CONCLUSION

The study of both Geology and Biology is very important. Geology is the study of everything about the place we live in, the Earth; while Biology lets us understand the human anatomy, as well as everything about the living things around us.

The creation of this portfolio has been a valuable experience. I have always liked studying Biology, so it's not hard for me to enjoy the Biology concepts. Geology, on the other hand, is another story. But, creating this portfolio made me appreciate Geology. I not only get to learn about the different concepts of Geology and Biology, but I also get to enjoy them by doing various activities from the modules and study guides.

SPECIES DIVERSITY

[c] KCLF

Biodiversity is the diversity of living organisms. Each species adapts to its niche, and this allows the species to reproduce and sustain its population. A species interacts with the environment, and this interaction, as well as the system, make the balance. An imbalance happens when many other species are affected by the loss of one species.

There are various human activities that reduce species diversity. One among the many threats to diversity is urbanization. In line with urbanization are habitat alteration and pollution.

Our city is located on the slopes of a mountain range. Large areas surrounding our subdivision are empty lands covered in trees. But to make room for new subdivision and villages, and to build more houses, these trees were cut and burned down. There is also an increase in population which becomes a major cause of pollution. This is a main threat to diversity, causes a huge loss of species. and creates imbalance.

Loss of species impacts our lives, and so we must take care of diversity. If we do that, it is going to be a win-win situation.

References:
http://www.biodiversity.ru/coastlearn/bio-eng/boxes/specdiv.html
http://redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/3.Conservation/impacts.htm#2.2.5

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

We may or may not be aware of this, but human activities are huge threats to the habitats of many animals and plants. In our area, one specific activity that has resulted in near/complete eradication of plant species is the 'kaingin', or the slashing and burning down of trees. Lands nearby are empty, but to create more villages, trees had to be cut and burned down.

I have taken this photo a few years back. As you can see, although larger parts of the mountain range are still covered with trees, a huge chunk is already bald. This has to be done for urbanization, but it's saddening all the same.

THE DIFFERENT LIFE FORMS

[c] KCLF

Our busy street is full of different life forms. You'll see people passing by, animals such as cats and dogs wandering or being strolled around by their owners; various kinds of plants, big or small (in front of our house is a big santol tree); and if you keep looking, you'll see insects such as ants or bugs.

All living organisms and species are divided into five kingdoms - Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. Classifying all the mentioned life forms above, humans, the cats, dogs, ants and bugs belong to Kingdom Animalia, while all plants belong to Kingdom Plantae. Fungi grow on almost anything, and they can be found on rocks, or on tree branches; Protozoans under Kingdom Protista can be found in moist and watery environments such as on the canals; and species under the Kingdom Monera, even though we can't see them, are surely found anywhere.

ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN PLANTS

Asexual reproduction in plants has its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that there is no need for a mate and yet asexual reproduction lets plants produce large number of offspring.

Disadvantages to this type of reproduction includes lack of diversity since all offspring will be identical, and easy extinction since a predator who can take a species down can take out the whole population. Furthermore, offspring in this kind of reproduction cannot adapt to environment because of the lack of 'genetic variability'.

PLANT ANATOMY

Walking through a garden or park will let you see many livings things. From humans, to animals, to insects, and to plants. Perhaps, majority of what you will see in a garden/park are different kinds of plants. Compared to all other living things, we all know what makes them different.

A plant has leaves, stems/branches, and sometimes flowers. Some plants also have fruits. And of course, even if we can't see them, plants have roots. Below are the different parts of a plant, and their short descriptions.

ROOTS

- Absorb water and minerals from the soil
- Anchor the plant in the soil

STEMS

- Support the plant
- Get nutrients and water from the roots, and food from leaves, and transfer them to other parts of the plant

