lab assignment 8 evolution

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

• You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
• You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
• You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
• A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

Teaching an Online Introductory Biology Lab Using Evolution and Ecology Resources

This playlist can be used in an online, undergraduate (majors-level) introductory biology lab to incorporate core topics in evolution, diversity of life, and ecology. Using case studies, multimedia, and interactive resources, it engages students in data analysis and critical thinking. The topics covered include phylogeny, natural selection, speciation, viruses, bacteria, population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and climate change.

This playlist can be used to teach six 3-hour (180-minute) labs in a lab course for a total of 1080 minutes of instruction over a semester.

Lab 1: Evolution

By completing the resources in this lab (resources 1–2 in this playlist), students will be able to:

• Explain how molecular sequences, such as DNA, can be used to study evolutionary relationships.
• Summarize the process and goals of DNA sequence alignment. 
• Interpret a phylogenetic tree.
• Collect and analyze data to quantify phenotypic diversity among populations.
• Explain how similarities or differences in traits can evolve as adaptations to similar or different environmental conditions.
• Perform statistical calculations, including calculations for the mean, standard deviation, standard error of the mean (SEM), and the 95% confidence interval.

Lab 2: Viruses

By completing the resources in this lab (resources 3–5 in this playlist), students will be able to:

• List the ways in which viruses can differ from each other.
• Identify different components and characteristics of viruses and their role in infection.
• Calculate the size of a virus relative to a human cell.
• Use information collected in case studies to distill complex, real-world data, and perform basic calculations to make decisions on the spread of an infectious disease.
• Analyze and interpret data from a scientific figure. 
• Explain the term zoonotic disease and discuss some of the global patterns in mammals that carry these diseases.
• Use appropriate scientific terms, including “reservoir” and “spill over,” in describing a disease outbreak.

Lab 3: Microbes

By completing the resources in this lab (resources 6–8 in this playlist), students will be able to:

• Make observations on an ongoing experiment.
• Make inferences based on observations.
• Describe variation in microbes and their role in the environment. 

Lab 4: Population Ecology

By completing the resources in this lab (resources 9–11 in this playlist), students will be able to:

• Develop scientific explanations and justify claims using evidence.
• Calculate elephant density with sample aerial survey data using the strip transect sampling method.
• Identify the advantages and disadvantages of different survey methods.
• Analyze and interpret gel electrophoresis results to determine relationships between individuals and populations.
• Use allele frequencies to calculate the probability of two individuals sharing the same genetic profile.
• Explain how the geographic and genetic distances between two populations are related.
• Explain how genetic data helps law enforcement officers and conservationists decide where to target their efforts.

Lab 5: Community and Ecosystem Ecology

By completing the resources in this lab (resources 12–14 in this playlist), students will be able to:

• Make connections between climate, vegetation, and biodiversity to describe biome characteristics.
• Identify the types of data needed to test different niche partitioning mechanisms.
• Make claims and offer explanations based on authentic field data.
• Identify limitations of traditional forms of data collection.
• Use DNA sequence data to identify animal and plant species.
• Analyze data using statistical methods.
• Predict whether different organisms in an ecosystem have positive or negative effects on other organisms in that ecosystem.
• Predict how an ecosystem may change when a particular organism is introduced or removed, based on the evidence provided.

Lab 6: Human Impacts

By completing the resources in this lab (resources 15–20 in this playlist), students will be able to:

• Describe recent patterns and trends in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.
• Explain the role of atmospheric CO 2 in ocean acidification.
• Explain the role of atmospheric CO 2 in global warming.
• Use scientific observations to explain how a population changes over time due to human impacts.
• Explain how the selective pressures on a population may impact the frequencies of phenotypes in a population.
• Analyze quantitative data in order to make predictions based on evidence.

Lab 5: Biotechnology

By completing the resources in this lab (resources 11–14 in this playlist), students will be able to:

• Describe how recombinant DNA technology is used to produce transgenic organisms.
• Explain how transgenic organisms can be used to explore biological processes.
• Explain how light production through a reporter gene is used as an external marker of internal molecular events.
• Collect and analyze data, including graphs.
• Apply knowledge of DNA structure, function, and base pairing to describe how CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to inactivate and edit genes.
• Compare two different models of a biological process.
• Explore different types of research projects that apply CRISPR-Cas9 technology.

