Drop Box - Richard - Picasa Web Albums

Drop Box - Richard - Picasa Web Albums

Opodiphthera eucalypti - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Opodiphthera eucalypti - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Opodiphthera eucalypti
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Opodiphthera eucalypti

An emperor gum moth
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Ditrysia
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Opodiphthera
Species: O. eucalypti
Binomial name
Opodiphthera eucalypti
(Scott, 1864)

The emperor gum moth, Opodiphthera eucalypti, is a species of moth native to Australia, and can be easily found in all the states except for Tasmania. They are also found as an introduced species in the North and South Islands of New Zealand."

More moth emergence

Now things are really starting to happen. By 5.00pm on Thursday there were three newly emerged Emperor Gum moths two females and one male. Friday morning another male had also emerged.

Now that we have both males and females out and active I've brought in a branch of Gum tree to see if we can complete the life cycle and get some egg laying going on.

Moth babies

At last, one of the gum emperor moths has emerged.

Notes

• Feathery antennae, probably a male
• Conspicuous eye spots on wings defense mechanism against predation
• Wrinkled edge to main wing, still expanding to full size
• This moth emerged from one of the smaller cocoons overnight on Monday 22 November

Patterns of Evolution

Patterns of Evolution: "Patterns of Evolution"

Patterns of evolution - "Google Docs"

Power point from Wednesday lesson Patterns of evolution ny - "Google Docs"

EVOLUTION.doc - Google Docs

Here are some notes on the evolution topic for 2010

EVOLUTION.doc - Google Docs

Human_Evolution.pdf - Google Docs

Lenscience seminar eight paper:

Human_Evolution.pdf - Google Docs

TKI - Search Results

TKI - Search Results: "Ministry of Education online resources�"

Video lessons

The Khan academy has heaps of free instructional videos about Biology and other subjects.

Evolution powerpoint

Shows good description of adaptations for Bipedalism and contrasts with apes and early hominid.

Cultural Evolution

Slides from this mornings lesson

Cultural Evolution slides - "Google Docs"

Cultural Evolution slides - "Google Docs"

Here is a brief outline of the cultural aspects of Human evolution we need to complete. Presentation has been made using "google presentation" should open on all browsers. Please let me know if you have trouble with it.

Biology - Level 3 � NZQA

This is a link to the biology resources on the nzqa site. As well as details of all the achievement standards and examples of assessments there is a list of links at the bottom of the page that are worth looking at.

Biology - Level 3 � NZQA

Answering biology assessment questions

Answering Level two and three NCEA Biology Questions

Biology assessment is very language dependent. Paragraphs and short essays tend to be the required response in our external assessments.
The following steps could be useful in putting together a decent answer:

1. Read the Question
2. Define any key words (scientific terms)
3. Take a moment to sketch a quick concept map (related facts and processes) or T chart (comparison, similarities and differences)
4. Write an answer explaining at least four ideas or terms from you concept map or T chart using any examples given in the question.
5. Read the question once more. if you are happy with your answer move on.

Benefits of science

Benefits of science: "Benefits of science



The process of science is a way of building knowledge about the universe — constructing new ideas that illuminate the world around us."

"Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)" Biology Animation Library :: Dolan DNA Learning Center

"Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)" Biology Animation Library :: Dolan DNA Learning Center: "Polymerase Chain Reaction

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enables researchers to produce millions of copies of a specific DNA sequence in approximately two hours. This automated process bypasses the need to use bacteria for amplifying DNA.
This animation is featured in our 'Spotlight Collection' on Polymerase Chain Reaction, along with video interviews with Kary Mullis, a 3D molecular animation of PCR, and several laboratory protocols."

DNA profiling | Biotech Learning Hub

DNA profiling | Biotech Learning Hub: "When is DNA profiling used?
To identify the probable origin of a body fluid sample associated with a crime or crime scene.
To reveal family relationships
To identify disaster victims. For example, ESR scientists traveled to Thailand to help identify victims of the Boxing Day tsunami"

Wednesday

This power point covers lots of the evolution topic. Human evolution power point

Biodiversity Seminar Six

The next Lens Science seminar is about Harnessing Biodiversity. Thursday 19 September, the paper and questions are downloadable from the link list on the right.

Human Evolution

Human Evolution: "Humans are a young species, in geological terms. The average 'lifespan' of a mammal species, measured by its duration in the fossil record, is around 10 million years. While hominids have followed a separate evolutionary path since their divergence from the ape lineage, around 7 million years ago, our own species (Homo sapiens) is much younger. Fossils classified as archaic H. sapiens appear about 400,000 years ago, and the earliest known modern humans date back only 170,000 years."