LEAVES

- Where most food is made
- Capture sunlight through photosynthesis

FLOWERS

- The reproductive part of most plants
- Contain pollen and ovules

FRUIT

- Provides covering for seeds
- Can be fleshy or hard

SEEDS

- Form in the fruit
- Contain new plants




Reference:
http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/parts.html

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS

Category	Observed Characteristics
	Flu virus (virus)	Salmonella (bacteria)	Sunflower (plant)	House lizard (animal)
Made of up the same chemical substances	Nucleic acid DNA or RNA Protein coat	RNA DNA Phospholipids Polysaccharides	Carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin)	Water Protein Ash
Composed of a cell/cells	No	Yes (gram-negative)	Yes	Yes
Require water and a source of energy	No; rely on the energy within the living cell the virus has infected	Yes; inorganic compounds	Yes; from the sun	Yes; heat
Reproduce and grow	Reproduce only	Yes (binary fission)/Yes	Yes	Yes
Have limited lifespans	No	No	Yes	Yes
Respond to surroundings; homeostasis	Yes; No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Have the ability to move	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Repair injuries to themselves	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Undergo change over time	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Which of the four (virus, bacteria, sunflower and house lizard) is not considered as a living thing? Give the reason for your answer.

Virus. Viruses need hosts, but until they enter a living cell, they can't do anything on their own. Without a host, they cannot reproduce. 

RELATIVE DATING OF ROCKS

Relative dating of rocks means putting rock layers in chronological order. The method of reading the order is called stratigraphy.

Law of Superposition - Sedimentary layers are deposited depending on the time sequence, with the oldest on the bottom and youngest on top.
Principle of  Original Horizontality - Rock layers form in a horizontal position
Principle of cross-cutting relationships - Faults are younger than the rocks they cut.

A - Granite: older

B - Basalt: younger

E - Schist: oldest

B - Basalt

C - Limestone

D - Sandstone

A - Siltstone: youngest

G - Conglomerate: oldest

C - Siltstone

A - Limestone

B - Fault

F - Limestone

H - Sandstone

D - Shale

I - Shale

E - Fault - youngest

Geological history of the area where Cross Section C is found:


The rocks were cut by fault (E) - last event to happen
Shale (I) was formed a little on top of Shale (D)
Shale (D) was formed on top of Sandstone (H)
Sandstone (H) formed on top of Limestone (A) and Limestone (F)
Limestone (F) was formed a little on top of Limestone (A)
The rocks were cut by fault (B)
Limestone (A) was formed
Siltstone (C) was formed
Conglomerates (G) were laid down flat - first event to happen




References:
http://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/40_What_is_the_geological_history.pdf
https://www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/stratigraphy_geologic_history_of_a_region_in_cross_section
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1485-relative-dating

THE BIG ONE

After Surigao quake, is West Valley Fault next?

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Last February 10, 2017, Surigao was hit by a 6.7 magnitude earthquake that destroyed lives and properties. PHIVOLCS has been warning residents from Metro Manila and other nearby provinces to be more prepared for the the possible 7.2 magnitude earthquake, especially that the West Valley Fault is ripe for movement. Six were reported dead during the Surigao earthquake, while there were over 100 casualties. PHIVOLCS reminded everyone that if an earthquake like the Surigao earthquake will happen in Metro Manila, there will be more or less 21,000 casualties. They said that they have to inspect a number of buildings that could be of "massive endeavor", as to lessen the predicted number of casualties.

This news about the possible magnitude 7.2 earthquake is really scaring me, and there is no denying that. Places along the West Valley Fault Line include Quezon City, Marikina, Makati, Pasig, and Rodriguez Rizal. Although our place is not included, we are near some of these mentioned places. The place where I work is already at the boundary of Antipolo and Marikina. I often go to Quezon City, Pasig, and Makati. Moreso, I am fortunate enough not to experience high magnitude earthquakes in the past, so I won't really know what kind of preparation it is that I need to do. One thing I know is that I have to be prepared as early as now. I can achieve this by doing research about proper earthquake protocols, telling my family and friends about it, sharing relevant news and information on my social media account about earthquakes, especially about "The Big One", and preparing emergency kits at home.

The West Valley Fault may or may not be next, but all we can do right now is to be prepared for it physically, psychologically, and emotionally. Furthermore, letting the people about this even if no one knows when this is going to happen is a very smart thing to do. I hope that PHIVOLCS, as well as the government, won't fail to give constant news and reminders about The Big One.

PHILIPPINE VOLCANOES AND PLATE TECTONICS

This map shows the distribution of active, inactive, and potentially active volcanoes in the Philippines. The country is sitting on a tectonic setting that is ideal for the formation of volcanoes. 

