Isabella Dibbini
Mr. Ippolito
AP Biology
January 2, 2018
“First-Ever Hybrid Bird Species from the Amazon.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 26 Dec. 2017, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171226104941.htm.
The article “First-ever hybrid species from the Amazon,” from Science Daily, discusses the discovery of the first known hybrid bird species to be found in the Amazon rainforest, by a team of University of Toronto Scarborough researchers. By conducting genetic and other tests, this research team has revealed that the golden-crowned manakin, which was first discovered in the late 1950s (but not seen again until 2002), is a hybrid species. Associate Professor Jason Weir, the senior author of the research, elaborates on his findings: "While hybrid plant species are very common, hybrid species among vertebrates are exceedingly rare," says Associate Professor Jason Weir, senior author of the research. When two parental species mate to produce a hybrid population, it results in the formation of a hybrid species. The researchers conducting this experiment gathered genetic and feather samples over two different trips to Brazil. As a result, both Weir and his team were able to “...sequence a large portion of the golden-crowned manakin's genome including 16,000 different genetic markers, finding that about 20 per cent of its genome came from the snowy-crowned, and about 80 per cent came from the opal-crowned.” The team of researchers determined that the two parental species originally mated around 180,000 years ago, and that both parental species diverged from a common ancestor 300,000 years ago. When discussing these bird species, Weir made an interesting statement when he indicated "Most Amazon bird species diverged from their most recent relative around 1.5 to 4 million years ago, so these are all young birds by comparison.”
Each day, thousands of people either study, teach or learn about evolution. It is a topic that has puzzled many scientists for decades and is the foundation of biology. It is common to learn about different species found all over the world. The discovery of this known hybrid bird species, in the Amazon rainforest, is just the beginning of new discoveries. By studying different species, we gain more knowledge on our own.
Throughout this article, the author makes statements and supports them with concrete evidence. In addition, the structure of this article is well planned out. The author begins by introducing his main argument and then goes into depth about the tests that both Weir and his team conducted, to further this idea. While this article was well written, there are a few things that the author could have done to make their story more compelling. One suggestion that can be made to improve this article would be to incorporate additional plans on how scientists would further this study. Overall, this article was interesting and very well written.
Susie Goodell
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Biology
1/19/18
“First-Ever Hybrid Bird Species from the Amazon.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 26 Dec. 2017, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171226104941.htm.
Current Event 14
For this current event, I decided to read my classmate Bella’s review of the article, “First-ever hybrid bird species from the Amazon,” from Science Daily. This article discusses the discovery of the first-known hybrid bird species in the Amazon by a team of researchers from the University of Toronto, which has identified the species as the golden-crowned manakin. Bella wrote a wonderful summary of the steps the researchers took to identify the species and its heritage. She made the process and the results the researchers found very clear and easy to understand. She also incorporated many quotes into her summary that supported her claims and gave more credibility to the research. Also, Bella did a great job analyzing and explaining the aspects of the article that the author did well.
Despite all of the good aspects of the review, Bella could have improved two areas. First, she could have expanded on the importance of the discovery of the hybrid bird species. I felt that she needed to add a bit more about what and how it will have an impact on science and the world. She also could have provided a few more aspects of the article that could be changed as well as ways in which the author could improve the weaker parts. This would have strengthened her analysis of the author’s work.
I chose to read Bella’s piece because the topic caught my eye. Before reading this review, I hadn’t thought much about hybrid animal species in the wild and how they become their own species. I think it is really interesting that the golden-crowned manakin is the first known hybrid bird species in the Amazon. It was also intriguing to learn that it is very rare to discover hybrid vertebrae species. I will continue to track the research done with hybrid animal species and watch to see if any other hybrid species are discovered. Overall, Bella did a great job on her review.
Sarah Goodell
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Bio: Current Event Comment
17 January, 2018
Current Event #14
“First-Ever Hybrid Bird Species from the Amazon.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 26 Dec. 2017, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171226104941.htm.
This week, I read Bella’s review on the ScienceDaily article called “First-Ever Hybrid Bird Species from the Amazon.” Bella did a great job writing this piece and did three things to enhance her reflection. Firstly, she used quotes from credible sources, such as the University of Toronto Scarborough researchers and professors. In doing so, she established her credibility as a critic and also established trust with her audience. Secondly, Bella provided her readers with a great summary of the original article, which allowed her audience to be fully informed of the topic and the discussion at hand before she began to critique the article. Finally, Bella included an insightful critique of the original article and gave suggestions for the original author. By doing this, she thoroughly prepared her readers and informed them about the article and its flaws.
Although Bella’s review was very thoughtful and well-written, she could have improved upon a couple of things. Firstly, Bella could have expanded on the paragraph where she discusses the importance of this article and what she learned about this topic. By doing so, her readers would better understand the effect that these findings have on society and their relevance today. Secondly, Bella could have described how the scientists discovered that the bird species was a hybrid more in depth. For example, she could have discussed the tests they performed and the research they did. If she had provided this information, her audience would be more well-informed on the specifics of the findings.
Overall, Bella wrote an outstanding review that was very informative and that was easily understandable for her audience. I chose this article because Bella discussed an unusual topic that proves that we are still discovering new species. Also, scientists are still learning more about our planet and the organisms that inhabit it. This article will change my understanding and impression because I now comprehend that species are still adapting to new environments and it is possible to create new species entirely.