4-8

chitin(big idea 2 # 9) is a natural chain of polymenr that composes many items in nature such as the cell walls of fungi, the exoskeletons of insects and arthropods, as well as the shells of crabs and lobsters. It is similar in function to cellulose. It is leathery and flexible alone but becomes hard when calcium is added. It is used to make sergical string for use within the body becuase it is biodegradable and does not need to be sergicly removed later. This image is a fungus/mushroom at the American River.

This photo is of a small pond and represents unicellular organisms(big idea1 # 40). they generaly live in water or very moist enviroments and are the earliest form of life known: predecessors to multicellular organisms. Examples include prokaryotes and some protists. Within this pond, there are likely thousands of unicellular organisms. Interestingly, all members of a certian type of these organisms are identicle becuase of mitotic division; all genetic variation is due to mutation.

This photo is of an autotroph(big idea 2 # 4), which is any orgnism capable of producing its own food from either photosynthisis(more common) or chemosynthisis. Ina food chain, they are the primary producers that are consumed by primary consumers. They consume energy from the enviroment and use it to create NADPH and then simple sugars, commonly in the form of starch. This is also where most nutrients and vitamins enter an ecosystem.


This photo depicts an oak gall, which is an example of paracitism(big idea 4 #15). these growths are created when a gull wasp lays eggs within the branch of the tree and releases a chemicle that causes the branch to swell and form a balloon that protects the larve. They grow and develop within this gull and eat the starch-rich interior of the plant, only eating their way out when they are fully complete growing. This is an obvious example of paracitism becuase one species gains and the other is weakened by the relationship.



This picture is of the xylem(big idea 2 #38) of the plant and also the rumpus of the lovely Woollgar. The xylem is the most inward part of the tree and its primary function is the transport of water to the leaves via transpiration which takes advantage of the cohesive properties of water. It consists of long cells that contain tracheary elements that form vessels to move water to the leaves for use in photosynthisis(water donates the electrons)