Gabby's Photos: 6-10

My personal item is my index finger which will make an appearance in every photograph. It will point to the object being photographed.

4. This is a picture of a chicken egg before it became an omelet. It qualifies as an amniotic egg because chickens are amniotes meaning their eggs have a unique embryonic development so that they could adapt to land. The reason for this is that if and when the egg is fertilized by the rooster, inside of the egg are a series of fluid membranes which let the embryo survive and grow. The embryo is protected by the amnion which is filled with amniotic fluid and gives the embryo a stable environment in which to mature. However of course if the egg remains unfertilized, breakfast is served.

 11. This tomato plant is an example of an autotroph, or a “self-feeder,” otherwise known as a producer. Producers are on the first trophic level, and are crucial to the environment because they create their own food through photosynthesis, and are the basis of any ecosystem. Using photosynthesis, which occurs on one of the leaf’s many chloroplasts, the plants uses a portion of energy from the sun, carbon dioxide, and water to create glucose and a by product of oxygen. Glucose becomes the tomato plant’s meal, and allows it to function and grow.



 13. A portobello mushroom is an example of a basidiomycete. It is a phylum within the kingdom fungi. Its binomial name is Agaricus bisporu. Besides mushrooms, basidiomycota include stinkhorns, puffballs, and jelly fungi among others. Most reproduce sexually through club-shaped end cells (basidia) that have external meiospores.These spores are then called basidiospores







17. A potato is an example of a C3 plant. It uses a pathway that works for a majority of plants, those that are under moist, cool conditions with normal light exposure, and the stomata are open in the day. Photosynthesis occurs throughout the leaf (in the mesophyll cells). The reason it is known as the C3 pathway is because the product of the Calvin cycle (which also occurs in mesophyll cells) is a 3-ring carbon compound after the carbon dioxide goes into it. Rubisco which is the same enzyme involved in photosynthesis is also used for carbon dioxide uptake.

18. Corn is a delicious example of a C4 plant. The C4 pathway is an alternate pathway of carbon fixation in photosynthesis. Since corn and plants like it have to grow under hot conditions, this pathway allows the plant to photosynthesize more rapidly and avoid lots of water loss. The carbon dioxide initially becomes a 4-carbon compound therefore it gets the name of C4. Another important difference is that carbon is fixed in the mesophyll cells and then goes to the bundle sheath cells so the Calvin cycle can occur without oxygen.

Gabby's Photos: 1-5

36. The actress Marion Cotillard is an example of a eukaryote, an organism made up of eukaryotic cells. A eukaryotic cell, unlike a prokaryotic cell, is a complex structure with a nucleus and nuclear envelope (in which the the DNA or genetic material is stored), and membrane bound organelles such as mitochondria and Golgi apparatus. Eukaryotes include animals, plants, and fungi. They can be multicellular as well as unicellular, and all complex organisms are made of them.

38. Fermentation, in the simplest terms, is the conversion of sugars to ethanol. Yeast plays a big role in fermentation because it converts carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide. A common use of fermentation is leavening bread which occurs because yeast converts sugars that are fermentable into carbon dioxide that causes the dough to rise.

45. Glycogen is a polysaccharide that is a form of energy storage in fungi and plants. However in humans  glycogen is made and stored in the in the cells of muscles which is why I took a closeup of my mother’s bicep. The glycogen stored there is strictly for muscle use because it lacks an enzyme that allows it to pass it on to other parts of the body.





53. Hydrophobic means “water fearing.” Here I have set up a situation where the non-polar, and therefore hydrophobic olive oil floats on polar water. Because things can only dissolve and mix if they have the same polarity, the oil floats on top of the water and is an example of a hydrophobic molecule.











61. A long-day plant is a classification based on the time it takes for the plant to flower. Lettuce is a long-day plant because it requires at least twelve hours of light a day, and short nights (hence the “long day”). Most plants that bloom in the summer and garden vegetables need lots of light in order to flower. The term for how much light or darkness a plant needs is called “photoperiodism."