Volcanoes in the Philippines are produced at the intersection of the Philippine Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The Philippine belong to the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the oceanic Philippine plate and other micro-plates are subducting along the Philippine Trench, Luzon Trench, Sulu Trench, and other small trenches. The subduction of these plates along the said trenches produces a discontinuous line of active volcanoes. There are 23 active volcanoes in the country. Included in the list of active volcanoes are Mayon, Taal, Pinatubo, Banahaw, Bulusan, Hibok-Hibok, and Kanlaon.

References:

http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/southeast_asia/philippines/tectonics.html

http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=86

PHILIPPINE FAULT LINES AND TRENCHES

This is a map showing the active faults and trenches in the Philippines. The Philippine Fault Zone is a 1,200 km zone that runs across the country. It extends from Bangui, Ilocos Norte, crosses Infanta, Quezon and travels across Northern Samar, and traverses up to Mati, Davao Oriental.

The fault zone has been the source of large-magnitude earthquakes over the years including magnitude 7.7 Luzon earthquake in 1990 and the magnitude 6.2 Masbate earthquake in 2003.

List of faults in the Philippines:
Bangui Fault
West Ilocos Fault System
Dummon River Fault Sytem
Abra River Fault
Divalacan Fault
Tubao Fault
Casiguran Fault
East Zamabales Fault
Iba Fault
Digdig Fault
Infanta Fault
Guinyangan Fault
Valley Fault System
Central Marinduque Fault
Lubang Fault
Sibuyan Fault
Central Mindoro Fault
Aglubang River Fault
Lake Bato Lineament
Southern Mindoro Fault
Northern Samar Lineament
Tablas Fault
Masbate Fault
Southern Samar Lineament
West Panay Fault
Central Negros Fault
Cebu Linemanet
Central Leyte Fault
East Bohol Fault
Cabanglasan Fault
Tagoloan River Fault
Lanao Fault System
Davao River Fault
Lianga Fault
Eastern Mindanao Fault
Central Mindanao Fault
Mati Fault
Tangbulan Fault
Mindanao Fault Daguma Extension
Zamboanga Fault System

The Philippines has six trenches.

The Philippine Trench is an underwater or submarine trench to the east of the Philippines that has a length of about 1,320 km and a width of about 30 km. Separated by the Benham Plateau, on its north is the East Luzon Trench.

Other trenches include Manila Trench, Negros Trench, Sulu Trench, and Cotabato Trench.




References:
http://www.affordablecebu.com/load/philippine_government/philippines_fault_lines_and_trenches/5-1-0-28503
http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=379&Itemid=500023

PANGAEA

The Continental Drift Theory explains the existence of a supercontinent before its pieces drifted apart and resulted to smaller continents. This idea was presented in 1912 by geophysicist and meteorologist Alfred Wegener.

The supercontinent was named Pangaea ("all the Earth") by Wegener.

This is an illustration of supercontinent Pangaea.

This is an illustration that represents Pangaea before and after.

The seven continents of the world are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

The continents fit together, and are like puzzle pieces of Pangaea.

Reference:

http://www.livescience.com/37529-continental-drift.html

THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

Above is an illustration of the Earth's internal structure. You'll see the Earth's crust, mantle, outer and inner cores.

The crust is the Earth's covering. It has two different types - the thin oceanic crust and the thick continental crust. The thin oceanic crust are mostly made up of basalt, and underlies the ocean basins, while the thick continental crust is mostly made up of granite, and underlies the continents.

The Earth's mantle is its second layer, lying between the crust and the core. It is the biggest part of the Earth, and takes up 84% of its volume. The mantle is divided in two sections - the Asthenosphere and the Lithosphere. The Asthenosphere is found below the Lithosphere, and is made up of plastic-like fluid. The Lithosphere, on the other hand, is at the top part of the mantle, and is made up of cold, dense rock. The mantle has an average temperature of 3000 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperature of the mantle is beneath the crust, while the highest temperature is where the mantle is in contact with the core.

The core of the Earth is its source of heat. It is divided into the outer core and the inner core. The outer core is liquid because the temperatures found here can melt the iron and nickel alloy. The inner core is solid and has a temperature higher than the outer core.

The internal structure of the Earth can be compared to the cross-section of any fruit, such as this calamansi:

Its green outer layer represents the Earth's crust.

When you cut it in half, you'll see a very thin part of its skin, the seeds, and its yellow flesh. The yellow flesh represents the Earth's mantle, and the seeds its core. 

