SECOND+VISIT


 * __Free Journal Entry #2__**

When I went to the Manoa Stream for the second time, not much has changed since I visited the first time. Most of the same abiotic factors that were present last time were present this time. The greatest change was that it rained the whole time I was there, unlike last time when it only rained for a little while. However, I was still able to observe and take notes. I was able to come up with questions on the abiotic factors and how it affects life and organisms on the stream. The temperature and climate has a big impact on the stream. How does the temperature and climate affect the plant life in the stream? Why is the temperature in the Manoa Stream always breezy and windy? How would it affect the animal life in the stream?

For instance, I noticed many of the ducks and fishes depend on the water to survive to hunt for food and nutrients. I noticed that the current of the stream was very rapid and flowing when it was raining. How does the current of the stream affect the habitats of the fish, ducks, and other species living in the waters? How does the depth of the water channel, the width of the water channel effect how organisms live in the waters? Does the current of the stream benefit them in hunting for food? or does it prevent them from hunting for food?

Pollution is a huge problem to the environment of the Manoa Stream. Human activity in the streams cause people to litter and dump waste materials (such as cigarettes, food wrappers, rotten fruits, pieces of paper, cans, water bottles, and etc.) in the stream. This could prove to be hazardous and harmful to the organisms and species living in the stream. How is the pollution in the streams harmful to the organisms and species living there? Is there any specific material of waste that proves to be the most harmful to the environment of the Manoa stream?

Urbanization plays a big role in the environment of the Manoa Stream as well. Human activity in the area caused more houses and buildings to be built next or right next to the stream. This would narrow the width of the stream and the channel and take up a lot of the stream’s space, which would result in less space for the species and organisms to live in. This also means less resources will be available and their living space is limited. How does urbanization affect the habitat of the organisms and species living there? What factors caused by urbanization would have the most impact on the species and organisms and why?

__**Assigned Journal Entry #2**__

One example of an environmental pressure that is driving Natural Selection in the Manoa Stream is the ducks. During my second visit, I counted 19 ducks. I’m pretty sure there were 16 brownish-colored ducks and 3 white-colored ducks. Last time, I remember only seeing 1 or 2 white ducks and the rest were brownish-colored ducks. The white ducks are usually separated from the brown ducks. An example of heritable variation that has occurred is the different-colored ducks. Based on the number of brown ducks, it seems that the first ducks that have arrived in the Manoa Stream were brown colored ducks. Later on, the ducks produced offspring that were mostly brown ducks with maybe 1 white duck. As time passed, the brown colored ducks outnumbered the white ducks because of Natural Selection. Even though there are more brown ducks than white ducks, they share most of the same characteristics (besides color) and adaptations. So, it would be an illogical hypothesis to say that the brown colored ducks or the white colored ducks were more fit in the stream.

Another heritable variation that occurs is the fish that live in the waters of the stream. There are many fish in one part of the stream. However, due to the dirty, polluted, and murky waters, I couldn’t tell if there were any different colored fish. They looked all the same color and I wasn’t able to distinguish any difference in size or color (maybe the rain prevented me from seeing well or my eyesight isn’t very good). From this observation, I can infer that natural selection hasn’t really occurred. The first fish that arrived in the Manoa Stream are probably the same species of fish in the stream today. Over time, their offspring inherited the same characteristics and adaptations. Resources must’ve been unlimited and there was no competition so there would be no genetic variation between the fishes.