Creating Phylogenetic Trees from DNA Sequences

This Click & Learn is the first resource in Lab 1: Evolution. It has students analyze DNA sequences to infer evolutionary relationships among organisms and represent those relationships as phylogenetic trees.

To use this resource as part of Lab 1, have students complete the Click & Learn and its associated worksheet.

Lizard Evolution Virtual Lab

This virtual lab is the second resource in Lab 1: Evolution. It has students apply the knowledge they gained from the previous resource to exploring the evolution of the anole lizards in the Caribbean.

To use this resource as part of Lab 1:

• Ask students to complete Modules 1–3, where they use morphology and DNA analysis to investigate questions of natural selection and evolution among populations of Caribbean anoles. It is highly recommended that students complete the measurement tutorials before taking measurements in the modules.
• Have students complete the sections of the accompanying worksheet for Modules 1–3.

Virus Explorer

This Click & Learn is the first resource in Lab 2: Viruses. It has students explore the diversity of viruses based on structure, genome type, host range, transmission mechanism, and vaccine availability.

To use this resource as part of Lab 2, have students explore the Click & Learn and complete the associated worksheet. The extension activity at the end of the worksheet is optional; you may want to assign it if students don’t have a strong understanding of relative size.

Patterns of Zoonotic Disease

This Data Point activity is the second resource in Lab 2: Viruses. It has students analyze a published scientific figure from a study on the global distribution of zoonotic pathogens and their host species.

To use this resource as part of Lab 2, use the questions in the “Educator Materials” to guide a class discussion. The full scientific paper is also available from this resource’s webpage; it can be used to give the students an opportunity to practice reading primary literature.

Epidemiology of Nipah Virus

This activity is the third resource in Lab 2: Viruses. It has students analyze evidence, perform calculations and make predictions based on real-world data about a viral outbreak. Part of the activity involves watching the related video Virus Hunter: Monitoring Nipah Virus in Bat Populations .

To use this resource as part of Lab 2, have students complete the “Student Handout.”

You can supplement this lab by having students research recent viral outbreaks. They can write a mini-case study (using Part 1 of this activity as a template) to demonstrate the knowledge they’ve gained from this lab.

Winogradsky Columns: Microbial Ecology in the Classroom

This activity is the first resource in Lab 3: Microbes. It has students build their own Winogradsky columns, which provide visual examples of the diverse modes of metabolism in the microbial world.

To use this resource as part of Lab 3:

• Have students build Winogradsky columns following the instructions in the “Student Activity” document. If students are not able to build their own columns, you could ask them to analyze Figure 1 from this paper as an alternative.
• Have students set up their columns at the start of the semester so they can collect data throughout the semester.
• Instruct students to take a picture of their column every week and record changes in the column as they occur.

Winogradsky Column: Microbial Ecology in a Bottle

This Click & Learn is the second resource in Lab 3: Microbes. It has students explore a virtual Winogradsky column, which can be used to learn about the diversity of microbes and microbial metabolic strategies.

• Have students explore the Click & Learn with the goal of labeling their pictures of the columns they built in the previous activity.
• Once the layers start to emerge in the columns they built, have students measure the thickness of the layers as another way to strengthen their observation skills.
• Have students use the Click & Learn to label regions of their column. They should include the sulfide and oxygen gradients, as well as the energy and carbon source for each layer.

Origins of Antibiotic Resistance

This Data Point activity is the third resource in Lab 3: Microbes. It has students analyze a published scientific figure from a study that looked at antibiotic resistance among bacteria that have never been exposed to antibiotics.

To use this resource as part of Lab 3, use the questions in the “Educator Materials” to guide a class discussion about the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Make sure to point out that not all bacteria cause disease; many bacteria, like the ones studied in the Winogradsky columns, are harmless or even beneficial.

You can supplement the lab by having students research ways in which microbes are helpful to humans or other animals. They can use the I Contain Multitudes video series as a starting point for their research.

The Great Elephant Census

This video is the first resource in Lab 4: Population Ecology. It shows some of the methods that scientists are using to census African elephant populations.

To use this resource as part of Lab 4, have students watch the video as context for the Survey Methods Click & Learn (resource 10 in this playlist).

