New Bingo: Evolutionary Wonders - We have a WINNER!

[socialsue]

I got one so that leaves me with a total of 8!

socialsue

[tiffstitch]

One more today brings me to 6.

Carole: Right! I forgot you'd won already. In that case I'm all about me! (and everyone else who still needs a win )

[kell]

Goodness, I'm up to 9 now!!!

[Ketta]

My apologies for posting so late today. I'm one of those sorry folks who thinks, "Hey, it's summer, I'm going to have loads more time than I usually do!" Unfortunately, every year (and I never learn), I take on more projects, work, and other time consuming things than I have time for (like all the rest of the year). Not thinking I'll ever learn....

Anyhow, here are today's picks!

4. Walking Stick
14. The Bumblebee and the Blueberry

The walking stick or 'stick bugs' are a wonderful example of how camouflage has evolved in so many animals, and not just insects. There are a lot of species of stick insects, and all of them have evolved over millions of years to mimic their surroundings. Some simply mimic sticks or twigs, but even though it's a 'simple' look, they do it well, right down to bark texture. Some look more complex, like a pile of leaves, or even a branch with leaves growing out of it. Stick insects use a swaying motion when they move, to mimic leaves and branches moving in a breeze. I have some as pets, and they even 'play dead' by sticking their legs close to their bodies and falling to the bottom of their cage, just like a dead twig. And if THAT doesn't work, they pop up and try to scare me by arching their butts up like a scorpion! In the wild, they are incredibly hard to see, even for us.

14. I used the relationship of the bumblebee and the blueberry to represent the evolution of the relationship between plants and pollinating insects. Plants, back in the old days, didn't produce seeds... until they evolved to do so. Even then, the gymnosperms (meaning 'naked seed', and incorporating plants like conifers, ginkgo trees, etc that do not produce fruit covered seeds) were pollinated by wind. Today, most plants are flowering and fruit-bearing, and a vast number of those plants are pollinated by insects (the 'oldest' flowering plants are wind pollinated, like grasses). Most of our crops are pollinated by insects, and without the bees in particular, we would have a very difficult time getting decent crops. I'm sure many of you have hard of the decline in bee populations in the last decade, in fact there is a very good documentary on the subject that is really quite educational both about the bees and farming practices.

As mentioned with the orchids earlier, many plants can only be pollinated by insects. Though our crops aren't as specialized, and pretty much any bee will do the job right, they DO need the bees. And as we all know, it's a win-win-win relationship; the plants get pollinated, the bees get food, and we get to eat the benefits from both!

Good luck everyone... I know we're getting close!

[rcperryls]

One for me. 7 total.

Carole

[mechie]

2 again, that makes nine!

mechie
(and now I want blueberries )

[kell]

Still 9 for me...

[tiffstitch]

Both today brings me to 8!

[Ketta]

Good morning and happy Friday! Here are today's picks.... will we have a winner??

6. Peppered Moth
29. Kirkland's Warbler

The peppered moth is one of the first examples of 'human intervention that influenced evolution'. I put that in quotes because it was later found that this well-known study had a little too much human intervention, yet it still provides a good example of the 'survival of the fittest' theory.

There are multiple factors that drive evolution, and the push behind evolutionary change is genetics and mutations that frequently occur. Peppered moths are typically whitish with black speckles. This colouring helps camouflage them on the pale bark of trees like birch. Genetically, this colouring is dominant, but a less common colour phase is black with white speckles, usually referred to as a recessive phase or mutation. The moths that are black obviously don't camouflage well and are preyed upon easily. However, during the industrial boom, when factory smoke stacks were plentiful in the regions where the peppered moth lived, it was observed that the population of the black peppered moths grew exponentially. They camouflaged perfectly and the smoke-blackened factory stacks, and since the black phase genetics were recessive, the young of both black phase parents were black.

This is an excellent example, and, in fact, is referred to in almost every biology text, of how those organisms most fit to survive an environment and can successfully reproduce influence evolution.

On the other hand, the Kirkland's warbler represents how human intervention can devastate a species, even when the humans involved had no intention of doing so. Native to the northeastern US and parts of Canada, it's habitat is very specific to young jack pine forests. The reason for this wasn't known for some time, and it didn't dawn on people why their numbers continued to decline even when jack pine forests were preserved. It wasn't until many years of study and research brought scientists to understand forests and how many of them have evolved to actually need fire to thrive that they figured out the secret of the Kirkland's warbler.

