These little fellows are prime examples of basidiomycetes (of the phylum Basidiomycota). Members of the Fungi kingdom, basidiomycetes are basically mushrooms (and other more obscure filamentous fungi). Basidiomycetes are characterized by a specific method of sexual reproduction involving specialized 'basidia' cells.
This earwig, like all arthropods, has a hard exoskeleton protecting its insides. The exoskeleton provides protection from the external environment (e.g. predators, desiccation, etc.) as well as a structural support framework. A main component of exoskeletons is the polysaccharide chitin, which also makes up the cell walls of fungi. Fun fact!
This bottle of red wine is a great example of what happens when the process of fermentation is allowed to progress. Fermentation occurs when, in an anaerobic environment, organisms such as yeast break down sugars to produce energy (like normal cellular respiration) and produce CO2 and ethanol as byproducts. This wine's alcohol content is a result of the fermentation of the natural sugars present in the original grapes.
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This nice flower shows off its ovary rather well, I think. The ovary can be seen at the base of that stalk (called the style) at the center of the flower. The ovary houses the ovules, or the plant's eggs. The ovary is the plant's female reproductive organ and provides one half of the combination necessary to produce an embryo.
This froghopper, or 'spit bug', encased in a foamy castle represents a primary consumer in the food chain of the fields up behind the Athletic Center. It would be a delicious meal for the fierce yet blurry spider pictured below. The spider represents a secondary consumer in that food chain. If it could only break through that fortress of foam...
1 comment:
Only if we all had a fortress of foam...
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