The Project:
Our Project was to research an endangered animal and see how our concepts involving evolution, speciation, adaptation, and extinction, could help us understand the reasons for possible extinction and whether the species could be saved. Our species was the Bornean Orangutan. Our guild lines for the medium of the project were very general so my group, Ethan, Chris, and Venesia decided to make a documentary.
Our Project was to research an endangered animal and see how our concepts involving evolution, speciation, adaptation, and extinction, could help us understand the reasons for possible extinction and whether the species could be saved. Our species was the Bornean Orangutan. Our guild lines for the medium of the project were very general so my group, Ethan, Chris, and Venesia decided to make a documentary.
Content:
Evolution - Evolution is a change in the gene pool over time. Many factors can have effects on evolution and we delved into all of them. The main worry when it comes to the change in gene pool in the orangutans we studied is a shrinking population due to habitat loss.
Mutation - Mutation is simply a copying error in the genetic code that can give advantageous traits, disadvantageous traits, or neither. Advantageous tend to be more important because they cause a change in the gene pool when they create a more likely chance of reproduction. For instance the swinging ability of the longer and more muscular arms of orangutans.
Adaptation - Adaption comes from a result of a positive mutation. Mutation changes the gene pool with a simple copying error adaption happens when this error is helpful and is advantageous in a survival of the fittest scenario. because orangutans have limited resources the ones with advantageous traits are more likely to live and reproduce spreading this gene.
Speciation - Speciation is simply the process that turns one species into two. Meaning they can no longer have fertile offspring with each other this is what separate Bornean Orangutans from other species of orangutans.
Sympatric Speciation - This is speciation that happens within one ecosystem or area. Lets say one kind of worm lives in the soil but another lives deeper underground so they evolve different digestion systems because they are exposed to different nutrients.
Allopatric Speciation - This is when two species evolve differently because they are not in the same ecosystem due to their different geographic location.
Geographic Isolation - This kind of isolation is very similar to Allopatric Speciation but more specifically deals with physical barriers like oceans, rivers, canyons, and other geographical barriers.
Behavior Isolation - Behavioral Isolation happens when two population start to act differently , this often has to do with mating rituals. If they do not attract mates because of their behavioral difference the populations diverge. If two species of orangutan attract mates differently there gene pools become more and more separate.
Gene Flow - Gene flow is very simply the immigration and emigration of organisms and their genes along with them. When an orangutan leaves its population that gene flow effects the gene pool.
Shrinking Population - Shrinking population, like in the orangutans case its deforestation and the loss of population along with it, is when a population shrinks and the gene pool is effected. The amount of diversity in the gene pool often goes down leaving it with less room for advantageous traits. It can then make a gene a more prominent one in the gene pool.
Non-Random Mating - Non-Random mating occurs when organisms choose their mates based on properties that are advantageous or even just attractive. This makes this gene more likely to be passed on, like the cheek pouches of an adult male orangutan.
Gene Pool - The gene pool is the constantly shuffling deck of genetic variation in an ecosystem. In the orangutans case, it would be the collection of all the genes in the population of orangutans and the ratios of genes among them.
"Survival of the Fittest" - This is the principle that allows natural selection. it simply means that in an ecosystem with limited resources the more fit for the environment is more likely to survive.
Natural Selection - Natural Selection uses the principle of Survival of the Fittest and makes the organisms with advantageous traits come out on top. Since they survive they are more likely to reproduce and therefore more likely to spread their genes.
Artificial Selection - Artificial selection is the same process as natural selection but instead of the environment being the dictator it is the human control that determines what is advantageous.
Extinction - Extinction is the complete lack of organisms in the wild of a given species. This is exactly what we are trying to avoid happening to orangutans.
Reflection:
This project was highly informative and helpful for understanding and applying the new ideas and concepts. I felt that in this project I was very good at delegating and supervising work, at one point the project felt like to much to handle but after we effectively dealt out parts of the project like the script, footage, voice over, and editing it felt much less stressful. I also felt that presenting was a strong point. Me and my group handled all the question thrown at us after the presentation of our video in a calm and respecting way and this made our presentation more informative and effective. Although I felt I did quite well in these and other areas, I have some areas of improvement. Time management was a large issue. Over the course of the project I felt distracted and unfocused at times. I also felt that cooperation was a pit. I had a team member who I was in an environment of tension with and who disagreed with me often. I feel that although I struggled with this, it actually made the project more constructive in my team building skills. In this way and in the reinforcing of the concept of the unit I felt this project was very good for my learning.
This project was highly informative and helpful for understanding and applying the new ideas and concepts. I felt that in this project I was very good at delegating and supervising work, at one point the project felt like to much to handle but after we effectively dealt out parts of the project like the script, footage, voice over, and editing it felt much less stressful. I also felt that presenting was a strong point. Me and my group handled all the question thrown at us after the presentation of our video in a calm and respecting way and this made our presentation more informative and effective. Although I felt I did quite well in these and other areas, I have some areas of improvement. Time management was a large issue. Over the course of the project I felt distracted and unfocused at times. I also felt that cooperation was a pit. I had a team member who I was in an environment of tension with and who disagreed with me often. I feel that although I struggled with this, it actually made the project more constructive in my team building skills. In this way and in the reinforcing of the concept of the unit I felt this project was very good for my learning.