Sunday, June 16, 2013

Apologia Biology Module 3B

ALWAYS:  

  • know that when you see the word 'read' you can access the audio version on Audible on the iPod nano
  • have your book open as you listen to the module on Audible so that you can see the illustrations etc. and so you know when/where to stop 
  • Read each section and do the OYO as you get to them.  Do not continue reading (listening) until you have completed the OYO questions and checked your answers against those at the end of the module. 
  • Spend 5-15 minutes on Quizlet to work on the vocabulary words for each section and the previous section's words as you complete each reading assignment.
  • complete the study guide for each module
  • if you don't understand a concept/section/topic go to the bottom of this post and check the 'extra help' links.  If something is very interesting to you, check the 'interesting links' section for that module at the bottom of this post.  


Subkingdom Algae is divided into five phyla (pl. of phylum).
Each of the phyla for subkingdom Algae has one or more examples in the genus category given in the text.

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genusspecies

The division for Algae is based on these three things:  
  1. habitat - they can live in marine (salt) water, or in fresh water.
  2. organization (single or multicellular) - Many algae exist as individual cells, but most form simple colonies, although a few colonies are quite complex.  Either way, their cells are all eukaryotic (having organelles, each with their own type of job).
  3. type of cell wall - what it is made of.



(1) p. 84-85, Subkingdom Algae
The members of subkingdom Algae can produce their own food by photosynthesis.
So why aren't they plants?  
According to an email from Apologia:
"When it comes to classification, there is no single rule that applies, and not every biologist agrees.  You probably remember that they don't even agree on how many kingdoms there are.  Algae, even multicellular algae, lack any of the structures of a plant.  They don't have true leaves, stems, or roots.  The blades in a kelp for instance have no veins to distribute nutrients, and both sides of a kelp blade are identical. The stipe on a kelp, while it looks like a stem, does not contain any of the vascular structures (xylem or phloem) to carry nutrients from the soil, and the holdfast just anchors the organism to the sea floor and does not have roots to draw nutrients.In addition, some of the unicellular algae (like dinoflagellates), while photosynthetic, have flagella for movement more like an animal.The sum of all of these distinctions is why algae and plants are considered to be parts of different kingdoms."
So that is why.  =D


Algae can live in warm or cold marine water (salt water) and in fresh water.   
This is the habitat category.
Algae is a type of plankton.  There are two groups - zooplankton and phytoplankton.
  • Zooplankton are tiny floating organisms that are either small animals or protozoa.
  • Phytoplankton are tiny floating photosynthetic organisms, primarily algae.
Based on these definitions, what we studied in the first half of Module 3 has mostly been zooplankton.
Now we will learn about phytoplankton.

We know that grass, trees, and other green plants produce the by-product oxygen during the process of photosynthesis.  (To the plant, it is a by-product; they produce it, but don't need it.)
But did you know that the majority of photosynthesis done on earth is not done by green plants, but is done by phytoplankton!?!  Phytoplankton (which is mainly algae) produce about three-fourths of all the oxygen on earth!
So I don't really think we'll run out of oxygen if someone cuts down a tree.  =)

Algae are also a major food source for many aquatic (water-living) organisms.
Humans have also found quite a few uses for algae.  Some algae is used as food in some parts of the world, and some is used as food additives.  One substance in a type of algae is used to thicken things like ice cream, pudding, and dressings.  There are other products made from algae as well:  iodine, vitamins, minerals, paper, floor polish, cosmetics, toothpaste, and more.

Many algae exist as individual cells, but most form simple colonies, although a few colonies are quite complex.
This is the organization category.
A colony is sometimes called a thallus (pl. is thalli) - the body of a plant-like organism that is not divided into leaves, roots, or stems.

When algae reproduce so rapidly that they essentially take over their habitat, the water appears to be the same color as the algae themselves.  This is called an algal bloom.

(2) p. 85-86, Phylum Chlorophyta
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Habitat:  mostly fresh water
Organization:  single cells
Cell Wall:  cellulose

examples: genus Cosmarium or Desmid (same picture for both in the textbook), Chloroella,and Spirogyra

If you will remember the name of this phylum, Chlorophyta, it may help you remember that the most visible feature of these algae is that they contain the pigment chlorophyll, which is green.  Therefore they are referred to agreen algae, even though most of them appear yellowish green because of other yellowish pigments present called carotenoids (kuh rot' en oydz).
Like Euglena, members of this phylum store the chlorophyll in organelles called chloroplasts
Other main features of this phylum are that its members live mostly in fresh water, so you likely won't find them in the ocean.
And they have cell walls made of celulose (sel' yoo lohs), which is composed of certain types of sugar to feed the organism.

