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Welcome to the Harpeth Hall Biology, Ecology & Environmental Issues Page
Here you will see the exploits of my Biology and Ecology Students

October 26th, 2016 A slime mold is growing in the compost bin outside of Massey Hall. Isn't it beautiful? I believe this is //Physarum polycephalum//, a plasmodial slime mold. This kind of slime mold does not have distinct cells, but consist of a mult-nucleate mass that expands as it feeds. Here it is primarily growing on coffee grounds and feeding on fungi and bacteria that are feeding on the coffee grounds.
 * [[image:Mold 1.jpg width="406" height="230"]] || [[image:Mold 2.jpg width="388" height="235"]] ||
 * [[image:Mold 3.jpg width="411" height="236"]] ||  ||

The Ecology classes tested the effect of earthworms and isopods on soil properties and plant growth using eco-terrariums that they constructed.

The eco-terrariums

Plant growth data Curiously enough the worms/isopods combo had the worst performance.

Biology students study the rate of cellular respiration in goldfish.
 * [[image:Cell resp lab 1.jpg width="401" height="231"]] || [[image:Cell resp lab 2.jpg width="410" height="235"]] ||

AP Biology students studying cellular respiration using respirometers.
 * [[image:Respiration1.jpg width="405" height="232"]] || [[image:Respiration2.jpg width="406" height="236"]] ||
 * [[image:Respiration3.jpg width="409" height="234"]] || [[image:Respiration4.jpg width="420" height="241"]] ||

The AP Biology class calculated the molarity of Russett potato and sweet potato.

The higher molarity of the sweet potato means that their cells have a higher solute concentration and lower water potential.

Biology students study the effect of a rooting compound on root development Plant cuttings exposed to rooting powder produced more roots... And gained more mass.
 * [[image:Plant photo 1.jpg width="329" height="189"]] || [[image:Plant photo 2.jpg width="312" height="179"]] ||
 * [[image:Plant photo 3.jpg width="330" height="187"]] || [[image:Plant photo 4.jpg width="319" height="186"]] ||
 * [[image:Plant photo 5.jpg width="330" height="187"]] || [[image:Plant photo 6.jpg width="334" height="192"]] ||
 * [[image:Plant photo 7.jpg width="336" height="193"]] ||  ||

B-block Ecology visited Warner Park on 8-26-2015 D-block Ecology visited Warner Park on 8-25-2015 Walk to School Day - October 14th [|Walk to School]

Video the discusses the hazards of abandoned fishing nets. media type="custom" key="27502122"

April 2015 Environmental Science students do water sampling at the Harpeth River during a period of high flow. Data

We also visited the Whites Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant

September 2014 The freshmen have started plants from seed for experiments.

And some of the plants have been transplanted to the hydroponic and aquaponic systems. Before too long these plants will take over.

The Ecology students visited the Warner Parks Nature Center and made observations of the different habitats.
 * [[image:NatCenter4.jpg width="440" height="251"]] || [[image:NatCenter2.jpg width="441" height="253"]] ||
 * [[image:NatCenter1.jpg width="440" height="255"]] || [[image:big chair.jpg width="401" height="701"]] ||

[|Philippine Tarsier Conservation]

March 2014 The Environmental Issues classes studied the greenhouse effect and the effect that moisture has on the effect. The found, not surprisingly, that cups containing soil become warmer when they are covered with plastic wrap. The more interesting effect is that of moisture. The dry treatments heated up faster in each case.

C/D covered dry U/D uncovered dry U/W uncovered wet ||
 * [[image:GH Effect Lab.jpg width="556" height="402"]] || C/W covered wet

December 2013 The Honors Biology students studied a simulation of natural selection. Predation of plain and printed butterflies is compared on plain and printed backgrounds. You can see that it clearly helps to be a printed moth on a printed background, and a plain moth on a plain background.



December 6, 2013 The Honors Biology students have been growing edible plants under various conditions.
 * [[image:Hydroponic 10-30-2013.jpg width="404" height="304"]] || [[image:Aquaponics.jpg width="380" height="286"]] ||
 * Hydroponics || Aquaponics ||
 * [[image:Cucumbers 11-14-2013.jpg width="396" height="299"]] || [[image:Kale.jpg width="378" height="285"]] ||
 * Little Cucumbers

Harvested Cucs || Kale

Getting ready to enjoy our kale, turnip greens, and cucumber salad. ||

Check out the Guerrilla Gardener media type="custom" key="23550266"