Biology

[Coffeehouse]

Biology Thread

Biology (from Greek βιολογία - βίος, bios, "life"; -λογία, -logia) is the study of life and a branch of the natural sciences which studies living organisms and how they interact with each other and their environment. It examines the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of living things. Also, it classifies and describes organisms, their functions, and how species come into existence. Four unifying principles form the foundation of modern biology: cell theory, evolution, genetics and homeostasis.



I've searched through the threads and although Science does cover Biology as a general supercategory I think we should have a specific thread for Biology that covers specifically the animal kingdom, marinebiology, microbiology and other topics concerning living organisms. Also Science seems pretty much Global Warming-focused and that's alright, but it's easier to find information about Biology if it has its own thread

So don't merge this with the Science thread please!!

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I watched this documentary today about four swimmers on the New Zealand coast who were subject a pretty incredible experience.

Three of the swimmers were lifeguards. One of them lifeguards was a grown man and the three others were girls in their late teens, early 20s. They were going to cross a bay by swimming across and about halfway across something strange happened. A few dolphins began swimming up to them, coming ever-closer. While the swimmers kept on towards the other side the dolphins grew in numbers. More and more were appearing on the surface and, for no apparent reason, the dolphins were starting to circle around the swimmers. They were circling so close around that the swimmers had to give up going forward and were literally trapped.

The dolphins now numbered as much as 10 individuals now and as they circled around for many minutes they suddenly began violently flapping their flukes (the tail) in the water around the swimmer making the water foam in chaos.

One of the lifeguards, the man, then decided to break free of the circle because he could not understand why the dolphins were behaving so aggressively. Having swum ferociously away he managed to do so but then realized that one of the girls, (who also was his daughter), followed after him and they ended up some 9-10 meters away from the two other girls and the circling dolphins.

What then happened was crazy. Suddenly this dolphin comes speeding towards the two of them and is really close to hitting them and then dives into the water. The man instinctively looks down in the water to see where it went and, to his surprise and shock&awe he sees a great, white shark swimming just beneath him, within touching distance. It then dawns on him that what the dolphins are really doing is protecting them! But he decides to not shout it to the two girls being encircled because if they, being by now cold and tired, hear that a great white is beneath them it will make matters even worse.

The man and his daugther (she doesn't know that there's a great white beneath her yet) then swim towards the two other girls again and their back in the circle. The guy understands that if they are going to survive that their best chance is to stay encircled by the dolphins who keep violently thrashing the water.

The four of the swimmers have by now drifted a good way towards a beach and some lifeguards on the beach spot the spectacle. So two lifeguards get in a boat and speed towards the swimmers. But then one of the lifeguards jumps out of the boat and the boat turns again towards the beach. Apparently the lifeguard believes that the swimmers are playing the dolphins, yet as soon as he hits the water he sees the great white beneath him and realises, obviously, that this isn't a game. He swims for his life against the swimmers and manages to get into the circle. So now we have four lifeguards and another swimmer encircled by dolphins. Both of the guys who know by now that there is a great white (or more) beneath them decide not to say anything. Instead they try to inch towards the beach while still encircled.

Gradually the dolphins circle wider and wider around them until suddenly they are gone and the by now five swimmers are alone in the sea. The lifeguard on the beach now returns again with the boat and gets them safely ashore.

I'm just amazed by the altruism those dolphins displayed. The dolphins encircled the swimmers for 45 minutes and left only when the great white had been ushered away. Just unbeliavable! Go dolphins!

Not only does this show some remarkably emphaty by the dolphins and a understanding that the swimmings are actually in danger. They also Organize and coordinate their effort. Some of the dolphins were circling and the others must have been trying to coax the great white beneath the surface (which they've been known to do), swimming just above the great white, irritating it and confusing it. The splashing with the flukes is a genious way of doing it, creating chaos and sending the great white a clear signal that it should lay off. It's also a true altruistic behaviour because the dolphins were putting their own lives at risk in a situation where the great white was going for the swimmers. Amazing!!

[Nurvingiel]

What a strange tale. I have no trouble believing that dolphins are organized though. In the BBC documentary Planet Earth, there was footage of dolphins working together to herd fish into a huge sphere so that fishing would be easier. The dolphins would take turns diving through the ball to eat their fill while the other dolphins kept the fish together.

They're also the only other animal we know of besides ourselves that have sex for pleasure. That shows remarkable development.

[Coffeehouse]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

They're also the only other animal we know of besides ourselves that have sex for pleasure. That shows remarkable development.

Really? That's pretty amazing. Just shows some species have move beyond the regular, pushing boundaries for whatever reasons. The dolphins have been around for quite some time too so they've had the opportunity to develop social intelligence.

