Animal behaviour and research into attitudes on animal testing.
BEHAVIOUR IN ANIMALS AND HUMANS Introduction Animal behaviour is the behaviour of animals when they respond to their surrounding environment. Ethology is the study of animal behaviour. Animals' behaviour is essential to how they survive and continue their kind. Instinctive Instinctive behaviour is natural and is not learned. It's inherited from the animal's parents and therefore the animal has instinctive behaviour embedded into its body from birth. For example, pipefish know instantly how to hunt for food when they're born. It can be a simple reflex or it can be a courtship practice which is much more complicated. The stimulus which triggers instinctive responses doesn't necessarily have to be in the surround environment (outside the body); it can also be inside the body. One example of this is the human knee-jerk reflex. The tapping of the tendon results in a sudden contraction in the quadriceps which brings the lower leg forward. Instinctive behaviour can prevent injury. For instance, if there is fire near an animal it will instinctively move away, even though it may have not seen it before. Instinctive behaviour is important as it eliminates the thinking time and prevents injury much quicker than it would if the animal were to think about it. Learned Learned behaviour is another type of behaviour. It is enhanced through experience from living in the wild. Experience
In a world where many people do not have the sufficient amount of food (under-nourished), what could we do to reduce this problem?
In a world where many people do not have the sufficient amount of food (under-nourished), what could we do to reduce this problem? The world's food crisis deepens as we consume too much food, especially meat. If every single person eats the average amount of meat eaten by a British person then we would need around about 6 planet earths to fill up enough land to provide food for all the population. Therefore there is no way we can feed the world's population with enough meat to survive, it is just not possible. We would also be wasting a lot of energy in production of feeding and caring for animals and so a lot of energy would be wasted. Therefore we must turn to alternatives and find solutions of solving world hunger in this world and the answer is not MEAT! Some solutions could be becoming a vegetarian, eating fish, fruits and vegetables can be other ways and sources of food we can use instead of meat to allow everyone in this planet to have a balanced diet and not be mal-nourished. The less proportion of meat we eat the more people we can feed and also allow more people to have the right nourishments. Therefore more people will have a balanced diet. We should be using various different cultures of foods together to allow more people to be fed, so less meat and more rice. As rice is an abundant source of food and many people eat rice in Asia. Maybe rice can be out answer
Biology Recycling
Recycling is a way to decrease the amount of rubbish being filling up the landfill, it also helps the environment and is a sustainable development. The aim of this investigation is to find out some aspects about domestic recycling. Of particular interest is:- * What people widely recycle * How much of different things people recycle * Why people do/don't want to recycle So I created a basic questionnaire to find out what people would want to say about recycling and what changes they would want in the environment in the future. . Do you recycle? Yes No If No Thank you for your cooperation 2. Do you think that recycling is beneficial for the environment? Yes No Not sure Why do you think recycling is beneficial or harmful for the environment? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What resources do you recycle? Plastic Glass Paper Metal Clothes Garden Waste 4. How often are your recycling bins collected? Twice a Week Weekly Fortnightly Once in a Month Other _________________ 5. What would you change about current recycling? No Change 6. Should we increase council tax for better recycling? Yes
Problems in maintaining biodiversity in the modern world.
Problems in maintaining biodiversity in the modern world Biodiversity is the term used to describe the range of habitats and variety of species of animals and plants within them. (2) The maintenance and increase of biodiversity is important to keep an environment stable. If there is a loss of biodiversity then a population of a species will decrease and can only breed with each other. However, as inbreeding takes place genetic defects are caused leading to populations gradually becoming extinct. If this takes place soon most species in an environment will die out creating less diverse habitats. Problems arise with the maintenance of biodiversity when a balance needs to be reached with human interference of an environment whilst also trying to maintain the biodiversity present. (2) There are two examples of environments that need to have their biodiversity maintained: grassland and woodland. (1) There are three methods of maintaining grassland, grazing, mowing and scrub clearance. Woodlands which generally are not very diverse are dominated by certain trees can also be maintained by using two different methods, fire clearance and coppicing. (1) Grazing involves the introduction of grazing animals onto grassland, they eat tree seedlings so the trees are not established. This means that the land does not develop in to woodland but remains as grassland. However, overgrazing
do_mobile_phones_contribute_to_cancer
Do mobile phones contribute to brain tumors? Introduction: The reason why I have chosen this particular case study is because I have been interested with the arguments made by people that mobile phones may or may not cause cancer; I have also been interested with the fact that there is no current firm evidence that mobile phones cause or don't cause cancer. Therefore it will be easy to confirm my point of view compared to those of the arrogant people who simply base their views on false accusations and little scientific evidence irrelevent to the cause and effect of the phone. Scientific resources: Since mobile phones where invented concerns have been raised about the potential health problems it may cause. As mobile phones penetrations grew past fixed landline penetration levels in 1998 in Finland and from 1999 in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, the Scandinavian health authorities have run continuous long term studies of effects of mobile phone radiation effects to humans, and in particular children. Numerous studies have reported and most studies consistently report no significant relationship between mobile phone use and health. Several research studies carried out in Europe and America have looked at large numbers of people using mobile phones. Most have found no link between brain tumors and mobile phones. A large UK study reported in January 2006 that they could find
Life In the Freezer
LIFE IN THE FREEZER :- Introduction :- Antarctica is the fifth-largest and southernmost continent. Its position at the South Pole, together with its elevation and ice-and-snow cover, generates the coldest climate on Earth. Its enormous ice sheet covers all but 2 to 3 % of Antarctica and extends over the encircling ocean. Wherever any organism lives it has to be adapted to living there. Polar regions are very cold so the animals that live there have to be tolerant of the cold and, if they are warm blooded, very well insulated. Polar bears, seals, whales and Penguins etc all have thick layers of blubber. The Penguins (like mammals) are warm blooded or homeothermic. This means that Penguins maintain a relatively high blood temperature of around 40 degrees Celsius. Only warm-blooded creatures like the Penguins can cope with the extreme cold of the Antarctic. During the winter in the South Pole, the sun never rises. During the summer, the sun never sets. There is only a trace of precipitation, and drifting is the primary factor in snow accumulation around station structures. Average wind speed is around 12 knots, although many summer days are calm. The average annual temperature at the South Pole is - 50 degrees Celsius and generally ranges between 21 degrees Celsius in the summer and -78 degrees Celsius in the winter. Can a Penguin stay warmer in the middle of a big group?