Many forests need fire. It would take a very long explanation of this to provide a good understanding, but basically, when a jack pine forest isn't allowed to burn every 15-20 years, the forests become less optimal. Few tree seedlings will grow, not as much food is available, and for the Kirkland's warbler, nesting sites slowly disappear. This little bird nests on the ground, beneath the boughs of young jack pines, and once the trees are 15 or more years old, they no longer have branches close to the ground. By then. These forests have long dry months in the summer, and are prime spots for fires. The act of fire suppression by humans has actually done more harm than good in most forested areas.

Now, with better understanding, many fire-suppressed areas now experience controlled burns when possible. In the jack pine forests, a natural fire occurred once every 10 to 20 years, encouraging young jack pine seedlings to grow and thrive. Thus, the Kirkland's warbler continues to have prime nesting sites. I've taken a couple of classes on forest habitats, and it's really amazing to learn how forests work!

Good luck everyone.

[rcperryls]

one more so I'm up to 8 but its awfully close for a few others.
Love the info on Kirkland's warbler and how important the way forests are maintained affects birds and how important allowing nature to do what nature does, maintains the ecosystem. It is such a delicate balance. And often when we think we are doing "good" it backfires. Like preventing natural forest fires. I have read that one reason they get out of hand and out of control is because by preventing fire we allow the undergrowth to become more "kindling" when a fire does occur. Not sure if I am explaining it properly or not, but I seem to remember a lot of controversy over allowing "controlled" burns and that preventing them just made the fires worse when they happen.

I will be sorry when this bingo is over. Not because I don't win, but because I have enjoyed your information.

Carole

[tiffstitch]

One more today brings me to 9! Anyone else?

[mechie]

None today, so I'm still at 9. Looks like this will be a close game.

mechie

[Ketta]

Thanks Carole, I'm also enjoying sharing information!

And yes, you're right about fire suppression causing fires, when they DO happen, to be raging, out of control wildfires. The buildup of undergrowth, especially in drier areas, is far worse for a forest than frequent burning, usually because 'natural' fires burn quick, rarely reaching the canopy, and not nearly as hot. Trees that live in 'frequent fire' areas have thicker bark and usually survive quick, natural fires. When the big nasty ones happen though, almost everything is destroyed because of longer, hotter fires that often reach the more tender canopies, and it takes much longer for a forest to recover.

[socialsue]

None for me so I am still at 8. Interesting information and enjoyed reading them too!!

socialsue

[kell]

Still on 9 as well! Looks like this will be another close one!

[Ketta]

Just an FYI, if we don't have a winner today, I won't be putting up the next picks until Monday afternoon. I'm going out of town for a quick visit with family. But hopefully, we will have a winner today, so best of luck everyone!!

Today's picks:

12. The Finches of the Galapagos
30. Shrews

The various species of finch that call the Galapagos Islands their home are thought to have evolved from a single species that populated the islands not long after they formed. This discovery aided in inspiring Darwin to the idea of evolution.

The reason why separate species formed is based on the theory of niches. In any ecosystem, there are 'niches', places in the system where food is available (this is a very basic explanation), and in a healthy ecosystem, there is at least one organism that fills each niche. For example, one species of Galapagos finch eats insects it finds mainly in rotting wood, under bark, or in holes between rocks or in trees. It uses a stick to poke out insects and grubs. This species specializes in this behaviour and thrives because no other animal occupied this niche. There are finches on the islands that eat seeds, flying insects, and other available food.

Shrews are thought to be one of the most ancient of mammals, or at least descended from them. It's believed that shrew-like mammals were thought to be the first mammals to evolve. It is still not understood why or how they came to be 'warm-blooded' or give live birth, although there are many good reasons why a species would benefit from these traits. As mentioned above, shrews evolved to fill a niche, likely when insects and other terrestrial invertebrates were very plentiful.

Shrews have incredibly fast heart rates and high metabolisms. They never seem to be still, and if they go without food for more than a day, it's likely they would die of starvation. They gobble up insects, worms, and other similar food at an astonishing rate. They have poor vision but a very good sense of smell, can produce several litters of young per year, and young mature in about 3 weeks... meaning they can start producing young the same year they were born. They are short lived, especially the males, and rarely live more than 1-2 years.

[rcperryls]

one more makes 9 but there were a lot of 9's already, so I expect someone will win and have to start another for the rest of us.

Carole

[Ketta]

We have a winner! Congratulations destructiveernie!

[destructiveernie]

Bingo!!

[mechie]

Congratulations, destructiveernie!

mechie