Honors Report

Tomas Pena

Honors Project Write Up

My project for Environmental Science is an aquaponics system. The system I built is designed to sustain fish and plants efficiently. There have been many challenges with this project, but I feel the knowledge I gained was worth it. I had the aquaponics system designed to have goldfish in a small aquarium as a sort of attraction in the class. The plants growing would be a bonus, providing cleaner water for the fish. The fish would provide nutrients for the plants in turn.

The issues I’ve had with the project include starting up without necessary materials, and also setting up the aquarium incorrectly. I rushed to get the aquarium set up with fish in it. This did not turn out the way I had intended though. I did not have a filter for the water and the plants I set up did not have adequate lighting. Within the first few weeks several goldfish died, and I had to remove one plant because it was wilted and dying. Now there are 3 surviving goldfish, who have gotten used to the aquarium. More fish will be brought later from the fish store to inhabit my aquarium.

I recently supplied a light and a filter for the system. The light should allow the tomato plant growing in the system to have enough required daylight for photosynthesis. The filter should prevent the water in the tank from getting over polluted from excess fish waste. This thus helps the system in case something goes wrong within the system. Now it has reached a ‘homeostasis’ of sorts, but to be sure, I’m going to add more fish and wait for the plant to grow.

Aquaponics can be done in many ways, so this project has many different solutions to tackling problem. Which is why I will continue to work and modify my project. Maintenance is key, and my objective is not to have a “final product” or a fullgrown plant or fish to eat from it, my project is about testing out an aquaponics system, learning how it works, and being able to educate people on it as well.

Here is how I approached the project:

The first two weeks I made did research and designed an aquaponics system. I had to get a list of materials to retrieve, and also a note of how I would put together the system to work. My first problem arose when I did not know exactly what to do as far as the design went for my project. Going to a hydroponic store and seeing their aquaponics system gave me the idea of what to use in the project. The next two to three weeks was used to retrieve the materials. A pump, tubes for piping, canisters to hold plants, clay medium, and an aquarium with the normal aquarium gear was bought and brought back to the class. I had gotten the fish and seedlings a few days afterwards, starting up the system. The shock of transfer killed off a couple of the goldfish on the first few days. Later I had to buy an automatic feeder which could feed the fish during Thanksgiving break. And afterwards, I’d gotten a hold of the aquarium day light and filter. A timer was provided by Lia.

If I had to say something to anyone hoping to follow in my footsteps, know what you’re getting. Get everything before hand and set up the tank before transferring the fish and plants.

Picture of the fish.

Ship wreck decoration.

Wider look of the tank.

Tomato seedling that is growing in the system.

View of the entire aquaponics system (without light).

I was able to pay for all the materials. The cost went up to $271.67

Honors Post 4: Author’s tone, audience intentions:

With each example, Gladwell provides his own tone in giving the explanation. Through the writing he tries to stay non-biased, and mainly wants to educate the reader. His intended audience is everyone interested in learning about human society, and how big changes get made. Gladwell tries to reach out to the reader with each example. He hopes to inform and inspire people about tipping points, so that good changes can be made and bad ones be prevented. To sum it up, the author assumes the persona of a teacher.

Survey 1

I'm looking for your input to:

a. help me understand what works well for student learning

Hands-on-work helps with student learning, especially (for me in particular) when we get to work on things we are passionate about, we strive more for success in our learning and work.

b. help me understand what can be done differently to support student learning

I like to be more involved in what is going on. If I sit down for long periods of time, it would be better if I feel involved in what I am learning instead of being in out of the loop and not understanding what is going on. Maybe occasional questions would help with long lectures.

c. help me understand how your real experience has been so far.

So far I've learned a lot from the class. Granted there have been moments where I have blanked out during lessons, what I retain from the class is fulfilled through my own work. Working particularly on my honors project has helped me to enjoy the class.

