Current Event

Gypsy Moth Caterpillars
Sept. 12, 2011
Pennsylvania, USA
       The virus gene E.G.T. is making the caterpillars climb to the top of the tree and die to spread its offspring.
EGT Liquified Caterpillar
     



Gypsy moth caterpillars are like slaves to baculovireses with the E.G.T. gene. It makes them climb the trees, stop molting, die, and liquify and splatter all over the tree's leaves infecting other caterpillars and moths. When the moths lay eggs after being contaminated the caterpillars are born with the E.G.T. gene.

       It is one of the first studies where scientists identified the gene of the parasite that causes the altered behavior of the host.
Rabies and toxoplasmosis also affect the behavior of their host.
The viruses use the tissue of their hostes to reproduce and usually kill their host.How does it relate to class? It talks about the virus and viruses are organisms too.

Bibliography-Penn State (2011, September 12). Gypsy moth caterpillars hormonal slaves to virus gene. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 20, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2011/09/110908145059.htm

Current Event

Wolves May Aid Recovery of Canada Lynx, a Threatened Species By: William J. Ripple, Aaron J. Wirsing, Robert L. Beschta, Steven W. Buskirk Oregon State University

August 30, 201

Wolves are helping to bring back the Canada lynx which was listed threatened under the E.S.A. because of the decline in the snowshoe hare population. The cause in the decline of hares is the coyote population which dramatically grew when the wolf population depleted.

         

        The depleting of wolves is threatening other top pretators like lynx becaus wolves not keeping coyotes and herbavore populations at the appropriate number can dramatically affect the eco system. When one organism depletes it causes the population of other organisms to change usually causing the eco system to go "out of whack".

Reflection:
       Wolves often kill coyotes this keeps their population at bay.Wolves and other predators keep the amount of herbavores and omnivores at bay.One animal being endangered to any extent can severley mess up an eco system.


       We should be careful about cutting down a lot of forest, settling land, and polluting the ocean. It can have devastating effects on the ecosystem

BIBLIOGRAPHY:  Oregon State University (2011, August 30). Wolves may aid recovery of Canada lynx, a threatened species. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 19, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2011/08/110830144530.htm

What I Know and What I Want to Know

- I have forgotten a lot about cells from the beginning of sixth grade. We didn't do much other than read a few pages in the book.
- I would like to do something called spotlight where you pick an animal or plant for a week or so and list information like the scientific name and maybe at the start or end of class talk about that animal
-I want to learn more about how cells function
-I want to do a project on the food web
- I found a neat game simulating a wolf's relation to food chain and shows it's needs. link to game

Goals

-I really want to learn a lot about Biology and Ecology and just Life Science in general
-I want to look forward to homework and keep up optimism
-I want to study hard and learn the most possible!

this summer

This summer I went volcano hiking in Santorini, Greece. The hike was on a small island called Nea Kamini. The tour guide told us the history of the volcanic island. There was only one active volcano on the island.

The active volcano was and explosive volcano so there was no viable lava. When an explosive volcano erupts it is because the lava heats with water under the ground the water evaporates and gases build up pressure. The pressure causes the volcano to explode and after the eruption hot lava and hot rock flies up into the atmosphere. It soon rains down on the land causing more destruction. Santorini used to be one island but long ago a large explosive volcano erupted the magma chambers collapsed and sea water poured in and almost instantly evaporated. More and more filled the chambers and the one island became many the volcano eruption was so powerful scientists found acid from it all the way in Iceland. It lowered the global temperature by almost 3 degree's C.

new school year now I'm 7a