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In the article “When Should a Process be Art, not Science?” the authors described the differences between artistic processes and scientific processes.  Describe what is meant by an “artistic” process and explain how managing quality in an artistic process will be different than managing quality in a more scientific process.

What should be the booking limit for C2?  Round your answer to the nearest whole number.

According to David Maister in his article “The Psychology of Waiting Lines”, which of the following would not make a customer’s wait feel shorter?

Your lab partner invites you to look at her lab notebook to show you the results of an experiment with a newly isolated bacterium she has found (she calls her new bacterium Gopher coli).  You read the statements below from her lab notebook: I did an experiment using 3 treatment groups (data are shown as averages across 3 replicates):              Into sterile, anoxic media containing 1.8 mM lactate I added: 10 mM potassium selenate. (selenium in this compound is in the +6 oxidation state) Did not inoculate with anything 10 mM potassium selenate. I inoculated media with a pure culture of Gopher coli. 0 mM potassium selenate. Inoculated with a pure culture of Gopher coli.  I incubated all treatment groups in an anoxic environment and measured lactate concentration, Se(+6) concentration, Se(+4) concentration, and cell growth daily with the following results:   “Eureka!” You exclaim. “Your data suggest” (choose “supported” by each statement supported by the data, and “not supported” by any that are not supported Gopher coli is a chemosynthetic autotroph [ans1] Gopher coli can respire using Se(+6) as a terminal electron acceptor. [ans2] Gopher coli oxidizes Se(+6).[ans3] Gopher coli can use lactate as a carbon source. [ans4]  

In 1992, mangrove forests along the southern Florida coast and the Florida Keys were severely damaged by Hurricane Andrew. Up to 94% mortality was recorded in some areas, with only the shortest individuals surviving. Scientists have monitored the region and by 2001, the forest canopy had closed and the main species were rapidly gaining biomass. This is an example of:  

The rabbits in my neighborhood are very bold! They do not run when humans are near and happily eat the clover in my yard as I watch. However, when a hawk flies overhead, they quickly scurry away. Choose the best statement to describe the ultimate cause of this behavior.

Inspired by your lab partner’s success you decide to try your hand at growing interesting microbes.  You isolate a microbe from an acid mine drainage site and make media to grow it in.  Because this microbe was isolated from iron-rich soils you include some additional Fe2+ (ferrous iron) in your media. You inoculate your microbe into the media and leave it to grow over several days.  Unfortunately two nights later you wake in a cold sweat – realizing that you forgot to add a carbon source (sugar) to your media.  When you go into lab the next day, to your surprise you notice that your culture is cloudy – as if your microbe has grown!  So you measure cell growth, and Fe2+ and Fe3+.   Sure enough, your cells have grown.  Oddly – your concentration of Fe2+ has declined and your concentration of Fe3+ has increased.  You realize you have evidence to support that: Your isolated microbe could be a chemosynthetic autotroph [ans1] Your microbe can respire using iron as a terminal electron acceptor [ans3] Your microbe is a heterotroph. [ans5] The iron has been oxidized [ans6]

We ask some biology students the question of why echidnas blow bubbles. Student 1 answers that at elevated body temperatures, the echidna mucus glands excrete more mucus, blocking the air passage, causing bubbles to form. Student 2 answers that in a hot, arid environment the echidnas that could blow bubbles were better able to survive the conditions and would pass this trait on to their offspring. Compare student 1 and student 2’s descriptions (choose the best comparison)

When E. O. Wilson estimated the carrying capacity of the earth as 1.6 billion Americans or 10 billion vegetarians.  Why did he make the distinction between Americans (who are, largely, not vegetarian) and vegetarians?  What ecological principle(s) support(s) this assertion?

  Adapted from Ito et al. 2003. The Malaysian ant species C. inflata (pictured above) has a bright yellow band across its thorax. When attacked by a predator it secretes a sticky, toxic fluid. A newly described ant in the genus Camponotus also has a bright yellow band across its thorax. Researchers set out to understand the relationship between the two ant species.    They tested newly hatched Malaysian domestic chicken chicks to see what they would eat. Each chick was put through the 5 trials below in this order and their behavior was observed. Trial # Prey presented Chick behavior 1 5 Camponotus ants Ate all 5 readily 2 5 C. inflate ants Attacked and spat out 3 5 C. inflate ants Ignored 4 5 Camponotus ants Ignored 5 5 control ants (not yellow; known to be tasty)  Ate all 5 readily   How would you describe the relationship between the Camponotus and C. inflata ants? (Be as specific as you can with terminology as you describe this relationship.) Briefly explain your reasoning. Researchers observed that in the field the ratio of C. inflata to Camponotus was 189:1 and they only observed Camponotus in areas with C. inflate. If a viral disease came through and killed most of the C. inflata ants, but left the Camponotus alive such that the ratio of the ants was now 1:1, how do you expect this event would affect predation?  on Camponotus? Explain briefly: on C. inflate? Explain briefly: