Filial cannibalism is a biological phenomenon where an adult or a parent of a species attacks and consumes all or some of its offspring. This behaviour is quite common among fish species, the family poeciliidae in particular. Filial cannibalism in poeciliids is very well documented due to their commercial popularity as aquaria fish. Poeciliids are live-bearers and engage in partial clutch cannibalism where the parents only cannibalise on some of their offspring (Manica 2002). Scientists do not fully understand as to why this behaviour exists as it is seemingly disadvantageous since the act decreases their reproductive success and ability to pass on their genes. Yet, if the behaviour was to the detriment of the poeciliids the trait would not have been favoured, evolutionarily speaking. Filial cannibalism is so widespread among poeciliids, which means that there must be benefits to this behaviour. However, does this behaviour only benefit those in captivity or is it as prominent in wild poeciliids?
While filial cannibalism is well documented
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1996). A study was done to examine the different parent-juvenile interactions of two different species of poeciliids: P. Monacha and P. Lucida. Individual females of the two species were place into chambers that had a mesh net to segregate it and allow juveniles to swim through and escape attack from the parent. The females were kept in these chambers as they birthed offspring and were recorded. It was found that the p. monacha females cannibalised their offspring immediately while the p. lucida females did not (Thibault 1974). The p. monacha juveniles that did escape the initial attack, swum to the bottom and through the mesh net. However, the juvenile p. lucida remained in the same section of the chamber with the female near the water
The Artemia franciscana can survive in extreme conditions of salinity, water depth, and temperature (Biology 108 laboratory manual, 2010), but do A. franciscana prefer these conditions or do they simply cope with their surroundings? This experiment explored the extent of the A. franciscanas preference towards three major stimuli: light, temperature, and acidity. A. franciscana are able to endure extreme temperature ranges from 6 ̊ C to 40 ̊ C, however since their optimal temperature for breeding is about room temperature it can be inferred that the A. franciscana will prefer this over other temperatures (Al Dhaheri and Drew, 2003). This is much the same in regards to acidity as Artemia franciscana, in general thrive in saline lakes, can survive pH ranges between 7 and 10 with 8 being ideal for cysts(eggs) to hatch (Al Dhaheri and Drew, 2003). Based on this fact alone the tested A. franciscana should show preference to higher pH levels. In nature A. franciscana feed by scraping food, such as algae, of rocks and can be classified as a bottom feeder; with this said, A. franciscana are usually located in shallow waters. In respect to the preference of light intensity, A. franciscana can be hypothesized to respond to light erratically (Fox, 2001; Al Dhaheri and Drew, 2003). Using these predictions, and the results of the experimentation on the A. franciscana and stimuli, we will be able to determine their preference towards light, temperature, and pH.
Many families in America can’t decide what food chain to eat from. In the book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan lists four food chains: Industrial, Industrial Organic, Local Sustainable, and Hunter-Gatherer. The Industrial food chain is full of large farms that use chemicals and factories. Industrial Organic is close to it except it doesn’t use as many chemicals and the animals have more space. Local Sustainable is where food is grown without chemicals, the animals have freedom and they eat what they were born to eat. Lastly, Hunter-Gatherer is where you hunt and grow your own food. The omnivore's dilemma is trying to figure out what food chain to eat from. Local Sustainable is the best food chain to feed the United States because it is healthy and good for the environment.
Millions of animals are consumed everyday; humans are creating a mass animal holocaust, but is this animal holocaust changing the climate? In the essay “ The Carnivores Dilemma,” written by Nicolette Hahn Niman, a lawyer and livestock rancher, asserts that food production, most importantly beef production, is a global contributor to climate change. Nicolette Niman has reports by United Nations and the University of Chicago and the reports “condemn meat-eating,” and the reports also say that beef production is closely related to global warming. Niman highlights, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides are the leading greenhouses gases involved in increasing global warming. A vast majority of people across the world consumes meat and very little people are vegetarian, or the people that don’t eat meat, but are there connections between people and meat production industry when it comes to eating food and the effect it has on the climate? The greenhouse gases, methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxides are not only to blame, but we should be looking at people and industrialized farming for the leading cause of greenhouse gases in agriculture and the arm-twisting dilemma we have been lured into, which is meat production itself.
In the Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan talks about 4 different models that we consume, purchase, and add it to our daily lives. Michael Pollan travels to different locations around the United States, where he mentions his models which are fast food, industrial organic, beyond organic, and hunting. I believe that the 3 important models that we need to feed the population are fast food, industrial organic, and beyond organic. Fast food is one of the most important models in this society because people nowadays, eat fast food everyday and it is hurting us in the long run. We need to stick to beyond organic or industrial organic food because it is good for our well being. Ever since the government and corporations took over on what we eat, we have lost our culture. In the introduction of the Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan states that we have lost our culture:
In Part 1 of Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, he describes the secrets behind the food we eat. In the first part of his book, he wants to challenge his reader's assumptions about the reality of factory farming, use of chemicals in food, and health problems caused by food. He writes that "...we're still eating leftovers of World War II"(41), pointing out in this statement that the food system is misleading us about the misperceptions about healthy food.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan, was a great read. I came into the adventure without much background regarding what kind of book it was going to be, and to my astonishment it was more of an educational journey than pages of force-fed beliefs. Michael Pollan has a writing style that is both loose and intriguing and really kept my attention throughout. Having already read extensively concerning human nutrition and food, I am usually skeptical when beginning such reads as this one, but I was very surprised that Mr. Pollan was very objective, in that this was seemingly a field trip and journey from environment to plate.
