YEAST

Baker's Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

Observation

I took a picture of this yeast product at the Whole Foods Market in Jenkintown, PA. Red Star is just one of several brands that sell active yeast for baking. My mother has used yeast to make bread or rolls. Once the dough was formed, she would place it in a warm dark place. After several hours, the bread would rise and would be ready to bake in the oven. The dry yeast has a grainy consistency and a very unique odor.

 

Questions

In what food processes are strains of  Saccharomyces Cerevisiae used? Is Crohn's Disease caused by of S. Cerevisiae? Is S. Cerevisiae a  pathogen?

  

Scientific Research

Main, J., McKenzie, H., Yeaman, G R., Kerr, M A., Antibody to Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (Bakers Yeast) in Crohn's Disease , British Medical, Vol. 297 (Oct., 1998), pp. 1105-1106.

Strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are used when baking and brewing food. It is also present in many other food products. Studies show that Crohn's Disease is not caused by Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. Instead, Crohn's Disease may be the result of a hypersensitivity to the Saccharomyces Cerevisiae antigen. It does not cause the disease because Saccharomyces Cerevisiae is not a pathogen.

Though Saccharomyces Cerevisiae is not responsible for Crohn's Disease, studies suggest that it may helpful when trying to differentiate Crohn's Disease from Ulcerative Colitis.

Further Information

Associated Content

Probiotics

Wikipedia

BIO KEFIR

Bacteria (Lactobacillus reuteri) 

Observation

I was introduced to this product that contains the bacteria, Lactobacillus reuteri, in the Whole Foods Market in Jenkintown, PA. The product caught my attention because the packaging noted that it contained probiotics. There were other yogurt products but this one stood out the most.  

Questions

What is Lactobacillus reuteri? Where can it be found in the human body? What kinds of health benefits does L. reuteri provide?

Scientific Research

Stan, Vlaicus., Tubelius, Py., Zachrisson, Anders. Increasing Work-place Healthiness with Lactobacillus reuteri, Environmental Health, Vol. 4, No.25 (Nov. 2005) pp. 1-5.

Lactobacillus reuteri is a gram-positive, rod shaped lactic acid bacteria that is naturally occurring in the human intestine and breast milk. Lactobacillus reuteri, a probiotic, has health benefits for the gut and immune system.

In a study, it was demonstrated that L. reuteri has the ability to reduce incidences of gastrointestinal sickness and fevers in children that spend time in daycare settings. L. reuteri was also proven to improve health by stimulating the immune system of adults who suffer from respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases in the workplace.  

  

Further Information

Lifeway
Pediatrics
Wikipedia

BREAD MOLD

Bread Mold (Penicillium chrysogenum)

Observation
The mold on this bread took about two weeks to grow. The bread was placed in plastic bag and kept in a dark and slightly warn place. After several days mold appeared on the bread. Within ten days the bread was full of mold.

Questions
What physical and chemical conditions are needed for mold to grow? How can mold growth be hindered? To what extent does moisture in the substrate determine mold growth?

Scientific Research
Block, S S. Humidity Requirements for Mold Growth, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, (Jun., 1953), pp. 287-292.

Galloway noted in his study that mold needs certain physical and chemical conditions to grow. Mold can grow if there is a suitable temperature, fair amount of moisture, sufficient oxygen, proper ph and essential nutrients. On the contrary, mold growth can be hindered if you remove the conditions that cause growth. Controlling moisture through the amount of humidity is often the best way to hinder mold growth in certain situations.

Also, Galloway determined moisture in the substrata was less effective than atmospheric moisture for the development of mold spores.

Further Information
Mold Control
Sites.google
Wikipedia

LANNER FALCON

Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)

Observation

I observed this Lanner Falcon on 17 September 2011 while attending the Wildlife Conservation Festival at the John Heinz National Refuge Center in Philadelphia, PA. This falcon has a blue beak and some blue coloration in its feathers. The falcon appeared quiet and calm until it realized that their was a dog in close proximity.Once the falcon became aware of the dogs presence, it became upset and began pacing back and forth and fluttered its feathers. One of the handlers asked that the dog be removed from area as not to upset the birds any further. I observed the falcon long enough to see it return to a calm state again.

Questions

What does the Lanner Falcon eat? How does it hunt? When hunting what is the role of the male and the female?

Scientific Research

Yosef, Reuven. Foraging Habits, Hunting and Breeding Success of the Lanner Falcon in Israel, Raptor Research Foundation, Vol. 25, No. 3 (1991), pp. 77-85.

