Preliminary Biology Research Task 2012

Part 1
Process information to discuss a current effort to monitor biodiversity.
i. Identify a particular current effort to monitor biodiversity and outline the aim of this
effort
Australian Collaborative Rangeland Information System is a current effort to monitor
biodiversity. The primary objective is to track the changes in biodiversity of the
rangelands at a national scale (in order to protect and manage rangeland
biodiversity).The other aims of the system are to identify trends in: the extent of clearing
native vegetation, the distribution and abundance of susceptible mammals and birds
and also grazing-sensitive plants as well as to meet explicit legislative obligations
(harvest quotas for kangaroos) and assist on improving enterprise-level decision making.
ii. Identify which group is conducting the monitoring
CSIROs Cooperative Research Centre.
iii. Identify some of the main species monitored
The system monitors species
within the region marked by
the red lines in the diagram.
Some of these species are red
kangaroos and eastern &
western grey kangaroos.





iv. Describe the methods used in the monitoring
Aerial surveys are used to monitor the density of kangaroos; this is done annually in
some areas and triennial in most of Western Australia. Planes fly along transects and
trained observers count the kangaroos within the distance of the tape, this process
usually takes 3-5 days for each zone, the monitoring program takes into account that
there are more kangaroos than the number actually counted so they implement some
correction factors to produce an estimated population.

v. Discuss the reliability of the data
The data obtained from the aerial
surveys are not extremely accurate,
even though the region is separated
into zones in which the planes fly over
and record the number of kangaroos
near the transect. The method of
counting is flawed as there is a chance
of human error and kangaroos may be

out of sight of the observer or may be missed by the observer. Observers may also
incorrectly identify a kangaroo. Kangaroos also are very mobile and there is a possibility
that it may be counted into 2 transects. The data obtained from the aerial survey is not
exact but this is the most practical method of gathering a population estimate, other
methods such as tagging will be too costly over a large area. Therefore the results will
not be very reliable but it is the most practical method over a large region.

An Eastern Grey Kangaroo A Western Grey Kangaroo

vi. Propose some advantages and disadvantages of conducting this monitoring
The advantages of monitoring kangaroos include achieving sustainability. Harvest quotas
are made through the use of monitoring the density of kangaroos which ensures that
the kangaroo population will not be endangered by harvesting. The monitoring also
helps conservation efforts to prioritise the preservation of the more vulnerable species
and to distribute their limited funds so as to best keep the balance of the ecosystem.
Monitoring biodiversity also provides statistics for the government to base legislation on
so that endangered species can be protected.

There is a high cost involved with the monitoring of the kangaroos as the system
requires a lot of time as well as labour too. Conducting monitoring over the rangelands
which is a very large area reduces the accuracy of the results that are obtained.

Although there a disadvantages of conducting monitoring there are also many
advantages which make a viable in tracking the changes in biodiversity in the rangelands
at a national scale.







References
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/publications/pubs/biomonitor-monitoring-vol1.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/publications/pubs/rangelands-monitoring-vol2.pdf
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/AerialSurveyFactSheetJun07.pdf
Image -
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/wildlifemanagement/KMPPopulationEstimatesWest.htm
http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/rangelands/pubs/tracking-changes/ris.html
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/publications/acris/pubs/acris-sa-reporting-final.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/rangelands/acris/index.html
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/publications/index.html#acris
Image - http://www.environment.gov.au/land/publications/acris/pubs/rangelands-statistical-
analysis-temporal-trends-detection-rates.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/publications/acris/pubs/acris-kangaroo-update.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/publications/acris/pubs/bio-monitoring-rangelands.pdf
Image - http://bird.net.au/bird/index.php?title=Eastern_Grey_Kangaroo
Image - http://www.chidlowmarsupialhospital.org.au/page-17-1-identification.html













Preliminary Biology Research Task 2012
Part 2
Discuss the impact of changes in technology on the development and revision of biological
classification systems.
In your answer
i. Illustrate with a specific example how the use of radiometric dating techniques have
led to a revision in the way an organism has been classified
ii. Illustrate with a specific example how the use of biochemical techniques have led to a
revision in the way an organism has been classified.
Biological classification systems sorts organisms into groups (based on certain characteristics) so that
they can be described and identified easily. It also helps to explain the relationships between
organisms, thus creating evolutionary trees. The basis of classification is morphology, which uses
structural characteristics to distinguish between different species. As time progressed, advances in
technology were made allowing biologists to distinguish between organisms that could not be
properly classified by morphology alone. The advancement in technology has enabled biologists to
more accurately record evolutionary relationships. With the discovery of radioactivity in the
beginning of the 20
th
century, radiometric dating techniques were available to determine the age of
fossils by measuring the amount of decay in radioisotopes. This allowed biologists to link a time
period with a certain organism. In the 20
th
century, the development of biochemical techniques
enabled biologists to obtain sequences of amino acids in protein molecules and the bases in DNA

