Blog
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Fastplant selection experiment wrap up
Last Fall I completed the first round of an artificial selection experiment using Fastplants similar to one described in the new AP Biology Lab manual. I finally got around to planted, growing and scoring the second generation of seeds selected for higher trichome numbers. Here are some of the seed pods that I collected and kept…
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A Colorado Comeuppance
Over the last half-decade the summer expeditions to southern Colorado have exceeded our expectations–at least as far as the fishing goes. With relatively modest goals in mind of new streams to explore and new techniques to try it doesn’t take much to have a successful trip but lately the fly fishing in Southern Colorado has…
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Day 40–update
As I was looking over my past posts about growing these fastplants I was a little taken aback at how much time has passed from my last post back on Day 27. It is now Day 40 and as you can see from the images, the seed pods filled nicely and the plants are…
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Day 27 update
Note much to update. The seed pods are filling out and the plants overall are looking fine. I almost goofed up, yesterday. I had a number of meetings and forgot to check on the water. Remember I said I was having trouble going more than two days with out adding water. Well yesterday I should…
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There still a few monarchs
This year has been a particularly challenging year if you are a monarch butterfly. All over the summer range of the monarch folks have been lamenting the paucity of sitings. We should be at the height of migration and I’ve seen a total of three monarch–two on vector flight patterns and one seemingly search for…
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Day 23–Maintenance Mode
Last Tuesday I finished pollination. Since then I’ve simply been maintaining the plants–making sure they have water/fertilizer and trimming back excess flowers to concentrate the energy captured into fewer seed pods. This last procedure is analogous to the apple orchardist who sprays his/her trees with a blossom drop spray to limit the number of fruits…
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Day 17 Last day for Pollination
Today, I pollinated the two populations of Fastplants for the last time. Over the years I’ve got to say that one of the funniest times in the biology classroom occurs as someone finally makes the connection between pollination and plant sex. It changes the entire mood and energy in the room. Biology is relevant again. Perhaps…
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Just What We Were Looking For
One of the things a person learns after a time is to be careful about creating too many expectations based on daydreams, imagination or exaggerated stories. If you do, you are likely to be disappointed or worse you may actually attain your dream but not be satisfied because it didn’t quite match up to unreasonable…
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Day 15
A little bit has happened since the Update of Day 12 Update…. After counting hairs, putting the data into a spreadsheet, I still had to separate out the two populations from each other–the top 10-15% hairiest plants that would parent the Hairy generation needed to be isolated from the rest of the plants. On day…
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Back in the Southern Rockies
For more than 45 of my 60+ years, I have spent part of my summer in the Southern Rockies. No matter whether I am with family, with a friend or by myself I cherish the entirety of the experience. I’m not big into detailed agendas or plans so each trip usually has a sense of…
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