The Lanner Falcon is a large bird of prey that typically eats rodents and small birds. They may also eat hares, bats and other small mammals. The lanner falcon hunts horizontally and grabs its prey while in flight. Pairs of falcons, during the courtship period and when flying with their young, have been known to participate in cooperative hunting. The male's role in cooperative hunting is to chase the prey in the direction of the female falcon. The female's role is to encouarage the prey to turn around and fly back in the direction of the male. Cooperative hunting is also used to teach young falcons how to enhance their hunting skills. 

Further Information

ARKive

Avianweb

Wikipedia

HARVESTMEN (Opiliones)

Harvestmen (Phalangium opilio)

Observation

I observed this opiliones on 17 September 2011 while attending the Wildlife Conservation Festival at the John Heinz National Refuge Center in Philadelphia, PA. While walking the trail with my classmates, Dr. Rob picked up the opiliones and placed it on the sleeve of his jacket. It stayed still long enough for a picture to be taken. After I took the photo, it tried to escape. I noticed that it had six long legs but I assume a few were missing.

Questions

What do harvestmen eat? How does it reproduce? Where does it lay eggs?

Scientific Research

Machado, Glauco and Oliveira, Paulo. Reproductive Biology of the Neotropical Harvestman, Journal of Zoology, Vol. 246 (Apr., 1998), pp. 359-367.

Opiliones are often active at night as they are nocturnal and photophobic. They are omnivores so their diet may include aphids, beetles, flies, earthworms, rotting plants, fungi and animal matter. Opiliones reproduce through copulation and some species may reproduce through a process called parthenogenesis. The female lays her eggs in various places such as soil, trunk crevices, under stones and other moist places.

Harvestmen, often mistaken for spiders, is from the same class as a spider (Arachnida), but is in the order of Opiliones. Harvestmen are notably different from the spider because their two body segments are fused together so it appears as one segment. They also can't form webs due to the lack of silk glands. When compared to the size of its body, the walking legs are considerably long.

Further Research

Backyard Nature

Bugguidenet

Wikipedia

EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL

Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

Observation

I captured this picture of the Eastern Gray Squirrel on 25 September 2011 in northwest Philadelphia, PA. I observed the squirrel climbing forward down my neighbor's walnut tree in the driveway. It scurried down the drive way, I believe, in hopes of finding one of a few remaining walnuts on the tree. At first glance, I assumed that it was carrying an acorn. As I watched a little longer, I realized that the squirrel was carrying a walnut in it's mouth. The squirrel was very cautious in my presence. It gave me ample time to take the picture. It was if he was posing for the camera. As I came closer, he became very still and did not move until I turned and walked away.  

Questions

Where does the gray squirrel live? What kinds of food do gray squirrels eat? How does a grey squirrel locate the food its buried?

Scientific Research

Jacobs, Luccia. F. and Liman, Emily R. Grey Squirrels Remember the Location of Their  Buried Nuts, Animal Behavior, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Mar.1990) pp

The eastern gray squirrel, one of the largest in North America, weighs 500-520 g. Its natural habitat are deciduous woodlands that are rich with tree nuts such as beech or oak trees. Even so, gray squirrels have adapted well to urban settings. They often live in trees where they can build nests or dreys. Dreys are constructed mostly with dry leaves and twigs. 

Though the gray squirrel is an omnivore, they prefer a diet of seeds, acorns walnut, other kinds of nuts, tree bark, berries and some types of fungi.The eastern gray squirrel is a scatter-hoarder. It hides food in many caches that will be retrieved later. Gray Squirrels have a very accurate spacial memory that gives them the ability to find their numerous caches of buried food. They use landmarks to return to the area where food was hidden. Once there, the squirrel uses its great sense of smell to pinpoint the location of the buried food. 

Further Information

Fletcher Wildlife Garden

PUBS

Wikipedia

EURASIAN EAGLE OWL

Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)

Observation

I had the pleasure of observing this Eagle Owl on 17 September 2011 while attending the Wildlife Conservation Festival at the John Heinz National Refuge Center in Philadelphia, PA. Though I've seen owls in the past, this is the first time that I've experience one this large and at such a close range. As I watched the owl I couldnt help but notice its fluffy plumage and its beautifully outlined eyes. As I continued to watch, the owl began to flutter its wings in response to a dog that was nearby. The owl began to pace back and forth across its purch and constantly turned its head to keep the dog in its sight. When the dog's owner walked away the owl became calm again.

Questions 

Where can the Eagle Owl be found? Which gender is larger? How is the gender of the eagle owl determined?

