My Performance
1. For this unit the assignments were not quite as challenging as the previous three units but I still liked doing the lab and I thought the process of doing the lab did give me some insight into the interactions I have with species during a normal day.
2. As usual when time gets short some assignments are going to pay the price and unit four is no exception to my rule of procrastination. My compendium review did suffer a little but still better then the compendium review I did in unit 3.
3. I am going to go with a low A as my grade of choice, since this is our last unit in human biology.
4. Just like all the previous units I could definitely use better time management and less procrastination. I do end up getting most of the assignments done on time, but I think I will be much better in the class room environment where there is more time management structure. My personal downfall……….
The unit
1. I think when I was working on the final lab for the course, this assignment really helped bring all the aspects of the unit together.
2. The very begging of the unit I was not very focused and it took me a week or so to really get rolling on the assignments and labs.
3. After doing three other units previously this particular unit went fairly smooth and I did not really have any difficult questions which need answering.
4. I think my response to question number 3 would work just as well for this question also.
5. In this unit I did not really have a good in-depth understanding of how bad our current population growth was, and how much it impacted the environment and global resources. So it was a little alarming to read and learn about all the negatives associated with this units major topics.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Compendium Review Ch.16,17,22,23,24
Compendium Review Unit V
Table of contents:
Male and Female Reproductive systems
Birth Control
STDs
Fertilization
Pregnancy and birth
Origin of Life
Charles Darwin
Human and Primates
Human Evolution
Ecosystems
Water Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Human Population Growth
MDCs and LDCs
Resources and Pollution
Biodiversity
Mitosis: is the process of cell division, where cells divide and have the exact same number of chromosomes as the original cell. These cells are used for growth, replacement or repair of other cells.
Meiosis: Is the process of the sex cells dividing from a man and women each with half the total number of chromosomes (46, 2n, diploid) in each cell (23, n. haploid). When the cells from a man (sperm) and a women (egg) combine the new cell is the zygote and it will have the new combination of 46 chromosomes.
Male reproductive organs : Testes, epididymides, vasa deferentia, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, urethra, bulbourethral glands, and penis.
Testes: are used to produce sperm and the sex hormones for males. The male sex hormones are produced in the testies as well.
Epididymides: This is where most sperm are stored and mature, after they leave they enter the vasa deferentia.
Vasa deferentia: Also a storage place for sperm, from here sperm enter an ejaculatory duct to the urethra.
Seminal vesicles: adds nutrients to the semen in the form of fluid
Prostate gland: contributes to the fluid the sperm will be traveling in
Urethra: is the outlet and path the sperm uses from storage to the woman’s vagina
Bulbourethral glands: adds its on mucus type fluid to the collection to help with sperm, this is a gland/organ about pea-sized.
Penis: the male organ used for intercourse, when the sperm leave the penis in semen fluid.
Spermatogenesis: is the process sperm go threw from a sex cell to a developed sperm, this occurs in three stages, mitosis, meiosis I and meiosis II.
Sperm: Mature sperm have three distinct parts a tail made of flagellum, middle piece which contains mitochondria to get energy from the semen and a head containing the nucleus.
Hypothalamus: controls the testes and production of sperm by releasing hormones called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and follicle-stimulation hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These hormones work in a system of negative feedback, as one is being produced in large amounts the other one decreases to a point where the hypothalamus stops production on that hormone and again increase production on the other types of hormones this keeps a constant supply of sperm with out to much at any one time.
Testosterone: is the main male sex hormone and is responsible for the growth and development of sex organs, also causes puberty and the bodies changes which occur.
Female reproductive system: Ovaries, Oviducts, Uterus (womb), cervix, vagina
Ovaries: produce eggs and sex hormones for women
Oviducts: holds the egg and is the place sperm travel to when attempting to fertilize and egg.
Uterus: has a sticky surface where the fertilized egg can nest as it starts to develop, the uterus is designed to expand as the zygote develops and grows larger.
Cervix: is the are that connects the uterus to the vagina and is located at nearly a right angle to the vagina
Vagina: female sex organ, can also extend and become larger for both the penis and during the process of giving birth, when the egg and associated fluid is not fertilized within a short period during a woman’s period the vagina is the exit point.
The external genitals of a women are collectively called the vulva and consist of the mons pubis, glans clitoris, urethra, vagina, labia minora, labia majora, and the anus.
Follicles: are contained within the ovaries and each one holds an immature egg.
Ovulation: is the process where the egg bursts from the vesicular follicle and travels to the oviduct ready to be fertilized.
Oogenesis: is the process of an immature egg undergoing meiosis after it is fertilized by a sperm to become a developing zygote.
The Female sex hormones
Estrogen/progesterone: is the hormone mainly responsible for a females development during puberty, and both estrogen and progesterone are used for developing breasts.
Menopause: is the process where woman around the age of 45-55 stop having ovarian cycles, there is still a lickely hood of pregnancy so women are not fully through this cycle until a year after there last menstruation.
Birth Control: The most common birth control methods
Abstinence (boring), intrauterine device, hormone skin patch, depo-provera, diaphragm and spermicidal jelly, female condom, male condom, implant, oral contraception.
Operations/physician needed: intrauterine device (IUD), Vasectomy (for men) and tubal ligation (for woman).
Assisted Reproductive technologies:
Artificial Insemination by Donor (AID), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs):
HIV/AIDs: known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, there is no cure but drug treatment can help keep the disease under control. This virus effects the helper T cells lymphocyte and macrophages taking over the cell and producing more virus cells. Eventually the immune system will be so weak an opertunistic disease will kill you normally pneumonia.
Genital Warts: the human papillomaviruses (HPVs) common signs are warts which can be surgically removed
Genital Herpes: Herpes type 2 causes cold sores and blisters, when ruptured can be painful and lead to the risk of other STDs.
Hepatitis: can cause death by infecting the liver with liver cancer, can be spread threw sexual contact by blood borne transmition. There is a vaccine which most people get at a young age for hepatitis A, and B.
Chlamydia: is a bacterium with generally mild affects but can cause burning sensations in the penis during discharge, easily treated.
Gonorrhea: caused by bacteria will normally cause pain during urination but can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Can also spread to internal parts of the body causing many other complications.
Syphilis: Normally has 3 stages with the last stage being death. Caused by bacteria which can be treated with penicillin, if not treated a person will get a nasty chancre (open wound) where the bacteria entered, then spots all over the body, and finally nasty gummas (large open wounds, with bleeding) on the body and internal organs.
Chapter 17
Fertilization: is the term used when a sperm enters and fuses with an egg creating the first cell of a new baby the zygote. In normal fertilization only one sperm will enter the egg, as soon as one sperm enters enzymes are produced which make the outer layer of the egg inpenitrable.
The Process of Development:
Cleavage (cell division), Growth (daughter cells increase in size), Morphogenesis (shaping of embryo), Differentiation (first system is visible, nervous system)
Extraembryonic Membranes:
These membranes perform functions outside of the fetus but which contribute to the fetus developing, such as carrying nutrients and oxygen rich blood to the fetus and taking away waste and blood from the fetus. Chorion, Allantois, Yolk sac, Amnion.
3 stages of development of fetus: pre-embryonic development, embryonic, and fetal development.
Pre-embryonic: starts immediately following fertilization, in this phase the zygote starts to divide many different times, and the extraembryonic membranes (chorion) start do develop and contribute to the fetus.
