Honey Bee Research Notes
- "Importance of Bees." - British Beekeepers Association (BBKA). N.p., n.d.Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
- We as consumers depend on the bees. They help our food chain, they help pollinate crops, and they help economically and we don’t appreciate them as much as we should.
- This connects to my topic question in a great way. My question was why are honey bees important for the world economically and environmentally? The British Beekeepers Association or BBKA help inform me just how the UK has benefited and is dependent on bees. For example, “The economic value of honey bees and bumble bees as pollinators of commercially grown insect pollinated crops in the UK has been estimated at over £200 million per year.” If bees are bringing in that much money just in the UK, I think that bees are more important than we think, not just because they pull in money, but also because they pollinate crops in huge way. On the same website by the BBKA it states, “Pollination by bees is important for genetic sustainability.” Without bees, trees, crops, and other plants would be depended on the wind for pollination, bees really speed up the pollination process.
- I can use the information that I gained from this source by adding the income that bees bring in just to the UK to how much bees bring in for other countries. I want to have a third of my poster board dedicated to how bees help the economy whether that be the global economy or just single countries, or even both. Then I want to have to other third dedicated to how bees help nature. Separating my poster board into different parts will deliver my message of how bees are important and necessary for our economy and nature in a very clear and powerful way.
- “The economic value of honey bees and bumble bees as pollinators of commercially grown insect pollinated crops in the UK has been estimated at over £200 million per year.” -BBKA http://www.bbka.org.uk/kids/importance_of_bees
- “Pollination by bees is important for genetic sustainability.”-BBKA http://www.bbka.org.uk/kids/importance_of_bees
- Nrdc. Why We Need Bees. Publication no. 1. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
- This source gives a lot of information about what bees do for us in the United States and also explains what exactly is causing CCD. It also gives great examples of food that is pollinated by bees.(Which is a lot) I want incorporate this into my project by telling the public what they can do to help prevent CCD, because the bees do so much for us, it won’t take a lot from us to repay them.
- Again, I want to incorporate this into my project by informing the public what we can do to fight CCD. This will be useful because it will help give my project a solution. I think that if just even have like a quarter of my poster board dedicated to CCD the public will enjoy it. It is one thing to just write about how bees are important and necessary, but I feel like it another thing to offer a solution to the problem.
- The NRDC also gave me a lot of information about how the United States’ economy is currently affected by bees and what they do. It also gives me information about how the economy would really suffer if bees do go extinct. This information opened my eyes to how depended the United States is on bees, and I hope that it will give the public some new insight, and information.
- “Bees do more than make honey—they help produce some of our favorite foods: Apples, oranges, lemons, and limes, Broccoli, Onions, Blueberries, cherries, and cranberries, Cucumbers (and the pickles made from cucumbers), Cantaloupes, Carrots, Avocados, Almonds.” -NRDC https://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/animals/files/bees.pdf
- “The global economic cost of bee decline, including lower crop yields and increased production costs, has been estimated at as high as $5.7 billion per year.” -NRDC https://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/animals/files/bees.pdf
- Oldroyd BP (2007) What's Killing American Honey Bees? PLoS Biol 5(6): e168. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050168
- This source talks into depth about what is killing honey bees. It tells about some of the most unusual loses, some of the diseases that bees are facing, and even tells about what CCD. I want to include more information about CCD, than I originally planned. I think I can really show the public that the bees are facing a serious problem.
- This connects to my previous search and will allow me to really expand on CCD, and really explain to the public what it is. Inform the public about the problem the bees are facing, and really explain how many things that are contributing to the loss of bees. With this new information I will relay to the public, it will really understand and be aware how we need to preserve bees.
- My new idea after obtaining all of this information is to create a third of my poster board to relay my inform about CCD. It is a terrible thing that the bees are facing and it doesn't have enough publicity. The first timed I heard about CCD was in biology class, and I don’t think that is fair. Bee’s do so much for us and our environment, the least that we can do is our part to create a world where they can continue to live and help us.
- “More recently, there was an incident in 1995 in which Pennsylvania beekeepers lost 53% of colonies.” -http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0050168#s3
- A protozoan, Nosema apis, infests the guts of adult bees, and when present in high numbers, causes dysentery and early senescence of adult workers [16]. This is also unlikely to be the direct cause of CCD, because the dysentery is obvious and because just about all honey bee colonies are chronically infected with the parasite every spring, even when there are no colony losses. - http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0050168#s3
Honey Bee Reflection
I learned that honey bees are important for a couple of reasons. First a lot of our favorite is pollinated by bees. Therefore our food relies on the pollination by bees. I also learned that bees help our economy. Bees do more than just pollinate, they also make honey and wax. The things that they make help our economy and the food they pollinate help keep the prices of our fruits and vegetables cheap. When the bees pollinate, it allows up to eat the food here instead of having to transport food into the states. We are also able to sell the food we grow here with help of pollination from the bees. We should be concerned about the bees because they are facing a serous problem, colony collapse disorder. In society today we really do depend on the honey bees, and without them we will be hurt in a huge way, environmentally and economically. Pollination by bees helps our environment in a tremendous way, nothing else pollinates as cheap and effectively as honeybees. Our economy has started to also depend on the bees. They bring in tons of money, from plants to honey. If bees go extinct we will suffer. There are a few suspected causes but there isn't just one major cause. CCD is a problem and we should do our part to save the bees.