Atlas of the Human Journey - The Genographic Project

Atlas of the Human Journey - The Genographic Project

Becoming Human

Becoming Human: "BECOMING HUMAN BRINGS TOGETHER INTERACTIVE
MULTIMEDIA, RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP TO PROMOTE
GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVOLUTION"

Genome and evolution

Richard Dawkins discusses the how the sequencing of various animal genomes has provided insights into human evolution. From his BBC radio series "Age of the genome"

Whitey, the silky bantam

34 000 000 000

34 billion chickens in 2003 the most populous domesticated animal yet.

What is the purpose of such a creature?

Why food of course, but is it right, is meat murder?

Term three

Day one of term three 2010 the class is strangely silent. With the return home of our two German Students things will never be the same. Their Biozone textbooks were placed on their desk in a poignant tribute. The two Kiwi students at their table group quietly sobbed throughout the lesson.

Goodbye and good luck to Anne and Danielle from Year 13 Biology.

Thursday

The fourth seminar is on this afternoon. This time we have an evolution topic looking at the origin of kelp species in the southern oceans. All the hand outs are available in the link list on the right.

Research Assessment

The internal assessment about the effects of climate change upon bio-diversity is beginning this week. There is a link to the instructions handout here and also in the link list on the right of the blog.

Busy Weeks

Zoo trip over now and well through the Biotic responses material. Seems like we are taking big jumps from the molecular view of genes in cells to the behaviours exhibited by complex mammals in a captive setting. Still, just getting to see the exotic strangeness of our world's wild animals and especially our nearest relatives never ceases to impress me. I suspect a large number of Biologists choose their path because of the wonderous incredibility of the world we live in.

Topic test coming up very soon.

Protein Synthesis

Monday Week 4

Course notes for animal behaviour and plant responses:

Course notes 3.4

Monday Week 3

Revising genetics this morning using this question sheet. The question about FH was a bit tricky has now been edited to make things clear.

Here is a link to some more info about the disease

Seminar two

This afternoon's seminar was about breast cancer and introduced a number of contemporary biological techniques that we will be considering in the bio technology section of the year thirteen course. The discussion questions for seminar two are in the link box on the right.

Monday 26 April

Week two term two, in the closing stages of our gene expression topic looking at interactions of genes. You need to be reviewing the work from the previous term in preparation for the common test.

I find it strange how every so often you will hear a word and then shortly afterwards come across the subject in many different articles. Epigenetics has been such a word for me after the first lenscience seminar. Here are links to some of them:

• Time magazine article
• Epigenetics audio article
• Diagram of epigenetic effects

Wednesday 21 April

This morning we continued with genetics looking at the following activities from the Biozone manual:

• Multiple alleles in blood groups
• Sex linkage
• Sex determination

Monday 19 April

Term Two has begun and in class this morning we looked at linkage and recombination. Tomorrow will be chromosome mapping before carrying on to the genetics problems.

The seminar paper for next week is now out and it is in a link on the side of the page or connect to the Lenscience page.

There are other scholarship related links in the link list on the right.

Monday

Continued with Gene expression topic today. looked at polyploidy as well as completing a revision question about genetics on the monohybrid and dihybrid crosses. Next lesson will follow up the genetics with a review of the process of meiosis.

Wednesday

Looking through the LenScience seminar paper the term Epigenetic comes up a number of times. I followed a couple of the links to scientific papers but the clearest information I found was on Wikipedia. Here is the link: Epigenetics It fits right into the picture we have been developing about control of gene expression and looks like the science behind the extract I read to you from the book: Nature Via Nurture, Matt Ridley on Monday morning.

Even after looking through the background reading I'm not sure I can answer the question. What are some environmental situations that cause epigenetic responses? ( I'm thinking being infected with Prions may be one)

Tuesday

Spent today looking at mutations that lead to metabolic disorders in particular the Sickle cell mutation. This is quite a good example of a point mutation that by changing a single amino acid in a largish polypeptide results in significant health effects for the people that have the mutation.

Next seminar 25 March

On Thursday 25 March at Chilton St James the 1st LenScience seminar starts at 3.45pm. The seminar paper and the seminar discussion questions are both available in the links list on the right hand side of this blog.

Students who wish to join in with this weeks seminar should read the seminar papers and also visit the Lens website and create a login

Len Science

Went to the preliminary seminar at Chilton, Thursday afternoon. Looks like these may be very useful for scholarship and other interested students. This link shows the plan for 2010. You can view a copy of the seminar paper in the links box on the top right of this blog.

The next seminar is on Thursday 25 March at 3.45.

You Tube Clips

Here is our famous DNA song:



And the more serious view of DNA replication:

Welcome to Year 13 Biology

Year 13 Biology course

Topics for 2010:

• Gene Expression
• Biotechnology
• Plant responses and animal behaviour
• Research a contemporary issue
• Trends in human biological and cultural evolution