The Scientific Method in Action

Today I want to focus on the scientific method in action! Below are links to 4 short video clips of life as a field biologist hunting caterpillars.

View Ms. Turner's two short video clips about how we conducted our field work. Look for me in the white baseball hat! :) Video under Thursday's entry "Field Work".

Her blog is: www.earthwatch2.org/LFF/Turner

View Mr. Nieveen's video clip about fighting our way into the forest. View under Wednesday's entry "Life as a Field Biologist".

His blog is: http://www.earthwatch2.org/LFF/Nieveen/

Lastly, view Mrs. Moore's video clip about using deductive reasoning to figure out the identification of a caterpillar. View under Monday's entry "Identifying a Caterpillar".

Her blog is: www.earthwatch2.org/LFF/Moore

After viewing the video clips, please post your comments about what you think would be the most interesting part of being a field biologist. What do you think would be the most challenging part of the job? Does a career as a scientist interest you? Why or why not?

I really look forward to reading your comments. I have a completely new perspective of scientific research that I look forward to sharing with you when I return (I have lots of other pics and video clips to show you). Until then, be good! Miss you!

More interesting pics just for fun...

Pic 1: Wonder who's living in there...

Pic 2: Ibis (wading bird)

Pic 3: Jumbo shrimp, Forest!

Pic 4: Golden Orbb Weaver

Pic 5: Cute Squirrel

Pic 6: Lubber Grasshopper (huge!)

Pic 7: Fire Ants (ouch!)

Pic 8:

New funky diseases for Pathology

Two new crazy diseases for you to try to diagnosis...both diseases involve an insect who has been infected with some type of pathogen. Please try to ID the different pathogens. Top picture is specimen A, bottom picture is specimen B. If you remember Planet Earth, you may have seen one of these before!

ALLIGATOR!

Today I saw my first alligator!!! It was about 4 ft long.

Biology students - your assignment is to figure out what species of alligator I most likely saw. Good Luck! :)

Caterpillar Diversity

I wanted to share a few pictures of the caterpillars we have collected thus far on our expedition. In order, they are:

1. Gulf Fritillary - intense black spikes, only eats passion vine, and turns into a reddish-orange butterfly with black markings

2. Bean Leaf Roller Skipper - eats beans and peas, turns into a greenish-blue moth with long bottom wings

3. Io Moth - stinging! (feels like a nettle sting but lasts longer), turns into a yellow and red "furry" moth, eats many things (called a generalist - eats birch, cherry, clover, oak, grasses, etc.)

4. Fall Webworm - another generalist (eats over 400 species of plants), called the "parasitoid hotel" because it is the host for over 50 species of parasitic flies and wasps, turns into a white moth

5. Saddleback Slug Caterpillar - stinging! most potent sting of all North American caterpillars, has spines like a porcupine, very large in size, another generalist (eats apples, corn, grass, maple, oak, blueberries, etc), turns into a brown and tan fat "hairy" moth

Biology students, do you think the caterpillars in the Berkshires are more or less diverse than in Louisiana? How about in Ecuador?

TOP: Our team before heading out to the field.

BOTTOM: Our diverse collection of caterpillars in our lab's rearing "zoo".

Pathology Question #2 - What is the difference between a parasite and a parasitoid?

Does this caterpillar have parasites or parasitoids?

Before we get into lots of detail about the caterpillar research we are doing in LA, I want to make sure you know the difference between a parasite and a parasitoid. Come up with as many similarities and differences as you can. Perhaps you may choose to pool your research and send in one class answer. Either way, the differences between the two are really important to understand so start researching and brainstorming!

Pathology Question #1 - What disease might Ms. U have when she returns to MA?

What is this object? Why was I told to immediately wash my hands after picking up this object in the forest?

Blogging Reminders for all Students

Just a quick reminder that I will be grading your blog comments throughout the week and they will go toward your quarter 1 grade. It is a GREAT way to earn some easy points so be sure to read my blog daily and send in your comments! Also, make sure you put your name on your comments so you receive credit!!! I will post the best comments 48 hours after I posted my blog, so be sure to get your answers in before that time to receive credit. Thank you! :)

Biodiversity - Biology Questions

Hello My Favorite Biologists!


As you start working on your cell diversity presentations, I wanted to talk to you a bit about biodiversity in general. If you break down the word biodiversity (like I love to do!), what do you get?


A big part of this research project is studying the change in biodiversity before and after Hurricane Katrina. However, more and more scientists are deciding that biodiversity is not an easy thing to measure. The newest methods for determining biodiversity in the field takes into account not only species diversity, but also species interactions. We'll talk more about this as the week goes on.


As a class I want you to discuss what you already know about biodiversity and think about what you want to learn about this important topic. To help you get started, each class will brainstorm their thoughts and send me the following comments (send only one class answer and be sure to write what period it is from):


1. Class definition of biodiversity.
2. Would you expect more species diversity in temperate areas (Berkshires) or in the tropics (Ecuador)?
3. Would you expect organisms to have more or less diet variety in temperate areas (Berkshires) than in the tropics? (Diet variety means how many different types of food they eat)
4. Would you expect more or less interactions between organisms in temperate or tropical areas? (Interactions refer to predator/prey, parasitism, and symbiotic relationships where organisms both benefit)
5. How would you classify Louisiana's ecosystem and climate? Is it temperate, tropical, or something else?


