Animals - Metazoa - The Animal Encyclopedia

Animals - Metazoa - The Animal Encyclopedia Animals (Metazoa) are a group of living organisms that includes more than one million identified species and many millions more that have yet to be named. Scientists estimate that the number of all animal species- those that have been named and those that have yet to be discovered- is between 3 and 30 million species. Animals are divided into more than thirty groups (the number of groups varies based on differing opinions and the latest phylogenetic research) and there are many ways to go about classifying animals. For the purposes of this site, I often focus on six of the most familiar groups- amphibians, birds, fishes, invertebrates, mammals, and reptiles. I also look at many less familiar groups, some of which are described below. To begin, lets take a look at what animals are, and explore some of the characteristics that distinguish them from organisms such as plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, and archaea. What Is An Animal? Animals are a diverse group of organisms that include many subgroups such as arthropods, chordates, cnidarians, echinoderms, mollusks, and sponges. Animals also include a vast array of lesser-known creatures such as flatworms, rotifers, placazoans, lamp shells, and waterbears. These high-level animal groups may sound rather strange to anyone who has not taken a course in zoology, but the animals that we are most familiar with belong to these broad groups. For example, insects, crustaceans, arachnids, and horseshoe crabs are all members of the arthropods. Amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals, and fishes are all members of the chordates. Jellyfish, corals, and anemones are all members of the cnidarians. The vast diversity of organisms that are classified as animals makes it difficult to draw generalizations that are true of all animals. But there are several common characteristics animals share that describe most members of the group. These common characteristics include multi-cellularity, specialization of tissues, movement, heterotrophy, and sexual reproduction. Animals are multi-cellular organisms, which means their body consists of more than one cell. Like all multi-cellular organisms (animals are not the only multi-cellular organisms, plants, and fungi are also multi-cellular), animals are also eukaryotes. Eukaryotes have cells that contain a nucleus and other structures called organelles that are enclosed within membranes. With the exception of the sponges, animals have a body that is differentiated into tissues, and each tissue serves a specific biological function. These tissues are, in turn, organized into organ systems. Animals lack the rigid cell walls that are characteristic of plants. Animals are also motile (they are capable of movement). The body of most animals is arranged such that the head points in the direction they move while the rest of the body follows behind. Of course, the great variety of animal body plans means that there are exceptions and variations to this rule. Animals are heterotrophs, meaning they rely on consuming other organisms to obtain their nourishment. Most animals reproduce sexually by means of differentiated eggs and sperm. Additionally, most animals are diploid (the cells of adults contain two copies of their genetic material). Animals go through different stages as they develop from a fertilized egg (some of which include the zygote, blastula, and gastrula). Animals range in size from microscopic creatures known as zooplankton to the blue whale, which can reach as much as 105 feet in length. Animals live in virtually every habitat on the planet- from the poles to the tropics, and from the tops of mountains to the deep, dark waters of the open ocean. Animals are thought to have evolved from flagellate protozoa,  and the oldest animal fossils date back 600 million years, to the latter part of the Precambrian. It was during the Cambrian period (about 570 million years ago), that most major groups of animals evolved. Key Characteristics The key characteristics of animals include: multi-cellularityeukaryotic cellssexual reproductionspecialization of tissuesmovementheterotrophy Species Diversity More than 1 million species Classification Some of the better known groups of animals include: Arthropods (Arthropoda) - Scientists have identified more than one million arthropods species and estimate that there many millions of arthropod species that have yet to be identified. The most diverse group of arthropods is the insects. Other members of this group include spiders,  horseshoe crabs, mites,  millipedes,  centipedes, scorpions, and crustaceans. Chordates (Chordata) - There are about 75,000 species of chordates alive today. Members of this group include vertebrates, tunicates, and cephalochordates (also called lancelets). Chordates have a notochord, a skeletal rod that is present during some or all of the developmental stages of their life cycle. Cnidarians (Cnidaria) - There are about 9,000 species of cnidarians alive today. Members of this group include corals, jellyfish, hydras, and  sea anemones. Cnidarians are radially symmetrical animals. At the center of their body is a gastrovascular cavity that has a single opening encircled by tentacles. Echinoderms  (Echinodermata) - There are about 6,000 species of echinoderms alive today. Members of this group include feather stars, star fish, brittle stars, sea lilies, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. Echinoderms exhibit five-point (pentaradial) symmetry and have an internal skeleton that consists of calcareous ossicles. Mollusks (Mollusca) - There are about 100,000 species of mollusks alive today. Members of this group include bivalves, gastropods, tusk shells,cephalopods, and a number of other groups. Mollusks are a soft-bodied animals whose body has three basic sections: a mantle, a foot, and a visceral mass. Segmented Worms (Annelida) - There are about 12,000 species of segmented worms alive today. Members of this group include earthworms, ragworms, and leeches. Segmented worms are bilaterally symmetrical and their body consists of a head region, a tail region, and a middle region of numerous repeated segments. Sponges (Porifera) - There are about 10,000 species of sponges alive today. Members of this group include calcarious sponges, demosponges, and glass sponges. Sponges are primitive multi-cellular animals that have no digestive system, no circulatory system, and no nervous system. Find out more:  The Basic Animal Groups Some of the less well-known animal groups include: Arrow worms (Chaetognatha) - There are about 120 species of arrow worms alive today. Members of this group are predatory marine worms that are present in all marine waters, from shallow coastal waters to the deep sea. They are found in oceans of all temperatures, from the tropics to the polar regions.Bryozoans (Bryozoa) - There are about 5,000 species