Anna's Thing 1-5

lichen - on tree  Lichen is formed by two different species coming together. A fungus and a photosynthetic microorganisms come together to form lichen which can withstand harsh environments and lack of water. Lichen have three different categories (crustose, fruticose, foliose) which are based on the lichen body forms.


gymnosperm - pine cones
Cone bearing plants (conifers) produce both male and female cones. Pictured is a megastrobilus, which is a seed producing female cone. Each scale is a modification of a branch and protected by these scales are the seeds. After the female cone is fertilized the ovules will turn into seeds and from there the seeds can be dispersed many different ways.



flower ovary- tomato
When the ovary of the tomato flower is pollinated the ovary then turns into the fruit (in this case the tomato). As a way to disperse the seeds of the tomato plant, the plant attracts animals to eat the tomato and then the animals carry off the seeds and excrete them.  


gymnosperm leaf-
These pine needles are considered gymnosperm leaves because their seeds/ovules aren’t protected like the angiosperms are. The trees rely on these leaves to help with photosynthesis.


amniotic egg-
An amniotic egg contains an aqueous membrane which allows the embryo to develop outside of the mother without drying out. Amniotic eggs evolved to allow aquatic species like reptiles to explore different habitats yet still produce viable offspring. Inside the extraembryonic membrane include a yolk sac, allantois, and a chorion to help with the development of the embryo.

Andrew Waterhouse's 5 Pictures for the Week of July 23rd

46. Gymnosperm cone (female)

This is a picture of a pine cone. Awesome

77. Population

This is a picture of a small population of chickens at my friend Nate's house in North Berwick. These ones specifically are going to be eaten, whereas a separate population of chickens supply the eggs his family eats. There is only one rooster, but maybe one is enough-

90. Territorial Behavior

This is a picture of my friend Nate's rooster. Just look at how mean he looks, not to mention how mean he actually is. I came inside the coupe to collect eggs for Nate's family and this guy guarded his turf rather effectively. He was very hostile and showed little manners.

91. Tropism

This picture is of a plant that my mother keeps in a conch shell vase. It demonstrates tropism because the force of gravity causes the plant to grow down and around the vase. I believe this classifies as an example of gravitropism.

94. Xylem

This is a very close up picture of a stump. It is taken that close up to accentuate the inner rings, which consist of xylem.

Jane Merrow's Pictures 1-5 for week of July 23rd

#1: These baby cones are examples of gymnosperm cones (and they're so darn cute too!). I found them on a low-hanging branch on one of the blue spruce trees in my backyard. Gymnosperms rely on wind to carry the contents of these cones and help reproduction.

#2: These lovely ladies are examples of heterotrophs. They feed off others, including ticks, flies, and other creepy crawlies they find in the yard. They also like corn and certain kinds of grasses. The orange one in the forefront is named Chairman Mao, and the brown one is Curly. I'm pretty sure they're posing for me.

#3: This amniotic egg is from one of our chickens! It's wasn't fertilized, so it was actually breakfast....but were it fertilized, the baby chick would have everything it would need, including protection and nutrients while it developed! After a period of 20-23 days, the now-strong chick would peck it's way through the protective shell and become a Chairman Mao Jr:)

#4: My dog, Nicki, is an example of an organism with bilateral symmetry. She's symmetrical from her nose to her tail, which allows for forward motion and the concentration of sensory organs to one area (cephalization). Without it, she wouldn't be Fetch Champion of the World.





#5: I apologize for the poorer quality of this photo, I had to snap it quickly with my cell phone before these two mating flies got away. As you can see, the male has latched onto the female and will exchange sperm cells and fertilize her egg cells and make little fly babies.

Pictures 1-5 for the Week of July 23rd

 Picture 1- Item #1 - Adaptation of an Animal
An adaptation is a feature or characteristic that an organism develops in order to increase its reproductive success (either by attracting more mates, surviving long enough to mate many times, etc.) This beautiful moth has the adaptation of its coloration (the likes of which I've never seen in a moth around here before!). Much like the coloration of a monarch butterfly, this moth's bright pastel repertoire could serve to warn predators, like so: "Hey. You Predator. Yes, you. See my colors? Good. They mean I'm poisonous--I don't taste good. So don't eat me. Ok? Ok."
They could also be an adaptation of the reproductive nature (perhaps mates with flashier pastel coats are more attractive ...sexual selection?). Either way, this moth caught my eye with its fuzzy yellow-and-pink adaptive coloring. Go moth!

 Picture 2 - Item #26 - Cuticle Layer of a Plant
A plant's cuticle layer is a thin, waxy coating that surrounds the outside of its leaves and surfaces. The cuticle's main purpose is to prevent water loss (combat desiccation) and the loss of other nutrients from the plant's cells. The cuticle also serves as an extra layer of protection against some foreign materials and microorganisms that might seek to penetrate it. This plant's shiny cuticle is clearly visible.

 Picture 3 - Item #27 - Detritovore
This beautiful picture shows several slugs breaking down a piece of fecal matter. These slugs are prime examples of detritovores, or organisms that feed on/break down detritus, or non-living organic matter (like feces or decaying organic remains). Other detritovores include bacteria and fungi!

