Friday, June 7, 2013

Cladogram of the Asian Elephant


Oh no...something went wrong

When something goes wrong in a cell, the organ growth may be affected.  This may cause many things,including diseases,disorders,among many other things.  Also the cell could have a disfunction where the animal might die or have a disfunction.  This could be detrimental to the growth.

Steps from Conception to Birth

When the conception of the animal has taken place,the birth of the animal quickly starts.  In the first month of the elephants pregnancy the placenta will form.  The placenta enables the embryo to get the nutrients it needs.  By the fourth month the trunk starts to form.  After five months into the pregnancy the fetus has started to kick.  The fetus drops out of the reach of the probes,later on the fetus grows bigger and can be picked up by an ultrasound.  After a year of pregnancy,the fetus can move its trunk.  Fourteen months into the pregnancy the fetus can swallow liquid from the amniotic sac.  At this time is gains eyelashes and tail hair including some hair around its mouth.  At nineteen months the baby elephant is fully developed and weighs about 60 kg.  Bristly hair on there skin is protection from mosquito bites and sunburn.  About 22 months after the conception of the baby,the mother gives birth.  The birth takes around 7 hours with the baby weighing about 90-120 kg and being around 3 ft tall.After the baby is born it can barley see, has little control,but still manages to stand up almost right away.  After 2-3 days the baby has the strength to travel with the herd.  Staying side by side the baby will learn  survival skills from her mother for around 4 years.   


Live Birth Video


Molecules enter and leave the cells

Organic Molecules are molecules that are produced from living things.  The more complex molecules known as polymers are those such as carbohydrates,nucleic acids,and proteins.  Carbohydrates are assembled by linking sugars.  Complex linking results in large molecules such as starch and cellulose.  When carbohydrates are attached to proteins they alter the functioning of the protein. DNA and RNA are nucleic acids that are made by linking together nucleotides.  DNA contains the genetic information,and RNA gives information to the rest of the cell and directs everything.  Long chains of amino acids are called proteins they are held together with a unique bond known as the peptide bond.  Enzymes are catalytic proteins which carry out many vital processes to obtain energy from food, keep the flow of ions in and out of cells occurring, carry oxygen, and create new molecules such as DNA, RNA, lipids, carbohydrates, and other proteins. Proteins provide a structural backbone for the cell as well and provide a means of moving molecules within the cells.  The molecules enter the cell through indigestion and leave the cell through digestion.  They can use passive and active transport.  Small uncharged molecules from the food the expecting elephant consumed would be transported through the cell membrane of the fetus cells through simple diffusion.  Water is transported to the fetus cells through the cells through the process of osmosis,which is when water crosses a semipermeable membrane.  Active transport and facilitated diffusion allows larger and charged molecules like sodium and potassium to cross through the membrane,nourishing the cells of the fetus.
   

Diet

Asian elephants are herbivores, which means their diet consists only of only plants.  They also need carbohydrates and lipids to grow.  For example they will feed on a variety of plants, including fruit, grasses, tree bark, vegetables and palm leaves.  Since much of there habitat has been converted into farm land,they frequently feed on domestic crops,creating serious conflict with Humans.  The survival of this endangered species depends on figuring out ways to cut down on these sometimes-deadly clashes and preserve adequate habitat for elephants.  An adult elephant consumes up to 300 pounds of food in a single day.  The Asian elephants do not sleep much,because they roam over great distances while looking for the large quantities of food they require to sustain their massive bodies.  The baby will need protein and vitamins to grown while in the fetus,if the mother does not give them that the baby many end up unhealthy or sickly.    

Basic Description of the Asian Elephant

Size: height:2.5-3 m 
         length:5.5-6.4 m 
         weight: up to 5000kg

Life-Span:Around 60 years

Population:38,000-51,000

Expected Birth Date: About 21 months (They will most often give birth to only one calf)

Gestation Period: 645 days

The elephant is the Earth's largest land animal.  Asian elephants can be identifies by their smaller,rounded ears.  Elephant ears radiate heat to help keep them cool.  Elephants are fond of water and enjoy showering by sucking water into their trunks and spraying it all over themselves.  The elephants trunk is a long nose with many functions,it is used for smelling,breathing,trumpeting,drinking,and also for grabbing things.

Asian Elephants in the Grasslands

Though the Asian Elephant is endangered it is commonly found in the Grasslands.