of bryozoans alive today. Members of this group are tiny aquatic invertebrates that filter food particles from the water using fine, feathery tentacles.Comb jellies (Ctenophora) - There are about 80 species of comb jellies alive today. Members of this group have clusters of cilia (called combs) that they use to swim. Most comb jellies are predators that feed on plankton.Cycliophorans (Cycliophora) - There are two known species of cycliophorans alive today. The group was first described in 1995 when scientists discovered the species Symbion pandora, more commonly known as the lobster-lip parasite, an animal that lives on the mouth parts of Norwegian lobsters. Cycliophorans have a body that is divided into a mouth-like structure called a buccal funnel, an oval mid-section, and a stalk with an adhesive base that clasps onto the setae of the lobsters mouth parts. Flatworms (Platyhelminthes) - There are about 20,000 species of flatworms alive today. Members of this group include planarians, tapeworms, and flukes. Flatworms are soft-bodied invertebrates that have no body cavity, no circulatory system, and no respiratory system. Oxygen and nutrients must pass through their body wall by means of diffusion. This limits their body structure and is the reason these organisms are flat.Gastrotrichs (Gastrotricha) - There are about 500 species of gastrotrichs alive today. Most members of this group are freshwater species, although there are also a small number of marine and terrestrial species. Gastrotrichs are microscopic animals with a transparent body and cilia on their belly.Gordian worms (Nematomorpha) - There are about 325 species of gordian worms alive today. Members of this group spend the larval stage of their life as parasitoid animals. Their hosts include beetles, cockroaches, and crustaceans. As adults, gordian worms are free-living organi sms and do not require a host to survive. Hemichordates (Hemichordata) - There are about 92 species of hemichordates alive today. Members of this group include acorn worms and pterobranchs. Hemichordates are worm-like animals, some of which live in tubular structures (also known as a coenecium).Horseshoe worms (Phoronida) - There are about 14 species of horseshoe worms alive today. Members of this group are marine filter-feeders that secrete a tube-like, chitinous structure that protects their body. They attach themselves to a hard surface and extend a crown of tentacles into the water to filter food from the current.Lamp shells (Brachiopoda) - There are about 350 species of lamp shells alive today. Members of this group are marine animals that resemble clams, but the resemblance is superficial. Lamp shells and clams are anatomically quite different and the two groups are not closely related. Lamp shells live in cold, polar waters and the deep sea.Loriciferans (Loricifera) - There are about 10 species of loriciferans alive t oday. Members of this group are tiny (in many cases, microscopic) animals that live in marine sediments. Loriciferans have a protective external shell. Mud dragons (Kinorhyncha) - There are about 150 species of mud dragons alive today. Members of this group are segmented, limbless, marine invertebrates that inhabit the seafloor sediments.Mud worms (Gnathostomulida) - There are about 80 species of mud worms alive today. Members of this group are small marine animals that live in shallow coastal waters where they burrow in the sand and mud. Mud worms can survive in low-oxygen environments.Orthonectids (Orthonectida) There are about 20 species of orthonectids alive today. Members of this group are parasitic marine invertebrates. Orthonectides are simple, microscopic, multi-cellular animals.Placozoa (Placozoa) - There is one species of placazoa alive today, Trichoplax adhaerens, an organism that is considered to be the simplest form of non-parasitic multi-cellular animals alive today. Trichoplax adhaerens is a tiny marine animal that has a flat body that consists of an epithelium and a layer of stellate cells.Priapulans (Priapula) - The re are 18 species of priapulids alive today. Members of this group are marine worms that live in the in muddy sediments in shallow waters up to 300 feet deep. Ribbon worms (Nemertea) - There are about 1150 species of ribbon worms alive today. Most members of this group are marine invertebrates that live in seafloor sediments or attach themselves to hard surfaces such as rocks and shells. Ribbon worms are carnivores that feed on invertebrates such as annelids, mollusks, and crustaceans.Rotifers (Rotifera) - There are about 2000 species of rotifers alive today. Most members of this group live in freshwater environments although a few marine species are known. Rotifers are tiny invertebrates, less than one-half of a millimeter in length.Roundworms (Nematoda) - There are more than 22,000 species of roundworms alive today. Members of this group live in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats and are found from the tropics to the polar regions. Many roundworms are parasitic animals.Sipunculan worms (Sipuncula) - There are about 150 species of sipunculan worms alive today. Members of this group are marine worms that inhabit shallow, intertid al waters. Sipunculan worms live in burrows, rock crevices, and shells. Velvet worms (Onychophora) - There are about 110 species of velvet worms alive today. Members of this group have a long, segmented body and numerous pairs lobopodia (short, stubby, leg-like structures). Velvet worms bear live young.Waterbears (Tardigrada) - There are about 800 species of waterbears alive today. Members of this group are small aquatic animals that have a head, three body segments, and a tail segment. Waterbears, like velvet worms, have four pairs of lobopodia. Keep in Mind: Not All Living Things Are Animals Not all living organisms are animals. In fact, animals are just one of several major groups of living organisms. In addition to animals, other groups of organisms include plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, and archaea. To understand what animals are, it helps to be able to articulate what animals are not.  The following is a list of organisms that are not animals: Plants - green algae, mosses, ferns, conifers, cycads, gingkos, and flowering plantsFungi - yeasts, molds, and mushroomsProtists - red algae, ciliates, and various unicellular microorganismsBacteria - tiny prokaryotic microorganismsArchaea - single-celled microorganisms If youre talking about an organism that belongs to one of the groups listed above, then you are talking about an organism that is not an animal. References Hickman C, Roberts L, Keen S. Animal Diversity. 6th ed. New York: McGraw Hill; 2012. 479 p. Hickman C, Roberts L, Keen S, Larson A, lAnson H, Eisenhour D. Integrated Principles of Zoology 14th ed. Boston MA: McGraw-Hill; 2006. 910 p. Ruppert E, Fox R, Barnes R. Invertebrates Zoology: A Functional Evolutionary Approach. 7th ed. Belmont CA: Brooks/Cole; 2004. 963 p.