Survey Methods

This Click & Learn is the second resource in Lab 4: Population Ecology. It has students explore methods used to survey large animal populations, and what they have revealed about the current state of the African elephant population.

To use this resource as part of Lab 4, have students complete the Click & Learn and its accompanying worksheet.

As a supplemental idea, if students have access to a small plot of land (as small as 1 m2), you can direct them to survey a small local plant or insect using the total count and sample count methods described in the Click & Learn. Students can then discuss (or analyze) the two different methods with respect to accuracy and time needed.

CSI Wildlife

This Click & Learn is the third resource in Lab 4: Population Ecology. It has students track information about elephant poaching using DNA profiling.

To use this resource as part of Lab 4:

• Review the three student handouts and select the one that is most appropriate for your course outcomes.
• Have students complete the Click & Learn and the accompanying handout you chose.

Exploring Biomes in Gorongosa National Park

This activity is the first resource in Lab 5: Community and Ecosystem Ecology. It has students explore the concept of biomes, using Gorongosa National Park as a case study. Part of the activity involves exploring the Gorongosa National Park Interactive Map .

To use this resource as part of Lab 5, have students complete the student document for the activity. For the graph in question 6, students can use a graphing software such as Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel in lieu of drawing in the document.

Niche Partitioning and DNA Metabarcoding

This Click & Learn is the second resource in Lab 5: Community and Ecosystem Ecology. It has students explore niche partitioning, a mechanism that enables similar species of animals to coexist.

To use this resource as part of Lab 5, have students complete the Click & Learn and its associated worksheet.

Exploring Trophic Cascades

This Click & Learn is the third resource in Lab 5: Community and Ecosystem Ecology. It has students explore examples of how changes in the population numbers of one species can affect species at other trophic levels and ultimately the entire ecosystem.

To use this resource as part of Lab 5, assign each of the four case studies in the Click & Learn to small groups of students. Each group should work together to present the information from their case study and address discussion questions of your choice. Examples of discussion questions are shown below.

Define the term “trophic cascade.”

Arctic Tundra Case Study

• What is the effect of foxes on seabirds? Why?
• What effect do seabirds have on soil nutrients? Why?
• What effect do soil nutrients have on grass? Why?
• Describe the picture at the end of the case study that illustrates the result of adding foxes to an arctic tundra ecosystem, and explain this result.

African Savanna Case Study

• What is the effect of the rinderpest virus on the wildebeest population? Why?
• What is the effect of vegetation on the frequency and intensity of fires? Why?
• Describe the graph at the end of the case study that illustrates the effect of eradicating rinderpest through a vaccination program. Explain why this would be the result of eliminating the virus.

Midwestern Lake Case Study

• What is the effect of bass on minnows? Why?
• What is the effect of phytoplankton (photosynthetic microorganisms) on carbon influx — that is, removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere? Why?
• What effect does the bass have on the amount of carbon stored in the lake? Why?

Venezuelan Jungle Case Study

• What effect do predators, such as jaguars, have on vegetation? Why?
• What effect would the disappearance of predators have on the structure of the forest?
• What effect would the decline of herbivores have on the ecosystem?

Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

This Data Point activity is the first resource in Lab 6: Human Impacts. It has students analyze a published scientific figure from a classic study that measured atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide.

To use this resource as part of Lab 6, use the questions in the “Educator Materials” to guide a class discussion.

Ocean Acidification

This activity is the second resource in Lab 6: Human Impacts. It has students simulate the effects of decreasing pH caused by rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

To use this resource as part of Lab 6:

• Have students reflect on one of the impacts of carbon dioxide increases, ocean acidification, by looking at the accompanying poster.
• Ask students to answer the following question: How does increasing CO2 levels affect the pH of ocean water, and how does that impact calcium-carbonate-shell-building organisms living in the ocean?
• Alternatively, have students read the introduction of the “Student Handout” and answer questions 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8.

Steve Palumbi & Megan Morikawa Study Coral Reef Damage in American Samoa

This video is the third resource in Lab 6: Human Impacts. The video describes the work of biologists researching the mechanisms that allow some corals to tolerate a greater amount of heat stress than other corals.

To use this resource as part of Lab 6, have students watch the video and complete the associated worksheet.