[1]
. Some of the techniques that have contributed to this process are two-dimensional nuclear
magnetic resonance spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography.
The development of technology has led to the revision in the way an organism has been classified.
Biochemical techniques have discovered that medicinal leeches were misclassified and were
assumed to be the species Hirudo medicinalis, but in fact they were Hirudo verbana (which is closely
related to Hirudo medicinalis). The method used to identify the leech was DNA barcoding. The leech
was previously used in surgery because it was thought to be the species Hirudo medicinalis, but it
was actually Hirudo verbana which had not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration
at the time.
Radioisotopes have a fixed rate of decay which allows scientists to use radiometric dating to figure
the age of a certain specimen (carbon dating is an example). By attributing a time period to a
discovered fossil scientists are able to understand where the creature fit into evolution. This process
is more accurate that relative dating as relative dating can be affected by environmental factors such
as the continental shift and earthquakes. The half-life of radioisotopes are fixed and recorded so
radiometric dating is much more accurate as it is not affected by the environment, thus it is able to
accurately provide the age of fossils.
The discovery of the microscope was a major contribution in the revision of biological classification
systems. With the discovery of the microscope, Monera (a kingdom of unicellular organisms) had
been discovered.

The advancement of technology has brought about many changes in the classification of organisms,
biologists are able to accurately identify and place certain organisms into certain groups which
enables scientist to create evolutionary paths.







A picture of Hirudo Medicinalis An image of Hirudo Verbana


















References
[1]
Direct quote from:
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=N5Ve4Cg0IdIC&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=the+development+a
nd+revision+of+biological+classification+systems.&source=bl&ots=yuk1L8wbPK&sig=Blbb0h7UXh6T
27VKP4c3PKXnRPk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=d-
MUUMKLNNGViQfD8IGADw&ved=0CFQQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=the%20development%20and%20r
evision%20of%20biological%20classification%20systems.&f=false
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/03/3/l_033_01.html
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-biological-classification.htm
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-04/nsf-mfc041107.php
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1548252/Medicinal-leeches-are-the-wrong-kind.html
http://barcoding.si.edu/whatis.html
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5184705_radioactive-dating-used-date-fossils_.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_6627861_relative-dating-vs_-radioactive-dating.html
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/dating.html
Hickman, Peter; Kennedy, Eileen; Aubusson, Peter Biology in Context The Spectrum of Life Second
Edition. Oxford 2004
Image - http://cae2k.com/nice-house-photos-0/hirudo.html
Image - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirudo_medicinalis












Preliminary Biology Research Task 2012
Part 3
The Huxley Wilberforce Debate:
a. Outline the positions taken by both protagonists in this debate;
i. Thomas Huxley
Huxley supported Darwins theory of evolution in the Origin of Species to a great
extent.
ii. Samuel Wilberforce
Wilberforce disagreed with the theory of evolution made in the Darwins Origin of
Species.
b. There are several different accounts of Huxleys most famous riposte to Wilberforces
reference to Huxleys ancestry. Recount the version you think most probable and justify
your choice
During the debate Wilberforce asked if Huxley was descended from an ape on his
grandmothers or grandfathers side which Huxley replied with If then, said I, the question
is put to me would I rather have a miserable ape for a grandfather or a man highly endowed
by nature and possessed of great means of influence and yet who employs these faculties
and that influence for the mere purpose of introducing ridicule into a grave scientific
discussion, I unhesitatingly affirm my preference for the ape
[1]
. There are many versions of
Huxleys riposte but I firmly believe that this is the most probable as it was supported by
renowned journals such as The Guardian and The Athenaeum and there were also many
letters including Huxleys personal account of what happened in his letter to Henry Dyster.
This makes this version of his reply more probable than other versions.
c.
i. Discuss both sides of the debate on the theory of evolution as it is presented in
recent times
The theory of evolution is almost unanimously amongst the scientific community as
well as a majority of Australians. However, the theory of evolution is not supported
by some people in the world even though it is taught in schools around the world. It
is disputed by a segment of society whose size varies from country to country and
who doubt the veracity of the theory of evolution. The proponents of evolution
argue that Darwins theory of evolution is an accurate description of the process
that has led to the existence of the current forms of life. They do this on the basis of
empirical evidence such as the cane toads evolution in Australia. The current toad
tends to have longer legs than the ones brought to Australia over 50 years ago which
allows them to jump higher and further which increases their chance of survival thus
supporting natural selection the process in which the organisms that are better
suited to an environment produce more offspring. The detractors of evolution in
recent times have a variety of stances in their opposition to evolution. Some deny
that evolution is real and maintain that the Earth was created in its present state by
a higher power. Others hold that although evolution is a real process, the process of
natural selection is in fact driven by a similar higher power. Although it is widely
accepted that evolution exists there are still people who disagree with evolution.

ii. Illustrate how the recent debate is different to debates in Darwins time.
When Darwin introduced his theory although it was a time of social change and
some biologists believed him but it was not widely accepted as many still clung onto
the belief that evolution didnt exist. Today, evolution is generally accepted as a
scientific as a result of a century and a half of observations which support the
theory. The majority of people that disagree with evolution today tend to believe
that evolution happens but disagree on the process of natural selection.


