Deja Sims-Dean Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers

Deja Sims-Dean Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers Deja Sims-Dean QEP Reflective essay Religions of the World 02/13/2017 Expository essay In this essay I will be explaining the bible verses Genesis 16, 18:16-33, 22:1-19. In the bible it speaks on how God discovers that Abraham ought not be kept oblivious with respect to what God is "going to do" (18:17). God is worried that Abraham charges his relatives to "do honesty," that is, to do equity to the association with God in which they stand. On the off chance that Abraham did not do this, there would be no transmission of the confidence to the people to come and consequently no group to whom the guarantees apply. God's underlying words to Abraham (18:20-21) report the cries of unidentified people about the gravity of the wrongdoings of Sodom. God takes part in a legal request with Abraham, and God- - deciding to show Abraham the methods for equity - counsels with him in regards to the gravity of the circumstance in Sodom. God's utilization of the dialect of "if not" proposes that the fate of Sodom remains to some degree open, regardless of the possibility that God has to begin with chosen what to do. Abraham now remains before God and draws in God with respect to the circumstance in Sodom (18:22-33). He brings up sharp issues with God about the preparatory choice to obliterate the city. He is limit and determined, understanding that God invites such a test (such difficulties to God are additionally present in the mourns; for instance, Psalm 13). "Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is only?" (18:25b). Abraham is particularly worried that the noble in the city not be dealt with in an indistinguishable path from the devilish and brings the issue up in these terms: what number upright should there be in the city for God to spare it? God respects the question as an honest to goodness one. Abraham, for obscure reasons, begins with the number fifty and in the end works his way down to ten. God reacts emphatically to each question Abraham raises. While the numbers ought not be translated in an absolutely exacting manner, they raise the issue of "minimum amount." That is, what numbers of exemplary are important to spare the city from its own particular damaging ways? The development of mischievousness in any group can turn out to be so profound and expansive that there is a lacking number of honorable left in the city to turn the circumstance around. At the point when the number gets down to ten, Abraham perceives this to be the situation and leaves off the scrutinizing, perceiving that the pulverization of the city would be simply. Abraham continues to bring up particular issues about God's preparatory choice to pulverize Sodom in view of the objection against its subjects. References "BibleGateway."Genesis 18:16-33,Genesis 19:1-29 NIV - - Bible Gateway. BibleGateway, 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2017 Edition, Anglicized. "Genesis 18:16-33 - God Consults with Abraham."Enter the Bible. The New Revised Standard Version, 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.