The following are green algae from three different genera (pl. of genus) from the phylum Chlorophyta.

phylum Chlorophyta, genus Chloroella.  
(see images)
These single-celled organisms clump together, but are not really in colonies.   
This has been made into vitamins.

phylum Chlorophyta, genus Cosmarium or Desmid.
(see images here and here)
These single-celled organisms sometimes form simple colonies, but mostly exist as individual cells.
They are characterized by the "pinched" look in the middle.   

phylum Chlorophyta, genus Spirogyra. 
(see images)
These single-celled organisms form colonies, called filaments, that can reach up to two feet long.

Green Algae
I don't think they "communicate" w/ one another. I believe it is a God-given instinct that they know exactly what to do.
.

phylum Chlorophyta, genus Desmid or Cosmarium












phylum Chlorophyta, genus Spirogyra form thread-like colonies


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7/22 read 87-91

(3) p. 87-88, Phylum Chrysophyta
Phylum: Chrysophyta

Habitat:  marine and fresh water

Organization:  single cells, some colonies

Cell Wall:  silicon dioxide
examples: genus Diatom, Dynobryon

This phylum Chrysophyta has more than 1,000 different species which are collectively called diatoms.
These algae are found in both marine and fresh water.
They are a unique type of algae, mostly because their cell walls are composed of silicon dioxide, which is the main component of glass.  This makes their cell wall very hard and protective.  This is why it remains hard long after the diatom dies.  When these remains are clumped together, they form a crumbly, abrasive substance called diatomaceous earth (die' uh tuh may' shus), or diatomite.

There are huge deposits of diatomaceous earth in most regions of the world.  Creation scientists think this may have happened at the time of the Flood.  (Genesis 6-9)  Scientists who do not believe the Bible have a hard time explaining these deposits of diatomaceous earth.

Diatomaceous earth is quite useful.  It is used for filtering liquids, or as an abrasive. (for example, in toothpaste.)  Insects can be killed by crawling over a thin coating of jagged diatomaceous earth.

Phylum Chrysophyta, genus Diatom
At The Microscopic Museum, see The Diatom Display 
These are beautiful!

Diatoms
.




See the diatoms that the kids in Michelle's class saw.


phylum Chrysophyta, genus Dynobryon
Another genus, Dynobryon (see images)is also a member of phylum Chrysophyta.  These contain algae that form colonies.  They usually contain a few cells called holdfasts, which can anchor them to objects in the water, like rocks.  These holdfasts form long strands so that the organism can stay in one place.


(4) p. 88-89, Phylum Pyrrophyta
 Phylum: Pyrrophyta
Habitat:  marine

Organization:  single cells

Cell Wall:  cellulose or atypical
examples: genus Peridinium (pehr' uh din' ee uhm)and  
genus/species Gymnodinium brevis (also called Karenia brevis)
Phylum Pyrrophyta is made up of a group of single-celled creatures often called dinoflagellates (seeimages)because most species have two flagella, one of which is in a groove that encircles the cell.  
These organisms are found in marine waters.
Some dinoflagellates are heterotrophic, obtaining their food from other sources, and some are photosynthetic, making their own food.

The most important thing about dinoflagellates is that certain species frequently bloom in nutrient-rich waters.  The species Gymnodinium brevis (see images) (also called Karenia brevis by some scientists) are reddish-brown in color, and their bloom turns the water red.
These algal blooms are called red tides(see images)
These red tides are deadly to most to marine life, but mollusks, clams, and oysters are immune.  However, the toxin emitted by the dinoflagellate does build up in their bodies.  Eating clams, oysters, or mollusks that have been exposed to red tide can be poisonous.  Not only to humans, but other marine life that eat them.
Seafood restaurants do not serve these dishes when a red tide occurs in the area from where they get their supplies.
These tides are harmful to humans to even be around! It can cause burning eyes and respiratory problems. 


►Read how one family was affected by a red tide

Red Tide in late 2007






















Red Tide in Cocoa Beach, Fl, in late 2007
She says, "Look at all those single-celled, microscopic, dinoflagellate Karenia brevis."
What a mouthful.  =) (Remember, this is the same as Gymnodinium brevis.) 








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We have learned that kingdom Protista includes eukaryotic organisms made up of a single cell, or simple association of single-celled organisms.
But we have also seen that every classification rule has its exceptions.  We often see the words "usually" or "most" as we learn about biology.
The following two phyla are made up of multi-celled organisms instead of single-celled.

