Caught in the act Most animals, plants and other organisms possess a broad range of traits, or features. For instance, within a species, some individuals might be bigger. Some might be faster or better camouflaged. Others might have genes that allow them to resist disease, better digest some foods or even learn new tasks more quickly. Many traits help an organism survive and reproduce. Once-useful traits, however, can become worthless. Until recently, scientists thought such evolution required hundreds of years, if not thousands. These major transformations to our planet still happen. People also change Earth’s air, water and land. Such environmental changes pressure species to adapt ever faster. Shape-shifters When it comes to survival, animals have two immediate concerns. Van Rijssel is an evolutionary ecologist at Leiden University in the Netherlands. One of Jacco van Rijssel’s study subjects, Haplochromis (Yssichromis) pyrrhocephalus is now the most common zooplankton-eating cichlid in Lake Victoria.
Scripps Ranch Senior High General Review Websites for all Biology Students:On-line Biology BookBioReviewThe Biology Project-University of ArizonaStudying Guides and Study StratagiesFun Biology Games to play after your Biology Homework is done!If you are a visual learner--these are great Biology Animations Does the University or College YOU want to attend accept AP Credit:AP Credit Policy (Caution, types of credit may vary and this list may not be complete)General Review Notes for AP Biology Students:Bozeman Biology Lecture Series – These are Great! A huge THANK YOU to Mr. Paul Anderson who has created theseawesome video lectures! SPECIFIC REVIEW BY TOPIC: Chemistry Biochemistry Basics pH Video Lecture:pH Water Video Lecture:Water Video Lecture:Chemical Bonds Amino Acids and Proteins Library of 3-D Molecular Structures Chemistry Tutorial ChemiCool Periodic Table WebElements Periodic Table Chemical Bonding Water Resources of the United States Protein Structures (cool but very complex) Macromolecules Cells Cell Size Amazing Cells
TimeTree :: The Timescale of Life Pseudopodia I would classify myself as being “highly productive” (or as someone once told me I’m a “worker bee”). The common question that I get from colleagues is something along the lines of “where do you find the time?” The simple answer is that the time is already there, I just might make more productive use of it than some other folks. I have a computer with me at all times during the workday, and I’m never far away from one at home, so my major working tool is a constant companion. On some level, I want to justify the expense to my district, who has seen fit to give me a pretty snazzy laptop to take with me everywhere. And I’m pretty good at keeping track of what has to be done when, and then actually doing it. “Getting Things Done” is both a methodology and a book about that methodology. As a system, “Getting Things Done” (or GTD, as it’s commonly referred to) is solid. If any of the above appeals to you, check out “Getting Things Done”.
Evolution in Paradise We are pleased to bring you three exciting lessons inspired by the birds-of-paradise! These lessons explore the topics of science process, natural and sexual selection, behavior and heritability through hands-on activities and lively discussions… all with the help of the Birds-of Paradise Project videos. This free download is perfect for middle and high school classrooms. BiologyJunction Sandwalk: The Adaptation Assessment Probe I'm taking a MOOC on evolution that's designed for educators [Evolution: A Course for Educators]. One of the things that was covered in the first lecture was a test on "adpatation" taken from a book called "Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Volume 4: 25 New Formative Assessment Probes. The book is published by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Let's take the test ... Adaptation Three friends were arguing about what would happen if a population of rabbits from a warm, southern climate were moved to a cold, northern climate.1 This is what they said:Bernie: "I think all of the rabbits will try to adapt to the change." I agree with Bernie. Let's see how I did. Oops! The best answer is Phoebe's: "I think few or none of the rabbits will try to adapt to the change." I didn't read the question carefully. We turned our clocks back one hour last weekend and I'm still adapting adjusting to the change. 1.
The Biology Corner More Minds-on Activities for Teaching Biology The resources listed below include: minds-on, hands-on activities and minds-on analysis and discussion activities for teaching biology to high school and middle school students and students in non-major college biology coursesoverviews of important biological topicsgames for learning and review. Many of these activities are explicitly aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, as indicated by (NGSS) in the descriptions below and as described in Summary Tables and in the Teacher Notes for individual activities. These activities foster student understanding of Disciplinary Core Ideas, engage students in Scientific Practices, provide the opportunity to discuss Crosscutting Concepts, and prepare students to meet the Performance Expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards. We encourage you to subscribe to our listserv to receive notices when we post new activities or significantly improved versions of current activities. Intro and Biological Molecules Is Yeast Alive?
good layman ecology books? | Ecology and the environment Depending on how narrowly you want to focus on ecology, several authors come to mind (kind of obvious) - Edward O. It might be a good idea to read stuff on the ecology of your own region, if you can, stuff you can go out and see for yourself. Your local nature center might have some. And you can't go wrong with Darwin. If you've read The Beak of the Finch, then you have to read Voyage of the Beagle.
Scientists Watch As Wasps Diverge To Become Separate Species We often think of evolution as something which occurs slowly over millions of years, only being recorded in the fossils that are left behind. But evolution is gradual, with species constantly changing in response to a host of different pressures, from alterations in their environment to changes in other species they reply on. This last point, of species evolving and splitting in response to other species evolving and splitting, is a central concept in biodiversity, but is also a difficult one to prove. A new study has, however, apparently done just this. The friut fly Rhagoletis pomonella is diverging into two seperate species, one which lives on apples and another on hawthorn fruit. “Our study addresses one of the central questions in biology: How do new forms of life originate?” The original species of fruit fly in question, Rhagoletis pomonella, is native to the U.S. and normally lays its eggs on the fruit of the North American hawthorn.