: Ecosystem Stability (HS), Life Science, Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 1: Evolution Evidence (HS), NSE 2: Evolution Factors (HS), NSE 4: Adaption (HS), NSE 4: Fitness (MS), NSE 5: Natural Selection (MS), NSE 5: Population Flux (HS), S&F 1: Cells (MS), S&F 1: DNA to Proteins (HS), S&F 2: Cell Function (MS), Structure and Function

Amoebae, Giant Viruses, and Virophages

GwynneL.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00527 SUMMARY: In 2003, scientists discovered that giant viruses infected amoebas. These giant viruses are so big that they were mistaken for bacteria for the longest time. It wasn’t until scientists realized they contained no ribosomal DNA that these organisms were reclassified as viruses. From there, even more giant viruses were discovered. Some of the… Continue reading Amoebae, Giant Viruses, and Virophages

Life Science, Natural Selection & Evolution, Non-NGSS Articles, NSE 1: Evolution Evidence (HS), NSE 2: Evolution Factors (HS), NSE 5: Population Flux (HS)

Genetic Diversity in Laboratory Rodent Colonies

GwynneL.

Inbred or Outbred? Genetic Diversity in Laboratory Rodent Colonies SUMMARY: This study looked at genetic diversity in lab gerbils. Due to the fact that labs are small, animal groups tend to become less diverse overtime; however, the overall diversity of the gerbils can be determined if you outbreed them. The significance of inbred or outbred… Continue reading Genetic Diversity in Laboratory Rodent Colonies

Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 1: Behavior and Reproduction (MS), Inheritance 1: Mitosis (HS), Inheritance 4: Population Genetics (HS), Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, IR 1: Ecosystem Interactions (MS), IR 2: Affecting Biodiversity (HS), Life Science, M&E 3: Food Webs (MS), M&E 5: Changing Ecosystems (MS), Matter & Energy in Organisms/Ecosystems, Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 1: Evolution Evidence (HS), NSE 2: Evolution Factors (HS), NSE 3: Trait Selection (HS), NSE 4: Adaption (HS), NSE 4: Fitness (MS), NSE 5: Natural Selection (MS), NSE 5: Population Flux (HS)

De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation

GwynneL.

De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation SUMMARY: Chlamydomonas are common, single-celled green algae that are flagellated and can move around. They’re a strange cross between plants and protists. In this study, scientists subjected chlamydomonas to predation by paramecia (common freshwater ciliates) and observed that after about 750 generations, the chlamydomonas took on… Continue reading De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation

Earth Science, Earth's System, ES 1: Geochemical Cycles (HS), ES 4: Carbon Cycling (HS), HE 3: Stratigraphic Records (MS), History of Earth, Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 1: Mitosis (HS), Inheritance 4: Population Genetics (HS), Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, IR 1: Ecosystem Interactions (MS), Life Science, M&E 1: Photosynthesis (HS), M&E 1: Photosynthesis (MS), M&E 4: Biogeochemical Cycles (MS), Matter & Energy in Organisms/Ecosystems, Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 1: Fossil Records (MS), NSE 5: Population Flux (HS)

The evolution of diatoms and their biogeochemical functions

GwynneL.

The evolution of diatoms and their biogeochemical functions SUMMARY: This article talks about the evolution, cell structure, and ecological role of diatoms. The first section is an introduction to what diatoms are. The second section talks about the evolution of photosynthesis (from cyanobacteria to eukaryotes with chloroplast). The third section explains the significance of the… Continue reading The evolution of diatoms and their biogeochemical functions

Earth Science, Earth's System, ES 5: Life on Earth (HS), HSus 3: Human/Ecosystem Interactions (HS), Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 4: Adaption (HS), NSE 5: Natural Selection (MS), NSE 5: Population Flux (HS)

Modeling Ecosystem Invasions with Bacteria

GwynneL.

Invasion triple trouble: Environmental fluctuations, fluctuation-adapted invaders and fluctuation-mal-adapted communities all govern invasion success SUMMARY: To model how ecosystems react to invaders and temperature changes (due to global warming), researchers used different bacteria clones to simulate invasions. Results showed that communities in fluctuating temperatures were more susceptible to invasion compared to communities with constant temperatures.… Continue reading Modeling Ecosystem Invasions with Bacteria

Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 2: Genes and Growth (MS), Inheritance 2: Role of DNA (HS), Inheritance 3: Mutations (HS), Inheritance 3: Mutations (MS), Inheritance 4: Population Genetics (HS), Life Science, Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 2: Evolution Factors (HS), NSE 3: Trait Selection (HS), NSE 4: Adaption (HS), NSE 4: Fitness (MS), NSE 5: Natural Selection (MS), NSE 5: Population Flux (HS), S&F 1: Cells (MS), S&F 1: DNA to Proteins (HS), S&F 2: Cell Function (MS), Structure and Function

How Bacteria Genes Change with Dryness

GwynneL.

Environmental filtering of bacterial functional diversity along an aridity gradient SUMMARY: Genes of soil bacteria sampled in the Tibetan Plateau showed that as the environment got drier, the less diverse the genes were. Researchers wanted to compare bacterial gene diversity with the already-known diversity of genes in large animals in various environments. There were less… Continue reading How Bacteria Genes Change with Dryness