Non native(introduced),exotic species and their impacts to the Essay

Non native(introduced),exotic species and their impacts to the ebvironment - Essay Example For example, U.S. Executive Order 13112 defines invasive species as â€Å"an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health† (Clinton, 1999). Non-native species either can be introduced unintentionally and accidentally or can be transported by humans intentionally and purposely. It is estimated that more than 50,000 non-native species have been introduced into the United States. Many of these introduced species are beneficial, such as â€Å"corn, wheat, rice, and other food crops, and cattle, poultry, and other livestock† which â€Å"provide more than 98% of the U.S. food system at a value of approximately $800 billion per year† (Pimentel, Zuniga, & Morrison, 2005). Some introduced species also are used for â€Å"landscape restoration, biological pest control, sport, pets, and food processing† (Pimentel et al, 2005). However, there are many invasive species with harmful economic, ecologica l or human health impacts. One study estimated â€Å"approximately $97 billion in damages from 79 exotic species during the period from 1906 to1991† (Pimentel et al, 2005). ... ?survives from one growing season to another by forming perennating buds (surviving from season to season) and enduring a period of dormancy during the winter† (â€Å"NYIS.INFO†). Mature giant hogweed can reach a height of 3 to 5 m with hollow stems approximately 5 to 10 cm in diameter and compound leaves as big as 1.5 m (Nice, Johnson, & Bauman, 2004). Giant hogweed has aggressive, invasive and toxic nature and so, it is on the Federal Noxious Weed List (Nice et al, 2004). Originally, giant hogweed belongs to the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Because of its beauty and huge size, in 19th century giant hogweed was introduced to Great Britain as an ornamental curiosity in the 19th century. Later, the plant was imported to the United States â€Å"as a showpiece in arboreta and Victorian gardens (one of the plant’s first North American plantings of giant hogweed was in gardens near Highland Park in the City of Rochester, New York)† (â€Å"NYIS.INFO†). Ever since, giant hogweed has spread in many areas, including Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Putnam, Schuyler, Steuben, Tompkins, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates Counties in New York; Connecticut; the District of Columbia; Illinois; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Ohio; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Washington; Wisconsin; and Ontario and Vancouver Island in Canada (â€Å"NYIS.INFO†). Giant hogweed has ecological and human health impacts. Colonies of this plant easily become dense â€Å"owing to the plant’s prolific seed production and rapid growth rate† (â€Å"NYIS.INFO†). Due to its deep taproots and huge leaves, giant hogweed hinders the growth of native plants by denying them light and

Reflection of the module assignment Asma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflection of the module assignment Asma - Essay Example The advantage that came with it is that it gave me technical expertise. The experience was important in creating a complete e-commerce. It equipped me with skills like how to design an e-commerce, considering aesthetic factors, selecting the correct tool from among many, incorporating the social marketing plug-in into a website and others. It was a unique exposure on how online businesses are constructed and run. For example, it came to my knowledge that despite the easiness of creating a website online, making a profit from the business is very difficult. Also, I have never connected the relationship of search engines with website that are being developed, but, through this exercise I came across search engine optimisation and now am skilled on how to optimise a website for a good rank by the search engines (Grappone & Couzin, 2011). The second semester introduced advanced skills that modelled me into an advanced technologist. At first I could not understand the meaning of viral cam paign project, but, with time the research and teamwork from group members made me learn and understand. The Viral Campaign Project is one great asset for an online business to promote its presence just as it is with the traditional word of mouth (Nalty, 2010). With the increased presence of social media and blogs, one can share an interesting video and it spreads fast hence marketing an idea. The project involved constructive use of tools to create a video for Morson international. As group member I not only learnt how to work with a team, communicate with a team, plan and schedule in a team, but also, how to use video tools to make a video that can go viral. 3.0 Time factor Time constraint is critical in any of the projects that we handled during this learning stint. I noted that it is very critical to allocate time to events correctly to be able to complete the tasks. The projects had a time limit and with less available time we had to gamble with what we know and don’t kn ow to deliver. It was a learning activity that provided us the opportunity to identify what we know and what we didn’t know within limited time. It was challenging with the minimal time to complete the project, yet we managed. An example of challenge was when we were not sure what was best for Morson viral video: act or animation. Animation seemed easier and more interesting, but, the correct tool to do so was not easy to identify. These made the group delve into extensive research to come up with a presentable video. Coupling the video with Arabic voiceover was another challenge that we finally managed. I believe given more time we would have explored the best tools and best ideas and delivered an excellent viral video. I leant that when time factor is pressing; approach it by ensuring that there is a clear schedule and plan of events. 4.0 Reflection Comparison The iProject and viral campaign project are slightly different. The first was an individual project and the other a group project. However, they both required my attention. To deliver successfully I tried my best to learn from my past mistakes as a student. I planned my schedule in a way that my personal assignments from other modules and other activities wouldn’