 Picture 4 - Item #46 - Gymnosperm Cone, Female
This generic 'pine cone' that we all know and love can be more specifically identified as a female gymnosperm cone, or megastrobilus. The cone itself is the female reproductive mechanism of gymnosperms (conifers). It contains (or contained, by the looks of this specimen) the seeds, the female component of gymnosperm reproduction. Each ovule (or seed storage space) is protected by those scale-like branches on which we used to smear peanut butter to make bird feeders.

Picture 5 - Item #48 - Hermaphrodite
This little snail (which I found on the underside of a leaf) is a good example of a hermaphrodite. Hermaphrodites are organisms that possess both male and female sexual organs/structures. Put simply, if two snails come across each other and decide to mate, either could be the male or the female. They're just that flexible.

Pictures 1-5

Image # 1 Adaptation of a Plant(2)- Thorns are an adaptation of a rose bush. This adaptation helps to prevent animals from getting to close and helps certain rose bushes hang onto vegetation when growing over other plants.

Image #2 CAM Plant(19)- A cactus is an example of a CAM plant. Cacti avoid photorespiration during photosynthesis by taking in CO2 and combining it with PEP during the night and in the morning the stomata close reducing the amount of oxygen diffusing into the plant. Then the CO2 is taken to the Calvin cycle where it does not need to compete with oxygen thus reducing photorespiration. This allows cacti to live with high daytime temperatures.

Image #3 Long Day Plant(61)-This clover is an example of a Long day plant. Long day plants bloom during the late spring/early summer as the days are longer during that time period. They bloom during the long days as they require lots of sunlight to thrive.

Image #4 Epithelial tissue(33)- My skin is made up of epithelial tissue. It protects the inside of the body from the outside world and it is also involved in sensory perception and secretion. Epithelial tissue can also be found lining organs and the body cavity and it is always tightly packed together and separated from other tissues by a basement layer.

Image #5 Flower Ovary(39)- This peach is an example of a ripened ovary of an angiosperm. The fruit contains seeds from the angiosperm and is responsible for dispersal of the seeds.







By Jonah Goldblatt

Pictures 1-5 for Week of the 23rd

Here is the beginning of my biology collection for the summer. 

My personal item that I will be including in my photos is my hand performing a thumbs-up motion. Yes!

Photo #1: 

11. Autotroph

The intended focus of this photo is the plant occupying the center/upper right of the image. This plant fits the definition for an autotroph as produces its own food or glucose through the reaction of photosynthesis. The plant absorbs the photons of sunlight and, within the leaves, causes an electron to become excited and travel down an electron transport chain, creating ATP, which then the cells of the plant use to turn one of many cycles to synthesize glucose from absorbed carbon dioxide from the air and other molecules in the cell. 

Photo #2: 

46. Gymnosperm cone

This pinecones are gymnosperm cones. They are the pine tree's method of reproduction, in that, the cones contain the seeds rather than them being encased in an ovary. These seeds could become planted and grow into a new tree themselves, continuing this certain species of pine tree. 

Photo #3: 

5. Analagous structures

This picture is displaying both my foot and the paws of my cat. Analagous structures are structures found in organisms that serve a similar purpose but have a different build. My foot and my cat's paw both serve as a foot to me and him respectively, but if you were to look at the bone structure and makeup of my human foot and my cat's paw, you would see many differences separating the two, causing them to be analagous. (Apologies that I could not include my 'personal item' in this picture. I spent awhile following my cat, waiting for him to stand still enough to snap a shot with both his backside and my foot in the same picture. He was very uncooperative all in all...) 

Photo #4: 

47. Gymnosperm leaf

This picture is of pine needles which function as a gymnosperm's leaves. These needles have the same function other plant leaves, in that they absorb light for photosynthesis to provide glucose for the tree. 

Photo #5: 

6. Animal that has a segmented body

These are earthworms (yet to be named). An earthworm has a segmented body, in that, the first section of its body contains vital organs and then the worm's body begins to repeats its structure. These repetitions are called segments and as the worm grows, it adds on more of these segments. 

Images 1-5 for the week of July 23

Image #1

Example of an Amniotic Egg 

A chicken's egg

Image # 2

Example of Epithelial Tissue

My sisters' peeling back due to a sun burn

The top layer or epithelial tissue burnt and is now peeling and a new layer of skin was made.

Image #3

Example of an Exoskeleton

The hard outer shell of a lobster

Image #4

Example of an Endosperm

A popped popcorn kernel

Image #5

Example of a hermaphrodite (having both male and female parts)

An ear of corn