Organism Post

(possibly) "Portulaca oleracea"

(possibly) "pigweed" or "little hogweed"

Has a smooth red stem and leaves protruding from the ends of the stem.
Grows with roots clumped in areas. Grows over dirt, stems going horizontally to the ground, connecting and crossing over creating a strong and difficult to break hold on dirt. 

?
?
Unidentified plant roots. Roots are used for taking up water and nutrients for plants to grow and use photosynthesis.

(inevitably me and my partner will have to reshoot the pictures. For now this is what I have edited, and my partner has pictures on his blog that he has edited. Tristan's blog.)

Honors Post 3: Author's Writing Style

Malcolm Gladwell uses a lot of examples in his book. Each chapter with a main example, and it gets more and more detailed as Gladwell goes on with his writing. He brings more examples that are related to the main one and he provides information about how the examples of certain tipping points and people work. He switches from 3^rd person to 1^st person, depending on the kind of example. The style is more fashioned to where Gladwell is talking to the reader through his writing    .

Honors Post Journal Check up 2

Thesis of the book?

"The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire"

Malcolm Gladwell puts together this book to show an explain the tipping points in society. With this, it is hard to see a thesis statement in his writing. I think that he might be going for a certain stance for improvement in society, like showing people about tipping points and asking them to play their part to have good tipping points and lessen the bad ones.

Honors Reading Post 1

Entry 1: The Author's Credibility and Background.

Malcolm Gladwell wrote 4 books, The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw; And Other Adventures, all 4 being a New York Times Bestseller.

Malcolm was born in England, moved to Canada, and finally resided in the US where he worked for many journalism companies before working for the New York Times. His work on two articles gave him the basis for the book "The Tipping Point". I think that the author thus has the experience to have written such a book. If there is any bias in it (which I have not discovered) Then it might only show up near the end of the book.

Photosynthesis review questions

1) After Thanksgiving break you return to the HTHMA garden to find that your crops have not been watered in over two weeks. Most of your plants are dead and those that are alive are barely hanging on.  In relation to the process of photosynthesis, describe what has happened to your plants.

There was not enough H2O to assist the plant in making Glucose to sustain itself. H2O is the main ingredient in photosynthesis, and it enables the plant cells to break down Carbon dioxide and form the molecules into Glucose. Since H2O works in the light-dependent reactions, the Calvin cycle is shut off from utilizing ATP to work. What water left inside the plants that are still alive must have been stored in the plant prior to the event. Plant cells can retain water, although most cells when dehydrated shrink and die. The Cellulose walls of the plant cells keep the plant's form, but when a plant does not have enough water in its cells, than each of its cells shrink inside itself, creating a wilted look to the plant. If the plant is rehydrated, there could be a chance of reviving its cells back to health.

2) Upon microscopic inspection of the underside of your plant’s leaves, you notice that in an attempt to conserve water the stomata (aka stomates) are closed. Explain in detail how this impacts the light independent reactions of photosynthesis.

Light independent reactions can still go on as long as ATP powers them. A plant might have enough ATP to work its Light independent cycle, and some plants store and retain water. I have heard that this happens with grass at times when it gets dry (usually in the mid-day time when the sun is out). When it gets hot, and water begins to evaporate, the grass world close its stomata. When it senses water the plant allows its stomata to open again. A helpful tip related to grass is to never water plants while the sun is out and it is hot. The Stomata will open up and try to take in the water, but if the water evaporates faster than the Stomata can take in, the plant gains little to no water and might even lose H2O in the process, making it harder to keep its Light independent cycles running.

Collecting and storing seeds

I think that storing seeds is a perfect solution to the problem of plants going extinct. I agree with the operations that are going on in seed shelters, and I believe to that plant diversity helps to sustain the human race and all other animals on this planet.