In this project I focused on 3 major things, CCD, and how bees help the environment and economy. I learned more about CCD, and also I learned about how bees help. For exhibition, I produced a poster on info-graphic. I was most proud on how professional my project ended up. I think that it looked awesome and I am excited to use it next year. I wish that I had created something that could be used more than once. I only used my infographic once and I probably won't use it ever again. But I did have a lot of fun making it.
In this project I focused on 3 major things, CCD, and how bees help the environment and economy. I learned more about CCD, and also I learned about how bees help. For exhibition, I produced a poster on info-graphic. I was most proud on how professional my project ended up. I think that it looked awesome and I am excited to use it next year. I wish that I had created something that could be used more than once. I only used my infographic once and I probably won't use it ever again. But I did have a lot of fun making it.
Dissection Reflection
I chose to dissect a pig because pigs are most like humans. I also like cats too much to want to cut one open, and the shark was very interesting to me. One big difference between the pig and the human that I learned about during this dissection, I learned that pigs do not have an appendix. I learned a lot about the anatomy of a pig and learned a lot about the human anatomy because of how similar they are. I learned that I didn't really have a problem with cutting open an animal to study it, I also had a lot of fun which is something else I learned.
Crime Scene Investigation
During this project we explored how advancements in forensic science have improved the efficacy of our justice system. Most of the class was assigned a fictitious crime scene that they investigated and solved. However, I asked to have a slightly different project so that I could better engage with the content. I chose to write about the science that would have been applied to solve a real crime that occurred. In the crime scene I read about, I learned about how a professional skateboarder, Mark Gator Rogowski killed his girlfriend, and how he even tried to get away with the murder. Not only did I learn about the actual crime scene, but I also learned about forensics that goes into solving a case. Without this project, I would have never learned about how foresnsics is actually one of the most important things when trying to solve a case.
The Murder of Jessica Bergsten
Brenden Wedertz
The Murder of Jessica Bergsten
On March 21, 1991, Mark “Gator” Rogowski and Jessica Bergsten went back to Mark’s house after touring San Diego. After drinking wine and watching movies, Mark then hit her over the head with a club. Next, after making her semi-unconscious, he proceeded to drag her to the bedroom, where he handcuffed her, and sexually assaulted. After the assault, he placed her in a surfboard bag, and because he was worried of the neighbors hearing her, he zipped up the bag, and placed his hand over Jessica’s mouth until she was no longer breathing. Later that night he drove the body to the Shell Canyon Desert where he made a shallow grave and disposed of the body.
Mark Gator Rogowski claims that murder was never the intention, however it was still the outcome. Gator became obsessively jealous over McClain, and this contributed to the death of Jessica. He broke into her home, stole gifts he had given her, he made threatening phone calls to McClain’s new boyfriend, he even threatened McClain directly. McClain informed the police about how Gator was acting, however his behavior was not monitored continuously. Jessica Bergsten body was found on April 10, 1991, by a group of campers in the Shell Canyon Desert. The body was decomposed and could not be identified.
Gator had confessed to the killing of Jessica Bergsten, but because he had went and turned himself in that helped his sentence. Also during the trial, Mark Gator Rogowski had said that Jessica Bergsten was the “mold Brandi was made out of”. Mark Rogowski was sentenced on March 6, 1992. He was sentenced to a 31 year prison trial, six years for forcible rape and twenty-five years to life for the first-degree murder. He was denied parole on February 7, 2011 and he won’t be eligible for parole again until February 2018. Mark is still in prison today.
To determine the cause of death and a many of other important answers when solving a case, a forensic pathologist would be called to help solve the case. The forensic pathologist will estimate the time of death either at the crime scene, or in their lab. If at the scene, the forensic pathologist may check for a watch on the victim, if the victim has one, is it broken? If it is, it may have broken when the victim was attacked or when the victim died especially after a long fall or heavy impact. Another way is to look at insect evidence at the scene. Insects have a very reliable order in which they arrive on a body. Fly species and beetles are most valuable at crime scene because blow flies are the first to arrive after the bacteria and fungus. A forensic pathologist could do any of these, but he or she should definitely run an autopsy. Autospies tell us many things, and help solve the case. For example, if the victim died as a result of a fatal stabbing, an autopsy can prove that the perpetrator was either left handed or right, taller or smaller, heavier or lighter, all characteristics which are useful in building up a physical profile of the attacker. An autopsy can also tell us if the victim tried to fight back, or if the victim didn’t, which is more useful information that can help conclude the case.