What sorts of species become 'invasive aliens' in a world of climatic change?
What sorts of species become 'invasive aliens' in a world of climatic change? Illustrate your answer with examples from both the plant and animal kingdoms. "Invasive alien species have caused untold damage to natural ecosystems and human economies alike over the past few centuries. Globalization is accelerating the destruction, as expanding tourism and trade offer more and more opportunities for unwanted species to hitchhike to new homes." - Mr. H. Zedan, Executive Secretary of the CBD, 6th meeting of COP of CBD, 2002 "The concept of 'alien' can be seen as irrational if we look back at the history of vegetation dispersal, survival and evolution and a time reference point is needed if we are to justify what is native and what is alien." - Trudgill, 2001: 681 There is a long history of concern about the impact of non-native species upon 'natural' environments, as illustrated by the 1905 publication date of Dunn's Alien Flora of Britain. The study of plant and animal invasions remains popular and has recently been described as one of the "hottest current topics in ecology" (Sol, 2001 cited in Henderson, forthcoming). A number of different disciplines have contributed to the study of 'invasive aliens'. As such the terminology is frequently misused and confused, and will be therefore be defined at the outset (Richardson et al., 2000). The term 'invasive alien' has two
Explain what is meant by thermal pollution and discuss the implications for life if a body of water is affected by thermal pollution
CHEMISTRY Explain what is meant by thermal pollution and discuss the implications for life if a body of water is affected by thermal pollution Thermal pollution is the degradation of water quality by any process that alters the temperature of a natural water body. This state predominantly arises from the waste heat generated by industrial processes, such as the generation of electricity. Water when used as a coolant for electrical power systems is simply returned back to the water source, affecting the dissolved oxygen (D.O) levels as well as water temperature, as shown in the diagram, posing significant implications for aquatic life. In the United Kingdom, it is estimated that one half of all river flow is used for cooling purposes and hence elevated water temperatures. Direct thermal shock creates severe stresses on aquatic ecosystems including depressed dissolved oxygen content, decreased biodiversity and the redistribution of organisms in the local community. Increased water temperatures raises the metabolic rate of aquatic organisms, this escalation of enzyme activity leads to organisms taking in greater quantities of nutrients and gases, hence altering the balance of a species composition which can lead to migration as they adapt to changed thermal conditions. This is fatal for stenothermic organisms, like the Rainbow Trout, that rely on enzyme systems that operate
Pepppered moths are effectively monomorphic creatures, meaning they have one type of phenotype in their habitats throughout the United Kingdom.
The "typica" form of the moth The "carbonaria" form Pepppered moths are effectively monomorphic creatures, meaning they have one type of phenotype in their habitats throughout the United Kingdom. The common name derives from the typical phenotype (the "type" specimen) which is covered in white scales "peppered" with black over the body and wings. But, the question is: is this creature really monomorphic? The answer essentially, is no, as physical changes in the natural environment caused the rise of another type of species of the peppered moth just in a darker black colour. Up until the middle of the 19th century, the light-colored form of the moth, known as typica, was the predominant form in England prior to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The typica moth's speckled wings are easy to spot against a dark background, but would be difficult to pick out against the light-colored bark of many trees common in England that were covered in lichen. Its speckled coloration helped camouflage the moth when perched on birch tree trunks. This type of camouflage is called cryptic coloration which helped the typica stay alive. However, the mid 19th century saw a change in the numbers of the moths that were light- coloured. Physical changes in the environment came about from coal that burned during the Industrial Revolution and which produced soot that
Investigation of Animal Behaviour
Investigation of Animal Behaviour An experiment was carried out to determine whether a particular animal prefers a dry soil environment to a wet soil environment. The animal used in this case was an annelid, Lumbricus, L.terrestris, commonly know as the earthworm. They usually habitat a moist soil environment and are nocturnal. Although they have no prominent sense organs, earthworms are sensitive to light, touch, vibration, and chemicals. There is a primitive brain) at the anterior end of the earthworm. Hypothesis I think that most of the worms will favour the wet soil and stay on that side of the container. My hypothesis is based on observations of earthworms coming to the surface on rainy days. Method A Shallow plastic box measuring 25cm x 30cm with a plastic separator down the centre was used to contain the soil samples. The same sample of soil was used but additional tap water was added to make the wet sample. The separator was level with the soil so that there was not an obstacle in the pathway of the worms when they were moving around the container. Six worms of varying lengths and thickness were then placed in the centre of the box. They were all collected from a 1m of the garden and placed in a jar. The start time was recorded and after 15 minute intervals the numbers of worms in each half of the container were counted. Newspaper was placed under
