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Intro/Purpose
During this project me and my group studied different organisms and learned about evolution over time. We studied and dissected sponges, worms, frogs, squids, fish, and jellyfish. The purpose of this project was to gain knowledge on traits and characteristics that animals have evolved through over time. It was also to observe and learn from dissecting different animals. I learned a lot about different mutations and environmental factors that help species evolve and grow. Reflection I feel like over all my group and I did very good in this lab. We did the dissections pretty correctly and I understood what I was told and what I learned. The only main problem we had was knowing exactly what to do in the dissections(not following directions completely) and where to cut but other then that we did every thing accurately. Also in the dissections I didn't exactly know where every organ or structure was. Our cuts were sometimes messy and we couldn't see specific parts. The things that we did correctly(aka our peaks) was we communicated really well and divided the work equally. I also feel like we helped each other learn and understand the concepts. I really enjoyed this project because we were able to actually touch and observe these amazing animals and feel my knowledge of different species was widely expanded. Ecology of Sponges The sponges irregular shape makes them an ideal home for animals like snails, sea stars, sea cucumbers, etc. Many types of algae live on sponges and provide oxygen to the sponge while the sponge offers protection. Since sponges live on the ocean floor they receive little sunlight. Their spicules are shaped in a cross pattern which magnifies the light and allows sponges to survive in a wider range of habitats. Comparing Cnidaria and Porifera There was a huge difference between the Cnidaria and the Porifera. In the Porifera you couldn’t identify organ systems very well but in the Cnidaria there were large organ systems you could identify. The Cnidaria has a mouth to take in food and dispose of waste. For the Porifera they do not have any specified body features, tissues, or organ systems. The Cnidaria have important features, body symmetry, and specialized tissues. Cnidarians have stinging cells on their tentacles that are used to defend themselves and capture prey. The Cnidaria also has a nervous system and can sense light unlike the Porifera. Porifera have specialized cells “choanocytes,” that use flagella to move a steady current of water throughout the sponge. Ecology of Corals The”stony” or “hard” that build coral reefs attain high levels of light. Corals rely on symbioses with algae who capture solar energy, recycle nutrients, and help corals lay down their skeletons (made out of calcium carbonate). Algae live with coral tissue carrying out photosynthesis, giving the coral its green appearance. This adaption is important because it allows coral reefs to live in water that carries few nutrients. Corals get 60 percent of the energy they need from symbionts. Human activity is harming many coral reefs. Chemical found in fertilizers, insecticides, industrial pollutants, etc act as poison to coral reefs. Although human caused problems may not always kill corals, the stress caused makes them susceptible to different threats. Coral bleaching has become more common throughout the years causing many to die. The high temperatures in coral bleaching have the ability to kill the algae found in the tissues of corals, leaving behind only the clear cells, giving it a whiter appearance. Comparison The Porifera compared to the Cnidaria leads us to see many differences and similarities between the two. Symmetry in the animals could be used as a difference. Porifera are an asymmetrical group of animals unlike the Cnidaria. Cnidaria have a circular shaped body that has a rounded top. They are see through and have some obvious organs such as the gonads. Porifera have a hollow cavity that is lined with specialized cells, choanocytes, that push water throughout the body. The Cnidaria have specialized cells used for stinging that lie on the edge of the animal. The Cnidaria has a nervous system unlike the Porifera. Though the Porifera does not have a nervous system, it contains a chemical that makes them poisonous to predators. Ecology of Mollusks Mollusks play a big part in many different living systems. They prey on animals, feed on plants, and clean up their surrounding by helping to filter the water(get the algae out) or by eating detritus. Some of them are just plain parasites and others host symbiotic algae. Mollusks also serve as a food source for different organisms including humans. Molluscan diversity and ecology is growing all the time through biologists understanding. Researchers have recently discovered symbiotic bacteria within the foot-long bivalves clustered around these vents. Other research has discovered a similar symbiosis between related bacteria and bivalves that live in the mud of salt marshes and mangrove swamps. There are also some new uses for mollusks found such as being used to monitor water quality, careful checks of bivalves can warn biologists and public health officials of health problems long before scientists can detect these dangers in the open water, mollusks also serve as subjects in biological research, they also don’t seem to develope any form of cancer and if scientists can determine what protects the cells of these animals from cancer, and they will gain valuable insights into how to fight cancer in humans. Groups of Mollusks Many different animals are are Mollusks including snails, squids, clams, and cuttlefish. These animals are classified into narrower groups such as gastropods, bivalves, and cephalopods. Gastropods are mollusks that have one or no shell and use one “muscular foot” to move. They use defense mechanisms such as retracting into their shell, releasing an ink to confuse predators, and being poisonous to predators. Snails and slugs belong to this group. Bivalves have two shells that are held together by strong muscles. Bivalves typically do not move around and rest on rock or sides of