DesignerSpeciesFinalProject1.docx

Oceanography

Final Project Evolution and Designer Species

Prof. Frashure

1. Review the following terms:

Evolution- The change over time; the process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.

Fitness- the ability for an individual to survive and reproduce in its specific environment.

Struggle for Existence- when members from each species compete regularly to obtain food, living space, and other necessities of life.

Adaptation- any inherited characteristics that increase an organisms chance of survival. An adaptation can be anatomical, behavioral, or physiological (internal responses).

Survival of the fittest- Individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully.

Natural Selection- the processes by which favorable traits that are heritable propagate throughout a reproductive population: individual organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with unfavorable traits. Natural selection leads to adaptations.

2. Scientists list 7 characteristics of life in which all living organisms have. Please review the following characteristics of living organisms:

Nutrition- Taking in nutrients which are organic substances and mineral ions, containing raw materials and energy for growth and tissue repair, absorbing and assimilating them.

Excretion- Removal from organisms of toxic materials, the waste products of metabolism and substances in excess.

Respiration- Chemical reactions that break down nutrient molecules in living cells to release energy.

Sensitivity- The ability to detect or sense changes in the environment and to make responses.

Reproduction- Progresses that make more of the same kind of organism.

Growth- The permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in number of cells, cell size, or both.

Movement- An action by an organism or part of an organism that changes position or place.

3. Please select one of the ocean habitat areas listed below that is not already assigned below.

Ocean Habitats

Estuaries

4. Create a slide show using MS PowerPoint or Prezi that incorporates the following criteria (see example on Moodle).

Slide 1.

Create an Introduction slide for your presentation that includes your habitat name, a picture with a citation, your name, and your course number and name (ENV 113 Introduction to Oceanography).

Slide 2

Describe/Define your habitat. Include citations for any definition.

Slides 3 and 4

Use outside research including your textbook to characterize the specific physical, biological, and chemical attributes or your habitat (temperature, salinity, sunlight, currents, tides, productivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, primary productivity). Include citations in your description

5. Create a slide for each characteristic of living organisms. Highlight 3 different adaptations from 3 different species found in your assigned habitat for each of the characteristics of living organisms. Include both an image and text that shows and describes the adaption. Be sure think about plants, plankton, zooplankton, and animals. Also, an adaption can be physical, behavioral, or physiological. See example on Moodle. Include citations for all images.

Slide 5

Nutrition

Slide 6

Excretion

Slide 7

Respiration

Slide 8

Sensitivity

Slide 9

Reproduction

Slide 10

Growth

Slide 11

Movement

Slide 12 and 13

Design and draw a new species (with color) that combines the best strategy from each characteristic of life. Be sure to name your designer species (genus, species).

Describe each adaption for nutrition, excretion, respiration, sensitivity, reproduction, growth, and movement (see example on Moodle).

Slide 14

Citations

A full list of citations using MLA, Chicago, APA, or Harvard citation method.