Resistance to Coral Bleaching

This Data Point activity is the fourth resource in Lab 6: Human Impacts. It has students analyze a figure from a scientific paper that was published by Steve Palumbi, one of the scientists featured in the previous resource.

To use this resource as part of Lab 6, use the first three discussion questions in the “Educator Materials” to guide a class discussion.

Analyzing Data on Tuskless Elephants

This activity is the fifth resource in Lab 6: Human Impacts. It has students analyze data to make evidence-based claims about the occurrence of tusklessness in elephant populations.

To use this resource as part of Lab 6, have students work through the activity and view the associated film Selection for Tuskless Elephants (resource 20 in this playlist). This allows students to reflect on human impacts other than global warming that affect our planet.

Selection for Tuskless Elephants

This video is the sixth resource in Lab 6: Human Impacts. The video follows scientists working in Gorongosa National Park, who made the striking observation that many female elephants in the park lack tusks.

To use this resource as part of Lab 6, tell students that the elephants in the video are adapting to a human impact, whereas the corals shown previously (resources 17 and 18 in this playlist) were acclimating to a human impact. Ask students to write a brief summary comparing and contrasting the terms “adaptation” and “acclimation.”

You can supplement this lab by pointing out that humans have an impact on many organisms, not just elephants and corals. Have students observe areas around their home and identify ways that humans may be negatively impacting their local flora and fauna. You may want to provide them with an example to help them get started — for example, roadkill along the highway or planting of invasive plants.

Provide details on what you need help with along with a budget and time limit. Questions are posted anonymously and can be made 100% private.

Studypool matches you to the best tutor to help you with your question. Our tutors are highly qualified and vetted.

Your matched tutor provides personalized help according to your question details. Payment is made only after you have completed your 1-on-1 session and are satisfied with your session.

• Homework Q&A
• Become a Tutor

All Subjects

Mathematics

Programming

Health & Medical

Engineering

Computer Science

Foreign Languages

Access over 35 million academic & study documents

Evolution digital lab assignment 8 biol133.

Sign up to view the full document!

24/7 Study Help

Stuck on a study question? Our verified tutors can answer all questions, from basic  math  to advanced rocket science !

Similar Documents

working on a study question?

Studypool is powered by Microtutoring TM

Copyright © 2024. Studypool Inc.

Studypool is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university.

Ongoing Conversations

Access over 35 million study documents through the notebank

Get on-demand Q&A study help from verified tutors

Read 1000s of rich book guides covering popular titles

Sign up with Google

Sign up with Facebook

Already have an account? Login

Login with Google

Login with Facebook

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Sandia  LabNews

• Download This Issue (PDF)

New issues every two weeks. Unsubscribe at any time. Email addresses are never shared.

Subscribe Successful Thank you for subscribing!

Hemlines and blue jeans: Sandia’s fashion evolution

BY MAGGIE KRAJEWSKI

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2024

When Sharon Mackel started at Sandia as a secretary in the 1960s, women in the workforce were expected to wear a full face of makeup, dresses with hemlines below the knee, nylons and heels.

Sharon remembers a supervisor at the time who would call out secretaries who did not wear lipstick properly. That same supervisor approached Sharon for wearing her hemline too short, but hemlines and lipstick would be the least of the fashion trends to evolve in the coming decade.

“They tried to control how we dressed, but it was a weird time as we were coming into the hippy era,” Sharon said. “Things started getting really loose.”

The ’50s and ’60s

Scrolling through early editions of Lab News, you see men mostly dressed in button-downs and pleated slacks belted high on their waists. When they wore sports coats, the lapels were wide, and the ties were bows. Hair was styled mostly neat and trim, but as Elvis Presley and James Dean were fashion icons of that era, those with enough of it sported a well-greased pompadour.

Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, also fashion icons of that era, inspired women to wear some variation of an hourglass silhouette with hemlines right below the calf. Hair rollers were the primary hair styling tool at that time, so hair was big yet smooth. Those with natural curls often turned to the poodle cut, inspired by Lucille Ball, where curls were stacked high with sides pinned close.

Things stayed relatively the same through the ’50s and ’60s. Twiggy and Jackie Kennedy came onto the scene in the ’60s, and their influence was a little less Hollywood glamour, more European chic. Hemlines started to come up a bit, albeit still right below or barely above the knee. For men, pants stayed high, but sports coats seemed to be less popular and the ties got skinnier.

