One of the films that I considered nominating was Annihilation (2018). This science fiction horror was written by Alex Garland, and stars Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac. I considered this film because I am an avid horror movie buff and I saw this assignment as a challenge to find horror films that directly relate to some of the topics covered in this course.

Before settling on Annihilation, I first thought about some other Plant Ecology related horror movies including The Ruins (2008) and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening (2008), where as a form of self defense against the rapidly increasing human population, plants worldwide begin to produce an airborne neurotoxin that targets people. Alas, I can not recommend that movie as it is dreadfully bad.

Annihilation primarily relates to our course’s topics of managing invasive plants and organisms, biodiversity loss and habitat fragmentation. As such, the premise of this film revolves around “the shimmer”, a constantly expanding permeable dome-like enclosure from another world that is engulfing the land, and all organisms within it. The shimmer was introduced to an area in the southern United States by a meteorite. The protagonists, an all-female group of scientists, learn that the shimmer is mutating the DNA of species and causing multiple species to morphologically combine, such as plants that take human form, and alligator shark hybrids.

The shimmer causes habitat fragmentation for the areas around the growing enclosure, but also acts like an out-of-control non-indigenous invasive species that is all consuming. The modified species within it are also able to outcompete all those that enter.

In conclusion, I recommend this film to any biology students that find enjoyment in the horror genre. One thing is certain, if issues like habitat loss, biodiversity loss and invasive species were this freaky, humans would likely be working a lot faster to solve them.

Ernest Everett Just is an African American biologist and a science and academic writer. He is known for many things but mostly for recognizing the fundamental role of cell surfaces in organism development. Just was born on August 14^th of 1883 in Charleston, South Caroline to Charles Frazier Just Jr. and Mary Matthews Just. For high school education, he enrolled in Kimball Union Academy, completing the 4-year program in just 3 years and with the highest grades in his class. He also graduated as Valedictorian. In later years, he would graduate from Dartmouth College with a Special Honors degree in Zoology. Within his college years, he would develop an interest in biology after learning about cell development and fertilization. Just earned a Ph.D. in 1916 while teaching at Howard University, and was the first African American to do so. Taking his research abroad, Just travelled to Naples, Italy and partook in many zoology experiments. He claimed that he enjoyed studying in Europe because he did not face as much discrimination as if he were to study in America. When the German Nazis invaded Italy in World War II, Just relocated to Paris and proceeded to finish his studies in France. He was determined to know more about the embryology of cells and the effect of ultraviolet radiation on cells. In 1939, he authored 2 books: Basic Methods for Experiments on Eggs of Marine Animals and The Biology of the Cell Surface. As he continued to finish his research in Roscoff, France; the French government advised foreigners to evacuate the country in order to escape the German Nazis. Just decided to stay, eventually being imprisoned but later released with the help of the family of his second wife (who were German citizens). After being released, Just was set to go home back to Washington, D.C but he had been ill for months prior, later finding out he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Just died on October 27^th, 1941.

References:

Wikimedia Foundation. (n.d.). Ernest Everett Just. Wikipedia. Retrieved February 26, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Everett_Just

Fisher Stevens’ Before the Flood (2016) was one of my other film nominations as it focused on the irreversible effects of climate change and the actions needed to prevent further catastrophe. Leonardo DiCaprio narrates this beautiful documentary and interviews credible sources such as Piers Sellers (NASA Scientist) and Barack Obama (Former President of the United States), gaining insight on their personal opinions of climate change and possible solutions to combat this issue. Sellers discusses his wish of educating the public on global warming with the time he had left [remaining to live]. He died on December 23^rd, 2016, approximately 2 months after the documentary premiered. DiCaprio talks about his journey across various countries and how climate change has negatively impacted them (ex. ecologically, economically or socially). One example is the effects of tar sands on local ecosystems, specifically in the province of Alberta. This example demonstrates the impact of mining (heavy metal pollution) on vegetation. Tar sands are vast mines in which bitumen (petroleum used for road surfacing) is extracted. This process is one of the main sources of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. The expansion of the mines has caused a great clearing of forests, putting animals (within habitat) at risk and polluting river streams. Sacred to Indigenous people, the river streams are one of their main sources of clean water. The documentary is made to be widely available and can be streamed free of charge on various platforms, due to National Geographic’s commitment of endorsing climate change awareness.