Embryonic development: this stage occurs at the end of the first week into the second month, basically hormones are produced which will keep the pregnancy continuing through the term. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is secreted and acts like the luteinizing hormone (LH) after this hormone dissinigrates, this stage all has the remainder of the extraembryonic membranes to develop. During this stage the there are three primary germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) all organs of a baby can be traced to one of these layers.
Fetal Development: By this stage all organs and human systems are developing and starting to function, blood is being pumped to the fetus, but the mothers blood and babies blood never mix. Each system in a developing embryo is vulnerable to substance abuse at different times during a pregnancy. By the third and fourth months the baby looks like a human baby and is increasing in size and weight more rapidly.
Male and Female Genitals:
For the first 6 weeks of development the fetus has the same developing organs and the sex is not distinguishable. Both have gonads, mullerian duct, wolffian duct, probladder, kidney, ureter, and cloaca. If the gene SRY is present the wolffian duct develops into testes and testosterone is produced, if the gene is not present then the wolffian duct develops into ovaries. In males one other hormone called drotestosterone (DHT) is responsible for external genitals of males to develop.
3 Stages of birth
Stage 1: the first stage of labor is marked by contractions of the uterus, as the uterus is pulled upward toward the baby’s head.
Stage 2: in stage two the contractions speed up and occur every 1-2 minutes. These contractions are felt with more urgency and the woman will desire to start pushing. The second stage includes the entire birth of the baby and until the baby is breathing normally on its own.
Stage 3: is the afterbirth where the placenta and all associated membranes used in the birthing process are expelled out threw the vagina.
Chapter 22
Earth: It is estimated that earth as we know it today started forming about 10 million years ago. As the earth started to form its mass was large enough to build an atmosphere which at this time was inhospitable to any life ( gases from volcanoes, water vapor, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and almost no oxygen). As the earth started to cool the clouds in the atmosphere started producing rain and the oceans were formed leading the way to life.
Small Organic Molecules: Primitive gases eventually started reacting with each other fueled by energy from volcanoes gases reacting with each other produced small organic compounds.
Macromolecules: two popular hypothesis explain how small organic molecules turned into macromolecules, the first is RNA-first hypothesis. This hypothesis states that at first only RNA and not DNA was needed for reproduction, this is because the RNA has different enzymes which could have been used as substitutes for the lack of DNA allowing reproduction and then eventually DNA to form. The second line of thought is protein-first hypothesis, this one states amino acids collected in small pools of water from waves and reacted with the suns energy to form small polypeptides. When these small proteinoids returned to the water they resembled a cell.
Protocell: A protocell would have been the most likely next stage, having a metabolism eating abundant small food from the ocean. This cell would have been a fermenter (makes its own oxygen) and a heterotroph (eats preformed food).
True Cell: Both hypothesis stated up above have explanations for how the first true cell got both DNA for cell division and proteins for the replication process, in any case modern cells can use DNA to make exact replicas of itself and thus sustain all living organisms.
Common Decent: is the theory that all living things came from simple beginnings and we all came from the same simple organism millions of years ago. This hypothesis is confirmed by the vast amount of fossil history we have uncovered showing all living species came from the water and from the same species started to develop into different species threw evolution and millions of years.
Archaeopteryx: Are fossil evidence of our common ancestory and shows a evolutionary connection between reptile and land animals (this species links these two groups of animals)
Ambulocetus: Are fossils of another animal which represents an evolutionary link between terrestrial land animals and whales.
Charles Darwin: theory explains how species of animals or plants or any living thing on earth has evolved to best fit there environment and survive in difficult regions. He basically states that threw hundreds or thousands of offspring from any given organism there will be a few who have slightly changed genetic genes which gives them an advantage over the rest of there relatives in a specific environment. These slightly improved organisms mate or reproduce and threw natural selection and limited amounts of food and resources over many generations all the future offspring now have those characteristics. So in a nut shell only the strong with the best genes survive to reproduce others.
Classifications of Humans: humans are Homo sapiens which are modern humans with developed speech, culture and highly developed brains.
Relationship between Humans and Primates: its important to note we are not decendents of modern chimpanzees or apes because we are all living during the same time period, they are distant cousins of ours and we all developed from the same tree climbing ancestor some 70 million years ago.
Lucy: the fossil findings of Lucy are very important because it shows the link from ancient Australopithecines and how we evolved from them to modern humans. Lucy was an Australopithecines. Afarensis found in Eastern Africa and helps support the theory that all of human evolution most likely started in Africa and through competition a curious nature and migration expanded from Africa to all other continents today.
Human Evolution: As millions of years passed humans become more developed and sophisticated during different periods of time. Our bodies have also changed from our ancestors who were built bigger for hunting to us which in comparison are smaller in stature. Neandertals had massive muscles made stone tools, were excellent hunters, had a form of speech to coordinate there hunting for bigger game, and used fire. Cro-Magnon made more sophisticated tools, had a developed culture and artistic talents. This group made pictures inside of caves showing the ability to think and draw but also most likely and advanced from of communication and language. Modern humans have different posture and physical build then our ancestors as well as large brains for more complex thought process.
Chapter 23
Table of contents:
Male and Female Reproductive systems
Birth Control
STDs
Fertilization
Pregnancy and birth
Origin of Life
Charles Darwin
Human and Primates
Human Evolution
Ecosystems
Water Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Human Population Growth
MDCs and LDCs
Resources and Pollution
Biodiversity
Mitosis: is the process of cell division, where cells divide and have the exact same number of chromosomes as the original cell. These cells are used for growth, replacement or repair of other cells.
Meiosis: Is the process of the sex cells dividing from a man and women each with half the total number of chromosomes (46, 2n, diploid) in each cell (23, n. haploid). When the cells from a man (sperm) and a women (egg) combine the new cell is the zygote and it will have the new combination of 46 chromosomes.
Male reproductive organs : Testes, epididymides, vasa deferentia, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, urethra, bulbourethral glands, and penis.
Testes: are used to produce sperm and the sex hormones for males. The male sex hormones are produced in the testies as well.
Epididymides: This is where most sperm are stored and mature, after they leave they enter the vasa deferentia.
Vasa deferentia: Also a storage place for sperm, from here sperm enter an ejaculatory duct to the urethra.
Seminal vesicles: adds nutrients to the semen in the form of fluid
Prostate gland: contributes to the fluid the sperm will be traveling in
Urethra: is the outlet and path the sperm uses from storage to the woman’s vagina
Bulbourethral glands: adds its on mucus type fluid to the collection to help with sperm, this is a gland/organ about pea-sized.
Penis: the male organ used for intercourse, when the sperm leave the penis in semen fluid.
Spermatogenesis: is the process sperm go threw from a sex cell to a developed sperm, this occurs in three stages, mitosis, meiosis I and meiosis II.
Sperm: Mature sperm have three distinct parts a tail made of flagellum, middle piece which contains mitochondria to get energy from the semen and a head containing the nucleus.
Hypothalamus: controls the testes and production of sperm by releasing hormones called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and follicle-stimulation hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These hormones work in a system of negative feedback, as one is being produced in large amounts the other one decreases to a point where the hypothalamus stops production on that hormone and again increase production on the other types of hormones this keeps a constant supply of sperm with out to much at any one time.