(5) p. 89-90, Phylum Phaeophyta

Phylum: Phaeophyta

Habitat:  cold marine waters

Organization:  multiple cells

Cell Wall:  cellulose and alginic acid
examples: genus Macrocystis (mah' kroh sis' tus), genus Fū'cus 

Phylum Phaeophyta is made up of about 1,500 species of multicellular organisms that live in the cold ocean waters.
A multicellular organism is not the same as a colony of single-celled organisms.
►Single-celled organisms, although they may sometimes live in colonies, are not dependent on one another.  They can live on their own if separated from the colony.
►Multicellular organisms have individual cells that are designed for a specific task.  The cells work together, each performing the task for which it was designed.  They need each other to survive.  A single cell that is separated from a multicellular creature usually cannot exist on its own.

Members of phylum Phaeophyta, also called brown algae, look a lot like plants. 
Species within the genus Macrocystis are commonly called kelp or seaweed. (see images) 
Kelp and most other members of phylum Phaeophyta form holdfasts (see image) to anchor themselves to rocks at the bottom of the ocean.  Some kelp can grow as long as 100 meters, growing as fast as 2 feet per day under ideal conditions.

If you enjoy ice cream, pudding, dressings, etc, you can be thankful that God made the members of this phylum.  One of their unique characteristics is that their cell walls contain alginic acid, commonly called algin.  This is extracted from brown algae and used to make a thickening agent in these kinds of foods.
Algin is used in other products as well.
Kelp is harvested in many parts of the world for food.


Another kind of seaweed nicknamed Turkish Washcloth (see imagesis known for being rich in carrageenan, which is another thickening agent.



Phylum Phaeophyta, genus Fū'cus (see images) has species that are often called rockweed.  These algae are thick and feel leathery.  They live in shallow water along the shore, and are about one to two feet long.  On these alga (singular of algae) you can see air bladders, which fill with air to allow the organism to float on top of the water.


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7/23 read 91-92 do ex. 3.3

(6) p. 91-92, Phylum Rhodphyta
Phylum: Rhodophyta

Habitat:  warm marine waters
Organization:  multiple cells
Cell Wall:  cellulose
example: genus Corallina (kor' uh lee' nuh)genus Hildenbrandia 

The last major phylum in subkingdom Algae is phylum Rhodophyta.
These are found in warm marine (salt) waters.
Members of this phylum are often called red algae because of their striking red color.  (Do not confuse this with the dinoflagellates that cause red tides.)

Phylum Rhodophyta, Genus/species Corallina officinalis (see images) is often called "coral weed."  It looks and feels a lot like coral.

From Phylum Rhodophyta, the genus Hildenbrandia (see images) are thin algae that grow in clumps (the red splotches) on underwater surfaces.



At The Microscopic Museum, see The Algae Exhibit.  He always has such awesome pictures.
See diatoms, phytoplankton, phaeocystis, and more.

7/24 complete study guide

7/26 study

       turn in lab book 

       take module # 3 test



Interesting links related to Module #3
The idea of species helping each other is contradictory to Darwin’s idea of the “struggle to survive.” Also, although some of the simpler forms of symbiosis can be explained in an evolutionary framework, most cannot.Consider, for example, Trichonympha.It lives in the gut of the termite, allowing the termite to digest cellulose.Without it, the termite could not eat wood.How, then, did the termite evolve? It would have to evolve WITH Trichonympha already in its gut.There is no way to imagine how that happened via an evolutionary framework.

This page contains tips for collecting, keeping, and culturing micro-organisms

Cellulose is found in plants and protists as microfibrils (2-20 nm diameter and 100 - 40 000 nm long). These form the structurally strong framework in the cell walls of these organisms.Commercial cellulose is mostly prepared from wood pulp.Cellulose is use photographic film, fine papers, and disposable baby diaper applications.

Phylum Chrysophyta has silicon dioxide as an element in its cell wall.Quartz (silicon dioxide) is the most common mineral on the face of the Earth.It is found in nearly every geological environment and is at least a component of almost every rock type.It frequently is the primary mineral, > 98%.It is also the most varied in terms of varieties, colors and forms.This page has an awesome display of natural occurring quartz crystals.

Provides the student with an interactive web-based look at cell structure.Students can “dissolve” the plasma membrane and see what is inside the chloroplast.Contains evolutionary content.

This page is for students who are new to zooplankton.The site is a collage of images from each representative genus.Clicking on an image will take the student directly to that genus page.Contains evolutionary content.

Manufacturers reference page for diatomite.List the benefits and uses of this material.
Links that contain extra help for the topics in Module #3


The table and linked pages on this web site are a guide to identifying some common groups of smaller freshwater organisms (microscopic to a few millimeters in size).The beginner may also like to explore the virtual pond dip; which allows the student to click on the creatures in a jar to learn about some of the more common freshwater organisms.Contains evolutionary content.