Sustainable Agriculture is a series of farming methods that are environmentally friendly. They are meant to meet society’s food and textile needs without damaging human or natural systems. There are many ways to increase agriculture sustainability such as devising new and more ethical farming and business practices. Environmentally-friendly farming methods include reducing agricultural runoff (water that moves over the surface of Earth due to irrigation, melted snow, etc), reducing the number of air pollutants surfacing, agroforestry (growing trees and shrubs amongst grazing land) and polyculture farming. “The goals of sustainable agriculture are to help provide enough food for everyone, bring communities out of poverty and provide an enhanced quality of life for farming families, and utilize farming methods that promote soil health and reduce reliance on fossil fuels for environmental sustainability” (Kacary, 2021). One of my favourite methods of agriculture sustainability is polyculture farming. This practice is planting and growing species in close proximity to each other as they both complement each other. This method can also prevent food scarcity and improve local food security. As opposed to monoculture (growing plants in isolation), many farmers have turned to polyculture as it can easily eliminate pests, disease and improve soil quality. The most important outcome is that it yields double as if you were to plant monoculturally. A well-known example of polyculture that has been introduced widely is “The 3 Sisters”, cultivated and harvested by Native Americans. The 3 Sisters consist of beans, corn and squash; all of these produce complement and help each other flourish – “The corn acts as the ‘centrepiece’ for the 3 sisters and is a shelter to them. The beans have a particular root system that helps benefit the other sisters. The squash has large leaves that spread on the ground to block sunlight and prevent weeds from growing” (Delle, 2013). If this practice is done with diligence and care, food security can be improved locally and prevent further food scarcity from occurring.

References:

Delle, G. (2013, July 24). Get to know your polycultures: The Three sisters. UMass Dining. Retrieved February 24, 2022, from https://umassdining.com/blog/sustainability/get-know-your-polycultures-three-sisters#:~:text=Three%20Sisters%20is%20a%20type,societies%20in%20traditional%20organic%20farming.&text=We%20see%20this%20reflected%20by,sisters%20that%20is%20uniquely%20beneficial.

Kacary, H. (2021, October 20). What is sustainable agriculture? ECO Canada. Retrieved February 24, 2022, from https://eco.ca/blog/what-is-sustainable-agriculture/#:~:text=The%20goals%20of%20sustainable%20agriculture,fossil%20fuels%20for%20environmental%20sustainability.

Test your knowledge of COVID-19 with these 5 multiple choice questions!

1. What does the “19” in COVID-19 refer to?

a. There are 19 ways to contract the virus

b. The first discovery of the virus was identified in 2019

c. There are 19 ways to cure the virus

d. There are 19 variants of the virus

2. What other viruses belong to the Coronavirus family?

a. SARS & Polio

b. SARS & MERS

c. SARS & HIV

3. Which of the symptoms is not common to COVID-19?

a. Hair loss

b. Cough

c. Abnormal fatigue

d. Fever

e. Loss of taste and/or smell

4. Which of the following is an example of social distancing?

a. Talking with your friends over a Zoom call

b. All of the above

c. Attending online lectures through an online meeting instead of meeting up in a classroom

d. Cancelling and/or postponing large conferences   

5. Who is more at risk for contracting COVID-19?

a. Young adults

b. Those with underlying medical conditions

c. Young children

d. Teenagers

Question 1:

The name of the disease commonly referred to as “covid” is COVID-19. What does COVID-19 mean?

A) COVID-19 stands for the “Coronavirus Disease of 2019”

B) COVID-19 is used as the name because it is the 19^th recorded form of the Coronavirus disease

C) COVID-19 is the name of this disease because it was discovered in the year 2019 in the Wuhan region of China

D)COVID-19 is the name of this disease because it was named after the person who first discovered it.

Answer: A

Question 2:

What are the most common symptoms of COVID-19 according to the World Health organization (WHO)?

