...Biology Biome: the largest division of the biosphere. Biosphere: the thin layer of air, land, and water on or near Earth’s surface in which all living things on Earth exists. Climatograph: A graph of climate data for a specific region. Ecosystem: a part of a biome in which abiotic components interact with biotic components. Biodiversity: the variety of all living species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms on Earth. Niche: The special role an organism plays in an ecosystem, including the way in which it contributes to and fits into environment. Structural adaptations: a physical feature of an organism’s body having a specific function that contributes to survival of the organism. Physiological: a physical and chemical event that occurs within the body of an organism that enables survival. Behavioral: what an organism does to survive in the unique conditions of its environment. Species: a group of closely related organisms. Population: all members of a particular species. Community: all the population of the different species. Bioremediation: the use of organisms (micro or plants), to break down chemical pollutants in water or soil to reverse/lessen environmental damage. Decomposition: breaking down of organic wastes and dead organisms. Biodegradation: action of living things such as bacteria to break down dead organic matter. Decomposer: change wastes and dead organisms into usable nutrients. Detrivores: consumers that obtain their energy by eating bodies...
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...What were the criticisms that the humanists made of the Catholic Church? The Catholic Church faced many criticisms from the humanists; the humanists were a group of intellectuals who supported the reform of the church, but did not propose new policies but rather a change to improve he intellectual and moral standards of the clergy. Despite affecting the church and the faith in the church there was not much impact on the ordinary people they were not interested in the corruption within the church providing it I did not affect their everyday worship. Their criticisms affected not only the church but also the followers of the religion, the impact on how it was preached and practised. One of the key criticisms were indulgences, these were pieces of paper signed by the people that could be purchased by the laity, this meant the recipient of the sin was cleansed an often saved their souls. However there was opposition against them as he believed the faith was the only true saviour of their souls. While these were helpful toward the church in the sense that there was an increase popularity of the catholic faith and people saw an escape route to a way to amend their mistakes, it had major negative effects on the church, from the humanists c criticisms, it meant many people saw corruption and truly religious people would have the same views as martin Luther, that only faith could ensure salvation and that it could not be achieved through Christians own effort. This meant that there...
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...GENETIC ENHANCEMENT: CUSTOM KIDS AND CHIMERAS By Marilyn E. Coors, Ph.D. I am going to analyze Dr. Coors paper “GENETIC ENHANCEMENT: CUSTOM KIDS AND CHIMERAS” in a attempt to identify fallacies and mistaken assumptions, while checking for accuracy of factual claims and determining if there is enough evidence on Dr. Coors’s claim to support her conclusion. Dr. Coors’ conclusion, which can be located at the paper’s final paragraph on the last sentence, “Our impending power to alter our genetic heritage, coupled with a limited ability to predict the consequences of those alterations, cries out for a cautious and humble approach” is clearly a behavioral conclusion, which attempts to tell us how to feel, or which moral values to embrace in reference to genetic enhancement. In other words, Dr. Coors’ conclusion prescribes that “genetic enhancement should be approached with caution and reservation.” Now that we have identified the conclusion we can try to identify the Minor Premise report, which is the factual claim Dr. Coors is using to justify why we should approach genetic enhancement with caution and reservation. Dr. Coors states this Minor Premise at the middle of her final paragraph: “For these reasons genetic enhancement of human embryos is immoral under Catholic teaching.” Accordingly, we can frame the conclusion and the minor premise of Dr. Coors’ paper as follows: Minor Premise report: Genetic enhancement of human embryos is immoral under Catholic teaching...
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...Ultima The old healer Ultima lives and teaches the moral system that the novel espouses. Antonio’s relationship with Ultima is the most important bond in the novel. Ultima acts as Antonio’s mentor and helps him cope with his anxieties and uncertainties. Ultima claims a spiritual connection to Antonio that manifests its power in Chapter 1, when Antonio dreams of Ultima burying his afterbirth to keep his destiny secret from the arguing families of his parents. By presenting herself as the keeper of his destiny, Ultima immediately establishes a central role in Antonio’s psyche. Ultima uses her unique position of influence with benevolence, preferring to teach Antonio to think for himself rather than indoctrinating him with her own sense of morality. Like Antonio, Ultima is grounded in both the indigenous and Catholic traditions. She understands that life and spirituality can be viewed in many different and equally valid ways. Although the Catholic church does not recognize her mystical powers, Ultima respects the wisdom of the Catholic faith and attends mass regularly. Her appreciation for multiple faiths and perspectives bolsters her conviction that each person must make independent moral decisions, rather than blindly trust any single authority. Ultima tries to instill in Antonio the same tolerance, independence, and open-mindedness that define her faith and outlook. This view compels Ultima to treat Antonio with understanding and respect, even when he is a small and obedient...