Testosterone: is the main male sex hormone and is responsible for the growth and development of sex organs, also causes puberty and the bodies changes which occur.
Female reproductive system: Ovaries, Oviducts, Uterus (womb), cervix, vagina
Ovaries: produce eggs and sex hormones for women
Oviducts: holds the egg and is the place sperm travel to when attempting to fertilize and egg.
Uterus: has a sticky surface where the fertilized egg can nest as it starts to develop, the uterus is designed to expand as the zygote develops and grows larger.
Cervix: is the are that connects the uterus to the vagina and is located at nearly a right angle to the vagina
Vagina: female sex organ, can also extend and become larger for both the penis and during the process of giving birth, when the egg and associated fluid is not fertilized within a short period during a woman’s period the vagina is the exit point.
The external genitals of a women are collectively called the vulva and consist of the mons pubis, glans clitoris, urethra, vagina, labia minora, labia majora, and the anus.
Follicles: are contained within the ovaries and each one holds an immature egg.
Ovulation: is the process where the egg bursts from the vesicular follicle and travels to the oviduct ready to be fertilized.
Oogenesis: is the process of an immature egg undergoing meiosis after it is fertilized by a sperm to become a developing zygote.
The Female sex hormones
Estrogen/progesterone: is the hormone mainly responsible for a females development during puberty, and both estrogen and progesterone are used for developing breasts.
Menopause: is the process where woman around the age of 45-55 stop having ovarian cycles, there is still a lickely hood of pregnancy so women are not fully through this cycle until a year after there last menstruation.
Birth Control: The most common birth control methods
Abstinence (boring), intrauterine device, hormone skin patch, depo-provera, diaphragm and spermicidal jelly, female condom, male condom, implant, oral contraception.
Operations/physician needed: intrauterine device (IUD), Vasectomy (for men) and tubal ligation (for woman).
Assisted Reproductive technologies:
Artificial Insemination by Donor (AID), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs):
HIV/AIDs: known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, there is no cure but drug treatment can help keep the disease under control. This virus effects the helper T cells lymphocyte and macrophages taking over the cell and producing more virus cells. Eventually the immune system will be so weak an opertunistic disease will kill you normally pneumonia.
Genital Warts: the human papillomaviruses (HPVs) common signs are warts which can be surgically removed
Genital Herpes: Herpes type 2 causes cold sores and blisters, when ruptured can be painful and lead to the risk of other STDs.
Hepatitis: can cause death by infecting the liver with liver cancer, can be spread threw sexual contact by blood borne transmition. There is a vaccine which most people get at a young age for hepatitis A, and B.
Chlamydia: is a bacterium with generally mild affects but can cause burning sensations in the penis during discharge, easily treated.
Gonorrhea: caused by bacteria will normally cause pain during urination but can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Can also spread to internal parts of the body causing many other complications.
Syphilis: Normally has 3 stages with the last stage being death. Caused by bacteria which can be treated with penicillin, if not treated a person will get a nasty chancre (open wound) where the bacteria entered, then spots all over the body, and finally nasty gummas (large open wounds, with bleeding) on the body and internal organs.
Chapter 17
Fertilization: is the term used when a sperm enters and fuses with an egg creating the first cell of a new baby the zygote. In normal fertilization only one sperm will enter the egg, as soon as one sperm enters enzymes are produced which make the outer layer of the egg inpenitrable.
The Process of Development:
Cleavage (cell division), Growth (daughter cells increase in size), Morphogenesis (shaping of embryo), Differentiation (first system is visible, nervous system)
Extraembryonic Membranes:
These membranes perform functions outside of the fetus but which contribute to the fetus developing, such as carrying nutrients and oxygen rich blood to the fetus and taking away waste and blood from the fetus. Chorion, Allantois, Yolk sac, Amnion.
3 stages of development of fetus: pre-embryonic development, embryonic, and fetal development.
Pre-embryonic: starts immediately following fertilization, in this phase the zygote starts to divide many different times, and the extraembryonic membranes (chorion) start do develop and contribute to the fetus.
Embryonic development: this stage occurs at the end of the first week into the second month, basically hormones are produced which will keep the pregnancy continuing through the term. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is secreted and acts like the luteinizing hormone (LH) after this hormone dissinigrates, this stage all has the remainder of the extraembryonic membranes to develop. During this stage the there are three primary germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) all organs of a baby can be traced to one of these layers.
Fetal Development: By this stage all organs and human systems are developing and starting to function, blood is being pumped to the fetus, but the mothers blood and babies blood never mix. Each system in a developing embryo is vulnerable to substance abuse at different times during a pregnancy. By the third and fourth months the baby looks like a human baby and is increasing in size and weight more rapidly.
Male and Female Genitals:
For the first 6 weeks of development the fetus has the same developing organs and the sex is not distinguishable. Both have gonads, mullerian duct, wolffian duct, probladder, kidney, ureter, and cloaca. If the gene SRY is present the wolffian duct develops into testes and testosterone is produced, if the gene is not present then the wolffian duct develops into ovaries. In males one other hormone called drotestosterone (DHT) is responsible for external genitals of males to develop.
3 Stages of birth
Stage 1: the first stage of labor is marked by contractions of the uterus, as the uterus is pulled upward toward the baby’s head.
Stage 2: in stage two the contractions speed up and occur every 1-2 minutes. These contractions are felt with more urgency and the woman will desire to start pushing. The second stage includes the entire birth of the baby and until the baby is breathing normally on its own.
Stage 3: is the afterbirth where the placenta and all associated membranes used in the birthing process are expelled out threw the vagina.
Chapter 22
Earth: It is estimated that earth as we know it today started forming about 10 million years ago. As the earth started to form its mass was large enough to build an atmosphere which at this time was inhospitable to any life ( gases from volcanoes, water vapor, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and almost no oxygen). As the earth started to cool the clouds in the atmosphere started producing rain and the oceans were formed leading the way to life.
Small Organic Molecules: Primitive gases eventually started reacting with each other fueled by energy from volcanoes gases reacting with each other produced small organic compounds.
Macromolecules: two popular hypothesis explain how small organic molecules turned into macromolecules, the first is RNA-first hypothesis. This hypothesis states that at first only RNA and not DNA was needed for reproduction, this is because the RNA has different enzymes which could have been used as substitutes for the lack of DNA allowing reproduction and then eventually DNA to form. The second line of thought is protein-first hypothesis, this one states amino acids collected in small pools of water from waves and reacted with the suns energy to form small polypeptides. When these small proteinoids returned to the water they resembled a cell.
Protocell: A protocell would have been the most likely next stage, having a metabolism eating abundant small food from the ocean. This cell would have been a fermenter (makes its own oxygen) and a heterotroph (eats preformed food).
True Cell: Both hypothesis stated up above have explanations for how the first true cell got both DNA for cell division and proteins for the replication process, in any case modern cells can use DNA to make exact replicas of itself and thus sustain all living organisms.
Common Decent: is the theory that all living things came from simple beginnings and we all came from the same simple organism millions of years ago. This hypothesis is confirmed by the vast amount of fossil history we have uncovered showing all living species came from the water and from the same species started to develop into different species threw evolution and millions of years.