Child Observation Reflection

Child Observation Reflection Brief notes on the venue/situation and age and gender of the child being observed (dont give names use initials or made up names for any individuals if necessary): What I observed: How I felt: Thoughts, reflections : The child was going homework related to concepts of math Felt good and I was happy that she was responsible enough to do her work Responsibility showed and she was able to handle the concepts well. I was happy to see this that she can grasp knowledge so well. She was able to pick up objects like pen I felt that her gross motor skills had come into being as she was able to pick up items This made me feel that she was able to do things independently without any help. Playing with shapes She was able to identify most of the shapes which was good and showed her skills This made me feel that she was able to do things independently without any help. Playing The Piano She was able to play the piano without the help of the babysitter This had shown how independent she is and how in rhythm she could play the piano Child observation This essay will critically examine the role of a social worker to observe a child. This essay will also talk about the ethics and the anti-oppressive practices in relation to care of children. The child I observed was named S who was three and half years old from an Indian Family. She could only talk in English and her national language as those are the languages which were taught to her. This observation took place in one day where I was told to meet her at a friends place. I was a bit curious and yet excited as this was my first time where I had to observe a child. She did not even greet me as she was a very shy girl also she was in the middle of her school homework. She felt very intimidated and scared to say any word. The only thing that was concerning was that S was not aware that I was coming to observe her. Thus here, one of the elements of anti-oppressive practice is to make sure that peoples rights are not violated. All social workers need to put the childs needs first and how to respect their human rights, which is right to liberty and privacy of a family life (Dalrymple and Burke, 1995: 57). I was bit unsure where to start and how I should make it less awkward for her and me. I was anxious to know what S might be feeling inside as a stranger had come in the house. It was good know that her gross motor skills and fine motors skills were in place. She was able to pick a pencil and could write as well. She was able to understand the different key concepts in mathematics (additions and subtractions) as her mother was trying to explain to her using soft toys to demonstrate the concepts, which showed that her cognitive development was probably quite advanced for her age. To understand addition and subtraction the child must already have been able to count and understand the significance of number values. While this was happening, I was looking at her and somehow or the other she got distracted and a bit scared because she was thinking what will I do or what will I say to her. As soon as her mother told her that I was a friend of hers the child had a smile on her face. She was happy, jumping for joy and even understanding why I had come here. She was excited to see me. There was some support given to S by her mother that made me feel comfortable, however I was thinking if I had observed some kind of anti-discriminatory practice where the childs feelings had not been considered. Later during the day, S had said a word to her mum saying what is your friends name?. This suggests that she was curious about who I was and why I was there. The mother sweetly with a smile replied that his name is Mahir and he is a family friend of mine. She smiled and danced. She was so happy and the grin on her face made me smile as well. Crystal (2010) believes that there are five stages of childrens language acquisition and that questioning begins in stage two even though their vocabulary is still small. Chouinard (2007) considers that childrens questions are an important part of their cognitive development and indicated five important points: that their questions must aim at gaining information; that they must receive answers that aid their cognitive development; they must be motivated to ask questions to gain information; the questions must be relevant at that moment; responses must aid their understanding and add to their knowledge. Chouinard (2007) adds that if children rece ive an unsatisfactory answer, they will keep asking. After a small chat took place she had a pacifier in a mouth. She was hungry as well. Sigmund Freuds psychological theory states that children do go through five stages called: oral, anal, phallic, latent and genital stages. When she had her pacifier, she was going through her oral stage; also in addition to that this is a stage where the focus is more on the gratification of the mouth. It is also where the phallic stage takes place where there is a formation of superego and genitalia taking place in the child. Freud believed that a child could become fixated if any of these stages were not met (Parrish, 2010:59-62). He also said that a child could have three types of personality that could be ID, EGO and SUPEREGO which could become integrated during the stages (Berk, 2006). This helps to define the basic behaviour formation of an individual. Erik Eriksons theory is actually a step up from Freuds theory, but Erikson actually placed more importance on the psychosocial belief like a parent and siblings or even different cultural