I really loved how Mr. Watts discribed all those species as though they're like us! He used such discriptive words, and even some human characteristics, which just made the whole presentation seem so much more interesting. I find it fascinating that he went and analyzed all those amzing creatures. It takes great courage and determination to do that, I can just congratulate him for going this far. Over the course of his presentation I have developed curiosity for those animals, that are so cool, and it is really amazing that some people take the opportunity to go and see their habitat. I would love to have a chance to explore all those extraordinary creatures! The animals I found the most interesting are deffinitely leopard seals. I think that it is really cool that they are ever so gracious in the water, and are able to catch so much prey with no problem whatsoever. I also love the penguins because they just look so cute and vulnerable :). I also find it very useful how he explained in detail the whole algae process, and even described some of the most important foodwebs. I felt really relieved when I heard that most of the animals on the Arctic are not endangered. That it is really good, and we should deffinetely do something to make it stay that way.
Overall, I found this presentation really cool, and I appreciate the fact that Mr. Watts took the initiative to come and share all his findings with us.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Current events: "Haiti's ecosystems facing disaster"
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/10/haiti.biodiversity/index.html
In the past few months everyone has been talking about the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January, 2010. This island is facing an ecological disaster. Haiti's forests have some of the most endangered species living inside them. An area called Massif de la Hotte, is a home to 42 mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, who are considered threatened. Thirteen species of frogs, who are on the verge of extinction can only be found here. However, only 3 percent of Haiti's forests are here today, and they are disappearing at a shocking rate of 10% every five years. Those forests are being cut up by very poor Haitian people, who use the trees for firewood, and the land for crop growth. Some institutions tried to help by giving the local people employment, and starting the planting of trees again. Beside the frogs, there are also two species of endangered mammals that live only on the island. Those are:
-a solendon (a giant shrew)
-hutia (a long-legged guinea pig living in the trees)
I think that this is really sad, because we keep ruining the ecosystems, endangering thousands of species. I understand the needs of Haiti people, and I do think that someone should do something to help them. They should open more new jobs. I bet that if Haitian people had a job, they wouldn't even need to chop down the forests. Also, people could try to help by donating money to replant the forests, and help the many endangered species.
In the past few months everyone has been talking about the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January, 2010. This island is facing an ecological disaster. Haiti's forests have some of the most endangered species living inside them. An area called Massif de la Hotte, is a home to 42 mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, who are considered threatened. Thirteen species of frogs, who are on the verge of extinction can only be found here. However, only 3 percent of Haiti's forests are here today, and they are disappearing at a shocking rate of 10% every five years. Those forests are being cut up by very poor Haitian people, who use the trees for firewood, and the land for crop growth. Some institutions tried to help by giving the local people employment, and starting the planting of trees again. Beside the frogs, there are also two species of endangered mammals that live only on the island. Those are:
-a solendon (a giant shrew)
-hutia (a long-legged guinea pig living in the trees)
I think that this is really sad, because we keep ruining the ecosystems, endangering thousands of species. I understand the needs of Haiti people, and I do think that someone should do something to help them. They should open more new jobs. I bet that if Haitian people had a job, they wouldn't even need to chop down the forests. Also, people could try to help by donating money to replant the forests, and help the many endangered species.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Current events: "Pea-sized amphibians" :)
Scientists believe that they have found the smallest amphibian in the Old World (Europe, Africa and Asia), in the forests of the Southeast Asian island of Borneo. This creature was discovered by Drs. Indraneil Das and Alexander Haas. Dr. Das is also leading a scientific team, which is searching for lost amphibians, some of them which are believed to be extinct.
The tiny frog was found near the Gunung Serapi mountain, which is withing the Kubah National Park. The species was name afer the plant it depends on for survival, Nepenthes ampullaria, which lives in dark, shady places. The males vary in size and go from 10.6mm to 12.8 mm. The way those species reproduce is through laying eggs inside Nepenthes ampullaria, where the tadpoles grow, in the accumulated liquid.
Amphibians are one of the most threatened group of animals, with over a third of them in danger of being completely extinct. If this happened, it would be a complete disaster for human kind, because amphibians help us by eating insects that can spread diseases, and eat up crops.
I think that it is really cool that they have found a new species, and they should do everything they can to save them from being effected by things such as global warming, greenhouse effect, etc. The frogs seem really amazing, and I find it really interesting that they are so tiny. I was also really shocked when I found out that a third of the amphibians can get extinct. It is really sad to see all those animals dying, just because of us, and our careless ways of living.