A cannibal is any animal that feeds on its own species (Lady Wild Life’s website). This characteristic is rarely spoken of because it has such a negative connotation. However, an estimate of 140 species from a large time scale, displayed cannibalistic tendencies (Lady Wild Life’s website).
barbaric as the Brazilian cannibals may have been, they were not nearly as barbaric as the
Among all the copious themes of fairy tales, cannibalism was indeed a more ambivalent one. Despite the obvious manifestations of good karma, positive characteristics and amiable nature, the common depictions of cannibalism alluded that fairy tales were more than stories that were “too good to be true.” Fairy tales such as The Juniper Tree and Hansel and Gretel even presented cannibalism with an attitude of apathy, as if cooking human stew were nothing churlish but ordinary. However, those vivid descriptions of cannibalism, though appeared to be too cruel and baleful for innocent children, played significant roles. It completed their coming of age journeys, providing them masculinity while“relieving their preconscious and unconscious pressures”(Bettelheim,
Cannibalism is a concept that is foreign to modern society despite its pertinence in recent human culture. In the essay “Cannibalism: It Still Exists,” Linh Ngo explains the concept of cannibalism, discussing in further detail and comparing and contrasting the different types of cannibalism and the situations in which it was utilized. By incorporating devices such as definition, illustration, and cause and effect, the essay was effective in relaying the idea that cannibalism is still around.
“The assumption that animals are without rights, and the illusion that their treatment has no moral significance is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."(Schopenhauer). I always wondered why some people are not so drawn to the consumption of meat and fed up with only one thought about it. Why so many people loathe of blood, and why so few people can easily kill and be slaughter animal, until they just get used to it? This reaction should say something about the most important moments in the code, which was programmed in the human psyche. Realization the necessity of refraining from meat is especially difficult because people consume it for a long time, and in addition, there is a certain attitude to the meat as to the product that is useful, nourishing and even prestigious. On the other hand, the constant consumption of meat has made the vast majority of people completely emotionless towards it. However, there must be some real and strong reasons for refusal of consumption of meat and as I noticed they were always completely different. So, even though vegetarianism has evolved drastically over time, some of its current forms have come back full circle to resemble that of its roots, when vegetarianism was an ethical-philosophical choice, not merely a matter of personal health.
“We all think we’re too smart to be tricked by packages, lighting, or plates. We might acknowledge that others could be tricked, but not us. That’s what makes mindless eating so dangerous” (Wansink 2). Unhealthy eating and the rise of obesity have become increasingly prevalent problems in the United States over the last few decades, but what often goes unnoticed is an epidemic that very well may be the cause of these issues; mindless eating. According to Weight Watchers, the term ‘mindless eating’ is defined as “eating food without paying adequate attention to what and how much is being eaten,” continuing to mention that this habit can be influenced by our surroundings and portion sizes. With the advancement of technology increasing the number of distractions, the idea that “bigger is better,” and American culture thriving in a life of convenience, snacking has become much more than a quick granola bar. Rather, it has transformed into consuming an entire bag of chips, for example, without even realizing it. Clearly, mindless eating is a significant contributor to health problems such as obesity, but what does this practice truly say about the culture in which we live? This unconscious habit may be impacting society to larger extent than many realize; hurting productivity, driving up health care costs, prolonging and even encouraging a fast paced lifestyle full of haphazard decision making.
Eating as entertainment is often referred to as emotional eating, which means using food to fulfill some other emotional need like loneliness, boredom, or sadness. You might sit in front of the TV and eat a whole pack of cookies. Or, you might find yourself eating a gallon of ice cream that one weekend when all of your friends are too busy to hang out. Emotional eating can lead to problems losing weight or result in you gaining unwanted pounds. if you are having problems with eating to entertain yourself, you need to learn how to [[Eat Healthy | develop a healthier approach to eating]].
Animal Cruelty has many forms, many reasons and most importantly many victims. It is a growing problem in today’s society. Many people may wonder why people abuse animals. The thought is simple, however the answer is a little more complex, there are three main types of animal cruelty. The three reasons are as follows: unintentional, intentional, and cruel intentions. I will discuss each one in more detail.
Many people strive to be healthy. Following a vegetarian diet is healthy. Therefore, people should live a vegetarian lifestyle. The vegetarian lifestyle is quite easy to maintain if one starts by just cutting out red meats from the diet, and then progress into chicken, and finally fish. This is the easiest way to become vegetarian, as you are stopping step by step instead of all at once. A majority of vegetarian diets have several easy to prepare meals and are fairly easy to follow. Countless restaurants serve meatless dishes, and salads are almost always available. Vegetarians tend to be healthier than those who consume meat. This is due to the prevalent unnatural chemicals used in the processing of meats, which are very harmful to the human body. Meats already contain harmful amounts of cholesterol, and over-consumption of red meat can lead to early heart disease. The meat must maintain a safe temperature all throughout travel, and stay that way