The man in the TED talk, Cary Fowler, explained his own beliefs with the issue of plant extinction, and provided examples that gave me such an opinion on the matter. When talking about the probability that maize in Africa will decrease by 2030, he said, "South Africa will have a 30% decrease of Maize... in 2030... in the context of increase of population, that's a food crisis, it is global in nature, we will watch children starve to death on TV." The idea that plant diversity hold the ability to sustain the human race cannot be ignored, as the consequences mentioned by Fowler for outweigh ignorance from the people high up in control of agriculture.

I have a question, why do people not care about the longevity of plants and the human race? It is maddening to hear that many seed banks have either been destroyed or close down. I am glad to hear about the Global seed bank located in Norway, and that it can withstand many problems (such as natural disasters or economical pressure that would close the seed bank down).

New seed report

Mizuna Greens:

2. Write a detailed description of those plants’ requirements.

1. Leafy greens.
2. Fall, spring (frost resistant)
3. Takes 7 days to germinate. No special preparation is needed
4. Seed will grow mature in 44 days.
5. It requires 15'' of space between rows and 9'' space between each plant.
6. The plant requires an 6-7 ph soil, and well watered soil.
7. It requires well watered soil. Durable against cold temperatures.
8. Can you find any information about good companion plants that should grow along with it?

3. Came from Japan and Americans have been using it widely ever since from an edible green to a showpiece addition to gardens.

http://myfolia.com/plants/2172-mizuna-brassica-rapa-nipposinica-group

http://www.gardenzone.info/crops/mizuna.php

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Grow-Mizuna-436594345

2nd plant:

2. Write a detailed description of those plants’ requirements.

1. What sort of plant is it? Vegetable, Fruit, Root crop, tree, bush etc.
2. What is the growing season for this plant…remember San Diego has a unique growing climate and some of the information on the internet might say that something won’t grow in the winter but that might not be true for here. On the other hand, some people think you can grow anything you want in SD year-round and that definitely is not the case.
3. How long does it take to germinate?  Does it require any special preparation? (ex. some seeds need to be frozen before they will germinate)
4. How long does this plant take to go from seed to harvest?  Does it make sense for the time scale of this semester?…does it matter?  Maybe you would still like to think about how it might benefit the garden in the long term.
5. How much space does it require to grow and harvest a reasonable amount?  (ex. To grow enough wheat to make bread to feed all our guests at exhibition would probably require more land than we have!)
1. How far should they be planted from one another?
6. What are the soil requirements for this plant?  Is it a “heavy feeder” i.e. does it require really rich soil or the addition of specific soil additives?
1. Does it like acidic/basic soil?
2. Can you find information about ideal N-P-K ratios?
7. What are the watering requirements?
1. Does it need a lot of water or does it prefer our local arid climate?
2. Is it better to overhead water (by sprinkler) or use drip irrigation or water only at the base to avoid getting the leaves wet?
8. Can you find any information about good companion plants that should grow along with it?

3. Last, but certainly not least, provide at least one other interesting fact about each of these plants…is it medicinal? Is there important cultural significance to this plant? Are parts of the plant edible while others poisonous? Does it require a specific pollinator? I hope you get the idea.

Mizuna Mustard Greens - Brassica rapa (Japonica group)

http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Mustard_Greens_6451.php

http://www.ehow.com/list_7271307_vegetables-grow-winter-san-diego.html

2.

a. Vegitable/herb greens.

b. Growing season fall/winter to spring. cool weather.

c. Germinates in cool wet weather. Can be sewn indoors and transplanted for earlier harvest. Requires seedbed to be evenly moist.

d. Days to gemination 3-10. 40-50 days to maturity

e. Requires 8" space and 1/2-1/4" space deep

f. Needs enriched soil with mature compost.

g. Prefers moderate watering, with soil drying before each watering (plant stays moist though)

h

 

3.