The tiny frog was found near the Gunung Serapi mountain, which is withing the Kubah National Park. The species was name afer the plant it depends on for survival, Nepenthes ampullaria, which lives in dark, shady places. The males vary in size and go from 10.6mm to 12.8 mm. The way those species reproduce is through laying eggs inside Nepenthes ampullaria, where the tadpoles grow, in the accumulated liquid.
Amphibians are one of the most threatened group of animals, with over a third of them in danger of being completely extinct. If this happened, it would be a complete disaster for human kind, because amphibians help us by eating insects that can spread diseases, and eat up crops.
I think that it is really cool that they have found a new species, and they should do everything they can to save them from being effected by things such as global warming, greenhouse effect, etc. The frogs seem really amazing, and I find it really interesting that they are so tiny. I was also really shocked when I found out that a third of the amphibians can get extinct. It is really sad to see all those animals dying, just because of us, and our careless ways of living.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Survival video
Organisms have been on our planet for 600 million years. Over time, they developed and adapted to their surrounding. They developed survival techniques, that they use in every day life. Survival requires water, a solid amount of food, oxygen, a way to keep warm, and an ability to somehow defend from attack of other predators. Different animals use different ways to survive, depending on their ecosystems, environments, topography and climate.
The sea-turtle is capable of swimming over 2,000 miles to lay her eggs, and keep them safe. The little turtles hatch in broad daylight, and then make their way to the sea. However, not many of them survive, because on their way across the shore, some of them get eaten by birds, and other predators.
Foxes keep near humans. This is because, over time, they realized that humans can always provide them with food (chickens, etc.)
Some animals have the strangest ways of catching prey, camouflaging, etc. The puffer fish puffers up, and turns itself into a spiky balloon for defence. A snapper turtle, opens it's mouth to get fish, because the fish think that the turtle's tongue is a worm, so they come to eat it. Canadian great tree frogs, freeze themselves during the long winter, and then melt the ice, with the first spring sunrays.
A camel is a great example of adaptation and survival. It can drink up to nine gallons of water, without stopping and then can make it last for a very long time. It also has a store of fat on its back, that provides it with nutrients during the long journeys in the desert.
The sea-turtle is capable of swimming over 2,000 miles to lay her eggs, and keep them safe. The little turtles hatch in broad daylight, and then make their way to the sea. However, not many of them survive, because on their way across the shore, some of them get eaten by birds, and other predators.
Foxes keep near humans. This is because, over time, they realized that humans can always provide them with food (chickens, etc.)
Some animals have the strangest ways of catching prey, camouflaging, etc. The puffer fish puffers up, and turns itself into a spiky balloon for defence. A snapper turtle, opens it's mouth to get fish, because the fish think that the turtle's tongue is a worm, so they come to eat it. Canadian great tree frogs, freeze themselves during the long winter, and then melt the ice, with the first spring sunrays.
A camel is a great example of adaptation and survival. It can drink up to nine gallons of water, without stopping and then can make it last for a very long time. It also has a store of fat on its back, that provides it with nutrients during the long journeys in the desert.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Assignment about living things and their environment
Assignment
After reading the section on living things and the Environment in your textbook, apply your knowledge to answer the following questions in a new blog post on your blog. What needs are met by an organism's environment? What are the two parts of an organism's habitat with which it interacts? What are the levels of organization within an ecosystem? Why do you find different kinds of organisms in different habitats? Think about what will soon start happening within Belgrade. How do animals prepare for such a change?
Now, search for and embed a video showing a living thing in its environment. What would happen if we took away one or more of the living or nonliving factors in its environment? Which factors could they survive without?
Answers
1. There are a lot of needs met by an organism's environment. Firstly, the only environment that can meet those needs is the organism's natural habitat. It provides it with food. In it's natural habitat, the organism can find food, whether it's meat, plants or other microscopic beings. It can also find home. Some beings live in the trees, others in the bushes, the sea, etc. The habitat also provides the organism with oxygen and enough sun.
2. The organism interacts with other living organisms, as well as the physical environment. A biosphere is a place on Earth where organisms live. The biospheres consist of geographical areas, which are usually called biomes. A biome is a collection of a bunch of different ecosystems. Ecosystems include grasslands, rain forests, the ocean, etc., as well as different organisms, such as bacteria, amphibians, mammals, and many more.