I look forward to your responses!
Ms. U :)

Powerpoint Requirements

General PowerPoint requirements for all students (Path & Bio):

1. Title slide - include title, your name, class period, and date

2. 10-15 slides of content information - please use slide titles, bulleted format for text (no long sentences or paragraphs), and include pictures and videos to keep your audience's interest

3. Works cited slide - be sure to include author name and book/website (PLEASE NOTE: NO CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN WITH OUT SOURCES!!!)


4. Cutting and pasting is plagiarism and will result in a zero - use your own words!

5. When using websites, only use credible websites such as those ending in .gov and .org


6. Spelling and grammar counts so proof-read your work!!!!

7. While giving your presentation, you are expected to know your material thoroughly. Your grade will reflect how well you elaborate on the information on your slides and how well you field questions. I do NOT want you to just read straight from the slides.


8. Have fun and learn a lot! This is your chance to learn about something of interest to you personally so enjoy it.

Disease Presentation Requirements -Pathology:

1. Choose a viral (or prion) or bacterial disease of your choice - each student must have a different pathogen (refer to sign-up sheet)

2. Include the following information in your presentation: 1. definition of disease, 2. causes (in our case, the pathogen suspected), 3. transmission, 4. incidence, 5. symptoms, 6. how diagnosed, 7. treatment, 8. prognosis, 9. complications, 10. prevention, and 11. other interesting information.


Suggested website to start your research: http://www.cdc.gov/ (Center for Disease Control & Prevention)

Cell Diversity Presentation Requirements - Biology/Agribio:

1. Choose a specific, unique cell of your choice (each student must sign up for a different one) - can be prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells from a unicellular or multicellular organism. However, you must specify what type of unicellular organism (i.e. E. coli bacterium) or type of cell from the multicellular organism (i.e. human nerve cell). When in doubt, check with Ms. Lovejoy (your sub).

2. Include the following information in your presentation: 1. definition of your cell, 2. classification of cell (prokaryotic or eukaryotic) and kingdom its in, 3. name of organism, 4. size of cell, 5. shape of cell, 6. organelles in cell, 7. functions of cell, 8. habitat (or location of cell in multicellular organism), 9. pictures of cell, 10. other interesting cell characteristics.

Where to start: Best place to start is in your textbook! First decide what kingdom you want to explore and then use your table of contents/index to find the corresponding chapter. There will be plenty of background information on your cell in the textbook, but you'll have to research elsewhere to find all the information needed for your presentation.

Questions? Confused? Send me a comment with your name or email me at curicchi@tek2000.net.

Pathobiology Questions

Hello A period!

I wanted to share a few disease-related finds with you and ask for your thoughts...

Upon arrival in Louisiana, we stayed at a bed and breakfast next to the Audubon Park. Below are pictures of two birds with "tumor-like" characteristics. Look them over, do some research, and send me your hypotheses as to their diagnosis. Good Luck!

Bird A

Bird B

Weekend Research & Article to Read

Two full days of research completed! On Saturday, we used machetes to hike our way into the Honey Island Swamp Wildlife Management Area and collected 62 caterpillars from our first plot site.

(Collecting roadside before entering swamp)

Due to the damage from Hurricane Katrina, the forest ecology has changed dramatically. Broken trees have allowed for much more sunlight to reach the forest floor and opportunistic plants have taken over. Blackberries are one such plant and have made walking near impossible. These prickers kind of remind me of our multiflora rose pricker bushes; however, the blackberries are native (multiflora rose is invasive). This is only one of the many changes due to climate change we will be encountering.

View a short clip of my team (dressed in orange as it is hunting season), bushwhacking through the swamp to our plot site (the teacher in front of me is Ms. Moser and she is a riot!).

On Sunday, we spent the day in the bunkhouse identifying all the caterpillars we had collected and the plants they were eating. This took a REALLY long time. All this information was entered into a database that can be statistically analyzed to create usable data based on species, location, plant, etc. Since the start of this project in 2001, over 12,700 caterpillars have been collected.

Throughout the week, we will try to rear these caterpillars in our baggie "zoo" (see picture) and observe them for parasitoid infections. More about parasitoids later...

Today, I want all classes to read through this case study on forest caterpillars, which was written by the research scientists I am working with. I want you to focus on the vocabulary introduced (defined on the last page) and ask any questions you may have. This article will provide vital background information for you to understand the research I am doing down here in Louisiana!

***Link to article: http://www.earthwatch2.org/classroomearth/pdfs/wildeco_forestcaterpillars.PDF

Send me any other comments you want as well! I miss you guys!

Ms. U :)

Arrived in New Orleans!

Park View Guest House...124yr old haunted guesthouse

Hello students! I have arrived in New Orleans! The flight was long but the views from the plane amazing. My layover was in DC so I got to see the Lincoln Memorial from a birds-eye view.

The weather down here is hot and humid. Its hard to believe we had snow last week and its still 80 down here.

Last night we got to stay at a 124 yr old guesthouse next to the Audubon park. Its such a cool place! And the rumor is, its haunted...

Today we get transported to our "base camp" out in the wildlife preserve where we will be doing fieldwork on caterpillars for the next 8 days. I have been told that I will certainly encounter water moccasins, alligators, nutria, bats, and stinging caterpillars. Its dangerous work out there! :) Has anyone heard of a nutria before? Rumor has it this animal came from South America with the inventor of Tabasco sauce. He brought them up to help control some type of weed. Look up what a Nutria is and send me your answers! What kingdom and family is it in?

Ok, off to breakfast but I'll post some pictures soon!

Ms. U :