Biological Classification (10/6 - 10/9)

Image Source: https://goo.gl/dxAVVq

Summary: 

     Earth is full of life. The life on earth come in different categories, known as species, which is a group of organisms that share very similar traits and appearances to each other. Today, there are approximately 8.7 million species living on earth, according to the New York Times. That is a lot of species to account for. Because of this, there has been a way to classify these organisms. It is known as biological classification, first done by Linnaeus. Biologists classify organisms in a diagram known as a cladogram to show which species have similar traits and which ones do not. The higher the cladogram goes, the less traits species have in common. 

SP6 - Constructing Explanations: 

     This week I constructed explanations through my work in understanding biological classification. In order to understand it, I looked at how species had diversified over the years through the cladogram. All organisms began with DNA. Eventually, some organisms began to have complex cells with organelles inside of them. These organisms were known as eukaryotes while the organisms that didn't have complex cells were either prokaryotic or archae, single cell organisms. Eventually, animals had vertebrae then evolving into tetrapods while some didn't like the shark which only remained having a vertebrae. Soon, some animals begun being bilateral and symmetrical, while some begun to have diapsids. Through the worksheet and the website I was supposed to investigate, I explained how animals diversified through the years. 

Tree of Life (10/30 - 11/3)

Image Source: https://goo.gl/6iKSjS

Summary: 

     All organisms that are alive and currently extinct all have a common ancestor. Although we don't know who or what the specific species is, there is sufficient evidence to make that claim. The first form of evidence is comparing fossils and bones together to see which ones are similar. Humans, bats, cats, lizards, whales and birds have a humerus, radius, ulna, carpals, metacarpals and phalanges. Although these parts vary depending on the species, this proves that species once had a common ancestor that eventually diversified through the process of evolution. Another form of evidence is by comparing the traits between species. Using a cladogram, we can tell where a species split into two sections. Looking at a caiman, bird and T-Rex from a cladogram, it shows that they all have common traits such as having vertebrae, a bony skeleton and four limbs which proves that they have a common ancestor. 

SP4 - Analyzing and Interpreting Data: 

     This week I analyzed and Interpreted data when trying to investigate how all organisms have a common ancestor. The first piece of evidence that I analyzed were homologous structures. Many species (mammals in particular) have the same forearm skeletal structure, having a humerus, radius, ulna, carpals, metacarpals and phalanges. This proves that there ha been a common ancestor and has diversified and evolved into these organisms. The second piece of evidence is embryology images of animals in their embryo state. From the images alone, we can see that many of the organism's in their embryonic state are similar, which shows once again that organisms once had a common ancestor.