References
[1]
Direct quote from http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/thuxley.html
http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/pub/huxley-wilberforce-and-the-oxford-museum
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/thuxley.html
http://www.scienceandchristianbelief.org/articles/hedley_brooke.php
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~jrlucas/legend.html
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/thuxley.html
http://creation.com/wilberforce-huxley-debate#endRef12
http://www.humanism.org.uk/humanism/humanist-tradition/freethinkers/huxley
http://www.enlightennext.org/magazine/j35/real-evolution-debate-intro.asp


















Preliminary Biology Research Task 2012
Part 4
Identify data sources, gather, process and analyse information from secondary sources and use
available evidence to discuss the relative success of internal and external fertilisation in relation to
the colonisation of terrestrial and aquatic environments.
i. Discuss with an example the fertilisation strategies of aquatic organisms
Aquatic organisms use external fertilisation as a means of reproduction. Clownfish are
one of the many aquatic organisms that carry out this process, the female deposits eggs
on coral, rock or near a sea anemone and the male fertilises the eggs by depositing
sperm into the body of water. There are advantages as well as disadvantages that go
with external fertilisation. External fertilisation can produce larger amount of offspring
than internal fertilisation but the lack protection (as the parents dont care for them) for
the offspring prevents many of them surviving to adulthood due to predators. There are
also many eggs that arent fertilised this may be due to strong currents that carry the
sperm away from the eggs. The large amount of offspring improves the chance of the
clownfish to pass on its genes (which is the point of reproduction) but this requires the
female clownfish to expend more energy and time to release the eggs. The method in
which clownfish reproduce is suitable as external fertilisation is only possible in water
because the sperm cells require water as a medium to move in to reach the eggs. By
laying eggs near a sea anemone the tentacles are able to ward off predators which
protect the eggs. External fertilisation is generally quicker and reduces the need for
contact between the organisms. External fertilisation allows for a higher survival rate for
the parents as they dont take care of their young.
ii. Discuss with an example the fertilisation strategies of amphibians
Amphibians use external fertilisation as a strategy to reproduce. In fresh water female
frogs lay eggs and the male releases sperm which fertilise the eggs. There is a smaller
chance of fertilisation as currents can disturb the sperm from reaching the eggs but
generally there is a larger amount of offspring but not all of the offspring are able to
survive to adulthood. The frogs leave the eggs after fertilisation thus leaving the
offspring to fend for themselves which results in a lower survival rate however at the
end of this process there are still a large number of frogs which survive into maturity.
Female frogs expend more time and energy to release gametes, many of these gametes
may not even be fertilised as well. No copulation occurs therefore there is no
transmission of diseases and the zygote develops outside of the parents which increase
the survival rate of the parents as they are not burdened by taking care of the young.
iii. Discuss with an example the fertilisation strategies of terrestrial organisms
Terrestrial organisms reproduce through internal fertilisation. In kangaroos, copulation
occurs which may transfer diseases; the male kangaroo releases gametes into a confined
area which increases the chance of fertilisation. Therefore the female does not have to
produce as many gametes which save energy. The female kangaroo is able to increase
the survival rate of their young by taking care of it inside its pouch for months after birth
(protecting it from the harsh environment and predators). Female kangaroos are also
able to pause eggs from developing if they breed more than once, this is because they

can only take care of one joey at a time which increases the survival rate of the
offspring.
iv. Compare and contrast internal and external fertilisation in terms of the number of
gametes produced, the survival rate of fertilised gametes and the level of parental
care provided to the offspring
Internal fertilisation produces less gametes than external fertilisation and also has a
higher survival rate than external fertilisation. By reducing the amount of gametes
produced the process of internal fertilisation is able to save more energy and nutrients
than external fertilisation. Both internal and external fertilisation requires the male
gamete to swim to the female gametes, but in internal fertilisation it is in a much more
confined space. There is no parental care provided to the offspring from external
fertilisation whereas internal fertilisation provides a lot of care. The lack of parental care
for the offspring from external fertilisation results in a lower survival rate of the
fertilised gametes as it is not protected from predators, organisms that fertilise
internally are able to retain the zygote inside their body until it is fully developed thus
increasing its chance of survival as it is protected from predators.



















References
Hickman, Peter; Kennedy, Eileen; Aubusson, Peter Biology in Context The Spectrum of Life Second
Edition. Oxford 2004
http://tolweb.org/treehouses/?treehouse_id=3390
http://www.ehow.com/info_8177333_advantages-disadvantages-external-fertilization.html
http://biology.about.com/od/genetics/a/aa040805a.htm
http://cmlindblom.hubpages.com/hub/The-Breeding-Clown-Fish
http://www.asknature.org/strategy/fb410d8500af30a5daf5b647954b7fa5
http://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/biodiversity/loe/page_193.htm
http://www.inspiredsci.com/preliminary-biology/2011/9/2/internal-fertilization-the-red-
kangaroo.html
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4568162_amphibians-reproduce.html