Polyester and sideburns

Sharon remembers dress changing rapidly in the ’70s, especially for women.

“There was a group of us who lived on the second floor in building 805, we started challenging the norm,” Sharon said. “We stuck together and started wearing pantsuits to work, shorter skirts, like miniskirts. I even wore hot pants to work one day.”

Sharon and those hot pants were pictured in a 1971 edition of Lab News. She’s also wearing a long sleeve turtleneck and lace-up high boots. Also noticeable is her hair, which is much longer, falling below her shoulders. Influenced by the likes of Farrah Fawcett and Cher, many women started growing their hair long and wearing it straight or feathered out.

Both men and women were wearing brighter, more vibrant patterns, think floral, paisley and plaids. More clothing was made from polyester, which at the time was marketed as a miracle fabric that could be worn for days without ironing and still look presentable. Leisure suits were an especially popular polyester pick.

Turtlenecks under sports coats became a popular look for men, as did wide-legged pants. Wide ties returned to fashion, but due to southwest influence, many men swapped more traditional ties for bolo ties. Most noticeably, facial hair became more mainstream. Scrolling through Lab News editions from the ’70s, you’ll see men with thick mustaches and full beards. Men started wearing their hair longer as the Beatles, David Cassidy and John Travolta inspired many hairstyles of that era. For those who kept their hair short, thick sideburns were commonplace.

Shoulder pads and perms

Once the eighties rolled around, everything seemed to get bigger. The hair, the glasses, the shoulder pads — especially the shoulder pads.

“Dynasty” starring Linda Evans was one of the popular television shows at the time. Costume designer Nolan Miller is said to have leaned into Evans’ naturally broad shoulders, really wanting to accentuate them. And a fashion trend was born.

Princess Diana of Wales was another well-known trendsetter of the era. A fellow shoulder pad lover, she also popularized many looks chosen by women at the Labs and beyond, including piecrust and tie-neck blouses and dresses.

Then there was the hair, and the perm.

If there was an official hairstyle of the ’80s, the perm would have been it. Those tiny curls and the volume they created were everywhere, on men and women alike.

Men at the Labs were wearing more and more denim, first with their jeans and now with their jackets too. Polo shirts were also popping up as a casual alternative to the button down.

Casual Fridays

Compared to the bigger-is-better trends of the ’80s, the ’90s started to mellow out. But as Sharon recalls, things started getting, and staying, casual.

“Casual Fridays came to Sandia in the ’90s,” Sharon said. “And then it started stretching out past Friday.”

Once considered weekend wear, T-shirts and crewneck sweatshirts were suddenly popular work attire. But still, for both men and women, you saw remnants of decades past, both in clothing and hairstyles. Blue jeans and blazers, thick ties, bolo ties, no ties, dresses and pantsuits, big hair, short hair, facial hair and no hair.

Fashion around the world and at the Labs was becoming a little more choose-your-own-adventure, a lot less about wearing your lipstick correctly.

The 21st century

By the turn of the century, workplace fashion was less dictated by formal standards and more welcoming of varied choices that embraced individual expression.

Today, those choices and expressions continue to borrow from the trends of yesteryear while introducing new styles, some with a longer shelf life than others. Popular culture continues to influence hairstyles, outfits and more.

But when we wake up and take on the age-old task of deciding what to wear to work that day, our comfort takes precedence. For some, that means wearing a suit and tie, and for others, it’s jeans and tees. But these days, it’s all acceptable, and that is in large part due to women like Sharon who challenged the norm and paved the way for us all to wear what we want.

Fashion at the Coronado Club

For almost two decades, the  Coronado Club  hosted fashion shows throughout the year. Sandia staff, both men and women, would model the latest seasonal trends provided by local clothing boutiques. Scrolling through Lab News from the ’50s, ’60s and early ’70s, you can find articles and photos promoting fashion shows showcasing spring hats, ski clothing, evening gowns and holiday styles.

Around the mid-’70s it appears the fashion shows had run their course as there was no further mention or promotion of them, in Lab News at least. The why is unclear, but Labs Historian Rebecca Ullrich says events such as fashion shows, high teas and dances seemed to wane in later years.

• The real-life impact of giving back to our community
• The women in charge
• Building a family their own way