boats. Cilia pushes water through and they get food from nutrients in what the catch. Clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops belong to this group. Cephalopods have a soft body and are connected to a foot which is divided into arms or tentacles. They use suckers or mucus like material on their arms to catch prey. Octopi, squids, cuttlefishes, and nautiluses belong to this group. Ecology of Annelids Annelids have many niches. Some are parasitic such as leeches and some pray on their invertebrates. The most commonly known annelid is the earthworm. They play a significant role in the ecosystem by replenishing the dirt of its nutrients. A square meter of soil could contain fifty to five hundred worms. Leeches and earthworms are hermaphroditic so they can reproduce sexually and asexually. Offspring hatch out of a cacoon and develop into a grown worm. Worms are essential to our environment and are necessary for healthy plant life. Groups of Annelids Annelids are divided into three classes: Oligochaetes,Hirudinea, and Polychaetes. The first class includes earthworms and their relatives. Oligochaetes typically only have a few sate and either live in soil or freshwater. These annelids are commonly found in woods, fields, and gardens. The class hirudinea contains the leech. Leeches are external parasites that suck the blood and body fluids of their host. A fraction amount of leeches are carnivores that feed on invertebrates such as snail, worms, and insect larvae. Leeches are commonly found in moist habitats in tropical countries. The class Polychaetes includes sandworms, bloodworms, and their relatives. They are marine annelids that have paired appendages with setae. This class live in cracks and crevices in coral reefs. Respiration, Excretion, and Circulation of Fish Most fish exchange gases using gills located on either side of the pharynx. The gills are made of a feathery, thread like structure. Fishes that exchange gases using gills by pulling oxygen-rich water in through their mouths, pumping it over their their gill fragments, and then pushing oxygen-poor out through openings in the side of the pharynx. Like most other aquatic animals, fishes rid themselves of waste in the form of ammonia. some waste is removed through gills. They also have kidneys to filter waste out of the blood. fishes have a closed circulatory system with a heart that pumps blood in a single loop. In most fishes the heart consists of four chambers. Groups of Fish Fish can be classified into three groups: jawless fish, cartilaginous fishes, and bony fishes. Jawless fish lack a jaw and vertebrae. They have cartilage and fibers in place of their skeleton. Jawless fish come in two groups: lampreys and hagfishes. Lampreys have a round head with a sucking disk in the center of the head. They attach themselves to their prey and grind with their toothlike structures while sucking the body tissues of its prey. Hagfishes have pinkish gray, wormlike bodies with multiple tentacles at the mouth. They have light detecting sensors around their body but do not have eyes. They are scavengers who feed on dead or dying fish. Hagfishes excrete lots of amounts of slime, have six hearts, have an open circulatory system, and often tie themselves into knots. The next group is sharks and relatives. Sharks, rays, and skates belong to the class Chrondrichthyes. Their bone structure is made completely of cartilage. Toothlike structures covering the skin make the skin feel rough. Sharks have thousands of teeth in several rows. New teeth replace the lost or worn out teeth. Some sharks are filter feeders with specialized feeding structures and teeth so small that they are basically useless. Some sharks have flat teeth for crushing mollusks and crustaceans. Skates are bottom dwelling animals that have mouths that act like vacuums. If they are not feeding they are buried under a layer of sand. The next group is bony fishes. Bony fish make up the class Osteichthyes. They are made of bone. Many have spiny things sticking off their body to create fan like structures. Coelacanth is a fish that lives in saltwater. Their bones are more substantial than ray-finned fishes. Some of their bones are jointed. Ecology of Fishes Fishes, such as lampreys, sturgeons, and salmon spend most their lives in the ocean but migrate to freshwater to breed. These types of fishes are called anadromous. The adult Salmon are able to recognize their home stream using their amazing sense of smell. Differently than anadromous fishes some fish live their lives in freshwater but migrate to the ocean to breed. These fishes are called catadromous. For instance, European eels live and feed in the rivers of North America and Europe. They lay their eggs in the Sargasso Sea, in the North Atlantic Ocean. From there the eggs are carried by water currents to shallow coastal waters and as they grow into young fish the eels find their way to freshwater and migrate upstream. Ecology of Amphibians Amphibians have patterns on their skin to help them camouflage and hide from predators. They have glands that ooze poisonous goo that is toxic. Some amphibians have bright colored skin to warn predators of their poisonousness. Some are not poisonous but look like to confuse predators. The population of amphibians have been decreasing recently. Scientists do not know the reason for the decrease in population but they have a few theories. They believe they could be disappearing due to acid rain, environmental threats, fungal infections, and others. Groups of Amphibians Amphibians are classified into three categories including salamanders, frogs and toads, and caecilians. Salamanders have long bodies and tails. Most all have four legs and both adults and larvae are carnivores. Salamanders are found in moist woods under rocks and rotting logs. Frogs and toads all share the ability to jump. Frogs mostly live close to water, whereas toads often live in moist woods and sometimes deserts. Adult frogs and toads lack the feature of tails. Caecilians are legless animals who live in water or burrow in moist sand. They feed on small invertebrates such as termites. |
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