This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Microbiomes share an intimate relationship with the organisms they colonize, even across evolutionary timescales. That’s the basis of a theory called phylosymbiosis. Phylosymbiosis holds that microbial communities evolve as their host evolves and has been confirmed to exist for certain insects and mammals. Researchers recently tested whether that relationship holds among fish. Approximately 420 million years ago, fish made an epic evolutionary split into elasmobranchs -- creatures with all-cartilage skeletons -- and bony fish. Since then, the two have accumulated vast differences in anatomy and physiology, most notably in their skin. That’s where the researchers zeroed in. For a small sample of fish, they used metagenomics to compare the makeup of microbial communities living on fish skin. Between fishes considered closely or distantly related in evolutionary terms, findings revealed that elasmobranchs displayed patterns of phylosymbiosis, while bony fish did not..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Microbiome research has consistently been placed in the spotlight over the past two decades, and has shown tremendous promise in the fields of medicine, environmental science, food production, and agriculture. Life on Earth does not exist without microbes, and we may benefit from learning more about them. Yet, there is no common understanding amongst researchers of what a 'microbiome’ actually is. Researchers are now proposing a common definition of ‘microbiome’ to ensure better, more robust research across different disciplines. The authors build on the historical definition offered by Whipps and colleagues in 1988 using new research insights. Additionally, they highlight the importance of microbiomes as drivers for the health of many eukaryotic hosts, including humans and plants. The proposed amendments to the definition specify the elements of microbiome composition and their interactions..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Climate change stands to have a tremendous impact on the world’s freshwater ecosystems. To understand how, researchers analyzed 15,289 functional genes related to nutrient cycling and stress processes gathered from biofilm microbes across mountainside streams in Norway, Spain, and China. With increasing elevation, microbial functional diversity tended to decline, and the composition of functional gene assemblages tended to differ more with greater elevational distances. These variations were more drastic as the environmental differences between the lowlands and the peaks increased. The best predictors of these variations appear to be climatic factors, such as temperature during the growing season. and winter precipitation. Including predictors at the local or landscape level could further refine the picture painted by these findings and help Eurasian countries anticipate significant alterations to their stream ecosystems amid a changing climate..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Creating art from found materials is not a new concept.  Josef Albers, one of the most famous residents and faculty members of Black Mountain College, encouraged his students to create art from scarcity.  This art project is based on the same principals of making something amazing out of something that was discarded or seen as irrelevant.  Grade Level 7/8Lesson name:  Trash to TreasureTimeline:  5 work sessions at 40 MinutesMajor Concept:  Assemblage of assorted materials to create art.Visual Art NCES7.V.2 Apply creative and critical thinking skills to artistic expression. 7.V.3 Create art using a variety of tools, media, and processes, safely and appropriately. 8.V.2 Apply creative and critical thinking skills to artistic expression. 8.V.3 Create art using a variety of tools, media, and processes, safely and appropriately.  8.CX.1 Understand the global, historical, societal, and cultural contexts of the visual arts. Essential QuestionHow can I take found materials to create a complete new piece of artwork?  Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy forNCES CoursesEvaluate:  Students will evaluate the uses of found materials in their personal artwork.Apply:  Students will apply their knowledge of the elements of design when putting together their composition.Create:  Students will create an original piece of art using a variety of tools, media, and processes.Lesson Details and FacilitationAbout a week or more before you plan to teach this lesson, show your students the following videos:  http://safeyoutube.net/w/Uued, http://safeyoutube.net/w/PredOnce you have shown the videos, ask the students to be on the lookout for materials they think might be useful in creating artwork.  Once collection has begun, put the materials into groups for students to look through for inspiration. Assign each student a type of symmetry.  Based on what they are assigned, they will create a composition. They will then glue their found objects into place. While, students are working, they should talk with their table about what looks interesting and get other opinions on their work.  MaterialsAssorted materials (Ex: bottle caps, string, gum wrappers, old jewelry, pencils, buttons, anything you can find that could be repurposed.)Glue, (Hot glue, Modge Podge, white glue, tacky glue)Backing (Cardboard, book board, mat board, pasteboard, wood)VocabularyAssemblage, collage, repurpose, found materials, composition, elements of design, balance, functional fixedness, repetition, emphasis, linear symmetry, asymmetrical, radial symmetryIntegration Cross CurricularIn art class, discuss The Great Depression and how scarcity led to creativity.  Discuss how a place very much like Ashe county became a “Mecca”, so to speak, for artistic ingenuity.  Discuss with students what it might have been like to attend BMC and participate in the community that the college created.  Seventh Grade teachers can discuss the migration of Jewish artists to America and how their influence shaped American art of that time period.Eighth grade teachers can discuss the shortages created by World War 2 that led to the idea Josef Albers had to repurpose found materials for use in art.ResourcesThe Black Mountain Connectionhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1yyLhjSV599Uph4eKelG5NPpJW6f9pp3KvvjGjxJqmJ8/edit?usp=sharing