Lab exercise. - herbarium laboratory, Population Lab
Lesson Outline
June 23, 2015
Tuesday 180 min
09:00 - 12:00
Lab exercise. - herbarium laboratory, Population Lab
Keaton returned his attention to complete the herbarium laboratory he started in May. Removing the pages from the plant press, he reordered his specimens to create representations of simple/complex leaf samples and parallel, palmate, and netted venation patterns. He created labels and mounted his specimens. This done, Keaton turned his attention to the lab he designed last week. He reviewed his lab report, methods and materials he will need to conduct his experiment. He created field data sheets to carry into the field, and prepared a container of distilled water to use on the boat to clean the equipment between tests. We also reviewed the mark-recapture study outlined in the text. Keton will assist with such a study tomorrow. He will also be testing his salinity test process tomorrow during the field laboratory trip.
June 22, 2015
Monday 60 min
12:30 - 01:30
Chapter 55 Ecosystems
As a change in pace, we used some additional materials to explore the basis of ecosystem ecology. Starting with a review of population and community ecology, we continued to explore the energy budget of the earth. We watched a NASA video describing missions that have taken place in the past few years, designed in exploration of this energy budget. Solar radiation interacts with aerisols and greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere. We discussed the energy flow and various chemical cycling/recycling processes that allow for the biosphere including the carbon cycle, the water cycle, and the nitrogen cycle. We also investigated the other spheres (atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, geosphere etc.) of investigation when studying ecosystems.
June 19, 2015
Friday 150 min
9:00 - 11:30
I administered test for Chapter 54. This consists of approximately 100 multiple choice questions similar to self-test questions included in the AP Biology text, provided by Campbell Reece AP Biology eighth edition test bank.
June 18, 2015
Thursday 60 min
12:30 - 01:30
Lab exercise.
This hour was dedicated to preparation for field lab. Keaton was tasked with demonstrating his ability to construct an investigation using the proper methods of Scientific procedure. He designed an experiment he will conduct next week by posing a question, forming a hypothesis, and designing a methodology with the proper materials. He was asked to prepare his notebook for data collection and bring it with him on our field survey on Wed.
June 16, 2015
Tuesday 180 min
09:00 - 12:00
Chapter 54 Community Ecology.
Keaton and I continued our discussion on Community ecology. Themes included competition for resources, ecological niches, predation, character displacement, symbiosis, parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism. Keaton was tasked with using different equations to measure nd monitor species diversity, to see how the higher the diversity the healthier the environment, and vice versa. The chapter ended with examples of community structure around dominant and keystone species.
June 15, 2015
Monday 60 min
12:30 - 01:30
Chapter 54 Community Ecology.
Keaton and I discussed the processes associated with Community ecology. We compared the Population ecology (which involves a single species) to the ecology of interspecific interaction. Examples of different influences on a community were explored, and contrasted while Keaton reasoned out the processes that lead to the success and failures of biological communities.
June 12, 2015
Friday 150 min
9:00 - 11:30
Chapter 53 Population Ecology
I administered test for Chapter 53. This consists of approximately 100 multiple choice questions similar to self-test questions included in the AP Biology text, provided by Campbell Reece AP Biology eighth edition test bank. Subjects covered included density, distribution, and demographics - factors in each that influence populations. For example how clumping density is best when reproductive strategies include high parental investment and few offspring. Keaton was tested on graphing exponential growth compared to logistical growth, and the rate of increase per capita. He also had to use life tables, reproductive tables and life history trait variables, to determine how diversity enriches a population.
June 11, 2015
Thursday 60 min
12:30 - 01:30
Chapter 53 Population Ecology
We discussed life tables, reproduction tables and variables that effect diversity. The two basic types of reproduction: big-bang and repeated, and the contrast of small clutches and high parental investment vs. large clutches and low investment. We explored the exponential growth of populations and how these can exceed carrying capacity. Finally Keaton studied population growth equations and associated patterns to see how exponential, zero, and logistical growth appear on a graph.
June 08, 2015
Monday 60 min
12:30 - 01:30
Chapter 53 Population Ecology
We discussed the three “d’s” of population ecology - density, dispersal, and demographics, and the factors that lead to the patterns of density and dispersal, the Biological processes that can change a demographic.
