This is the blog for Ms. Hero's Biology Class at Carlmont High School. Articles related to what we are studying in class will be posted with prompts for student response.
I think the slugs are an animal and plant hybrid, and acting like the algae and using photosynthesis to produce their own food. They obtained the trait (or cell organelle chloroplasts) to make photosynthesis from the algae that they ate. Chloroplasts got into their cell walls, along with chlorophill, making them green. A species is a group of of organisms that breed to produce fertile offspring. I think the slugs with chloroplasts can breed with slugs that don't have chloroplasts, so they are the same species, but have different traits. It seems that the slugs have combined with the algae to produce a new cross of the two species.
These article is about Elsia Chlorotica . Elsia Chlorotica is a sea slug that looks like a leaf . The Cholorotica eats by sucking the inside out of a strand of algae . Some sea animals have the right chemicals tools to turn sunlight into food .
You are what you eat is a great way to explain this article. I think the sea slug has different types of cells in it's body. If it can turn into a leaf-looking slug after eating one, then something must be different. It was intersting reading about this particular sea slug because it ha a different method of survival. As plants have chloroplasts, this slug eats algae which has cloropasts and now has the characteristics of a leaf. The slug can use photosynthesis to mak it's own food and may never have to eat again.I think the slug is lucky to have the cells like that so he can survive without eating by using photsynthesis.
Its an interesting idea that the slug is actually become an algae. The slug is fusing wit the algae and adopting its methods. This does not mean it is a plant. I wonder why the slug cant just develop the chlorphill on its own without eating the algae. I do admit it is a interesting animal for using the light from the sun as energy. It's very unique but saying the slug is turning into algae is a bit too far.
The slugs can be considered as a animal and plant hybrid. For example, they can act like algae weeds and can use the ability to produce their own food with photosynthesis. These algae weeds can use chloroplasts, which take direct sunlight and convert it into food. These slugs can eat the algae so it can take the characteristics of the plant and the slug can inherit them now. Therefore, the slug can now make it's own food because of it's chloroplasts it inherited from the algae. A species is a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
I especially like how the slug's scientific name is "elysia chlorotica". Elysia is the name of the particular group of sea slugs, and chlorotica shares the root "chloro" with the words "chlorophyll" and "chloroplast" (so does that mean "chlorotica" means "with chloropyll/chloroplasts"?).
This article showed how a sea slug has adapted to be able to make it's own food. After eating algae, the slug is able to make it's own food by photosynthesis, just like the plant it ate. This is fascinating that the sea slug has been able to absorb the chloroplasts. This is very interesting how this slug works and is very different than any other animal because this has traits of an animal and plant.
"You are what you eat" is a great way to explain these sea slugs. The Elysia Chlorotica is a sea slug in which eats algae, through the process of eating the algae they acquire choloroplasts. With the choloroplasts these sea slugs are able to make their own food through photosyntheis, just like plants do.
During Sideny K. Pierce's studies, some interesting things have come up. It appears that the algae eating sea slug, Elysia chlorotica, has begun to adapt those traits of its food. The slug has been tested and now has the sbility to produce its own chlorophyll, a vital part of photosynthesis. It shows it can use this and the algae's genectic "instructions" to create its own food, potentially providing food for the rest of its life. The studies show how the gene could have crossed over and is now mixing with the slug's genes.
It is very interesting how a simple slug that eats algea is becoming algea. The slug has adopted the traits to make chlorophyll in the chloroplasts that it has stolen. This shows how genes from an outside source can be absorbed to form a new organism. It is also interesting that the slug acquired the trait by just eating the algea, and not needing to mate and reproduce.
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I think the slugs are an animal and plant hybrid, and acting like the algae and using photosynthesis to produce their own food. They obtained the trait (or cell organelle chloroplasts) to make photosynthesis from the algae that they ate. Chloroplasts got into their cell walls, along with chlorophill, making them green. A species is a group of of organisms that breed to produce fertile offspring. I think the slugs with chloroplasts can breed with slugs that don't have chloroplasts, so they are the same species, but have different traits. It seems that the slugs have combined with the algae to produce a new cross of the two species.
ReplyDeleteThese article is about Elsia Chlorotica . Elsia Chlorotica is a sea slug that looks like a leaf . The Cholorotica eats by sucking the inside out of a strand of algae . Some sea animals have the right chemicals tools to turn sunlight into food .
ReplyDeleteYou are what you eat is a great way to explain this article. I think the sea slug has different types of cells in it's body. If it can turn into a leaf-looking slug after eating one, then something must be different. It was intersting reading about this particular sea slug because it ha a different method of survival. As plants have chloroplasts, this slug eats algae which has cloropasts and now has the characteristics of a leaf. The slug can use photosynthesis to mak it's own food and may never have to eat again.I think the slug is lucky to have the cells like that so he can survive without eating by using photsynthesis.
ReplyDeleteIts an interesting idea that the slug is actually become an algae. The slug is fusing wit the algae and adopting its methods. This does not mean it is a plant. I wonder why the slug cant just develop the chlorphill on its own without eating the algae. I do admit it is a interesting animal for using the light from the sun as energy. It's very unique but saying the slug is turning into algae is a bit too far.
ReplyDeleteThe slugs can be considered as a animal and plant hybrid. For example, they can act like algae weeds and can use the ability to produce their own food with photosynthesis. These algae weeds can use chloroplasts, which take direct sunlight and convert it into food. These slugs can eat the algae so it can take the characteristics of the plant and the slug can inherit them now. Therefore, the slug can now make it's own food because of it's chloroplasts it inherited from the algae. A species is a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
ReplyDeleteI especially like how the slug's scientific name is "elysia chlorotica". Elysia is the name of the particular group of sea slugs, and chlorotica shares the root "chloro" with the words "chlorophyll" and "chloroplast" (so does that mean "chlorotica" means "with chloropyll/chloroplasts"?).
ReplyDeleteThis article showed how a sea slug has adapted to be able to make it's own food. After eating algae, the slug is able to make it's own food by photosynthesis, just like the plant it ate. This is fascinating that the sea slug has been able to absorb the chloroplasts. This is very interesting how this slug works and is very different than any other animal because this has traits of an animal and plant.
ReplyDelete"You are what you eat" is a great way to explain these sea slugs. The Elysia Chlorotica is a sea slug in which eats algae, through the process of eating the algae they acquire choloroplasts. With the choloroplasts these sea slugs are able to make their own food through photosyntheis, just like plants do.
ReplyDeleteDuring Sideny K. Pierce's studies, some interesting things have come up. It appears that the algae eating sea slug, Elysia chlorotica, has begun to adapt those traits of its food. The slug has been tested and now has the sbility to produce its own chlorophyll, a vital part of photosynthesis. It shows it can use this and the algae's genectic "instructions" to create its own food, potentially providing food for the rest of its life. The studies show how the gene could have crossed over and is now mixing with the slug's genes.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting how a simple slug that eats algea is becoming algea. The slug has adopted the traits to make chlorophyll in the chloroplasts that it has stolen. This shows how genes from an outside source can be absorbed to form a new organism. It is also interesting that the slug acquired the trait by just eating the algea, and not needing to mate and reproduce.
ReplyDelete