Writing in Biology

Birdsong is used to communicate with other birds, similar to the way humans communicate. Birdsong is taught the same way humans learn language: they learn from their parents and it is passed down. In addition, there are different dialects for different regions. Also, children birds and humans both hear their mistakes as their learn their languages. Depending on the environment in which a bird lives, the pitch and type of song the bird sings may be different. A bird’s song is meant to be heard for as far as possible so the recipient can hear it clearly. As a result, some birds may have high pitched songs while others may have low pitched songs, depending on their environment and who they are trying to communicate with. For example, deserts are much more open than forests, so birds in the desert usually use “the buzz” while birds in the forest may use low pitched songs so it won’t be lost amongst the trees and ground. Males try to show off their skill and compete for mates through their songs. Males will usually create much more complex songs in hopes of impressing a female and making them their mate.

It is often wondered how visual and sensory stimuli affect a child’s development. While ‘nature versus nurture’ is an extensive and prolonged debate, it is a relevant topic when trying to understand child development and growth. In a recent experiment, rats were split up and placed into three scenario cages: a cage with adequate resources and space, a cage without adequate resources and space, and a cage with an excessive amount of resources and space. After weeks of living in these the scenarios, the scientists collected the rats and measured each rat’s brain radius and brain activity. As a result, the rats living in the cage with excessive amounts of resources and space had a very different brain chemical make-up and size then the rats living under impoverish circumstances. More specifically, the cerebral cortex of the brains in the rats living in great conditions were larger and more developed; this indicates that brain development is dependent on outside experience or ‘nurturing’ factors.  This is significant in proving that brain development is affected by living experiences; and now the nurture side of the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate has a solid piece of evidence to back it up. 

In this lab, the diversity of plant species in different types of environments was observed. In this case, the diversity of plant species were collected on a hill and a flatland. Depending on the slope of the environment the plant was growing on, the diversity of species were examined. Diversity is good in an environment because it makes it more stable and suitable for diseases and other changes to its surroundings. An environment is healthy when it is very rich. Richness is the number of species in a community. The most common way to determine whether an environment is diverse or not is through the Shannon diversity index. The Shannon diversity index is a way to mathematically measure a community’s diversity (Beals). This is important to biologists in order to observe how rare or common a species is in an environment (Beals). In this lab, the types of environments were observed to see if they make a difference on the diversity of plants in the given area. On a hill the nutrients and soil will run down to the bottom, preventing plants from using them. The assumption can be made that there will be less diversity on a hill than there would be on a flatland because of the decreased amount of nutrients on a hill due to its slope.

I believe the second biome to be a temperate deciduous forest, which could be found between 30º and 50º N. In this area it is also important to note that this is limited to “on the eastern and western edges of Eurasia, and on the eastern edges of North America” (Bowman 65) this is because the further inland you go, the more precipitation is lost. The main factor that led me to believe that it is a temperate deciduous forest are the periods of sub-freezing temperatures (under 0 º C) that occur between the months of December, January, and mid-February. In addition, I also noticed that there were no periods of time where it was insufficient for plant growth which supports the idea of tree growth. The mystery biome is described as having an annual precipitation rate of 1562 mm. If this biome is like the other biomes we have studied, I’d assume it contains trees such as oak trees which are deciduous and lose their leaves, which is important for the freezing temperatures. In addition, deciduous trees are well suited for the seasonality of the cool/ cold temperatures and the dry/ wet precipitation. 

A sodium potassium pumps is used in the active transport of sodium and potassium ions across a cell membrane. The pumps moves 3 sodium ions out of the cell for every 2 potassium ions that it brings into the cell. The movement of these ions is against their concentration gradients, which means the pump needs energy in order to transport these ions. In a cell, most of the Na+ exists outside of the cell and the K+ is inside the cell. Charge is measured at the membrane and in a neutral cell, the inner layer is negative where the outside is positive. Cells move torward the membrane potential of the ion it's most permeable to, so if a cell has more leakage channels for K+ then the membrane potential for K+ is what is desired. 

Extracellular potassium will result in a less negative membrane potential because an addition of extracellular potassium results in a decrease in the concentration gradient. There is more potassium inside of the cell to begin with so an increase in extracellular potassium decreses the chemical gradient, creating a less negative membrance potential. 

Decreasing extracellular sodium will not have a similar impact on the membrane potential. This actually has little effect on the membrane potential since the membrane is not very permeable to sodium. Leakage potassium channels exist so the membrane is more permeable to potassium than to sodium. So potassium has more movement available. An increase in extracellular potassium would then decrease the amount of potassium leaving the cell through these leakage channels since the gradient is less steep. This results in a less negative (more positive) membrane potential. Becasuse sodium is not as permeable, reduction of extracellular sodium would not have a similar effect because active transport is required regardless. 

I believe mystery Biome 1 to be a temperate shrubland + woodland area. Most likely falling between 30º and 40º N and S. One of the main reasons that made me believe this, was because there is seasonal precipitation. In this first biome, there is a rainy winter season. For example, the month where it hits the peak in October and then continues to stay high throughout the winter. I also noticed that the precipitation drops in April and continues to drop until July where it starts to get wetter again. During the months of mid-June and mid-August, the conditions are insufficient for plant growth. This factor is in line with what we already know about shrubland and woodland areas. If this biome behaves the same way, we can assume that it is going to contain mostly evergreen shrubs and trees. The plants here have to make it through the months where it is insufficient for plant growth so many of them will probably contain sclerophyllous leaves, which are able to survive hot, dry summers. 

