Mollusk Discovery:)

Chiton!!

Chiton means "many plates" (as you can see in the above picture). They come in many different colors, they have no eyes and no tentacles but they do consist of eight overlapping shells over a muscular foot. These plates protect the Chiton from any predators that cross their path. They use their radula, a ribbon like toothed structure or tounge, to scrape off algae from rocks.Their shells are very hard and when frightened by a predator, they will roll up into a ball (see below picture).

Taxonomy:

Kingdom:  Animalia

Phylum:  Mollusca

Class:  Polyplacophora

Order:  Neoloricata

Family: Chitonidae

Genus: Chiton

Species: Chiton Squamosus

VIDEO!!!

http://s701.photobucket.com/albums/ww14/LamboAM/Album%202/?action=view&current=StomaVid.mp4

Crustaceans and Echinoderms

       *The similarities between Crustaceans and Echinoderms are: they both have bilateral symmetry. The Echinoderm larvae are usually have bilateral symmetry while the Crustaceans always have bilateral symmetry.
     
      * The differences between Crustaceans and Echinoderms are: Echinoderms have an endoskeleton v. Crustaceans who have exoskeletons, Crustaceans molt and Echinoderms do not, Echinoderms have no body segments and Crustacenas do, Echinoderms have "spiky skin" and Crustaceans do not.

  Echinoderms:



http://kentsimmons.uwinnipeg.ca/16cm05/1116/33-37-EchinodermsCollage.jpg

1. The top left is a picture of a Star Fish. The Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Echinodermata,

Class: Asteroidea, Order: Forcipulata, Genus - Asterias, Species - Rubens.
      2. The bottom left is a picture of a Purple Sea Urchin. The Kingdom of a Sea Urchin is: Animalia, Phylum: Echinodermata, Class: Echinoidea, Order: Arbaciodia, Family: Arbaciidae, Genus: Arbacia, Species: Arbacia punctulata.
      3. The top right is a picture of a Brittle Star. The taxonomy for the Brittle Star is, Kingdom:  Animalia, Phylum: Echinodermata, Class: Ophiuroidea, Order: Ophiurida, Family: Ophiodermatidae, Genus: Ophiothrix, Species: spiculata.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://environmentmaldivesmv.co.cc/wild%

 This is a cute little picture of a Hermit crab. A Hermit Crab's taxonomy is, Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Arthropoda, Class: Malacostraca, Order: Decapoda, Family: Paguridae, Genus: Paguristes, Species: P. cadenati.

http://www.nevillecoleman.com.au/media/226055/hymenoceridae%20hymenocera%20picta%20harlequin%20shrimp.jpg

 This is a picture of a Shrimp. The taxonomy of a Shrip is, Kingdom: Animilia, Phylum: Arthropoda, Class: Malacostraca, Order: Decapoda, Family: Penaeidae, Genus: Penaeus, Species: monodon, japonicus,indicus, merguiensis, chinensis.



https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWjcBQNTgidxTmimL7Wwvu6ahKCT9Av4x-FDjQaGbxIqPQMTdzAZAL3NgnYyX540lS45Gt75qFZ-nvKvUyK6X04T8Y5k9D9U1NTDLR6tFPDP_wfPtcVOaoEU46DTXvbZleqzdkZiFCk0/s1600/cooked+lobsters.jpg+web+size.jpg

   This is a picture of a delicious looking Lobster! The taxonomy of a Lobster is, Kingdom: Animilia, Phylum: Arthropoda, Class: Malacostraca, Order: Decapoda, Family: Nephropidae, Genus: Homarus, Species: americanus.

To learn more about Echinoderms and Crustaceans and to view more photos, check out this cool video:

http://www.zaneeducation.com/Videos/Biology/Study_of_The_Animal_Kingdom/Noninsect_Arthropods_and_Echinoderms/Noninsect_Arthropods_and_Echinoderms_Part_1.php

Biofilm Simulation at the G.C. Marine Reserve

Biofilm Simulation at the G.C. Marine Reserve

On Friday the class did a lab. We took a paper towel, which simulated the ocean, and we took a gram cracker, which simulated the biofilm plate, and placed it on top. Then we spread icing all over the gram cracker, which represented slime, and placed a gummy lifesaver, which was to represent the gram cracker staying place. After that, we then sprinkled red sprinkles which simulated Red coralline algae, Brown ling johns which simulated Diatoms, rainbow sprinkles and marshmallows which simulated Barnacles, rainbow long john which simulated Coral, and blue or green dots which simulate Oysters. Then after we sprinkled all these "organisms" on the gram cracker, we counted how much we had of each. We looked at pictures of Biofilm plates on the Internet and it showed this one experiment of how a person set biofilm plates in the ocean. The biofilm plates showed different organisms on each. It taught is that at different depths different organisms live and float around. It was really neat to see how many organisms can attain on a Biofilm plate, and it was delicious! Thanks Mrs. Richardson! 