Scientific Research

Delgado, Maria del mar., Penteriani, Vincent. Gender Determination of Eurasian Eagle Owl by Morphology, Journal of Raptor, Vol. 38, No. 4 (Dec., 2004), pp. 375-377

Bubo bubo, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, is one of the largest in the Strigadae owl family. The Eagle Owl can be found in Russia, Scandinavia, Sahara Africa, India and Asia. It typically lives in coniferous deserts and forests. The Eagle Owl is one of the largest birds of prey, though the female is typically larger than the male. The male Eagle Owl can weigh up to 3.2 kg and the female can weigh up to 4.2 kg. Their wingspan ranges between 138 to 200 cm.

The gender of most avian species is determined by their body measurement or size. The Eagle Owl, however is sexually monomorphic (having only one form). Though the female Eagle Owl is larger than the male, the sex is determined by gender specific calls of the bird as oppose to size. 

Further Information

Aviary Owls

Helium

Wikipedia

BLACK WALNUT TREE

Black Walnut Tree (Juglans nigra)

Observation

This walnut tree was observed on 25 September 2011 on my neighbor's property. I observed this tree for several minutes as it first caught my attention because squirrels climb it often looking for nuts. It also caught my attention because another tree occupies the same space as well.The ground below the tree is currently covered with leaves and nuts that have fallen. In the later half of the summer, the nuts begin dropping from the tree and hit the payment like a sledge hammer. I quickly took the picture to avoid being pummeled by any remaining fruit. The tree stands about 30 or 40 feet tall and provides shade in the summer months.

  

Questions

What is the primary use of the black walnut? How are the walnuts consumed? What are some uses of its shell?

Scientific Research

Williams, Robert D. Silvics of North America, Vol. 2, (Dec., 2001), pp. 390-397.

  

The Black Walnut Tree is widely used for it lumber and veneer. The wood is used in the manufacturing of furniture, interior paneling and gun stock. The nut is a source of food for wildlife and humans. Squirrels eat the nuts. Humans use the nuts for baking food and in ice cream

Walnut shells have many uses as well. The shell is ground for use in beauty products such as skin exfoliants and soap. The shells are used as abrasive blast media for cleaning. They are used as bedding for pets such birds, reptiles and some small animals because they resist mold and bacteria.

Also, the ground shell has industrial uses such as cleaning jet engines and as lost circulation material to combat operational problems associated with oil drilling.

Further Information

Eco Shell

Opta Minerals

Wikipedia

SUNFLOWER

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Observation
I captured the picture of this sunflower while driving my children to school on 25 September 2011. At first glance, I thought the was flower was artificial. As I got closer, I realized that the flower was real. Someone planted it along with a few others in a huge pot that sits on a corner in Northwest Philadelphia, PA. As I observed the flower a bit longer, I noticed that it was facing the sun. I admire the flower for its tasty seeds, deep orange and yellow colors and its height.

Questions

Does the sunflower follow the movement of the sun? At what growth stage does the sunflower stop following the sun? What causes the sunflower's movement?

Scientific Research
Schaffner, John, H. Observations on the Nutation of Helianthus Annuus, Botanical Gazette, Vol. 25, No. 6 (Jun., 1898), pp. 395-403.

Keller initially believed that the head of the sunflower following the sun was just a myth. After performing some observations on the movement of the sunflower, he suggested that the head of the sunflower does go through a process of nutation. His observations suggest that the head of an immature sunflower would nutate in the morning toward the east. As the sun rises, the plant would gradually begin to stand tall and face the sun. In the afternoon, the head would begin to slowly nutate towards the west and its stance would change from horizontal to vertical. By the evening the plant is mostly in a vertical stance. The leaves are faced downward and the plant is in a drooping or sleeping position. In the very early morning hours, the leaves and stem would slowly begin to face the east and rise until the sun appeared.

It is suggested that the sunflower goes through this process to help increase the development of pollen. This process of following the sun ceases after the sunflower is pollinated or reaches maturation. The sunflower's movement is caused by motor cells in the flexible part of the stem called pulvinus. These cells grow and shrink due to pressure from water against the cell walls.When the pressure from the water increases or decreases the stem responds by becoming stiff or limp.

Further Information
EHOW
EPOD
Wikipedia

AFRICAN MARIGOLD

African Marigold (Tagetes erecta)

Observation

The picture of this marigold was taken on 20 September 2011 in my mother's garden. There are many other flowers in the garden but the marigolds seem to have taken over. The bushes are thick and full. The color of the flower is brilliant orange and the leaves are a beautiful shade of green. It appears that the leaves of this flower have be attacked by white mold. As I observed, I noticed that bees were attracted to its flowers. I watch for several minutes as the bees moved from flower to flower.

Questions

What are companion plants? Why are companion plants, such as the African Marigold, used? How does the marigold deter pests?