Anthropogenic Impact on Mangrove Ecosystems Term Paper

Anthropogenic Impact on Mangrove Ecosystems - Term Paper Example Discussion Mangroves ecosystems are established on the terrestrial marine boundary on sheltered tropical coasts and are vulnerable to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances (Ghosh, 47). Man has lived with the mangroves for a long time and having little contact and exploiting its resources in small scale. However, recent unsustainable use and exploitation of mangrove ecosystems has contributed to extinction and loss of these vital ecosystems. Moreover, direct as well as indirect anthropogenic influences play a major role in determining mangrove composition and extent of coverage globally. Mangroves are salt tolerant tree species and examples include Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, Conocarpus erectus among others (Guo, 401). Mangrove ecosystems form habitant for various biodiversity especially invertebrate fauna such as penaeid shrimps, spiny lobster and over 200 species of fish threatened globally. Human activities cause disturbance of the mangroves . Such activities include: 1 Overexploitation or unsustainable extraction of the mangrove tress and fauna Man continues to harvest mangrove trees for fuel wood, poles, charcoal, and timber for construction purposes. Moreover, mangrove bark is used for commercial production of tannin (Alfaro, 1087). However, small scale and selective extraction of mangrove pose a little challenge on the entire ecosystem, but leads to death of individual trees. Despite being small scale, clear cutting of mangroves contributes to rapid concentration of sulfide in the soil as well as soil acidification. This negatively affects seed regeneration on cleared lands and thus the reason for declining mangrove yields. Man has harvested mangrove fisheries for several years. Some of the fish products extracted include finfish, mangrove oysters, and shellfish. However, extraction of such resources in large numbers for commercial purposes has disrupted mangrove food webs and food chains (Jess et al, 414). Conseque ntly, large-scale extraction of mangrove trees for extraction of wood products or mangrove land reclamation causes a reduction in fish yields since breeding grounds and fish nurseries get destroyed in the extraction process. In addition, man has introduced some species in mangrove ecosystems for instance, the introduction of Tilapia mossambica (Ellison, 219). The introduced species pose stiff competition for available resources in case the species naturalize and lack natural enemies or diseases that check on their population. Moreover, such species may feed on the native species thus leading to displacement and extinction of the endemic species. 2 Pollution of the mangrove ecosystem Human activities near water bodies lead to pollution of the mangrove ecosystem. For instance, oil exploration, drilling, production, transportation through oil pipelines, tanker accidents, as well as international elimination of ship’s ballasts tankers lead to oil pollution of the mangroves. The o il released into the mangrove ecosystem accumulates in the mangrove roots and thus leading to death of several invertebrates, turtles, and fish (Benson & Joseph, 238). The presence of oil in a mangrove ecosystem results in continuous release of toxic hydrocarbon materials into the water system, thus leading to water poisoning. The

Criminal Justice (Probation & Parole) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal Justice (Probation & Parole) - Essay Example However, prison authorities over the years have continued to utilize this labor to their advantage by selling work force to privately owned manufacturing companies, a fact that has attracted a lot of criticism in the past. This is done through contracting and leasing. The contract system of exploiting convict labor for example involved the entering into a deal by prison authorities, with private industries such as garment manufacturers who paid money to the state so that they can be allowed to use prisoners as their laborers (Lichtenstein, 2000). It was considered to be an unfair process especially since these prisoners were subjected to normal or even worse working conditions than workers outside prisons, but were hardly compensated for their efforts. Prison facilities were used as premises for conducting these activities meaning that contactors had to supply the prisons with necessary raw materials and equipment as well as supervisors to oversee the production processes. The convict lease system on the other hand involved letting prisoners out of the prisons during the day to go and work for private companies, and then return them to their cells in the evening (Lichtenstein, 2000). Some of the companies that participated in this arrangement included and not limited to miners, rail and road constructors and large scale farmers among others. As with the contract system, convicts in this system worked for free leaving the state and the businesses to enjoy the fruits of their labor. This form of arrangement came to being mainly after the liberation and banishing of slave trade, which left companies with a huge deficit in their work force. In the US for example, it is believed that this system started in Texas at around the year 1883 but after constant criticism, especially due to the inhumane treatment of convict laborers by their masters, it was abolished in the