Signs of Spring: Site One

SIGNS OF SPRING!!!

Site One:)

 If you look close enough, you are able to see a green flower and that is a flower of a blackberry bush. Pretty much any type of berry bush, before they bud berries, they bloom flowers. So this means that there should be blackberries budding soon. While I was observing the blackberry bush, I heard my fellow classmates and the chirping of far away birds. The wind wasn't blowing at that time so I felt the heat of the warm sun on my face.

 My camera on my phone isn't good enough to zoom in close enough to see the buds, but at the top of all these branches are little pink buds; the buds for Spring leaves. I heard birds all around, in all distances, and people chattering.

I know that this might look like Poison Ivy, but it is actually Honeysuckle leaves! This is one of my favorite pictures because I love Honeysuckles! They smell so good and taste so sweet! You couldn't smell honeysuckles yet because they haven't bloomed quite yet, but I heard the wind blowing through the trees and birds singing.

SIGNS OF SPRING!!

SITE TWO:)!

While the class and I was walking round the pond, I came upon these long dankly things(above picture); they are alder catkins! They produce pollen, but the pollen has not yet formed on them. They provide food for insects and bees and they distribute seeds. The weather was 43 degrees but it felt like it was 35. I heard the trees blowing in the winds and some of my classmates talking.



SIGNS OF SPRING!!

Site Three:)

 It is a little blurry, but this is a picture of a green bud. I took this picture while I was walking around the other side of the pond. I don't know how long it has been a bud, but I am just so Excited to see that Spring is literally in the air! I cannot wait until it is officially Spring! I heard the crunching of leaves around me and I could feel the sun and a cool light breeze.

Sorry if this picture is really blurry, I tried; but anyways this is a picture of red buds. There is something unique about this red bud and it is that you can actually see the Springs growth. If you look you can see the brown stem, that is last years growth, and the long red stems is this years! It's growing so quickly! I thought it was really neat to be able to see the new growth. While I was observing this, I heard the smashing of leaves and I felt the light cool breeze and sun.

SITE FOUR!

This is a picture of a really pretty unique flower buds. I took this picture right next to the creek, walking on my way back to the school. These are my favorite of all the buds that I saw because they actually looked like flowers. I could feel the sun and hear the patter of feel, passing cars and buses, and people talking.

Plankton Wars & Algae in the Cupboard!!

 P l a n k t o n   W a r s!!

This is a picture of me and my Plankton. I made his top wave-like so that he could float in the water, then stuck a toothpick in the middle and on the end I covered a button with clay and stuck it on the bottom. We used clay because it is buoyant in water. I did this so that it would add more weight. Then I added toothpicks for his arms and ribbons (for style;). The object was to get your plankton in the middle of the water, not floating and not sinking. Well ours was unsuccessful because it floated; it needed more weight. When we put the button on the bottom, covered in clay, it balanced out the top, so we didn't make any progress. But it was fun because I learned that every plankton is unique (made by GOD of course) and fit in the environment that it lives in.

Bird Observations, Day 5

Bird Watching

When we were picking up logs and looking for insects, fellow classmates of mine spotted this black/brown salamander. First we all thought it was a snake so nobody touched it, but when we saw that it had legs we knew it was then a salamander. I head screeching and the crunching of sticks and leaves from classmates finding insects.

This is a picture of a Warbler taken by Mrs. Richardson while we were bird watching. First off, it is hard to go bird watching because you have to be extremely quiet and I am not a quiet person, but Mrs. Richardson managed to get this shot. When we were silent we hear an intercom, bus horns, and birds chirpping.

On the top right corner is a picture, taken by Mrs. Richardson, of a Downey Woodpecker. If you look close enough you are able to see it's many colors consisting of: black, blue and white. Its actually a pretty bird, and really neat to watch. I felt the warm breeze and heard the birds and squirrels in the woods.

This picture is of, what looks like to me, some sort of orange funus. Hali Goad and I found this while we were looking for insects under and on logs when we fumbled upson this.

Observation Site 4

Observation Site 4:)

 This is a pictute of algae on a stick. I saw some green algae in the creek so i got a stick and scooped it up. It is slimy and ofcourse wet. While I was in that certain spot, I also saw geese nearby in the pond, and I could hear the sound of rushing water.

 This is a picture of an algae basin. As you can see there is nothing but brown in the water, and that is your algea. There are also photoplankton in the pond but their too tiny to see without a microscope.

This picture was taken on the pond. This is a picture of a HUGE clump of brown algae. I could see the geese, and fell the warm breeze on my face:) I love how Spring is in the air.

 This is anther picture of brown algae, and it too was also taken in the pond. There is SO much algae in the pond!

 When I was walking i walked by this Cattail and the cool thing about it is that it is "shedding". I felt the white stuff that looks like cotton and it feels like wool. Most all the Cattails were doing this.