backgrounds than Freud did and less importance on the sexual urges to try to explain the childs performance. Eriksons emphasis on the ego adaptive of power was greater than the attention of ID (Parrish, 2010: 62-64). Also at this stage initiative vs. guilt occurs, which is stated by Erikson as being where the children assert themselves more frequently. They begin to plan activities, make games and initiate activities with other people. They can somewhat make decisions. If they receive any criticism or over- control by elders they do feel guilt and they do develop self-initiative as it is lacking in them (Walker and Karin Crawford 2014:31). A few minutes later, she was playing with shapes and she was able to define and tell which shapes they were. Yet, she had confusion between the shape of an oval and circle. She could not define between them and thus she was calling an oval a circle. Then her mother told her the correct thing by giving an example that a bangle is a circle in shape and a pear soap an oval. She then understood the difference between them. Then her mother told her to count the corners of a square and rectangle and she was exact with her answer. The doorbell rang and she had a babysitter who had come to teach her music and play games with her. She tried to call the babysitter by her name but she was unable to recall her name. As her babysitter was trying to give her hints she still was not able to guess her name. This went on for two to three minutes. She then said can I play the piano? The babysitter took the piano from the play room that she had. She was jumping with joy and said can I play Do Re Me?. Her babysitter was so impressed when she started playing the piano and she did so well by playing Do Re Me. She knew the exact tune and notes. This does show the different skills of the child and even how gross motor skills develop in them. Then the babysitter was playing and she was dancing away in one position as she was enjoying the beat of the piano. The babysitter told her to try and close the buttons of a shirt but she was not able to do so as she was not able to match the button with the correct hoop. It did give her a problem as she was not able to follow the instruction, which was simply that the baby sitter demonstrated for her how to close the buttons of the shirt. When she tried to do it again she did manage it finally. The mother and the baby sister clapped and cheered for her which led to a smile on her face. Then the mother gave S some food to eat. She was slightly able to pick up fruits and was able to eat them. As soon as the babysitter left she started to cry and I knew the attachment towards the babysitter was emotional but special so then she stayed for ten or fifteen minutes more, when she heard it she was happy. She does have the emotional touch towards the babysitter so then her mother said that she will be back tomorrow to come and see you again but she said no; she needs to stay. The attachment was strong and unbreakable. She heard a sound of a dog so we took her outside and she said the word dog. In reference to what Piaget said: For this child it was a pre-existing scheme as the child could assimilate the dog being a Labrador by seeing the breed of the dog. She was cheerful and kept pointing at the dog which gave me a smile on my face. The pre-operational stage takes place in the child which happens at Ss present age. This is the cognitive development that takes place in the child. It is the 2nd stage of Piagets theory of cognitive development. There is a phase where the child is ego centric which did show in Ss behaviour. She was decentring where she could not understand the meaning of why the world is a centre and they want to grab attention. They have all kinds of imagination which we cannot know. So the child did have such a kind of imagination which her mother and I were confused about because we could not understand what she was trying to say. Also she did look at the world from her own point of view which is called egocentrism (Parrish, 2010: 118). There is a good knowledge of knowing language that can help the social worker to know and help the child while they are talking. Ss language skills were good and she was able to say words like Mama or Papa. This shows how confident the child is. She was also able to depict and understand the difference when it came to colours, differentiating between black and grey or red and orange. In conclusion to my essay, I can say that this observation was fun and exciting. She was happy to see me after ages and she made me feel so comfortable that I was happy to see her. At the end of the session she had a smile on her face that made me also smile and I really enjoyed observing her. Knowing the different stages and applying the theory was really difficult but interesting to know. This really boosted my knowledge and confidence up. Thus in my essay I have said that anti oppressive practice is a important role for any social worker as to keep in mind that those who work with children need to keep the legislation of the child protection act and human rights in mind as they cannot be violated nor they can be effected in anyones life in any circumstance it is in. References Crystal. D., (2010) The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Language Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Chouinard, M., (2007) Childrens questions: a mechanism for cognitive developmentMonographs of the Society for Research in Child Development. 2007;72(1) 113-26 Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17394580 Accessed: 26/02/2017