Cultural Diversity and Economic Performance in Belgium Essay - 1

Cultural Diversity and Economic Performance in Belgium - Essay Example The projections for the year were indicative that the year 2013 would be the possible year of recovery for the region. This recovery would have a significant effect on the development of new jobs and reduction of inflation. However, the projections made for the year also indicates that there will be a new form of uncertainty that would affect the Belgian economy. The GDP of the area would grow in a significant manner despite the fall in the rate of development that was manifested in the Eurozone where the gross domestic product for the Eurozone went down by 0.2 percent. Despite the performance of the peripheral economies such as Nederlands and France that are the main trading partners for Belgium the economy in 2013 indicated a significant inclination for growth (Bellini and Ottaviano et al., 2013, pp. 121--141). In the normal circumstances, the economy of the employment sector takes a lot of time so that it can recover. The cyclical downturn that manifested itself in the middle of 2012 and the gloomy outlook on the economy in 2013 has the implication on the employment sector being a slow growth in the rate of employment (Bellini and Ottaviano et al., 2013, pp. 121--141). The downturn of 2012 was a major blow to the prospects of employment. This downturn meant that the people could not have the right employment since the economy is still struggling. The slow growth in the economy manifested in the areas will not be significant to cover the growth of the employment needs of the people. This means that the rate of real unemployment will remain in the regions that are has been playing at. In fact, the unemployment rates may go higher with the slow development of the economy and the general fall in the levels of production in the major trading partners.