Archaeopteryx: Are fossil evidence of our common ancestory and shows a evolutionary connection between reptile and land animals (this species links these two groups of animals)
Ambulocetus: Are fossils of another animal which represents an evolutionary link between terrestrial land animals and whales.
Charles Darwin: theory explains how species of animals or plants or any living thing on earth has evolved to best fit there environment and survive in difficult regions. He basically states that threw hundreds or thousands of offspring from any given organism there will be a few who have slightly changed genetic genes which gives them an advantage over the rest of there relatives in a specific environment. These slightly improved organisms mate or reproduce and threw natural selection and limited amounts of food and resources over many generations all the future offspring now have those characteristics. So in a nut shell only the strong with the best genes survive to reproduce others.
Classifications of Humans: humans are Homo sapiens which are modern humans with developed speech, culture and highly developed brains.
Relationship between Humans and Primates: its important to note we are not decendents of modern chimpanzees or apes because we are all living during the same time period, they are distant cousins of ours and we all developed from the same tree climbing ancestor some 70 million years ago.
Lucy: the fossil findings of Lucy are very important because it shows the link from ancient Australopithecines and how we evolved from them to modern humans. Lucy was an Australopithecines. Afarensis found in Eastern Africa and helps support the theory that all of human evolution most likely started in Africa and through competition a curious nature and migration expanded from Africa to all other continents today.
Human Evolution: As millions of years passed humans become more developed and sophisticated during different periods of time. Our bodies have also changed from our ancestors who were built bigger for hunting to us which in comparison are smaller in stature. Neandertals had massive muscles made stone tools, were excellent hunters, had a form of speech to coordinate there hunting for bigger game, and used fire. Cro-Magnon made more sophisticated tools, had a developed culture and artistic talents. This group made pictures inside of caves showing the ability to think and draw but also most likely and advanced from of communication and language. Modern humans have different posture and physical build then our ancestors as well as large brains for more complex thought process.
Chapter 23
Ecology/Species Lab
As humans we are constantly trying to improve our surroundings with golf courses, trails, and parks. While it is hard to find a reason not to have a park where everyone can go and enjoy some outdoor recreational activities, when humans add parks to the neighborhood they are changing the ecology of that environment. In many cases this will have unforeseen consequences to the near by humans.
Here is a photo of greenlake park, while this recreational area may look very inviting with a nice balance of nature and human interaction, be cautious all is not well.
In this photo you can see the adverse effects which the city planners did not take into account when building green lake park. The park is a safe heaven for a variety of conspicuous trouble makers. One of these trouble makers is responsible for this treachery and many other forms of misdeeds. BIRD SHIT!!
Suspect number one, the canada goose/ducks
Here is a photo of greenlake park, while this recreational area may look very inviting with a nice balance of nature and human interaction, be cautious all is not well.
In this photo you can see the adverse effects which the city planners did not take into account when building green lake park. The park is a safe heaven for a variety of conspicuous trouble makers. One of these trouble makers is responsible for this treachery and many other forms of misdeeds. BIRD SHIT!!
Suspect number one, the canada goose/ducksCanada goose: Here in Seattle at the park I live very close to there are quite often large numbers of geese in the area. And they may be responsible for defecating on my
motorcycle.
Kingdom: Animalia
Species name: Branta canadensis
Common Name: Canada goose
Relationship: Well the geese pretty much just fly around and crap all over every thing eat all the grass on yards and then leave when they want. For me personally they do not hold any positive impacts except fun to look at and feed, and I have to wash my bike many more times then I would like. As a species interacting with humans they are mostly an annoyance especially at golf courses, crops, and people yards, so for most of us the relationship is commensal, the geese benefit from our parks and recreation because they have places to get food and bath in water without being hunted, but they do not really harm us in the long term. For some however who still like to hunt geese there is a predation influence that does have positive benefits for humans, if you like the taste of geese.
I don’t see much future changes in the relationship we have with geese whether it be predation or commensal.
Crow: The crow is my second culprit in the mystery of which bird is crapping on my sport bike, and the crow is a very likely suspect.
Kingdom: Animalia
Common name: American crow
Scientific name: Corvus brachyrhynchos
Relationship: From what I have found on the class websites the crow really does not do much for the human population. The crow is know to eat almost anything it finds including crops, road kill, other small birds, nuts, garbage, really anything. In farming communities crows were thought to be very damaging to crops, but recently it is suggested that the impact is countered by the fact they eat a lot of insects which could be more harmful then the birds themselves. For me they are loud noisy and when a few of them are sitting on power lines making noise as you walk by it’s a little freaky, and of course they may be the bird which owes me at least 2 dollars a month in car washing fees. I would list the crow as a commensal, with the crow being the benificiery of human habitat and humans not really getting anything from the birds.
Since the crow is a scavenger and eats anything I don’t seem them being effected by any type of environmental change, they seem to be very well adapted to any situation for survival and probably will never go away.
Pigeon: The last bird which I suspect of taking a dump on my bike is the pigeon. I have had to clean pigeon guano of my vehicles on many occasion, however where I live I think they may not be the responsible party only because the crows with there large territorial nature seem to keep them away except at the park
Kingdom: Animalia
Family: Columbidae
Common name: Common pigeon
Scientific name: Columba livia
Relationship: The pigeon for the most part is a scavenger as well eating just about any crap it finds. The pigeon feces can cause human illness and they pretty much crap on anything indiscrimenatly. I have read that there are individuals who do eat pigeons and there eggs. In previous wars pigeons were used to send messages as well as a food source, but for my interaction with them they don’t do much. So I will say our relationship is commensal with the pigeon getting the best of the deal and except for illness they can cause which I don’t think I have ever gotten they are not very harmful, unless you have crops and such.
Like crows, pigeons are very adaptive to different environments, cities, parks, rural areas, and they adapt well and breed easily, I don’t see humans relationship with them changing anytime soon.
Beer: My relationship with beer is a very rewarding one, especially if I drink just in moderation. Since I enjoy a good beer with dinner on many occasion this makes me greatly appreciate the main ingredients in beer, hops, wheat, and barley. So the next few species of plants I am going to cover are related to beer and I have a commensal relationship with all three. I also expect this relationship to continue long into the future, though the present growing food shortage and raising gas prices are making it more expensive to perchuse.
Wheat: In wheat beer wheat is used as the majority ingredient and provides a very smooth distinct flavor and aroma. Many wheat beers are top fermented and have some other flavorful ingredients added like banana and cloves.
Kingdom: Plantae
Scientific name: Triticum spp
Barley: The basic cereal grain which is a primary ingredient in making beer. There are three different types of barley used. The seeds grow in two, four, or six rows along the central stem.
Familly: Poaceae
Scientific name: Hordeum vulgare
Hops: Are a flower from a vine which has preservatives that add the essential oils for flavoring. There are bittering hops and there are aroma hops to balance the taste of beer depending on the type of beer you are making.
Scientific name: humulus lupullus
Yeast: Yeast is a unicellular fungi which is essential to brewing beer. Yeast is used to convert the sugars in the wort into alcohol.
Genus: Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Rooster: This is a picture of two of the roosters next to the house I am renting, I see them almost everyday as I walk by
Kingdom: Animalia
Common Name: red junglefowl
Scientific Name: Gallus gallus
Relationship: The rooster along with there breeding into domesticated chickens supply humans with food either from the eggs they lay or from eating the chicken itself.