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...After viewing the succession of the ecosystem in the Succession animation I have determined it is an example of a secondary succession. A secondary succession is defined as a change in species composition after a disturbance destroys the existing vegetation in an area that contains soil (Wiley, 2000-2012). The Succession animation was about a forest that contained a small creek. The natural flow of this creek was disturbed by a dam built by beavers thus creating a flood in the forest, the death of the current trees and plants and the new growth of trees and plants in later years. That is why it is a secondary succession. Evolution takes place in the process of natural selection. This process is one where necessary and successful characteristics and traits are passed on to future members of the species for survival. All traits and characteristics that are unnecessary cease to exist in future offspring. The hypothesis I’ve formed in regard to the aquatic salamander, who is missing hind limbs and has small forelimbs, is it came from a line of salamanders that migrated to a new area where they no longer needed their hind limbs. It is possible their new home had smaller areas for them to swim through and their limbs were proving to be a hindrance. Through the process of natural selection, the offspring of these salamanders were born with smaller limbs until their hind limbs were no more. This would be an example of their struggle for existence. References: • Wiley, J. (2000-2012)...
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...CONCEPTUAL LITERATURE "Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward". - Psalm 127:3 About once in every 28 days, ovulation occurs within human females. If the ovum released is not quickly fertilized by a sperm cell from a man, it will die and pass out of the uterus during abnormal menstrual period. But if intercourse takes place and the ovum is fertilized, conception occurs. The woman becomes pregnant, and nine months later, a baby will be born. Now, on the occasion that the parents of the unborn child do not want to have a baby, the parents may decide to use abortion, which expels the fetus from the womb via drugs, either oral or through injection. But if a couple decides early in a relationship to ultimately avoid having an offspring, they may practice birth control or contraception. The first time birth control was introduced to history was in the 1900’s. Population had increased rapidly. Margaret Sanger, a nurse, believed that the poor needed to control the size of their families. In 1916, Sanger established the first birth control clinic and in 1917, founded the National Birth Control League. Although widespread use of birth control is visible throughout the world, particularly in Europe and the United States, where birth control methods are legally available, not everyone is in favor of contraception. The Roman Catholic Church forbids artificial methods of birth control, upholding the belief that sexual love in marriage should never be...
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...1. Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship and both partners benefit whereas commensalism benefits only one and the other gets nothing. 2. A negative externality is a when a third party effects someone or something in a bad way and there is no compensation. 3. Gathered from my readings in the book negative feedback can be a great thing for nature. It allows a system to stabilize itself. Positive feedback can cause an ecosystem to destabilize. This is usually a bad thing but sometimes good things come from all of the chaos. 4. Isotopes are atoms of an element with different number of neutrons. 5. Entropy describes the chaos that is brought forth when energy transforms. 6. I believe that yes the term carrying capacity can apply to both the ecosystems and human beings. The definition is explained in the book using human population growth. But I also believe that many ecosystems can destroy themselves with over population so in order for them to survive they need a equal “birth” rate and death rate. This carrying capacity would allow an ecosystem to survive. 7. CFC’s are Chlorofluorocarbons. They are used in refrigerators, aerosol, and air conditioning. They have to do with the ozone hole because they are one of the main causes of it. Over the years uses of CFC’s started to grow and with it the hole in our ozone. 8. The Little Ice Age lasted between 1300 and 1870. It was a time when Europe and Northern America endured a much colder temperature then they were used to, and mountain...