Theories Regarding The Latitudinal Diversity Gradient Biology Essay

Theories Regarding The Latitudinal Diversity Gradient Biology Essay Aim Different publications theories regarding the latitudinal diversity gradient were examined and analysed to attempt to show how theories explaining the latitudinal diversity gradient have changed in the period 1980-2010. Method In total, six main theories were identified from the literature and resources studied by searching abstracts and articles for relevant key words. Main Conclusions The main conclusion drawn was that no single theory can adequately explain the latitudinal diversity gradient. Species diversity is ultimately controlled by a combination of factors and until there is conclusive proof or agreement on this subject biogeographers and biologists will continue to hypothesize on the matter of the driving factors behind the latitudinal diversity gradient. Key Words Latitudinal Diversity Gradient, Geographical, Species, Species Richness, Taxa, Hypothesis, Biotic, Historical Perturbation, Climate Stability, Climate Harshness, Mid-Domain, Evolutionary Rate, Evolution. Introduction The latitudinal diversity gradient is the term used to describe the decrease in species richness as one moves away from the equator. [1] Discovered by Alexander von Humboldt in 1799, it has remained one of the key questions in Evolutionary Ecology. Understanding the latitudinal diversity gradient is essential in our understanding of the spread of invasive species, disease and more pertinently, the effects of global climate change (Bradford et al 2006) Hillebrand (2004) identified that this subject has received great attention but the majority of studies have concentrated on only one or a small number of organisms. An example of this being Krebs (1985) who examined snake and ant species throughout America. In the past 30 years there have been many different theories that attempt to explain the latitudinal diversity gradient, from further reading into each individual theory it became apparent that no individual theory is entirely self supporting, rather a combination of each is perhaps the best way to try and answer the question of what is the driving factor behind the latitudinal diversity gradient. Theories Species-Energy The species-energy theorem centres on the hypothesis that it is the amount of available energy that governs the potential species richness of the system. Fraser and Currie examined this hypothesis in their 1995 paper The Species Richness-Energy Hypothesis in a System Where Historical Factors are Thought to Prevail: Coral Reefs. They found that the best environmental predictors of diversity were temperature and biomass and also that there was little supporting evidence for other hypotheses such as environmental stability. Turner et al (1987) found that the diversity of butterflies, measured as the number of species is highly correlated with sunshine and temperature during May to September, with these two variables accounting for nearly 80% of the variance in diversity. Mid-Domain Effect Originally proposed by Colwell and Hurtt, (1994) this hypothesis works on the basis that it is geographical constraints that contribute to species richness. Colwell et al (2004) state that if species ranges are shuffled randomly within a bounded geographical domain free of environmental gradients, ranges overlap increasingly toward the centre of the domain, creating a mid domain peak of species richness. There is still debate over whether or not the Mid Domain Effect is responsible for the latitudinal diversity gradient as empirical support for it is often weak. Zapata et al (2005) Effective Evolutionary Time Effective evolutionary time hypothesizes that it is evolutionary time and the factors associated with it, such as environmental energy, mutation, generations and selection that are responsible for the diversity gradient. Rhode (1992) Climate Harshness and Climate Stability The Climate Harshness theory speculates that fewer species are found at high latitudes due to their inability to cope with the pressures that the environment places upon them. Climate Stability proposes that the reason for the diversity gradient is due to species specializing into narrower and narrower niches due to stable climate conditions, resulting in increased speciation and therefore resulting in temperate areas at high latitude having a low diversity as they experience more changeable weather events throughout the year. Climate stability is even observed in marine environments with strong latitudinal gradients being observed. Kaustuv et al (1999) as well as in terrestrial environments. Lima-Ribeiro et al (2009). Evolutionary Rate Cardillo et al (2005) argue that the increased diversity observed at lower latitudes is due to high evolutionary rates resulting in increased speciation. Mettelbach et al (2007) found that there was evidence for higher rates of diversification in the tropics, with studies of latitudinal variation suggesting greater speciation at lower latitudes. The results from these studies show that there is indeed a link between low latitudes and evolutionary rate resulting in increased speciation. Discussion Since the 1980s there have been suggestions of new theories and re examinations of others, for example Zapata et al (2005) re examine the mid domain effect and address its criticisms. Each of the individual theories discussed earlier proposes its own explanation for the latitudinal diversity gradient. Some hypotheses are circular and some are founded on insufficient evidence, Rhode (1992). In the past 30 years theories purporting to explain the latitudinal diversity gradient have changed from supporting one viewpoint as the sole cause of the latitudinal diversity gradient to being more inclusive of other hypotheses, the Evolutionary time theory is the most inclusive of other theories as it recognises that no single factor can be the cause of such a complex system. References and Literature Cited 1. On-Line Biology Book, L, Latitudinal diversity gradient http://mac122.icu.ac.jp/biobk/BioBookglossL.html Accessed on 17-08-2010 Hawkins, B.A, Diniz-Filho, J.A.F, Jaramillo, C.A., Soeller, S.A., 2006. Post-Eocene climate change, niche conservatism, and the latitudinal diversity gradient of New World birds. Journal of Biogeography. Cardillo, M. Orme, C. D. L., Owens, I.P.F. 2005. Testing for Latitudinal Bias in Diversification Rates: An Example Using New World Birds. Ecology. Colwell, R.K. Hurtt, G.C 1994. Nonbiological Gradients in Species Richness and a Spurious Rapoport Effect. The American Naturalist, Vol. 144, No. 4 October 1994 Colwell, R,K. Rahbeck,C. Gotelli, N,J. 2004 The Mid-Domain Effect and Species Richness Patters: What have we learned so far? Vol. 163. No.3 March 2004 Fraser, R.H, Currie, D.J. 1995. The Species Richness-Energy Hypothesis in a System Where Historical Factors are Thought to Prevail: Coral Reefs. The American Naturalist Vol.148, No. 1 July 1996 Hillebrand, H. 2004. On the Generality of the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient. The American Naturalist, Vol 163, No. 2. 2004. Kaustuv, R., Jablonski, D., Valentine, J. W. 1999. Dissecting Latitudinal Diversity Gradients: functional groups and clades of marine bivalves. The Royal Society Krebs, C.J.1985. Ecology. The Experimental Analysis of Distribution and Abundance. Third edition. HarperRow, New York. Lima-Ribeiro, M., Diniz-Filho, J. A. F., Barberi, M. 2010. Climate Stability and the Current Patterns of Terrestrial Vertebrate Species Richness on the Brazilian Cerrado. Quaternary International, Volume 222, Issue 1-2. August 2010 Mittelbach, G. G., Schemske, D. W., Cornell, H. V., Allen, A. P., Brown, J. M., Bush, M. B., Harrison, S. P., Hurlbert, A. H., Knowlton, N., Lessios, H. A., McCain, C. M., McCune, A. R., McDade, L. A., McPeek, M. A., Near, T. J., Price, T. D., Ricklefs, R. E., Roy, K., Sax, D. F., Schluter, D., Sobel, J. M. and Turelli, M. 2007. Evolution and the latitudinal diversity gradient: speciation, extinction and biogeography. Ecology Letters Rhode, K. 1992. Latitudinal Gradients in Species Diversity: The search for the primary cause. Oikos. Vol. 65, No. 3. December 1992 Turner, J.R.G. Gatehouse, C.M and Corey, C.A. 1987. Does Solar Energy Control Organic Diversity? Butterflies, Moths and the British Climate. Oikos, Vol. 48. No.2 Zapata, F.A., Gaston, K. J., Chown, S. L. 2005 The Mid-Domain Effect Revisited. The American Naturalist, Vol. 166, No. 5 November 2005.