There are many ways to analyze DNA. Some popular methods include Gel Electrophoresis and Restriction Enzymes. The main purpose of Gel Electrophoresis is to separate DNA samples by size. The samples are attracted to the (+) end of the well, so they move in that direction. The smaller sized samples move quicker than the large ones, making it easy to distinguish by size. The use of restriction enzymes is to cut DNA at specific recognition sequences. The DNA is digested by some type of enzyme (for example EcoRI) and is fragmented into several sizes at specific sites. 

In the METHODS project, I will search and find a spider web that someone else can replicate.  In order to find a spider, I will look in the corners of my friend’s apartment. From prior experience, I know that spiders tend to make their webs in generally undisturbed areas.  Knowing this fact, I plan to look in corners that are blocked by some type of furniture. That furniture will block humans from entering that area making a better environment for spiders to make their webs.  I will also look outside between fence posts because these are easily replicable.

    With the photos I take, I will create a multi-panel scientific figure that will enable someone else to reproduce a similar spider web.  A map and a meticulous description of my methods will accompany the scientific figure to allow for easier reproduction of my spider web.

Everything I did this morning

• Alarm went off

• Snoozed it

• Repeat about 10 times

• Slowly woke up

• Went on Instagram for like 10 minutes

• Got out of bed

• Brought my toothbrush toothpaste face wash and hand towel to the bathroom

• Went to the bathroom

• Took my retainer out

• Brushed my teeth

• Brushed my retainer

• Washed my face

• Dried my face

• Came back to the room

• Checked the weather for the day

• Picked out an appropriate outfit for that weather

• Got dressed

• Put the shades up

• Talked to my roommate

• Did my mascara and blush

• Packed my backpack with my chargers and laptop

• Put my shoes and socks on

• Grabbed a belvita breakfast bar

• Said bye to my roommate for the weekend

• Walked to the ILC while eating my belvita bar

• Listened to music

• Physics Class

• Went to the bathroom

• Walked out of physics and to a table

• Set up at a table to do homework

• Texted my friends about house hunting for senior year

• Finished my application

• Did some homework

• Walked to Blue Wall

• Ordered a hummus wrap but got a hummus bowl

• Went to the bathroom

• Walked to Genetics Class

• Got a call with a job offer

• Genetics Class

• Ate hummus bowl

Throughout an average day, I communicate with various people through different mediums.  I interact with my roommate every morning before leaving for class. In class, I also interact with my peers to problem solve. On Thursday, September 13th, I interacted with my peers in General Genetics and Introductory Physics.  During lunch, I also ordered my food from an employee. These interactions were all face to face communication. I also interact with people through other means. For example, I text my friends throughout the average day. On this particular day, I also got a call from a rehabilitation center offering me a position.  Communication is a common part of my typical day, though it is through different mediums.

Although electronic devices are used throughout the day for communication, they are also a substantial part of my day in other regards.  I use my phone to wake myself up in the morning with several alarms, to check Instagram in the morning, and to listen to music while walking to class.  I use my laptop to check the weather in the morning, do homework, and apply for jobs. Technology is a substantial component of my day.

Since my phone is such a significant part of my life, I use it during most unchanging routines I have throughout the day.  One of the most monotonous activities I take part in every day is hygiene. When I wake up I go to the bathroom to wash my face, brush and floss my teeth and retainer and brush my hair.  During this process, I am generally checking Instagram and Facebook. When I go back to my room, I check the weather on my laptop and pick out an appropriate outfit for the weather. I then apply mascara and blush to my face and get dressed.  At this point, I am ready for class so I plug in my headphones and head to the ILC.

Since UMass is such a large campus, I spend a lot of my day walking from place to place.  On Thursday, September 13th, I walked from my room to the bathroom, from Coolidge to the ILC, and from the ILC into Blue Wall.  Later on that day I walked from the ILC to Morrill. On every walk I take I listen to music and sometimes check social media.

Interacting with people face to face: Said bye to my roommate for the weekend, Physics Class, Ordered a hummus wrap but got a hummus bowl, Genetics Class

Interacting with people through another medium of communication: Texted my friends about house hunting for senior year, Got a call with a job offer

Used electronics: Alarm went off, Snoozed it, Repeat about 10 times, Went on instagram for like 10 minutes, Checked the weather for the day, Listened to music, Texted my friends about house hunting for senior year, Finished my application, Did some homework, Got a call with a job offer

Hygiene: Went to the bathroom, Took my retainer out, Brushed my teeth, Brushed my retainer, Washed my face, Dried my face, Picked out an appropriate outfit for that weather, Got dressed, Did my mascara and blush, Put my shoes and socks on, Went to the bathroom

Movement: Got out of bed, Brought my toothbrush toothpaste face wash and hand towel to the bathroom, Came back to the room, Walked to the ILC while eating my belvita bar, Walked out of physics and to a table, Walked to Blue Wall, Walked to Genetics Class

Academic: Physics Class, Genetics Class, Did some homework

Eating: Walked to the ILC while eating my belvita bar, Ate hummus bowl

Genetic transformation is the direct uptake and incorporation of genetic material from the surroundings. This idea is the root of most bacterial cells, which can do exactly this. Another way of incorporating DNA into a different cell is through Enzymatic digestion (where cells undergo fractionation). The cell is split into component molecules, which can then be absorbed.