At first I would say the relationship the rooster/chicken has with humans is symbiotic, we use them in a variety of ways as domesticated animals and there feathers are also used multitudes. In return we provide them with protection from predators and keep them healthy and well fed. The more I thought about the relationship it is also Predation since we as humans eat chickens or there eggs every day.
I think there will always be a strong relationship between humans and chickens as domesticated and wild animals. However this relationship can cause us harm when the chickens we eat catch deadly viruses it is easy for the viruses to spread and then affect the human population.
Wild Cat: Here is a picture of a cat in the neighborhood which the next door neighbors feed but they say the cat will not let them get close, so it is not a pet cat though the term wild cat seems to be senonomas with domesticated cats as well.
Kingdom: Animalia
Common Name: Wild Cat
Scientific Name: Felis silvestris
Relationship: As the powerpoint and text have pointed out the relationship humans have with cats may depend on what part of the world you live in. Here in the states I almost have to go with commensal. My reason is the cat as a domesticated animal gets a lot of benefit and with the one single exception of being cute and furry does not really provide any sustainable benefit for humans (you just play with them). We as humans feed them, give them medical help, and keep them safe for really very little return, of course cat lovers will argue this point. In other parts of the country however they are eaten so then the relationship is more predation, we as humans get more benefit because as we take care of them we also eat them, I personally will never want to eat a cat……
I expect this relationship of cats really getting the best of the evolutionary deal to continue for the distant future.
Grass: I used the word grass to describe the grass I find at the park, but the term is generic and does include many varieties of grass including bamboo. As you can see in the picture my grass is from the park and is recreational in purpose.
Familly: Gramineae (Poaceae
Scientific name: disambiguation
Relationship: We as humans have a very good relationship with grass as the generic term. Grass provides us many uses such as food for cattle, grains, and lawns for recreational use. We as humans in return take care of laws by fertilizing, cutting, and planting new laws, so it’s a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship.
Camellia tree: Is an evergreen tree and stays green all year long, though it only blooms twice a year.
Kingdom: Plantae
Scientific name: Camellia sasanqua
Relationship: humans use the oils from the camellia tree for a variety of different applications, one of which helps to keep other insects out of the house and as an ingredient in insecticide. The tree needs lots of water but far to much for a person to actively water the tree, so humans use the oils from the trees and really on prune the tree and protect it, I would say the relationship would be commensal with us as humans getting the bigger benefit but not harming the trees themselves.
Dandelion: Are weeds which are generally considered a nuisance by most people. Weeds can be harmful to other native plants in your garden and can spread very quickly to become dominant. I would have to do more research to see if there are any benefits dandelions have for humans, but as of now I have to go and weed the lawn which is a pain so I am going to label them as parasitic in nature.
Kingdom: Plantae
Scientific name: Disambiguation
Genus: TaraxacumI do not see any change in the relationship humans have with dandelions, we try to kill them by weeding or chemically and they just keep growing back at will.
Salmon: One of my favorite foods for dinner. Fish in general are very healthy for you and in my opinion taste better then most prepared meats. While hamburgers have a lot of fats and cholesterol, fish has far less making it much healthier.
Family: Salmonidae
Common name: Atlantic salmon
Scientific name: Salmo salar
Relationship: In general I would have to say the relationship is parasitic, we humans eat salmon and fish them and in return we really don’t do much for them. If there were no humans left to eat fish and they only had natural predators they would thrive. Humans are also very damaging to the salmons natural habitat which is hurting the salmon population as well.
Quick Refrence of terms:
Symbiotic = Mutually beneficial, both species benefit.
Parasitic = One species benefits (parasite) and the other is harmed (host)
Commensal = One species benefits, the other is unharmed
Mutualism = Both species benefit, like symbiosis, but it may one species may seem to have a bigger advantage however in the long run they will both benefit.
Predation = A version of parasitic, one species is the predator, however the other species can still be viewed as having a benefit like in mutualistic.
motorcycle.
Kingdom: Animalia
Species name: Branta canadensis
Common Name: Canada goose
Relationship: Well the geese pretty much just fly around and crap all over every thing eat all the grass on yards and then leave when they want. For me personally they do not hold any positive impacts except fun to look at and feed, and I have to wash my bike many more times then I would like. As a species interacting with humans they are mostly an annoyance especially at golf courses, crops, and people yards, so for most of us the relationship is commensal, the geese benefit from our parks and recreation because they have places to get food and bath in water without being hunted, but they do not really harm us in the long term. For some however who still like to hunt geese there is a predation influence that does have positive benefits for humans, if you like the taste of geese.
I don’t see much future changes in the relationship we have with geese whether it be predation or commensal.
Crow: The crow is my second culprit in the mystery of which bird is crapping on my sport bike, and the crow is a very likely suspect.Kingdom: Animalia
Common name: American crow
Scientific name: Corvus brachyrhynchos
Relationship: From what I have found on the class websites the crow really does not do much for the human population. The crow is know to eat almost anything it finds including crops, road kill, other small birds, nuts, garbage, really anything. In farming communities crows were thought to be very damaging to crops, but recently it is suggested that the impact is countered by the fact they eat a lot of insects which could be more harmful then the birds themselves. For me they are loud noisy and when a few of them are sitting on power lines making noise as you walk by it’s a little freaky, and of course they may be the bird which owes me at least 2 dollars a month in car washing fees. I would list the crow as a commensal, with the crow being the benificiery of human habitat and humans not really getting anything from the birds.
Since the crow is a scavenger and eats anything I don’t seem them being effected by any type of environmental change, they seem to be very well adapted to any situation for survival and probably will never go away.
Pigeon: The last bird which I suspect of taking a dump on my bike is the pigeon. I have had to clean pigeon guano of my vehicles on many occasion, however where I live I think they may not be the responsible party only because the crows with there large territorial nature seem to keep them away except at the parkKingdom: Animalia
Family: Columbidae
Common name: Common pigeon
Scientific name: Columba livia
Relationship: The pigeon for the most part is a scavenger as well eating just about any crap it finds. The pigeon feces can cause human illness and they pretty much crap on anything indiscrimenatly. I have read that there are individuals who do eat pigeons and there eggs. In previous wars pigeons were used to send messages as well as a food source, but for my interaction with them they don’t do much. So I will say our relationship is commensal with the pigeon getting the best of the deal and except for illness they can cause which I don’t think I have ever gotten they are not very harmful, unless you have crops and such.
Like crows, pigeons are very adaptive to different environments, cities, parks, rural areas, and they adapt well and breed easily, I don’t see humans relationship with them changing anytime soon.
Beer: My relationship with beer is a very rewarding one, especially if I drink just in moderation. Since I enjoy a good beer with dinner on many occasion this makes me greatly appreciate the main ingredients in beer, hops, wheat, and barley. So the next few species of plants I am going to cover are related to beer and I have a commensal relationship with all three. I also expect this relationship to continue long into the future, though the present growing food shortage and raising gas prices are making it more expensive to perchuse.Wheat: In wheat beer wheat is used as the majority ingredient and provides a very smooth distinct flavor and aroma. Many wheat beers are top fermented and have some other flavorful ingredients added like banana and cloves.
Kingdom: Plantae
Scientific name: Triticum spp
Barley: The basic cereal grain which is a primary ingredient in making beer. There are three different types of barley used. The seeds grow in two, four, or six rows along the central stem.