anime club :: essays research papers

The Anime Club   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon entering Kean University, I knew right there and then many different options are laid right in front of me. Being a freshman, I wanted to explore the different clubs and organizations that the University had to offer. During the Campus Awareness day, I was startled by the number clubs and organizations that Kean has. I was pretty drawn to several clubs but I tried to limit my self to only a few so that I could balance it pretty well with my schedule. Among the clubs that I joined were the Martial Arts club, which I never had the chance to attend to, because it meets during Thursday nights, which create a conflict with my schedule for, I am working part time. The other is the Filipino American Cultural Society which focuses on spreading the Filipino culture into mainstream America for Filipinos is the second biggest Asian majority in the United States next to China. Lastly the Anime Club which is a club that exposes people to the art of Animation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amongst the three clubs, that I have enlisted myself into, the Anime Club has been the only club in which I was quite consistent in attendance. My passion in the arts was one of the factors of me having to be drawn more to this club. In addition, my fascination on Japanese animation is one of the reasons that made me stay on this club. The Anime Club meets every Tuesday during college hour at Vaughn Eames building at room 112. Every meet, the club organizers have at least two or three choices of anime that the club members can watch. If time permits, we finish all the selections for that day. The selection range from contemporary anime such as Gundam and DragonBall Z, to old school anime such as Voltes V and Mazinger Z just to name a few. The club sometimes also sometime feature full-length animes. In addition, the club holds fundraisers in order to finance the activities of the club. One of the fundraiser activities that they had was a video game tournament in wh ich the club provides the video games and people battle out on different type of video games. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the event because of some personal reasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In summary, my experience in the club was good. Having to watch different anime was great experience.

