Equilibrium

This is a review of Equilibrium (2002)

Minority Report

This is a review of Minority Report (2002)

Hell House

This is a review of Hell House (2001)

Oswald Biological Sciences Honorable Mention: A Tragedy Exposed? Clear Growth Medium Reveals Roots Competing

A Tragedy of the Commons (ToC) models many systems of human exploitation of natural resources. In a plant-systems application of ToC, multiple plants compete over shared nutrients and space. Tragically these resources become exhausted due to their open-access to multiple plants. Our study focuses on determining whether two competing plants pay a reproductive cost due to ToC. We predict that plants create a ToC and subsequently pay a reproductive cost. We quantify a ToC by measuring a plant’s reproductive mass as well as its total root mass. Typically, ToC lowers reproductive mass and raises total root mass. Our study uses barriers to manipulate interplant competition. One group is grown 1 cm apart to promote root competition and another group is split by impermeable barriers to prevent competition. We specifically used ultra-clear growth medium (Gellan Gum with Hoagland’s solution) in order to photograph roots as they grow in vivo. Root imaging allows for computational analysis of root architecture which we expect to respond to a ToC. Preliminary results of plant masses show no significant effects from competition. This is thought to be due to high soil nutrient values. Hurdles include proving validity of the photographic analysis. The projects future involves optimizing nutrient level and validating photographic analysis via multiple circumferential pictures

Improving Cacao Based Reforestation through Whole Soil Microbial Inoculation

Deforestation is one of the greatest greenhouse gas sources, releasing more greenhouse gas than all the world’s cars, trucks and trains combined. Since deforestation rates are highest in the tropics reforestation efforts in this region are greatly needed. In particular, regenerative agroforestry would not only increase tree cover but also provide farmers with a livelihood outside of the agriculture associated with deforestation. Regenerative Agroforestry creates a matrix that is valuable to wildlife and the people who most depend on the land to survive. In Ecuador, where my study took place, Cacao is a native tree valuable to smallholder farmers, but depending on the variety and conditions, may or may not be ideal for reforestation. A technique that could improve reforestation efforts is inoculation with mycorrhizal fungus taken from a nearby intact ecosystems. Therefore, in this study I ask: 1) do whole soil inoculants taken from nearby secondary forest increase arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in planted cacao trees? 2) Does percent canopy cover and cacao cultivar influence the beneficial effects of whole soil inoculants on plant growth? And, 3) Is the level of AMF in plant roots associated with plant growth? My results suggests that whole-soil inoculations did increase AMF colonization in cacao seedlings in terms of easily extractible glomalin-related soil protein and relative quantity AMF DNA but not total glomalin-related soil protein and percent root length colonization. Data from 480 cacao seedlings over 1 year suggests whole soil inoculations resulted in an increase in seedling growth. In addition soil inoculations resulted in a decrease in herbivory in both cacao cultivars at 2 months. Furthermore, full sun had a negative effect on cacao growth (a predicted 79% decrease) which was reversed when whole soil inoculations were used resulting in higher predicted growth under full sun. Given the low costs, I recommend introducing nearby intact forest soil for ongoing reforestation efforts in order to combat climate change with carbon sequestration and increase small holder farmer's adaptation to a changing climate with regenerative agroforestry.Master of ScienceSchool for Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163660/1/Karounos_Christopher_Masters_Thesis-SUPERSEDED.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163660/3/Karounos_Christopher_Masters_Thesis.pd

A Tragedy Exposed? Clear Growth Medium Reveals Competing Roots

Abstract Tragedy of the Commons (ToC) is the exploitation of an open-access resource that is exploited by selfish individuals to the detriment of all. Examples include open sea fisheries, cattle grazing, pollution, deforestation and plants competing over shared soil nutrients and space. Tragically, these resources become depleted and plants become severely resource limited. Our study seeks to determine if a ToC causes two plants sharing resources to reproduce less successfully than two plants owning the equivalent amount of personal resources. We predict that plant root competition creates a ToC by increasing root mass while reducing reproductive mass. Our study uses impermeable barriers to manipulate competition. We used transparent growth medium (Gellan Gum with Hoagland’s nutrient solution) in order to photograph roots as they grew in vivo. Root imaging allowed for computational analysis of root architecture which we expect to respond to the ToC. Our results from root and seed masses revealed no significant effects from competition. This could be explained by excessively high soil nutrient levels. Additionally, we failed to validate the photographic analysis platform (SmartRoot) with a hand measured model. Future direction includes optimizing soil nutrient levels and conducting a better photographic analysis based on multiple circumferential pictures

Metabolically Inactive Insulin Analog Prevents Type I Diabetes in Prediabetic NOD Mice

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of the metabolic effects of insulin for diabetes prevention by administering insulin or an inactive insulin analog by daily subcutaneous injections to prediabetic mice. A recombinant monomeric human insulin analog, which does not bind to the insulin receptor as a consequence of an alteration of a single amino acid at position 25 of the B chain, was shown to be equally effective at diabetes prevention as was intact insulin. In contrast to native insulin, the insulin analog did not cause hypoglycemia after subcutaneous injection. The insulin analog, however, protected young adult mice from diabetes, even when it was initiated after the onset of extensive lymphocytic infiltration of the islets. Thus, preventative therapy by daily subcutaneous injections of insulin does not require the hypoglycemic response, or binding to the insulin receptor to prevent the onset of type I diabetes