This is a really neat picture, you can't see it very close but it is actually a Turtle Shell! I thought it was a curled up leaf but in fact it was a Turtle Shell. How cool is it to see! Mrs. Richardson found it and showed the class:)

Plankton Observations:)

Plankton!!

This is a picture, taken under the microscope by Mrs. Richardson, of a cluster of algae. Algae is a great sorces of food, and living in the algae are nano phytoplankton. You can't really see them becuase the microscope isn't zoomed in far enough but they are there. Phytoplankton are free floating plants and they are the base of the foodchain in the ocean. 

This is a great picture, taken by Mrs. Richardson, of the skeletons of star shaped Forams. They are located on the Star Beach in Japan. When they die, their skeletons wash up on this beach and that is their "sand". They don't have sand, instead they have the skeletons of Froams.

This is a really cool macro picture of a zooplankton worm. If you look closely you are able to see its cells and his/her's antennas. The worm was actually moving and it was unique to see how it moves, and the best thing was that you could see like its insides moving. Like food being moved throughout its body; it was really neat to see. (This picture was also taken by Mrs. Richardson)

This is a darker picture but if you look close enough you are able to see Diatoms. The Diatoms are the lines with the white in the middle, and they are actually boxes. They come together to float slower to the bottom(lake, pond, ocean, etc). It's really neat to be able to see all of the organisms under the microscope and look at their cells and how they form and move. Thanks Mrs. Richardson for the great pictures!!

Observation Site, Day Three:)

You can't really see them, but their there, but this is a picture of a tree with buds on the ends. Spring is coming!! This was taken right outside of the school and while i was observing the tree and i could feel the wind and hear cars and busses go by.

This is yellow fungus on a tree next to the school. I don't know exactly what kind of fungus this is but it looked disgusting!

If you look closely you are able to see little holes, and I'm not positive but i think it is from a woodpecker. Again I'm not a 100% positive but that is what it seems like to me. It felt rought and i heard my classmates talking and nearby cars passing by.

Observation site, Day Three:)

This here is a picture of a deer scraping on a dead tree. You can't really see it becaue the picture is so light but it's really long and cool too see. I could distantly hear the birds and flock of geese.

This is a tree that is almost completley broken off by the sharp teeth of a beaver. I felt it and it was rough, but the actual shape of it is really cool because it's like in a pattern form. I heard the rustling of leaves and the chatter of my fellow classmates.

Observation site, Day Three:)

This is a sideways picture of dead callalilies off in the distance in the pond. I could feel the cold harsh wind against my face and hear the geese across the pond.

You can't really see them because my camera couldn't zoom anymore, but this is a picture of a couple dozen of geeze gracefully gliding across the pond.

Observation Site Three:)

P.S. Sorry guys if my pictures are really light and kind of blurry, my camera was messing up!

 This is a sideways picture of the creek next to the pond. It was FREEZING! You could hear the pretty sound of running water from the creek. Despite the bitter cold, it was kind of a pretty atmosphere.



If you look close you can see a black object and that is actually a huge birds nest. When we were there we didn't see any birds in the nest or near it, but we did hear them.

Observation, Site 4

When we were walking through the woods and heard "quacks" and saw dozens of geese on the pond. If you look closely you can kind of see them. I felt the wind and heard the geese and the leaving blowing on the trees.

Observation, Site 3

I was walking through the woods a stumbled upon this dead tree and if you look cosley you are able to see a bunch of holes. I think termites caused this damage, but there definitley could be other insects involed.

Observation, Site 2

I walked down to the creek and looked up and saw a whole bunch of these holes. It does look like an animal could live in it, but we're not sure. There were not any actual tracks but there were marks.

Observation, site 1

I walked down and almost stepped in this hole, it doesn't look big in the picture but in person it is. We couldn't find tracks outside of the hole so we don't know for sure what animal lives in there, but i think it is a goundhog's home.

This is a picture of a fungus shaped like a mushroom. The texture is smoth but kind of rough at the same time. It was very cold out so they can break eaisly.

This is a picture of scraped bark. Maybe from a deer's antlers. The tree was dead but the scrape seemed fairly new. We also saw a bird nest in a tree that was next to the one shown above, but we didn't see any birds but we did hear them.

Observation Site Number4

This is a picture of a old smashed up car. It had a lot of holes and rust on the exterior, indicating it was there for a long time; most of the car was destroyed from weather and use. We felt the wind and saw squirrels roaming around the woods and car.

Observation Site Number3

This is a picture of moss, living on the bottom of a tree. Leaves covered it up so we had to remove some of the leaves from the surronding moss.

Observation Site Number2

The lake was completely frozen, but there were holes in the lake; maybe from where animals fell through the ice. We also saw tracks of animals across the ice. I felt the cold wind and nearby squirrles running in the woods and i could hear the frozen leaves crunching under my feet.

Observation Site Number1

                            

                      This is a picture of Algae, from site number1.

                                    

At this site we felt the wind blowing, we could smell the scent from the algae, and we heard the birds chirpping. (pictures by Kim D.)