Aztecs :: essays research papers fc

AZTECS The Aztecs came from Azatlan which is the mythical place of origin(Aztecs of Lost Civilization). Huizilopochtli, the god of war, told the Aztecs to leave Azatlan and wander until they saw an eagle perched on a cactus growing out of a rock and eating a snake(Los Aztecas). The Aztecs traveled many years to find the legend and finally found it while at Lake Texcoco. Lake Texcoco was ruled by the Toltecs between the 10th and 11th centuries(Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia). Since many other tribes also migrated to Lake Texcoco at the same time, the Aztecs were pushed out to the westside of the lake to a swampy area. The only piece of dry land they had was a little island surrounded by marshes. Over a long period of time they built their empire with chinapas. Chinapas were formed by piling up mud from the lake bottom to make little islands(Aztec Empire History). Tenochtitlan (currently Mexico City), which means "Place of the Cactus", became the capital in 1325 and soon there came many islands in which bridges were built to connect the mainland (Los Aztecas). They also dug canals and constructed aqueducts. There were many religious structures, and they built temples and pyramids. By 1502 the Aztec Empire expanded from Guatemala to San Luis Potosi which is in Central and Southern Mexico and extended 800 miles along a northwest-southeast axis. The Aztecs conquered many cities and all became part of the empire which was wedged between high mountains and surrounded by lakes(Aztecs of Lost Civilization/ Azetc Empire History). The three social classes of the Aztecs were slave, commoner, and nobility. The slaves (lowest class) were basically servants, although they could buy there way to freedom or if they escaped from their masters and reached the royal palace without being caught they would earn their way to freedom. There were two kinds of commoners (middle class). The maceualtin were given a lifetime ownership of a plot of land in which they would build their house on. The tlalmaitl were tenant farmers. The nobility (highest class) were usually rulers, chiefs, or nobles(Aztecs/ Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia). The Aztecs typical home was on a log raft covered with mud which had plants on it that stabled the raft with its roots. The home usually had it’s back to a canal with a canoe tied at the door so they could have efficient transportation(Aztec Empire History).

Checks and Balances on the American Government

Tatianna Orozco P. 2 Checks and Balances The six basic principles of the constitution are popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, judicial review, federalism, and checks and balances. Checks and balances is the amount of power assigned to each branch (executive, legislative, and judicial) to keep them balanced. This concept was popularized by Baron Montesquieu to keep the French government from corrupting and was brought to the American government. Over the 200 plus years checks and balances has been in act, it has been very effective through impeachment, laws, and military actions.When it comes to impeachment, the system of checks and balances is very effective. The president can be impeached by the House of Representatives. During the impeachment, the Chief of Justice sits a President of the Senate. So, this is a check on the executive branch. In impeachment, legislative branch holds the power. The legislative branch represents the people which provides a che ck upon itself and the judicial branch. As a result of the legislative branch holding most of the power, it allows the people to have a connected sense especially when it comes to voting.Checks and balances is very effective through lawmaking. If the president decides to veto a bill, congress may override the veto by a 2/3 vote of both houses. This puts a check on the executive branch. In a case where the president does not sign a bill within 10 days it automatically becomes a law. Because of congress having most of the power over lawmaking, it gives the people of this country can have assurance over injury. Military actions are another way checks and balances are effective in equality of two branches.The executive branch puts a check on the legislative branch by the president being commander in chief of the military. Even though the president is chief of the military, only congress has the power to declare war. This is effective in the way that instead of 1 person declaring way ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s a group of people making a big decision. Along with popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, judicial review, and federalism, checks and balances is effective in our government. Without checks and balances we wouldn’t have the stable government and protection we have today.