References:

http://gamediv1.weebly.com/mantle.html

http://geology.com/nsta/earth-internal-structure.shtml

TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

Topography is the study of the features and shape of the Earth's surface, and topographic maps represent this surface. 

Included in a topographic map is a map scale, vertical scale, and contour lines. A map scale cover areas from a block, a city, on the entire Earth, while a vertical scale allows the determination of a point in 3-D space. The contour lines are lines that are made from connecting points of equal elevation.

Topographic map of Metro Manila

A screenshot of a part of Metro Manila taken from Google Maps

Streams in topographic maps are easy to identify as they are represented by blue lines. Streams are found in local topographic lows. When contour lines run down the streams, they form V-shape patterns and point uphill.

Rerefences:

http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/basics/topo.htm

http://faculty.chemeketa.edu/afrank1/topo_maps/streams.htm

http://weather.gladstonefamily.net/topoweb/guide.html

ALL ABOUT THE PLASTICS

What are plastics and where do they come from?

Plastic is the common term for different synthetic and semi-synthetic materials used in a wide-range of application.

Plastics are polymers, or chains of like molecules that are linked together. They are derived from materials found in the environment. Most plastics are made from natural products such as cellulose, coal, and natural gas, and oil.

Plastics are usually lightweight, and with varying degrees of strength.  It can be cast, pressed, or extruded into bottles, boxes, fibers, and a lot more.

The two categories of plastic materials are thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics. Thermoplastics can be heated up to form products. When these products are heated again, the plastic will again melt. Majority of plastics are under this category. Thermoplastics are usually used in food packaging. Examples also include jugs and soft drink bottles. Thermosetting plastics, on the other hand, can be heated and formed, but can no longer be reheated. They stay solid, and cannot melt again. Examples of thermoset plastics are epoxy and phenolic adhesives. These kinds of plastic are used in automobiles and construction.

Different kinds of plastics include polybutylene, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethylene, and polymethylpentene.


----------
References:

https://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/about-plastics/types-of-plastics/what-are-plastics/

http://www.plasticseurope.org/what-is-plastic.aspx

https://plastics.americanchemistry.com/How-Plastics-Are-Made/

MINERALS IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippines is rich in minerals such as copper, chromite, and gold. Many of the equipment that we use were made of these minerals. Below are some minerals being mined in the country, and their uses.

1. Copper

- Conduction of electricity

- Cooking utensils, heat exchanges, heat sinks

2. Chromite

- Chrome plating

- Alloying

- Production of superalloys, nichrome, stainless steel

3. Cobalt

- Aircraft engine parts

- Batteries and electroplating

4. Gypsum

- Cement, plaster of Paris, hardening retarder, soil conditioning, wallboard

5. Iron

- Steel

6. Nickel

- Stainless steel

7. Silver

- Silver tableware

- Mirrors

- Batteries, brazing alloys, dental alloys, electrical contacts, solder

8. Sulfur

- Black gunpowder, fireworks, matches, 

- Vulcanization of rubber

- Fungicide, fumigant, insecticide

- Phosphate fertilizers


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References:
http://tagaloglang.com/minerals-and-the-mining-industry/
http://geology.com/minerals/copper.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromite
http://www.chemicool.com/elements/cobalt.html
http://geology.com/minerals/gypsum.shtml
http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/26/iron
http://periodic.lanl.gov/28.shtml
http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/47/silver
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/science/sulfur-uses.html

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Minerals in the Philippines
II. All About the Plastics
III. Topographic Maps
IV. The Internal Structure of the Earth
V. Pangaea
VI. Philippine Fault Lines and Trenches
VII. Philippine Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics
VIII. The Big One
IX. Relative Dating of Rocks
X. Characteristics of Living Things
XI. Plant Anatomy
XII. Asexual Reproduction in Plants
XIV. The Different Life Forms
XV. Conservation Biology
XVI. Species Diversity

INTRODUCTION

Hi, welcome to Natural Science: A Learning Portfolio. This portfolio serves as a requirement for NATSC1 2. This blog is composed of my outputs and researches for the different activities for both Geology and Biology topics.

As you go through this blog, I hope that you'll learn something from my artifacts. I enjoyed creating this blog, and I hope that you get to enjoy reading it too.

Best regards,
K, 2009-31803