Familly: Poaceae
Scientific name: Hordeum vulgare
Hops: Are a flower from a vine which has preservatives that add the essential oils for flavoring. There are bittering hops and there are aroma hops to balance the taste of beer depending on the type of beer you are making.
Scientific name: humulus lupullus
Yeast: Yeast is a unicellular fungi which is essential to brewing beer. Yeast is used to convert the sugars in the wort into alcohol.
Genus: Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Rooster: This is a picture of two of the roosters next to the house I am renting, I see them almost everyday as I walk byKingdom: Animalia
Common Name: red junglefowl
Scientific Name: Gallus gallus
Relationship: The rooster along with there breeding into domesticated chickens supply humans with food either from the eggs they lay or from eating the chicken itself.
At first I would say the relationship the rooster/chicken has with humans is symbiotic, we use them in a variety of ways as domesticated animals and there feathers are also used multitudes. In return we provide them with protection from predators and keep them healthy and well fed. The more I thought about the relationship it is also Predation since we as humans eat chickens or there eggs every day.
I think there will always be a strong relationship between humans and chickens as domesticated and wild animals. However this relationship can cause us harm when the chickens we eat catch deadly viruses it is easy for the viruses to spread and then affect the human population.
Wild Cat: Here is a picture of a cat in the neighborhood which the next door neighbors feed but they say the cat will not let them get close, so it is not a pet cat though the term wild cat seems to be senonomas with domesticated cats as well.Kingdom: Animalia
Common Name: Wild Cat
Scientific Name: Felis silvestris
Relationship: As the powerpoint and text have pointed out the relationship humans have with cats may depend on what part of the world you live in. Here in the states I almost have to go with commensal. My reason is the cat as a domesticated animal gets a lot of benefit and with the one single exception of being cute and furry does not really provide any sustainable benefit for humans (you just play with them). We as humans feed them, give them medical help, and keep them safe for really very little return, of course cat lovers will argue this point. In other parts of the country however they are eaten so then the relationship is more predation, we as humans get more benefit because as we take care of them we also eat them, I personally will never want to eat a cat……
I expect this relationship of cats really getting the best of the evolutionary deal to continue for the distant future.
Grass: I used the word grass to describe the grass I find at the park, but the term is generic and does include many varieties of grass including bamboo. As you can see in the picture my grass is from the park and is recreational in purpose.Familly: Gramineae (Poaceae
Scientific name: disambiguation
Relationship: We as humans have a very good relationship with grass as the generic term. Grass provides us many uses such as food for cattle, grains, and lawns for recreational use. We as humans in return take care of laws by fertilizing, cutting, and planting new laws, so it’s a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship.
Camellia tree: Is an evergreen tree and stays green all year long, though it only blooms twice a year.Kingdom: Plantae
Scientific name: Camellia sasanqua
Relationship: humans use the oils from the camellia tree for a variety of different applications, one of which helps to keep other insects out of the house and as an ingredient in insecticide. The tree needs lots of water but far to much for a person to actively water the tree, so humans use the oils from the trees and really on prune the tree and protect it, I would say the relationship would be commensal with us as humans getting the bigger benefit but not harming the trees themselves.
Dandelion: Are weeds which are generally considered a nuisance by most people. Weeds can be harmful to other native plants in your garden and can spread very quickly to become dominant. I would have to do more research to see if there are any benefits dandelions have for humans, but as of now I have to go and weed the lawn which is a pain so I am going to label them as parasitic in nature.Kingdom: Plantae
Scientific name: Disambiguation
Genus: TaraxacumI do not see any change in the relationship humans have with dandelions, we try to kill them by weeding or chemically and they just keep growing back at will.
Salmon: One of my favorite foods for dinner. Fish in general are very healthy for you and in my opinion taste better then most prepared meats. While hamburgers have a lot of fats and cholesterol, fish has far less making it much healthier.
Family: Salmonidae
Common name: Atlantic salmon
Scientific name: Salmo salar
Relationship: In general I would have to say the relationship is parasitic, we humans eat salmon and fish them and in return we really don’t do much for them. If there were no humans left to eat fish and they only had natural predators they would thrive. Humans are also very damaging to the salmons natural habitat which is hurting the salmon population as well.
Aurochs: This is the more scientific name for the general name of cow which we use for milk and food as cattle. I do like a good hamburger on occasion but since taking this class I have tried to cut back on my meat intake. My personal experience I either drink or eat a product derived from the aurochs at least 3-4 times a week.
Common name: Cow, Milk Cow, Cattle
Scientific name: Bos Taurus
Relationship: I would have to say maybe the cow falls into the mutualism category, because while we eat them and drink their milk we as humans do also provide them protection from predators, food, and medical care. The ones we use for milk live long lives, though animal rights persons will probably have a comment or two on that subject as well. So while it might seem like we humans take a big advantage from the cows we have in the long run the cow is able to prosper and be safe, until we want a hamburger.
I do not imagine the relationship we have with cows currently is going to change dramatically during my lifetime, it seems like a good working relationship now and why change a good thing.
Tomato: I eat tomatoes in sandwiches, burritos, on salads and in other ways a few times a week. The tomato is easily my favorite vegetable to eat, and I am even considering growing a few tomato plants in the future.
Scientific name: Solanum lycopersicum
Kingdom: Plantae
Relationship: I see the tomato plant and humans working well together as a symbiotic relationship where we help the plant by cultivating, and feed them, and in return we as humans eat the fruit of there labor. Since tomatoes are very easy to grow and can prosper in a variety of environmental conditions the tomato is a good crop and we will continue to use it.
Avocado: Also one of my favorite fruits to eat, I use avocado’s for salads, sandwiches and at work just eating one with a little salt as a snack.
Familly: Lauraceae
Scientific name: Persea americana
Relationship: Very similar to the tomato plant, we as humans use the avocado tree to get its fruit and in return the tree is allowed to thrive and grow. So like the tomato plant either symbiotic or commensal, since we eat the fruit but do not really harm the tree itself.
Scientific name: Bos Taurus
Relationship: I would have to say maybe the cow falls into the mutualism category, because while we eat them and drink their milk we as humans do also provide them protection from predators, food, and medical care. The ones we use for milk live long lives, though animal rights persons will probably have a comment or two on that subject as well. So while it might seem like we humans take a big advantage from the cows we have in the long run the cow is able to prosper and be safe, until we want a hamburger.
I do not imagine the relationship we have with cows currently is going to change dramatically during my lifetime, it seems like a good working relationship now and why change a good thing.
Tomato: I eat tomatoes in sandwiches, burritos, on salads and in other ways a few times a week. The tomato is easily my favorite vegetable to eat, and I am even considering growing a few tomato plants in the future.
Scientific name: Solanum lycopersicum
Kingdom: Plantae
Relationship: I see the tomato plant and humans working well together as a symbiotic relationship where we help the plant by cultivating, and feed them, and in return we as humans eat the fruit of there labor. Since tomatoes are very easy to grow and can prosper in a variety of environmental conditions the tomato is a good crop and we will continue to use it.
Avocado: Also one of my favorite fruits to eat, I use avocado’s for salads, sandwiches and at work just eating one with a little salt as a snack.