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...Early successional forest is habitat caused by disturbance and requires careful management to be maintained. These can include old fields, grasslands, or early forests. Early successional forest provides countless benefits not only to wildlife, but to sportsmen, bikers, hikers, photographers, as well as conservationists and naturalists everywhere. It also contributes to the overall diversity and health of the forest. To wildlife, ESH provides many necessities for survival. The rapid growth of young vegetation provides avid cover and nesting habitat for game and song birds, as well as small and large mammals-- such as the american woodcock, ruffed grouse, whitetail deer and more. Regeneration forests produce a multitude of diverse foods. ESH bears a plethora of insects-- preyed on by nearly all bird species--fruits from berry plants, stems and shoots of new trees, and other young vegetation eaten by wildlife. This diversity of plants also benefits forest health, creating a rejuvenation of old forest, transition zones, and mature forests. Sportsmen recognize the benefits of ESH too. Populations of game in areas managed for regeneration forests tend to be much higher, and it is no coincidence. Fifty six to sixty percent of mammals use early successional habitat. However, many species that depend of this habitat populations are declining. Pennsylvania forests have roughly twelve percent less early successional habitat than the estimated outlook of twenty percent. You may be wondering...
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...James Shin Per 7b/8 Ecology Take Home Test 1) In the given info, there were two groups, an experimental and control group of flowers and sagebrush in a desert landscape that were identical except that the experimental group had a fence enclosed around it. Also, there was a predation relationship between the wildflowers and the kangaroo rats because the kangaroo rats eat wildflowers. Assuming that the fence was limiting the space of the experimental plot, competitive exclusion caused the extinction of the 4 other wild flowers. To begin, there was some interspecific competition, which happens when individuals of different species compete for a resource that limits their survival, between the 5 flower species in the experimental plot because they had their space limited to the fence that they were enclosed in. this competition was a density dependent factor in that the death rate rose when population density in the plot rose. Also, some of the specie’s ecological niches (like what nutrients they needed and how many branches would form) would have had to been the same or else they could coexist together. Then, one of the species of wildflower might have had a reproductive advantage like thorns to repel the kangaroo rats which would have allowed them to prosper and the other species to die out. This is the principle of competitive exclusion. On a tangent, the kangaroo rats would have learned to stay away from the wildflower with thorns by classical conditioning because they...
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...Living organisms change as the abiotic and biotic components in their environment change. The process that makes change possible in living things is called natural selection. Scientists use the term adaptive radiation to describe the change from a common ancestor into a number of different species that “radiate out” to inhabit different niches. Ecological succession is the term scientists use to refer to changes that take place over time in the types of organisms that live in an area. Primary succession occurs in an area where no soil exists, such as on bare rock. Pioneer species is the term scientists use to describe the lichens and other plants that are the first organisms to survive and reproduce in an area. The process of primary succession leads to the development of a mature community, which is sometimes called a climax community. Flooding occurs in coastal areas, rivers, and lakes, when the volume of water exceeds the ability of the water body to contain it. Tsunami is the term used to describe a huge, rapidly moving ocean wave and it is usually caused by large earthquakes or underwater volcanic eruptions. Drought is a recurring event in many parts of the world, it usually occurs when there is a below-average amount of precipitation in an area over a period of many months or years. Land use refers to the ways we use the land around us for urban development, agriculture, industry, mining, and forestry. Resource use refers to the ways we obtain and use these materials...
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...We have previously discussed syncretism and its definition and meaning. However, what legacies have the differences in types of encounters and degrees of cultural change left today? If we consider syncretism within the arenas of philosophy and religion, we can see that the melding of earlier cultures has had a lasting effect, even today. As cultures recombine with one another, they often create a new blend of teaching and belief systems from the two different cultures. However, some western religious syncretism occurred in China during the mid-late 1800s, its hybrid form not only refashioned a new belief system but also coauthored a massive rebellion known as the Taiping rebellion. While Hung Hsiu-ch'üan and his cousin baptized themselves in a well and Hung Hsiu-ch'üan called himself the other son of God, they called upon (Hooker, 1996) gender equality and sobriety, absolutism in the government and hierarchy established and even in worship during the Opium wars and rebelled not only against the foreigners and the despots then arising in opposition to foreign extraterritoriality but also to the Manchu rulers they blamed for the burgeoning group of people in the poorest class. More importantly, perhaps, this syncretism combined with the numerous cultural forces and western religions in the land, became militarized and regrettably eventually took between 30-50 million lives (Hooker, 1996). Syncretism is a fascinating amalgam of different cultures that exist at various times. We...