A) Sore throat, red or irritated eyes, difficulty breathing and shortness of breath

B) Fever, cough, tiredness, and loss of taste or smell

C) Aches and pains, skin rashes, red or irritated eyes, headaches, and a sore throat

D)Chest pains, loss of speech or mobility, confusion, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, skin rashes, and discolouration of fingers or toes

Answer: B

Question 3:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), how long does it take for COVID-19 symptoms to appear on average? What is the highest number of days taken for symptoms to appear?

A) It will take on average 14-15 days for symptoms to appear after infection. The longest time for symptoms to appear is around 3 weeks after infection.

B) It will take on average 3-4 days for symptoms to appear after infection. The longest time for symptoms to appear is around 2 weeks after infection

C) It will take on average 9-10 days for symptoms to appear after infection. The longest time for symptoms to appear is around 4 weeks after infection.

D) It will take on average 5-6 days for symptoms to appear after infection. The longest time for symptoms to appear is around 2 weeks after infection.

Answer: D

Question 4:

What is the most infectious variant of COVID-19?

A) Alpha

B) Delta

C)Omicron

D)Gamma

Answer: C

Question 5:

What variant of COVID-19 is twice as contagious as earlier variants, and has the potential to cause severe illness?

A) Delta

B) Omicron

C) Alpha

D) Zeta

Answer: A

References:

DeSimone, D. C. (2022, February 17). Covid-19 variants: What’s the concern? Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/covid-variant/faq-20505779

Saey, T. H. (2022, February 28). How Omicron’s mutations make it the most infectious coronavirus variant yet. Science News. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/covid-coronavirus-omicron-variant-mutation-infectious

World Health Organization. (2021, May 13). Coronavirus disease (covid-19). World Health Organization. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19

The article I chose for the monkey puzzle tree forum was “An overlooked plant-parakeet mutualism counteracts human overharvesting on an endangered tree” by Speziale et al. As suggested by the title, the paper explores a mutualism between the monkey puzzle tree Araucaria Araucana and the Austral parakeet Enicognathus ferrugineus. Specifically, the relationship involves the partial or whole consumption of the seeds of the monkey puzzle tree by E.ferrugineus. Though often the parakeet will consume the seeds of the monkey puzzle tree whole, some seeds remain only partially eaten. As the monkey puzzle tree is harvested by human seed collectors who only harvest whole seeds, partially eaten seeds will be avoided. These partially eaten seeds were the target of research in order to find whether they may allow for propagation to occur, which would counteract the negative effects of overharvesting of seeds on the monkey puzzle tree. To do this, partially eaten seeds underwent testing to assess their germination potential in laboratory conditions. Three different seed types (intact, partially eaten by parakeet, and simulated damage by parakeet) were tested with 50 replicates each. Hand-cut seeds were found to have the highest germination rate, followed by partially eaten seeds, and the slowest to germinate were intact seeds. Due to these results, it was suggested that overharvesting of the intact monkey puzzle tree seeds alongside partial consumption of seeds by parakeets may lead to selection for improved regeneration in seeds which would lead to a change in the parakeet-monkey puzzle tree relationship from an antagonistic relationship to a mutualistic one (Speziale et al., 2018).  

Reference:
Speziale, K. L., Lambertucci, S. A., Gleiser, G., Tella, J. L., Hiraldo, F., & Aizen, M. A. (2018). An overlooked plant-parakeet mutualism counteracts human overharvesting on an endangered tree. Royal Society open science, 5(1), 171456. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171456

Q1) _____ is how effective a vaccine is at preventing disease and potentially reducing its spreading, while in a controlled environment. _______ is how effective the vaccine is at preventing disease and potentially reducing its spreading, while in the real world.

1. Vaccine Effectiveness; Vaccine Effectiveness
2. Vaccine Effectiveness; Vaccine Efficacy
3. Vaccine Efficacy; Vaccine Efficacy
4. Vaccine Efficacy; Vaccine Effectiveness

Q2) Which of the following is not an effective method of preventing the spread of Covid-19?