Microscopic life can be found in ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, ocean backwater estuaries, and, surprisingly, rain puddles that have been in existence for a few days. Water samples can easily be collected using wide-mouth glass jars with tight-fitting lids. The collection jars you use should be completely clean and detergent free.A great place to find protozoan and tiny water animals is in a fresh water fish tank.This page is a great resource for those of you struggling with pond water cultures!

A hay infusion is a culture made from water collected from a pond, lake, stream, or puddles.This page has a good video of an infusion and the microbes you see in it.

This page provides an interactive comparison between the three basic cell types.Eukaryotic cells (animal cell and plant cell types) have distinct, membrane-bound organelles whereas prokaryotic cells (bacterial cell) do not. This fact adds a level of complexity to the organisms in kingdom Protista that doesn't exist in kingdom Monera.

The most striking feature of the organisms in this phylum is that they have no standard body shape. They are enclosed in a flexible plasma membrane which allows them to change shape at will. When resting, they are usually spherical. However, when they wish to move, they form extensions of their bodies called pseudopods or "false feet." This page provides some great microscopic images of amoeba.

This page provides super images of amoeba which have been stained so that the different cytoplasms can be viewed.

Another name for the members of Phylum Mastigophora is flagellate.A flagellate is a protozoan that propels itself with a flagellum.Page gives some great microscopic images and a wonderful discussion of the Euglena, a photosynthetic animal cell.

Ciliates can be quite large (for a protozoan), with some species attaining lengths of three millimeters (about one-ninth of an inch). They vary in shape, ranging from cone-shaped to bell-shaped to foot-shaped. Members of this phylum mostly live in fresh water, preferring stagnant lakes and ponds.This page provides a great discussion of ciliate movement and awesome microscopic images of the diversity of this phylum.

Detailed set of microscopic images showing the internal structure of the Paramecium is presented.

This slide shows paramecia engaged in a type of sexual reproduction called conjugation.

When a female mosquito bites an infected human, she becomes infected.When she bites another human, she injects the parasite into the second human host.Killing mosquitoes eliminates the intermediate host in the infection cycle.This page shows the complete life cycle of the Plasmodium.

Members of phylum Chlorophyta are often referred to as “freshwater” algae.This web page shows several pictures of Chlorophyta thallus as found in freshwater streams.Thalli are algae colonies that function like a big plant, but there are no distinct parts.A Chlorophyta thallus is nothing more than one big mass of algae.

Chrysophyta contains the diatoms, whose dead remains make up diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is used in toothpastes and other substances as an abrasive.Diatoms are a unique type of algae, mostly because their cell wall is composed of silicon dioxide, which is the principal component of glass.

Dinoflagellates belong to phylum Pyrrophyta.The most important thing to remember about the dinoflagellates, however, is that certain species (Gymnodinium brevis , for example) frequently bloom in nutrient-rich waters.Because the species are reddish-brown in color, their bloom tends to turn the sea red in their immediate vicinity. As a result, these blooms are often called “red tide.” This page is a picture menagerie of different kinds of dinoflagellates.

This site provides great images of different kinds of brown algae.

This site provides great images of different kinds of red algae.
Advanced topics related to Module #3


Page provides an advanced look at structure and function of these two important means of locomotion.

Entamoeba coli is not the "E. coli" that humans can get from eating raw or undercooked meat and that has been associated with a number of human fatalities in the past few years. The other "E. coli" is a bacterium (prokaryote), Escherichia coli.This site provides images of the different forms of this medically important Sarcodine.

The life cycle of Entamoeba histolytica involves trophozoites (the feeding stage of the parasite) that live in the host's large intestine and cysts that are passed in the host's feces.This site provides microscopic views of the organism at different stages in its life cycle.

The genus Trypanosoma is large and diverse.It includes several species that infect wild and domesticated animals in Africa, particularly hoofed animals, and humans.Most of the African trypanosomes are transmitted by vectors (the one exception is a sexually transmitted disease of horses), and the most common vector is the tsetse fly (Glossina sp.,

Balantidium coli is a parasite of many species of animals, including pigs, rats, guinea pigs, humans, and many other animals.Humans are infected when they ingest cysts via food or water contaminated with fecal material.This site provides information on and a microscopic view of the organism.

The genus Plasmodium is home to one of the most deadly parasites known to man.These parasites cause malaria, a disease that has claimed countless lives over the years.This page provides information on malaria and the life cycle of the organism.


Toxoplasmosis is a disease which causes severe birth defects in the babies of pregnant women.These organisms live in the intestines of cats and reproduce there sexually.The organism is spread through houseflies, cockroaches, insects, and direct contact with the cat feces, which is why doctors tell pregnant women that they should never clean a cat box or touch cat feces.

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