Familly: Lauraceae
Scientific name: Persea americana
Relationship: Very similar to the tomato plant, we as humans use the avocado tree to get its fruit and in return the tree is allowed to thrive and grow. So like the tomato plant either symbiotic or commensal, since we eat the fruit but do not really harm the tree itself.
E. Coli
Scientific name: Escherichia coli
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Proteobacteria
E.coli are bacteria which are constantly inhabiting the body, mostly in the lower intestines. As with the majority of bacteria in our body E. Coli is generally harmless unless you get certain strains which can cause the body harm. Serotype is a E. coli bacteria which can cause food poising. The strains of E. coli which are of benefit produce vitamin k2 which is beneficial to the body.
Relationship: The normal good strains of E. coli would have a commensal, since humans provide a place for bacteria to live but they do not do us any real harm. The bad bacteria of course have a different relationship with us, more like parasitic in nature. As a human we will always have bacteria in us no matter what we do they are a part of our body.
Common name: Plaque (can be plaque as one example)
Scientific name: Actinomyces
Phylum: Actinobacteria
Actinomyces is an opportunistic bacteria which can cause illness in humans and other animals. Generally actinomyces is found in the mouth but can also be found in the colon. Actinomyces also helps with the decomposition of topsoil and organic plant life. The disease actinomyces can cause are normally in the oral cavity but some species can affect the lungs or gastrointestinal tract. These bacteria are definetaly in the parasitic department and many of us have probably felt there effects and not even known it. Since these bacteria are microscopic I don’t think there relationship with humans is going to change ever.
Body odor: We as humans have all experienced body odor and after taking this course I now know what actually causes body odor. Some bacteria are not bad for the body as I have disgused but when you sweat or get warm these microscopic bacteria multiply quite rapidly and thus start to produce the smell. Natural body odor has a very faint smell and is almost considered odorless, its when you have an increase in bacteria that the smell can be overpowering.
Scientific name: bromhidrosis, bromidrosis, osmidrosis, and ozochrotia
Domain: Bacteria (pathogenic bacteris)
Relationship: Again as with most of the bacteria I have listed the one responsible for body odor is parasitic and since as humans we are always going to sweat, and depending on how hard the body is working, sweat a lot, these bacteria will always be there ready to multiply.
Scientific name: Lactobacillus
Kingdom: Bacteria
One type of species: Lactobacillus acetotolerans
These bacteria are very helpful to the body and basically they help to convert milk in the digestive system which is lactose into sugars and lactic acid. In humans these helpful bacteria are symbiotic and contribute to the gut flora (term for helpful bacteria). Are relationship with these bacteria is very good and it is in humans best interest to keep the on our good side, or in our good side I should say.
Scientific name: Escherichia coli
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Proteobacteria
E.coli are bacteria which are constantly inhabiting the body, mostly in the lower intestines. As with the majority of bacteria in our body E. Coli is generally harmless unless you get certain strains which can cause the body harm. Serotype is a E. coli bacteria which can cause food poising. The strains of E. coli which are of benefit produce vitamin k2 which is beneficial to the body.
Relationship: The normal good strains of E. coli would have a commensal, since humans provide a place for bacteria to live but they do not do us any real harm. The bad bacteria of course have a different relationship with us, more like parasitic in nature. As a human we will always have bacteria in us no matter what we do they are a part of our body.
Common name: Plaque (can be plaque as one example)
Scientific name: Actinomyces
Phylum: Actinobacteria
Actinomyces is an opportunistic bacteria which can cause illness in humans and other animals. Generally actinomyces is found in the mouth but can also be found in the colon. Actinomyces also helps with the decomposition of topsoil and organic plant life. The disease actinomyces can cause are normally in the oral cavity but some species can affect the lungs or gastrointestinal tract. These bacteria are definetaly in the parasitic department and many of us have probably felt there effects and not even known it. Since these bacteria are microscopic I don’t think there relationship with humans is going to change ever.
Body odor: We as humans have all experienced body odor and after taking this course I now know what actually causes body odor. Some bacteria are not bad for the body as I have disgused but when you sweat or get warm these microscopic bacteria multiply quite rapidly and thus start to produce the smell. Natural body odor has a very faint smell and is almost considered odorless, its when you have an increase in bacteria that the smell can be overpowering.
Scientific name: bromhidrosis, bromidrosis, osmidrosis, and ozochrotia
Domain: Bacteria (pathogenic bacteris)
Relationship: Again as with most of the bacteria I have listed the one responsible for body odor is parasitic and since as humans we are always going to sweat, and depending on how hard the body is working, sweat a lot, these bacteria will always be there ready to multiply.
Scientific name: Lactobacillus
Kingdom: Bacteria
One type of species: Lactobacillus acetotolerans
These bacteria are very helpful to the body and basically they help to convert milk in the digestive system which is lactose into sugars and lactic acid. In humans these helpful bacteria are symbiotic and contribute to the gut flora (term for helpful bacteria). Are relationship with these bacteria is very good and it is in humans best interest to keep the on our good side, or in our good side I should say.
Quick Refrence of terms:
Symbiotic = Mutually beneficial, both species benefit.
Parasitic = One species benefits (parasite) and the other is harmed (host)
Commensal = One species benefits, the other is unharmed
Mutualism = Both species benefit, like symbiosis, but it may one species may seem to have a bigger advantage however in the long run they will both benefit.
Predation = A version of parasitic, one species is the predator, however the other species can still be viewed as having a benefit like in mutualistic.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Ethical Essay: Population Growth
Currently the world population is increasing at an alarming rate with no forecasted reduction in population size for the future. With just over 7 billion people populating the earth and the figure expected to double by the year 2050 at our current growth rate, the world will again be gripped in crisis. The concerns with population growth have far reaching effects for everyone. As the world’s population increases the demand on resources must also increase in comparison. As the demands for water, food, housing, medical care increase the effects will be felt in the environment, agriculture, global warming, super deadly viruses. The developed countries will feel the impact of this crisis as much as the underdeveloped countries and who is to blame for the future population boom and global strain.
There are multiple explanations as to the cause of such massive increases in population size and what should be done to prevent global strain. I am going to focus on the causes I agree with most which includes data from online web sites and the essay be Moses and Brown. It would seem in the past, industrialized nations which have a far lower birth rate compared to less developed countries, have placed the blame on the latter for causing excessive strains on the global resources with very high populations. For persons not intimately familiar with the true causes this may seem like a good escape goat to focus the blame on. In reality we as an economic super power are to blame just as much as any poorer less developed country with very high birth rates.
The main argument is when a nation of poorer families have 3 to 4 or even more children they are putting an economical strain on there country to raise these kids. If the majority of the population is of child bearing age and everyone is having multiple children you have a population boom and this in turn puts strain on the country. Whether the country is rich in resources or not the rest of the world will feel the effects in one way or in most cases multiple ways. This is caused by global sharing of fuel, oil, agriculture products, and food supply threw large global networks. As populations anywhere increase there demand on products and resources increases and thus lowers the availability of those resources to others putting a strain on the global environment. This argument is one sided and suggest the primary cause of over population and therefore stressed resources is too many people in poor countries.