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...plant succession which occurs in an urban area which has been abandoned or untouched for 5 years. This form of colonisation is a form a secondary succession. Plant succession is the process in which one plant species replaces another over time which may be influenced by changes in the environment. The first plants to develop are the pioneer plants. They are able to exist in areas where there is little water, obtaining nutrients by photosynthesis and grow in places with very little soil, like concrete. Some examples of pioneer plants are lichens and mosses. When these plants die they provide a mat of organic matter which, mixed with the weather mineral matter produces a protosoil that other plants can root into. Stage two of the colonisation of the wasteland is when the Oxford ragwort starts to grow. It grows in the cracks in the surface because they provide sheltered places where seeds can germinate and retain moisture. During this stage, plant succession is rapid. As these higher plants die off, they produce a thicker and more nutrient-rich soil. Taller plants can then become established. One of the most common is rosebay willow herb, which spreads initially by seeds and then by rhizomes which can extend up to 1m a year. A rhizome is an elongated horizontal underground plant stem producing shoots above and below the ground. These plants gradually shade out the lower plants stopping them from growing as they can’t photosynthesise. The next stage of succession is the...
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...Ecological Succession The world around us is slowly and constantly changing. We might never see the small alterations happen, but many years later changes will surely be visible. Over time small changes add up and soon the whole ecosystem is different. This slow change in the land and habitat is called ecological succession. Animals, plants, and weather are some factors that cause this type of change in an ecosystem. Ecological succession begins with a pioneer community. In many cases lichens are the "pioneers." Lichens break down rocks, making soil, so that plants can begin to grow. The process then continues on; trees grow, decay and then new trees grow back even bigger. Differences in the amount of sunlight, the amount of wind, and the type of soil all influence this changing community of organisms. The number and type of organisms change along with the habitat. Many, many years later the ecosystem becomes relatively stable. This stable condition can last for hundreds of years and is called a climax community. Sometimes nature's power causes changes that happen more quickly, but not instantly. An example of this is repeated flooding. In some areas floods happen often, each time new sediment is carried by the water and the deposited. Over time a marsh habitat becomes present, next a grassland and then a forest. At other time nature works backwards by tearing down a climax community with a flood or fire. New kinds of organisms are able to move in and the process repeats its...
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...Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis Background Habitats and the ecological communities they support are often greatly impacted by disturbance. For example, forest communities can be disrupted by fires, blow-downs, floods, and hurricanes. Alpine plant communities can be devastated by landslides or avalanches. Marine systems such as coral reefs can be decimated by storms, ravaged by predators, or trashed by inconsiderate tourists. On a smaller scale, many habitats can be disturbed both above and below ground by burrowing creatures such as gophers or moles. All of these disturbances can change the composition of species in a habitat and can also change relative species abundances. Both the intensity and the frequency of disturbance can influence how the composition of species in an area will change. In general, when disturbance is minimal or rare, then the species that are best at competing with other species for resources will eventually take over. Alternatively, when disturbance is extensive or frequent, then species that are good colonizers or can recover from disturbances rapidly will be at an advantage and will dominate. For example, a forest that has not been disturbed for a long time generally hosts species of trees and other plants that can grow under low light, but will not include many grasses or bushes. If the same area were burned periodically, the trees would rarely have time to become established. Instead, a grassland community comprising species capable of...
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...Dear Bishop, I, Susie Ann, as a member of ______ Church in______, have been preparing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. I am excited to be confirmed because I feel that I want to be a full member of the Catholic Church and receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. I also feel that it will strengthen my relationship with God. Understanding that I will be blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit will empower me in my lifelong religious journey. For the past years, I have been preparing for this sacrament in many ways. I have attended confirmation classes regularly, I have received other sacraments, such as the Eurcharist and Reconciliation, that I feel have also helped me to prepare. I also have had several experiences throughout the past years that have been very meaningful to me. Service projects and retreats have helped me build a much stronger relationship with God, and, most importantly, I have prayed. During my preparations, I also chose the saint that I would like to be confirmed with. I chose St.Michael the Archangel because he is a great role model. I want to live my life more like him, and I feel that my Confirmation will help me do so. For my sponsor, I chose my aunt. She has always been there for me and I feel that she is a good role model for me in the church. She attends mass regularly and lives her life as a true Catholic should. My faith and prayer play a significant role in my life, every day, as I begin and end each day praying to God, opening...
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