Not only does a forensic pathologist conduct an autopsy, they would also make a coroner's report. This report should tell all the information about the victim and their wounds, or whatever they were able to figure out. It should tell us when are where they came by their death. Sometimes the coroner chooses to hold a post mortem examination.
In the Gator case, blood samples were found in the house and tested to corroborate his confession. The blood type of the evidence found in gators apartment, matched that of the victim, Brandi Bergsten. Because Gator had confessed to the crime and the blood types were found to match, there was no need for DNA analysis in this investigation. DNA analysis is more expensive than blood typing, but it provides much more specific information about biological evidence such as blood and semen and is considered irrefutable associative evidence. Several basic steps are performed during DNA testing. The general procedure includes: the isolation of the DNA. We later find out who’s DNA it was and that help us piece together the crime. Next, the processing of the DNA so that test results may be obtained. After, the determination of the DNA test results (or types), from specific regions of the DNA. Last, the comparison and interpretation of the test results from the unknown and known samples to determine whether the known individual is not the source of the DNA or is included as a possible source of the DNA.
The Murder of Jessica Bergsten
On March 21, 1991, Mark “Gator” Rogowski and Jessica Bergsten went back to Mark’s house after touring San Diego. After drinking wine and watching movies, Mark then hit her over the head with a club. Next, after making her semi-unconscious, he proceeded to drag her to the bedroom, where he handcuffed her, and sexually assaulted. After the assault, he placed her in a surfboard bag, and because he was worried of the neighbors hearing her, he zipped up the bag, and placed his hand over Jessica’s mouth until she was no longer breathing. Later that night he drove the body to the Shell Canyon Desert where he made a shallow grave and disposed of the body.
Mark Gator Rogowski claims that murder was never the intention, however it was still the outcome. Gator became obsessively jealous over McClain, and this contributed to the death of Jessica. He broke into her home, stole gifts he had given her, he made threatening phone calls to McClain’s new boyfriend, he even threatened McClain directly. McClain informed the police about how Gator was acting, however his behavior was not monitored continuously. Jessica Bergsten body was found on April 10, 1991, by a group of campers in the Shell Canyon Desert. The body was decomposed and could not be identified.
Gator had confessed to the killing of Jessica Bergsten, but because he had went and turned himself in that helped his sentence. Also during the trial, Mark Gator Rogowski had said that Jessica Bergsten was the “mold Brandi was made out of”. Mark Rogowski was sentenced on March 6, 1992. He was sentenced to a 31 year prison trial, six years for forcible rape and twenty-five years to life for the first-degree murder. He was denied parole on February 7, 2011 and he won’t be eligible for parole again until February 2018. Mark is still in prison today.
To determine the cause of death and a many of other important answers when solving a case, a forensic pathologist would be called to help solve the case. The forensic pathologist will estimate the time of death either at the crime scene, or in their lab. If at the scene, the forensic pathologist may check for a watch on the victim, if the victim has one, is it broken? If it is, it may have broken when the victim was attacked or when the victim died especially after a long fall or heavy impact. Another way is to look at insect evidence at the scene. Insects have a very reliable order in which they arrive on a body. Fly species and beetles are most valuable at crime scene because blow flies are the first to arrive after the bacteria and fungus. A forensic pathologist could do any of these, but he or she should definitely run an autopsy. Autospies tell us many things, and help solve the case. For example, if the victim died as a result of a fatal stabbing, an autopsy can prove that the perpetrator was either left handed or right, taller or smaller, heavier or lighter, all characteristics which are useful in building up a physical profile of the attacker. An autopsy can also tell us if the victim tried to fight back, or if the victim didn’t, which is more useful information that can help conclude the case.
Not only does a forensic pathologist conduct an autopsy, they would also make a coroner's report. This report should tell all the information about the victim and their wounds, or whatever they were able to figure out. It should tell us when are where they came by their death. Sometimes the coroner chooses to hold a post mortem examination.
In the Gator case, blood samples were found in the house and tested to corroborate his confession. The blood type of the evidence found in gators apartment, matched that of the victim, Brandi Bergsten. Because Gator had confessed to the crime and the blood types were found to match, there was no need for DNA analysis in this investigation. DNA analysis is more expensive than blood typing, but it provides much more specific information about biological evidence such as blood and semen and is considered irrefutable associative evidence. Several basic steps are performed during DNA testing. The general procedure includes: the isolation of the DNA. We later find out who’s DNA it was and that help us piece together the crime. Next, the processing of the DNA so that test results may be obtained. After, the determination of the DNA test results (or types), from specific regions of the DNA. Last, the comparison and interpretation of the test results from the unknown and known samples to determine whether the known individual is not the source of the DNA or is included as a possible source of the DNA.