Cornstalks Everywhere But Nothing Else, Not Even A Bee

"We'll start in a cornfield — we'll call it an Iowa cornfield in late summer — on a beautiful day. The corn is high. The air is shimmering. There's just one thing missing — and it's a big thing...

...a very big thing, but I won't tell you what, not yet."

Want to find out the VERY BIG THING?  Read more here.

Biodiversity loss increases infectious diseases among humans

We are now transitioning from evolution to ecology.  To kick off this transition you read a literature review from Nature "Impacts of biodiversity on emergence and transmission of infectious disease." 


C period - Today you collected your first round of data for the eutrophication lab and started to read the article.  For homework, finish reading the article and be prepared to discuss what you read.  Please also bring a device that gets internet (you can use your phone).

D period - To you wrapped worked in expert groups on the domain presentations.  If you are a slow reader you should read 2-3 pages of the Nature article tonight.  You will have 45 minutes in class tomorrow to work on the article finish collecting your first round of eutrophication lab data.

From Mr.T's site: www.i-biology.net.  Click the picture to link to the PowerPoint

Giraffe Follow Up

Today we briefly discussed the alternative theory as to why giraffes have long necks.  An emerging idea, from Robert E. Simmons and Lue Scheepers is that giraffes use their necks as weapons, and it is sexual selection, not the height of their food that is the driving force behind long necks.

Click the picture to link to the article.

Below are two videos of giraffe behavior.  The first one is how males use their necks to fight, the second video displays the Flehmen response.