*JOHN CENA THEME SONG* Biology is LIFE!!!

AP Biology 2017 Final Project

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I am the person with the fat cat and the purple watch, and I will be taking you across my neighborhood + grocery store to collect examples of: animal that has segmented body, anther and filament of stamen, bilateral symmetry, C4 plant, CAM plant, cuticle layer of a plant, exoskeleton, fermentation, frond, heterotrophy, modified leaf of a plant, modified stem of a plant, pollen, rhizome, and spore!

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(Yes, it’s on YouTube (there was a restriction on how much video I could post in a day?), and it’s more than one example of fermentation, but I will explain the yogurt in the video.)

These examples, specifically about the yogurt, demonstrate fermentation. Fermentation is the anaerobic process of breaking down sugars into products such as lactic acid and ethanol while producing 2 ATP per glucose molecule. The yogurt is an example of fermentation because yogurt contains live cultures of bacteria, such as Lactobacilli. The lactobacilli convert the lactose in milk to lactic acid, which reduces the pH and causes the milk to curdle, producing yogurt.

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This is an example of a rhizome. A rhizome is an underground plant stem that grows laterally and produces the roots and shoots of new plants. The rhizome is a type of modified stem. A ginger root (the thing I’m holding in this video) is an example of an edible rhizome. The ginger root is a swollen rhizome of the flowering ginger plant’s roots. 

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This is an example of a spore. A spore is a cell that participates in both sexual and asexual reproduction (most notably in plants, but algae, protozoa, and fungi all include spores as part of their life cycles). Spores have evolved specifically to be easily dispersed and survive in harsh conditions. The Portabello mushroom (Agaricus bisporus, the common mushroom) is part of the Phyla Basidiomycota. All members of the phyla have cells called basidia, which produce spores. In this video, basidia are located underneath the mushroom cap in the brown gills. 

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This is an example of pollen. A single pollen grain is a male gametophyte containing sperm nuclei with a protective coat to allow it to spread via wind. In this video, the pollen grains are orange, and because of how microscopic the grains are, the pollen grains appear as an orange powder on the fingers. My mom easily transfers the pollen onto her fingers because it is advantageous to the plant to have its pollen easily spread, in the hopes that a pollinator can easily carry the pollen to other flowers (specifically, from pollen to ovary). 

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This is an example of both the anther and the filament of a stamen. The anther (is green) of the stamen, the male reproductive structure in a flower, is the part that contains the pollen, while the filament (is white) is the slender stalk that supports the anther. In this video, the filament & anther are clearly shown with the green pollen coating the anther. In this flower, these structures are the most noticeable in the flower (as the reproductive system is encased by flower petals).  

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This shows the cuticle layer of a plant (more specifically, a leaf). The cuticle is a waxy layer protecting the epidermis of the leaf. In this video, I am rubbing the shiny surface of the leaf, which is the waxy layer of the leaf. The waxy, shiny layer keeps water and moisture from evaporating from the plant, and prevents the leaf from drying out. 

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This is an example of a CAM plant. A CAM plant is a type of plant that has evolved in response to hot, dry climates. A CAM plant has its stomatas open at night to collect CO2 and fix it in organic acid(s). In the day time, the stomatas can stay closed to ensure water conservation while the CO2 from the organic acid(s) (such as malate) can then be used in the Calvin Cycle to create sugar. Succulents are plants evolved to retain water in arid weather, and the pineapple is an edible succulent; thus, it is an example of a CAM plant. 

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This is an example of a C4 plant. A C4 plant is a plant that has evolved to perform C4 photosynthesis in order to prevent or reduce photorespiration (in which O2, instead of CO2, is used in the Calvin Cycle and prevents the creation of sugar) in hot, sunny environments. In C4 photosynthesis, there are mesophyll AND bundle sheath cells (where Calvin Cycle takes place using 4 carbon compounds), and PEP carboxylase is used, which doesn’t bind with O2. The C4 pathway occurs in plants that live in hot, arid areas, which include vascular plants, such as corn. With the C4 pathway, the stomata of the corn can stay closed and conserve water without being at risk for high photorespiration. 

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This is an example of a modified leaf of a plant. A modified leaf of a plant is a leaf with a structure that has functions other than its main one: photosynthesis. This video shows the leaves of the Lamb’s Ear plant, Stachys byzantina, nicknamed for its white, soft hairs covering the outside of the leaf. The white fur on the leaf discourages other insects from consuming the leaf. Thus, the leaf has evolved to grow fur on itself in order to extend the plant’s survival.  

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This is an example of a modified stem of a plant. A modified stem of a plant is one that has evolved to carry out specialized functions besides those of a normal stem (support for a plant, transport of sugars and fluids, food storage). In this video, a cactus is shown. Cacti have evolved to have thick stems (surrounded by a thick cuticle layer to reduce water loss) to store ample amounts of water during rainfall in dry environments. Stems of cacti have also evolved to conduct photosynthesis without leaves (which, in this case, are spines). 

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This is an example of a frond. A frond is a large leaf that is divided into several leaves (this term can be applied to solely ferns, or to other plant groups, such as palm trees, in which the leaves are called “palm fronds”). In the video, the overall leaf of the fern is divided into sections, with each section having its own subsections of leaves on its branch. A fern is comprised of a divided leaf; thus, it is an example of a frond. 

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This is an example of an organism with an exoskeleton. An exoskeleton is a hard shell surrounding the outside of the organism that gives it extra protection against predators. The main molecule that comprises the exoskeleton is chitin. The lobster is an example of an organism with an exoskeleton, and in this video, their hard shells are clearly shown (also, when we eat lobster, we usually don’t eat the shell). (Fun fact: Lobsters must shed their exoskeletons in order to continue growing, and have to find a hiding spot to live in while their new ones grow in.)

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This is an example of an animal that has a segmented body. Animals that have a segmented body are organisms whose body is divided into noticeable segments/parts (which allows for freer movement). These segments can be repeating subunits of the body, or each have its own unique function (such as in an ant, with its head, thorax, and abdomen). Segmented organisms most notably appear in the Phyla Arthropoda, Chordata, and Annelida. These lobsters are examples of animals with segmented bodies because they are members of the Phyla Arthropoda, and their bodies are divided into three distinct parts: a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. 

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This is an example of heterotrophy. A heterotroph is an organism who can’t produce its own food, and thus feeds on other organic matter/organisms in order to survive (in a food web, the heterotrophs would be the consumers). Mujin eating his cat food demonstrates that he is a heterotroph because he is a carnivore (he has to consume some form of meat). Because he is unable to harness the energy of the sun to create his own food, he relies on other organisms (in this case, other heterotrophs) for energy. 

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This is an example of bilateral symmetry. Bilateral symmetry is when both the right and left sides of the organism’s body are mirror images of each other. In this video, my wonderful cat Mujin is demonstrating bilateral symmetry. If a red line were drawn cutting him in half, both sides would be exact copies of each other (he has front and hind legs on either side, an eye on each side etc.).