1. Washing your hands thoroughly for a minimum of 20 seconds
2. Holding your breath when walking past others
3. Wearing an N95 mask when in public settings
4. Social distancing
5. Isolating at home after coming in contact with a person who tested positive for Covid-19

Q3) The vaccines for Covid-19 contain microchips that will be used to track the movements and record conversations of the vaccinated.

1. True
2. False

Q4) What is the name of virus associated Covid-19?

1. Flu
2. H1N1
3. Covid-1900
4. Sars-CoV-2

Q5) You went over to your friend’s house and three days later, they call you to tell you that they have tested positive for Covid-19. You have shown no signs of any symptoms and are fully vaccinated. Which of the following would be the best response to limit the spread of Covid-19?

1. Self-isolate immediately and get tested as soon as possible.
2. You’re not showing any symptoms of Covid-19, so it isn’t likely that you are positive for it. It is safe for you to go to campus tomorrow for the in-person midterm for your favourite class.
3. Since you’re fully vaccinated, it’s safe for you to host grandma’s bingo night at the retirement home while social distancing.
4. Use a home remedy that your mother showed you in grade school since it always got rid of your illnesses. In a couple hours, it will be okay to arrive at your terminal to fly out of the country.

Answers: C, B, B,D, A.

“Impacts of cattle on the South American temperate forests: Challenges for the conservation of the endangered monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) in Chile” written by Zamorano-Elgueta et al., was the paper I posted in the Monkey Puzzle tree forum. Zamorano-Elgueta et al., analyzed the relationship between increasing the activity of cattle in South American temperate forests and forest regeneration. Cattle activity was measured by the quantity of cattle feces in the same area where they measure forest regeneration. Forest regeneration was measured by the quantity of sapling and seedlings. These two quantities along with the density of parent trees in the area are used for the function named cattle intensity index (also known as CAI). 

The results showed that the increase of cattle activity led to a decrease in forest regeneration, when looking at the overall data. When looking at specific forests, the severity of the impact of cattle activity on forest regeneration varies. Forests owned by timber companies had a steady decline in forest regeneration, while CAI increased. But forests owned by smaller landowners had their forest regeneration decline quickly to zero, as CAI increased. An increase in cattle activity also had an effect on the ratio between asexual and sexual regeneration, potentially leading to genetic drift in the future. 

Zamorano-Elgueta et al., came to the conclusion that the conservation of a single species does not directly translate to that species continuing to exist for an extended period of time. The focus should also be on maintaining an ecosystem that can support the increased population of the species. They suggest the involvement of stakeholders to aid in proposing strategies in controlling and limiting cattle activity on the plots where the endangered species grows. This paper highlights the relationship between cattle activity and forest regeneration, along with potential solutions to conserve the endangered monkey puzzle tree.

References:

Zamorano-Elgueta, C., Cayuela, L., González-Espinosa, M., Lara, A., & Parra-Vázquez, M. R. (2012). Impacts of cattle on the South American temperate forests: Challenges for the conservation of the endangered monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) in Chile. Biological Conservation, 152, 110-118.

One of the other movies that I had considered nominating was the movie Wall-E, released in 2008 by Disney. The movie touches on a wide variety of topics discussed within applied plant ecology, like the loss of plant biodiversity/plant extinction crisis caused by human ignorance of the effects of pollution on the environment, and habitat loss due to pollution of the environment. Wall-e is set many years in the future, where robots are the only inhabitants of Earth. The reason for why there is no humans on Earth any more is because of the massive amounts of waste that seemingly prevent natural life (apart from cockroaches, of course) from appearing or surviving. This changes when the film’s protagonist and the namesake of the movie, Wall-E discovers a sprout while performing his job, cleaning and “cubing” up trash. This leads to a series of events that lead to humanity’s return to Earth. The ways that this movie relate to the aforementioned topics are quite simple – the planet is uninhabitable in the first place because of the mountains of trash created by humanity. This situation has resulted in a great loss to plant life, as shown by only a singular living plant being shown early in the movie, and thus an extremely high level of biodiversity loss. As virtually no plants or animals exist in the world, one can assume that the accumulation of trash across the planet has also led to high levels of habitat fragmentation, and subsequent habitat loss, which may have occurred afterwards.