3. Species; which is a population of the same kind of organisms, which are able to breed together.
Community; A group of different populations living in the same ecosystem, and somehoe interacting with each other.
Ecosystem; It is an area where climate, animals, plants and landscape continously interact with each other.
Biosphere; The largest unit of living systems.
4. Because not all organisms are capable of adapting to more then one environment. Let's take a salamander, for example. The salamnder is adapted to living in a dark, moist environment, and it would probably die in a desert, because it would get dehydrated.
5. Winter will come soon to Belgrade. Some animals prepare differently then others. Squirells, for example, are gathering nuts and grains to feed themselves through the entire winter season. Some birds are off, flying to warmer places, until winter is over. Bears (in the zoo, or bigger forests), are eating a lot more then usual, so that they have a thick layer of fat, to feed themselves of, during the long winter.
After reading the section on living things and the Environment in your textbook, apply your knowledge to answer the following questions in a new blog post on your blog. What needs are met by an organism's environment? What are the two parts of an organism's habitat with which it interacts? What are the levels of organization within an ecosystem? Why do you find different kinds of organisms in different habitats? Think about what will soon start happening within Belgrade. How do animals prepare for such a change?
Now, search for and embed a video showing a living thing in its environment. What would happen if we took away one or more of the living or nonliving factors in its environment? Which factors could they survive without?
Answers
1. There are a lot of needs met by an organism's environment. Firstly, the only environment that can meet those needs is the organism's natural habitat. It provides it with food. In it's natural habitat, the organism can find food, whether it's meat, plants or other microscopic beings. It can also find home. Some beings live in the trees, others in the bushes, the sea, etc. The habitat also provides the organism with oxygen and enough sun.
2. The organism interacts with other living organisms, as well as the physical environment. A biosphere is a place on Earth where organisms live. The biospheres consist of geographical areas, which are usually called biomes. A biome is a collection of a bunch of different ecosystems. Ecosystems include grasslands, rain forests, the ocean, etc., as well as different organisms, such as bacteria, amphibians, mammals, and many more.
3. Species; which is a population of the same kind of organisms, which are able to breed together.
Community; A group of different populations living in the same ecosystem, and somehoe interacting with each other.
Ecosystem; It is an area where climate, animals, plants and landscape continously interact with each other.
Biosphere; The largest unit of living systems.
4. Because not all organisms are capable of adapting to more then one environment. Let's take a salamander, for example. The salamnder is adapted to living in a dark, moist environment, and it would probably die in a desert, because it would get dehydrated.
5. Winter will come soon to Belgrade. Some animals prepare differently then others. Squirells, for example, are gathering nuts and grains to feed themselves through the entire winter season. Some birds are off, flying to warmer places, until winter is over. Bears (in the zoo, or bigger forests), are eating a lot more then usual, so that they have a thick layer of fat, to feed themselves of, during the long winter.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
KWL of living things
All living things are made up of one or more cells. There are two types of cells; animal and plant cells. The things that those two types of cells have in common are:
-the nucleus (the brain or "the control center of the cell")
-cell membrane (a wall that keeps the cell together, and controls what goes in and out of the cell)
-cytoplasm (the "goo" where most of the cell's activity takes place)
All living things also obtain and use energy. They use enerfy for warming themselves, moving/running, etc. All living things grow and develop. For some it takes less, for others more time, but eventually they all develop. All living thinhgs reproduce. Sopme species are born in eggs, some species are given birth to by their mothers, while plants reproduce through seeds. All organisms need to get their energy from somewhere. We get it from food, while plants use photosynthesis, a process of creating food using sun rays, water and sugar. And finally, all living things have to die. Some can survive for centuries, but they still need to face the end one day.
-the nucleus (the brain or "the control center of the cell")
-cell membrane (a wall that keeps the cell together, and controls what goes in and out of the cell)
-cytoplasm (the "goo" where most of the cell's activity takes place)
All living things also obtain and use energy. They use enerfy for warming themselves, moving/running, etc. All living things grow and develop. For some it takes less, for others more time, but eventually they all develop. All living thinhgs reproduce. Sopme species are born in eggs, some species are given birth to by their mothers, while plants reproduce through seeds. All organisms need to get their energy from somewhere. We get it from food, while plants use photosynthesis, a process of creating food using sun rays, water and sugar. And finally, all living things have to die. Some can survive for centuries, but they still need to face the end one day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)