Energy Drinks Research Essay

Many energy drinks are found in the market and many people are consuming them without knowing the bad effects on their health, having the misconception that they help in enhancing and boosting the body energy. Ingredients: Other than the caffeine and carbohydrates energy drinks contain: B vitamins: Energy drinks contain B vitamins that exceed the daily-recommended amounts. Gingko: German pharmacological studies suggest that this herb increases blood flow to the brain and may be effective in treating depression and short-term memory loss. Guarana: An herbal stimulant popular in Brazil. The reason guarana is so stimulating is that it contains two to three times the caffeine of coffee. Carnitine: A compound generally found in animal foods that’s theorized to enhance fat burning and improve endurance performance. Mechanism: Energy drinks cause many things that include: Insomnia and alertness: Most energy drinks contain caffeine and herbal stimulants that stimulate the central nervous system, giving a sense of alertness. This stimulation can cause a person who is sleepy to wake up. However, it can also prevent a person desiring to sleep from dozing off. In addition, the caffeine in energy drinks blocks the effects of adenosine, a chemical in the brain involved in sleep. This in turn activates neurons in the brain as though there were an emergency, often preventing sleep and causing insomnia. Increased heart rate: When caffeine blocks adenosine and the neurons are activated, the pituitary gland releases adrenaline. This hormone makes the heart beat faster and consuming the large dosage of caffeine found in energy drinks can lead to high blood pressure and heart palpitations. Increased blood sugar: When adrenaline is released into the system, this causes the liver to release extra sugar in to the bloodstream for energy. In addition, energy drinks contain high amounts of sugar, which can be digested easily and also used as a quick source of energy. When consumed, the body experiences a sugar high then often crashes. The sugar enters the bloodstream, provides a blast of energy and when the sugar is burned up, 30 to 45 minutes later, the body usually experiences a sugar crash. At this time feelings of dizziness, slowed reflexes and decreased performance may occur. Dehydration: Caffeine is a diuretic or a substance, which causes urination. The caffeine in energy drinks causes the kidneys to move extra fluid into the urine, which can lead to dehydration if done while sweating during exercise. The high levels of sugar in energy drinks slow the absorption of water that dilutes the sugar in the bloodstream, enhancing dehydration. Also, consuming a drink with a high sugar concentration before an athletic performance can cause gastric distress and diarrhea, resulting in dehydration. Energy: Most energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine, which can provide a temporary energy boost. Some energy drinks contain sugar and other substances. The boost is short-lived, however, and may be accompanied by other problems. Side Effects: Energy drinks can cause inflammation in the stomach; bleeding and ulcerations in the duodenum. While consuming energy drinks alone will not damage your liver immediately, prolonged consumption of certain ingredients in popular energy drinks may have ill long-term effects on your liver. For example, many energy drinks contain herbal concentrate products like kava kava or taurine. An overabundance of either of these herbal supplements can lead to liver damage or liver failure. For example, consuming large amounts of taurine may lead to complications in individuals with type-2 diabetes. Caffeine and Guarana affect the adenosine receptors in the brain. Caffeine also cause dopamine to be released in greater amounts which makes you feel more alert and energetic and happy though it does not provide any energy. Resources: http://www. deseretnews. com/article/635202412/What-ingredients-do-energy-drinks-have. html? pg=all http://www. ehow. com/about_5256218_do-energy-drinks-affect-body. html Books: â€Å"The Nutrition Bible,† by Jean Anderson.