How Do You Ensure Pupils Understand Explanations? Essay

The purpose of this essay is to look at the ways in which a child retains information, how that information is processed and the possible barriers involved. There will be some focus on the theories of learning and the strategies and practices employed in the classroom. At this juncture it must be stated that ‘ensuring’ may be an ambiguous word, and that ‘enabling’ the understanding may be more precise, as no matter how vociferous the intention to ‘ensure’ there will always be pupils who fall through the net or may even have developed their own strategies to cope with not understanding yet leading the teacher to believe they have. Surely the answer to this statement must begin with good ‘communication’. It is recognised that communication is a ‘two way process’, starting as far back as pre-birth as stated by Elisbeth Hallett in her book ‘Soul Trek Meeting our Children on the Way to Birth’ (1995). If this idea is to stand the test of time, the pupils must therefore be given the opportunity to verbalise their level of understanding before a task is attempted. This relatively obvious procedure may not be possible in pupils with any existence of special educational need. Difficulties affecting the brain’s processing ability and auditory impairment may not always manifest themselves but will result in poor communication (Dittrich and Tutt, 2008). Therefore the need for effective two communication and pupils feeling empowered to be able to ask for help becomes a priority in teaching. Ed Balls (2007) states ‘effective communication and language skills are fundamental to young people’s learning, developing social skills and fulfilling their potential’. Whatever the age of the learner, the cognitive ability, the language or SEN barriers, good clear, age specific, decipherable communication must be the key to understanding. Piaget (cited Pound, 2005) believed that children learnt in stages dependent on age and awareness of their environment and surroundings. These stages will also impact on the ability for a child to understand an explanation. Therefore before logical thinking arrives at around 7-11 years of age, visual, tactile clues and instructions, will be  more easily absorbed. However the need still exists to enable understanding of the need to progress on to attempting and succeeding. Creating that perfect classroom setting where the teacher delivers the starter and instructions and the class independently commences the task without any clarification is an ideal not often witnessed. This could be for many reasons; the class size, noise levels or even visibility of the teacher. Psychologists such as Maslow (1954) talk about the 5 levels of need in life, from the very basics of environmental issues to self-actualisation and problem solving. Therefore being conscious of these factors, room layout, and temperature, even lighting, may influence the ability to understand and disseminate instructions independently. These physical ideals are not always possible, given the large number of pupils in the classroom. As reported in a study by the Dfe (2011), ‘research findings from England show that in smaller classes, individual pupils are the focus of a teacher’s attention for more time; there is more active interaction between pupils and teachers; and more pupil engagement’. Taking all these possible barriers into account and the different learning styles that exist, it is paramount therefore to create the correct atmosphere conducive to learning in the classroom. Planning should incorporate this and the use of good vocal skills will promote confidence and assertiveness (Bruce, 2005). Instilling a sense of self belief and esteem that encourages children to engage and be able to ask for help or explanation. However despite all these strategies being in place it must be noted that levels of understanding will differ and aiming the teaching at the correct level of ability is essential. Froebel (cited, Pound 2005) states ‘to begin where the learner is’. A valid statement that is underpinned by most theorists who believe that cognitive understanding relates to developmental stages in age and maturity. Piaget believed that learning was supported by action. That thought is developed by experiencing and active experimenting. With the knowledge of al l the impediments in place let us know consider the classroom strategies available. A tried and tested method is to ask the pupils what they think their course of action will be. For example ‘what do you think I want you to do when you have read through the text?’. (Case, 2010). This in itself for some, may take some  coding and decoding and therefore present vast possibilities of misunderstanding (Denby, 2012). Obviously the message has to be first ‘coded’ by the teacher , in other words putting it into a form that can be understood, this may be visual or written. As many theorists claim however, interpretation of the spoken word is not only auditory. Approximately 35% of meaning is in the way it is actually said and a further 55% in body language and facial expression (Mehrabian, 1971). Highlighting as previously mentioned the importance of the positioning of the teacher in the room and the classroom layout. If the pupils cannot see the teacher, they may miss important facets of the instruction that will then mean them having to fill in the gaps by guessing. As Piaget states ‘ learning is a process of active discovery’ (Piaget sited MacNaughton, 2003). As teachers there is a need to facilitate the understanding by firstly using age and ability levelled speak. If the cognitive level is pitched too high there may only be a small number of the class that understand. Merely asking â€Å"do you all understand ?â€Å", is as good as useless as Swift (2007) demonstrates. This question will leave those that haven’t understood too shy to admit it and some that think they have understood but may in fact have not. A more successful way would be to ask them to repeat back the instructions, making sure a less able pupil is asked so there is a better gauge of the whole class and not just the brightest pupils. It may be a practical task that two pupils could demonstrate to show their level of understanding, or if it’s a written task, they might offer the answer to the first question for instance. A further method for tasks that are known to the pupils, ask them what they think they have to do. This draws on prior learning and offers the teacher information for future planning also. It may be possible to just give instructions for the first part of the lesson. Stopping half way through to do a mini plenary, and then giving the second set of instructions to finish the task can also help to pace out the amount of instructions being given. Having the explanation and expected outcomes within the Learning Intention that the pupils write in their books can offer help to those who may wander off track too. Or indeed having them all written on the whiteboard or displayed on the IWB. (1339) Balls, E. (2007) Department for Children Schools and Families. [online],  available at http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/quotes.html [Accessed 4 No 2012]. Bruce, T. (2005) Developing learning in early childhood. Buckingham: Open University Press. Case, A. (2010) Making Sure Students Understood Your Instructions. [online]. Available at http://edition.tefl.net/articles/teacher/instructions/ [Accessed 18 Nov 2012]. Denby, N. (2012) Training to Teach- A guide for students. London: Sage Publications. Department for Education, ( 2011). Economics, Evaluation and Appraisal Team Education Standards Analysis and Research Division. [online] at : https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR169.pdf Dittrich,H. and Tutt, R. (2008) Educating Childern with Complex Conditions. London : Sage Publications. Hallett, E. (1995) Soul Trek: Meeting our Children on the Way to Birth. Montana : Light Heart Publishing. MacNaughton, G. (2003) Shaping Early Childhood : Learning, curriculum and context. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Maslow, A. (1954) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. [Accessed : 16.11.12]. online at : http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html Mehrabian, A. (1971) Silent Messages. California. Wadsworth. Pound, L. (2007) How children learn. London: Step forward publishing. Swift, S. (2007) Giving and Checking Instructions. [online] at : http://ezinearticles.com/?Giving-and-Checking-Instructions&id=404950 [Accessed : 19 Nov 2012].

Free Essays on Computer Networking

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