Scientific Research

Vicory, Roy. Plants Used for Pest Control: Some Twentieth Century Examples, Folklore, Vol. 104 (1993), pp. 171. 

Companion plants are plants that encourage the health, growth and productivity of other plants by deterring the presence of harmful pests. Marigold have been known to deter white flies when they are a companion to tomatoes and carrots. Marigolds deter pests because the flower has a scent that offends some insects and animals. Below the surface, marigolds can also repel nematodes, microscopic worms, for about 3 years. Though marigolds help to deter pests from attacking other plant life, they have vulnerabilities to insects such as spider mites and grasshoppers.

Further Information

The Old Farmer's Almanac

Horticultural and Home Pest News

Wikipedia

POTHOS

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Observation

The picture of this plant was taken on 22 September 2011 in the office building where I am employed. There are many of these plants throughout the entire office building. This plant sits in the window on the southeast corner of the building. It gets very little sunlight as this side of the building is mostly shaded from the sun. I potted this plant from the stem of another so its not as full as the other around the office. The plant has rich green leaves and strong vines.

Questions  

Can the Pothos plant reduce indoor ozone levels? What other kind of pollutants has the pothos plant been reported to reduced? How many plants should be used to be effective?

Scientific Research

Best, T. O., Decoteau, D.R., Holcomb, E. J., Papinchak, H. L. Effectiveness of Household Plants in Reducing Indoor Air Pollutant Ozone, Horttechnology, Vol. 19, No. 2 (April-June 2009), pp. 286-288.

The pothos plant is a popular indoor plant because its inexpensive, easy to care for and has rich foliage. They are also chosen as indoor plants because of their reported ability to reduce indoor pollutants. Ozone can occur indoors or in an office setting due to the use of copy machine, laser printer, ultraviolet lighting and some air purification systems. In controlled test environments, the ozone depletion levels were higher in environments where the pothos plant and others were present. In another controlled test environment it was proven that the pothos, when compared to the common spider plant, more effectively reduced the concentration of air pollutants such as formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide. For effectiveness,15 to 18 potted plants should be used in a 2000 square foot area.   

Further Information

eHow

Plant-Care

Wikipedia

AUTUMN OLIVE

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

Observation

The picture of this autumn olive was taken on 17 September 2011 while attending the Wildlife Conservation Festival at the John Heinz National Refuge Center in Philadelphia, PA. I observed this scrub while walking along the trail. The scrub was surrounded by other plant life but it appeared to be more hardy than the others. Its stood out among the others around it as its bark was strong and its branches full of leaves. 

Questions

To which country is the autumn olive native? When was the autumn olive first cultivated in the United States? Why was the autumn olive originally planted?

Scientific Research

Edgin, B., Ebinger, JE., Control of Autumn Olive at Beall Woods Natural Preserve, Natural Areas Journal, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct., 2004), pp. 386.

The autumn olive, native to Japan, China and Korea was first cultivated in the United States around 1830.This scrub, now very common in the United States, is widely used to provide food and cover for other wildlife. The autumn olive is an invasive thorny shrub or small tree with silvery scales that cover its young stem, fruit, flowers and leaves.The leaves are a dull green and the flower, which typically blooms in May, is light yellow. The fruit of the scrub is deep red to pink and is often eaten by birds.

Further Information

CSA

DCNR

Wikipedia

NEWFOUNDLAND

Newfoundland (Canis lupus familiaris)

Observation

The picture of this dog was taken on 17 September 2011 while attending the Wildlife Conservation Festival at the John Heinz National Refuge Center in Philadelphia, PA. I encountered this dog while walking across a bridge that provides a very scenic view of the lake at the center. The dog appeared to be very friendly as it allowed several people to take its picture. Its ironic that the dog was walking near the lake because these dogs are purposefully used around water.

Questions

What country does this dog have its origin? What is its average height of the male and female? What is their average weight? Other than being a great pet and companion, how are the instincts of this dog utilized? Why are these dog such great swimmers?

Scientific Research

Wilcox, Charolette. The Newfoundland. Learning About Dogs. Capstone Press, (199), pp 4-13.

Newfoundlands come from the island of Newfoundland located in eastern Canada. The average height of the male is about 28 inches and female is about 26 inches. The male weighs about 130 lbs and the female weighs about 100 to 120 lbs. The Newfoundlands have a natural life saving instinct so they are utilized most often for their life saving abilities particularly around water. They are the only breed that have this ability noted as a standard. Newfoundlands are strong, have great eye sight and are excellent swimmers. They have two layers of hair that help them remain dry when in water. The feet of this breed are webbed which makes them excellent swimmers. 

Further Information

Dog Breed Info Center

Newfoundland Club of America

Wikipedia