Moses and Brown wrote a very compelling factual report titled “Allometry of human fertility and energy use”. In this article they break down the amount of energy and resources it requires to raise the average offspring in normal environmental conditions. What they found was in poorer less developed countries the amount of resources the parents use to raise a family is quite minimal and not much more then another mammal like gorillas would use to raise there children. So poorer countries may need more offspring which don’t need many global resources to raise but who work on farms, raise cattle, or some other product which could be exported to increase family income. In contrast the amount of resources used for raising a child in well developed rich in resource counties like the United States is huge in comparison. With out getting very technical the average child in the USA uses 30 -60 times the resources used to raise a one child in a poor country. This is of course not the child fault but is the expected resource use for countries with an abundance of wealth and resources. So if one child here in the USA uses at the low end 30 times more global resources then one child in Africa uses, is it really a population boom threatening global stability or is it the overuse and inefficient way rich countries squander the resources they have which is actually causing the economic and global crisis.
I personally think the issue is too complex and on such a large scale to be so easily simplified in such a way. There are many complex issues in the world, and all of them are having adverse effects on global resources. Wealthy countries abuse of quickly depleting resources as well as huge gains in global populations are both major contributors, but still may only make up a fraction of the underlying problems. It is however clear to me that action needs to be taken and all countries rich or poor need to participate. Better distribution of needed resources as well as more efficient use, combined with dramatic drops in poorer countries birth rates (decreasing birth rates to 2 per family or less would be ideal) could help alter the course we are currently steam rolling too, global destruction.
There are multiple explanations as to the cause of such massive increases in population size and what should be done to prevent global strain. I am going to focus on the causes I agree with most which includes data from online web sites and the essay be Moses and Brown. It would seem in the past, industrialized nations which have a far lower birth rate compared to less developed countries, have placed the blame on the latter for causing excessive strains on the global resources with very high populations. For persons not intimately familiar with the true causes this may seem like a good escape goat to focus the blame on. In reality we as an economic super power are to blame just as much as any poorer less developed country with very high birth rates.
The main argument is when a nation of poorer families have 3 to 4 or even more children they are putting an economical strain on there country to raise these kids. If the majority of the population is of child bearing age and everyone is having multiple children you have a population boom and this in turn puts strain on the country. Whether the country is rich in resources or not the rest of the world will feel the effects in one way or in most cases multiple ways. This is caused by global sharing of fuel, oil, agriculture products, and food supply threw large global networks. As populations anywhere increase there demand on products and resources increases and thus lowers the availability of those resources to others putting a strain on the global environment. This argument is one sided and suggest the primary cause of over population and therefore stressed resources is too many people in poor countries.
Moses and Brown wrote a very compelling factual report titled “Allometry of human fertility and energy use”. In this article they break down the amount of energy and resources it requires to raise the average offspring in normal environmental conditions. What they found was in poorer less developed countries the amount of resources the parents use to raise a family is quite minimal and not much more then another mammal like gorillas would use to raise there children. So poorer countries may need more offspring which don’t need many global resources to raise but who work on farms, raise cattle, or some other product which could be exported to increase family income. In contrast the amount of resources used for raising a child in well developed rich in resource counties like the United States is huge in comparison. With out getting very technical the average child in the USA uses 30 -60 times the resources used to raise a one child in a poor country. This is of course not the child fault but is the expected resource use for countries with an abundance of wealth and resources. So if one child here in the USA uses at the low end 30 times more global resources then one child in Africa uses, is it really a population boom threatening global stability or is it the overuse and inefficient way rich countries squander the resources they have which is actually causing the economic and global crisis.
I personally think the issue is too complex and on such a large scale to be so easily simplified in such a way. There are many complex issues in the world, and all of them are having adverse effects on global resources. Wealthy countries abuse of quickly depleting resources as well as huge gains in global populations are both major contributors, but still may only make up a fraction of the underlying problems. It is however clear to me that action needs to be taken and all countries rich or poor need to participate. Better distribution of needed resources as well as more efficient use, combined with dramatic drops in poorer countries birth rates (decreasing birth rates to 2 per family or less would be ideal) could help alter the course we are currently steam rolling too, global destruction.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Population Lab
1. I choose Congo with a birth rate of 6.25 children per family and the Congo is considered an underdeveloped country in Africa.
2. I choose the country of Russia for low fertility rate with 2.29 children pre family on average.
3. In countries with high fertility rates the majority of there population is going to made of younger adults including women who are able to bear children as compared to the number of women who are leaving the child bearing age. If the majority of your population is of child bearing age then you have a large population base of individuals which will have kids and do then your population is going to continue to increase significantly. If the number of kids families are having is not reduced, or the number of women in the child bearing years is not reduced future populations will just continue to increase, especially since there is a good 20 years where women are capable of bearing children.
4. When a country becomes more developed and the fertility rate decreases the population starts to even out over the wide range of ages. Instead of the majority of people being young there is a more even distribution with people being young and middle age. Since the birth rate is lower around 2 children per couple there is a smaller base of young people who have kids which also evens out more with individuals who are passing on due to old age and natural death. New individuals being born is closer to older people passing on and better distribution of young and middle age group’s helps to even out the population and keep it at a steady rate.
5.
Middle Age:
Clean streets, well kept houses, nice cars, less violence, less drinking and driving, less sports, calm atmosphere, slower pace of community, nicer neighbors, friendlier faces.
Many children:
Chaotic at public events, dirty streets, loud and noise, fast erratic driving, more intense environment, stressful climate, more crime, general ruddiness, more active sports environment, more excitement.
Solution:
In my last graph I have come up with a solution to even out the world population. If families were allowed one child between the couple with every lucky fourth family getting two kids and at age 75 there was a mandatory passing away of the older individual the population would start to even out and at 2050 would even start to decrease in overall size. In this future scenario the population would be more evenly distributed among younger and middle age people, with the new born individuals making up a smaller number compared to the elderly.
2. I choose the country of Russia for low fertility rate with 2.29 children pre family on average.
3. In countries with high fertility rates the majority of there population is going to made of younger adults including women who are able to bear children as compared to the number of women who are leaving the child bearing age. If the majority of your population is of child bearing age then you have a large population base of individuals which will have kids and do then your population is going to continue to increase significantly. If the number of kids families are having is not reduced, or the number of women in the child bearing years is not reduced future populations will just continue to increase, especially since there is a good 20 years where women are capable of bearing children.4. When a country becomes more developed and the fertility rate decreases the population starts to even out over the wide range of ages. Instead of the majority of people being young there is a more even distribution with people being young and middle age. Since the birth rate is lower around 2 children per couple there is a smaller base of young people who have kids which also evens out more with individuals who are passing on due to old age and natural death. New individuals being born is closer to older people passing on and better distribution of young and middle age group’s helps to even out the population and keep it at a steady rate.
5.
Middle Age:
Clean streets, well kept houses, nice cars, less violence, less drinking and driving, less sports, calm atmosphere, slower pace of community, nicer neighbors, friendlier faces.
Many children:
Chaotic at public events, dirty streets, loud and noise, fast erratic driving, more intense environment, stressful climate, more crime, general ruddiness, more active sports environment, more excitement.
Solution:
In my last graph I have come up with a solution to even out the world population. If families were allowed one child between the couple with every lucky fourth family getting two kids and at age 75 there was a mandatory passing away of the older individual the population would start to even out and at 2050 would even start to decrease in overall size. In this future scenario the population would be more evenly distributed among younger and middle age people, with the new born individuals making up a smaller number compared to the elderly.
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