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Darwin Bicentennial Events and Resources DR. BOB FIELD, Adjunct Physics Professor
and Research Scholar in Residence and docent at the Morro Bay State Park
Museum of Natural History |
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More
links are listed at bottom of page Evolution of Plant Communities The
walk starts with an overview of the estuary and the rocks next to the museum
and continues down to the mudflats of Windy Cove. Plants provide the base of
the food web on land. Life existed on Earth for billion of years before
plants evolved. What evolutionary changes set the stage for the evolution of
plants? How have plants evolved and diversified since they first appeared on
land nearly five hundred million years ago? Meet outside of the entrance to
the Morro State Park Museum of Natural History. (*E) one mile in one hour Darwin in the Garden text posters Bicentennial Poster Display in Fisher Hall cabinet near room 285 based on the Leaning Pine Arboretum evolution walk led by Dr. Bob Field and biology major TJ Eames. Also available as a slide show program. Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born on the same day in February of 1809. Darwin explored the world, but we can explore Cal Poly’s Leaning Pine Arboretum to learn about relationships that evolved over billions of years. The library poster display is based mostly on photos of the arboretum which features mediterranean gardens from five continents. Explore convergent evolution and adaptive radiation. Investigate relationships involving the land, sea, sky, and the six kingdoms of life that comprise Earth’s ecosystems. (Originally displayed in Kennedy Library Café Gallery February 2009 and available for temporary display in other venues). Darwin Bicentennial: Geologist and Naturalist Physics Colloquium February 12, 2009 and repeats by request. Charles Darwin explained the formation of volcanic islands, coral reefs, continents, and other ground movements. He emphasized the power of time and repeated and cumulative actions on a small scale. He observed the influence of climate on life, noted the geographic distribution of animals, and recognized the isolating function of land or sea barriers. As a uniformitarian geologist, he rejected Lord Kelvin’s thermodynamic arguments for a young Earth. Born February 12 1809, Darwin circled the globe on the HMS Beagle from 1831 to 1835 observing geology and collecting fossil mammals, modern mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles. On his return, Darwin was no longer an unknown; he was now recognized as a promising naturalist and geologist. He published findings in zoology and geology from 1839 to 1846. He became the secretary of the Geological Society in 1838. He also published “The Origin of Species” 150 years ago. Learn about more upcoming events celebrating the 2009 Year of Darwin. Exploring Evolution in the Leaning Pine Arboretum February 14, 2009 and repeat walks by request. Celebrate the Darwin bicentennial (Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809) by taking a walk in Cal Poly’s Leaning Pine Arboretum and discover the results of billions of years of physical, chemical, and biological evolution. The arboretum features mediterranean gardens from five continents. Investigate relationships among the five kingdoms of life that comprise Earth’s ecosystems. Explore convergent evolution, adaptive radiation, competition, and symbiosis. Meet near the Poly Plant Shop on Via Carta. Darwin on the Bluff Seventh grade science field trip
Darwin traveled the world before he understood the origin of species, but all
we have to do is explore the MdO bluff to illustrate how the Earth and its
biosphere have been co-evolving for billions of years. It’s all about
relationships: The diversity of life depends on interactions of energy and
matter in the ocean, atmosphere, solid Earth, and Sun. Meet near the head of
the Montana de Oro bluff trail one mile round trip in 2 hours Evolution of Plants Seventh grade science field trip The walk starts with an overview of the estuary and the rocks next to the museum and continues down to the mudflats of Windy Cove. Plants provide the base of the food web on land. Life existed on Earth for billion of years before plants evolved. What evolutionary changes set the stage for the evolution of plants? How have plants evolved and diversified since they first appeared on land nearly five hundred million years ago? Meet outside of the entrance to the Morro State Park Museum of Natural History. (*E) one mile in one hour followed by one hour in the museum learning center Ocean Science Quest Natural Enquirer Tabloid Newspapers: My eight issues of the “Natural Enquirer” and “Daily Sea Star” tabloid newspapers are no longer on display in giant poster format in Cal Poly’s Fisher Hall near room 285 after a five year stint. They are still online and are available for display in other venues. Unscheduled walk and talk programs that have
been conducted in the past: Exploring Evolution in the Elfin Forest Evolution of the Montana de Oro Bluff Exploring Evolution at Pismo State Beach Exploring Evolution in the Museum Internal Structure and Evolution of the Sun Internal Structure and Evolution of the Solid Earth The Violent Birth of Mother Earth The Diversity of Life |