 

Pea Green Arrow - Guisante Flecha Verde

http://parkseed.com/pea-green-arrow/p/5237/

2.

a. Vegitable/bean

b. Growing season fall/spring crop. love cold weather.

c. It takes 7-15 days for the seeds to germinate

d. Takes 70 days to mature

e. Requires 14-28" Grow space, 1/2-3/4" Depth 

f. Likes phosphorus and potassium.

g. Soaking in water prevents disease (water frequently)

h.

3.

 

Mini Purplette Bunching Onion - Allium cepa

http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.aspx?item_no=PS20618

2.

a. Root/bulb

b. Can be planted for the summer or winter season.

c. Germination takes 7-14 days. Seedbed must be evenly moist through germination.

d. Takes 60-65 days to mature. seems reasonable, 2 months about the rest of the semester.

e.Requires 1" space after thinning, 1/8-1/4" depth.

f. Prefers rich well-drained soil. needs abundant moisture for the bulbs to grow. i. likes slightly acidic to neutral soil.

g. Need consistant moisture for bulbs to grow.

h.

Pictures of Cubic Ft Insect find

We only found this spider and took pictures of it:

Monday 9/12 post

1. The blackout Thursday put a wrench in my usually schedule. Thankfully I live nearby, so getting home was ok. Finding dinner was different, since most of the restaurants were closed. My friends asked if they could come over, which I allowed since it was getting dark and their parents were stuck in traffic. After they got picked up, (The last person around 8pm) I went up to bed and slept.

Makes me think about how vulnerable we are without technology and what would happen if I could not use the internet. I was surprised with how traffic was built up during the blackout, and also how later when it was getting dark how abandoned the streets were.

2. Initial research:

Mizuna Mustard Greens - Brassica rapa (Japonica group) http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Mustard_Greens_6451.php http://www.ehow.com/list_7271307_vegetables-grow-winter-san-diego.html 2. a. Vegitable/herb greens. b. Growing season fall/winter to spring. cool weather. c. Germinates in cool wet weather. Can be sewn indoors and transplanted for earlier harvest. Requires seedbed to be evenly moist. d. Days to gemination 3-10. 40-50 days to maturity e. Requires 8" space and 1/2-1/4" space deep f. Needs enriched soil with mature compost. g. Prefers moderate watering, with soil drying before each watering (plant stays moist though) h   3.   Pea Green Arrow - Guisante Flecha Verde http://parkseed.com/pea-green-arrow/p/5237/ 2. a. Vegitable/bean b. Growing season fall/spring crop. love cold weather. c. It takes 7-15 days for the seeds to germinate d. Takes 70 days to mature e. Requires 14-28" Grow space, 1/2-3/4" Depth  f. Likes phosphorus and potassium. g. Soaking in water prevents disease (water frequently) h. 3.   Mini Purplette Bunching Onion - Allium cepa http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.aspx?item_no=PS20618 2. a. Root/bulb b. Can be planted for the summer or winter season. c. Germination takes 7-14 days. Seedbed must be evenly moist through germination. d. Takes 60-65 days to mature. seems reasonable, 2 months about the rest of the semester. e.Requires 1" space after thinning, 1/8-1/4" depth. f. Prefers rich well-drained soil. needs abundant moisture for the bulbs to grow. i. likes slightly acidic to neutral soil. g. Need consistant moisture for bulbs to grow. h.   3.

Blog 2: Invasive Species

Pennisetum setaceum (Green fountain grass).

Native to open habitats in Africa and Asia.

It has been introduced to many places; California, Hawaii, Florida, Spain, Australia, Sicily, and in the Western United States (Several more places too, go to this wikipedia for the full list that I read from, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennisetum_setaceum )

It impacts other plants because of its durability during fires. It can grow back after a file while other plants have a hard time growing back into a burnt area. It also provides an increase for the chances of fire to happen, adding more danger to the community. It outgrows other native plants thus choking them off and thriving in the foreign environment.


( http://www.plantright.org/species/pennisetum-setaceum )

This is Tomas' Blog Link

Here is the first lost to my blog!!!