[Nurvingiel]

Originally Posted by Coffeehouse

Really? That's pretty amazing. Just shows some species have move beyond the regular, pushing boundaries for whatever reasons. The dolphins have been around for quite some time too so they've had the opportunity to develop social intelligence.

Too bad humans haven't. </obvious>

I took biology in my first year of uni and now, many years later and graduated, I forget most of it.

I think it's neat that we eat food from three of the five kingdoms (us Canadians go with the British and Australian way, not the US way): Fungi, Animalia and Plantae. Even though we eat relatively few species from these kingdoms, it's nice that we started out so diverse eh?

[Coffeehouse]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I think it's neat that we eat food from three of the five kingdoms (us Canadians go with the British and Australian way, not the US way): Fungi, Animalia and Plantae. Even though we eat relatively few species from these kingdoms, it's nice that we started out so diverse eh?

I didn't quite understand what you meant there

[Nautipus]

Originally Posted by Coffeehouse

Biology Thread

Biology (from Greek βιολογία - βίος, bios, "life"; -λογία, -logia) is the study of life and a branch of the natural sciences which studies living organisms and how they interact with each other and their environment. It examines the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of living things. Also, it classifies and describes organisms, their functions, and how species come into existence. Four unifying principles form the foundation of modern biology: cell theory, evolution, genetics and homeostasis.



I've searched through the threads and although Science does cover Biology as a general supercategory I think we should have a specific thread for Biology that covers specifically the animal kingdom, marinebiology, microbiology and other topics concerning living organisms. Also Science seems pretty much Global Warming-focused and that's alright, but it's easier to find information about Biology if it has its own thread

So don't merge this with the Science thread please!!

Beat me to it.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Coffeehouse

So don't merge this with the Science thread please!!

Well, this has to stay biology then, if we shouldn't merge it with the Science thread.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

In the BBC documentary Planet Earth, there was footage of dolphins working together to herd fish into a huge sphere so that fishing would be easier.

I looooove Planet Earth and the Blue Planet. Too bad the BBC has cut funding to their natural history unit, such incredible documentary series may become a thing of the past that way...

They're also the only other animal we know of besides ourselves that have sex for pleasure. That shows remarkable development.

I'm pretty sure lions fall in the same category.

I'm not sure whether the dolphins would be trashing the water to keep the shark away. Trashing water is exactly one of the things what attracts sharks to prey! I wonder whether the dolphins just tried to alert the swimmers to the presence of the shark. I also wonder whether the shark was even hungry or just happened to be near. Usually dolphins actually ram sharks to drive them off, although I have only seen it with smaller species. And a great white is of course a very big fish! (Absolutely fascinating fish but I would so totally, immediately have a heart attack if I noticed one below me while swimming.)

[Nautipus]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

I'm pretty sure lions fall in the same category.

I'm not sure whether the dolphins would be trashing the water to keep the shark away. Trashing water is exactly one of the things what attracts sharks to prey! I wonder whether the dolphins just tried to alert the swimmers to the presence of the shark. I also wonder whether the shark was actually hungry or just happened to be near. Usually dolphins actally ram sharks to drive them off, although I have only seen it with smaller species. And a great white is of course a very big fish! (Absolutely fascinating fish but I would so totally, immediately have a heart attack if I noticed one below me while swimming.)

One shark I really want to dive with, along with the Tiger. Brought my total up to 9 species now, btw.

Great whites are fascinating, though. I know an icthyologist who specializes in elasmobranchs, but mre specifically in oceanic sharks like the great white. He was forefront on Blue shark research as well.

[Earniel]

A controlled swim, I think I might be able to manage, if they can pry my fingers from the cage. But the times I went snorkling in the Mediteranean and idly thought 'what would happen if out of the blue gloom ahead came suddenly the familiar silhouette?' I dunno, death by fright seems a likely solution. That or breaking the speed record to get to the beach. Of course the sightings of great whites in the Mediteranean are sparce but you never know what will happen if the waters continue to heat up there. (Sorry, Coffeehouse, I won't mention global warming again. )

Tiger sharks are magnificent beasts as well! Their colouring are really, really pretty.

A few years back I read an article about a study that measured fright responses to English words, back then the word 'shark' produced the highest fear responses. A pity somehow, because sharks get a lot of bad press (lookin' at you here, Spielberg) but they're so darn essential to the seas. And humanity is endangering far too many shark species by over-fishing.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Just posting to say that preserving this as a separate thread is totally inconsistant with the grand rush to combine perfectly nice active threads with elderly ones. And I object.

AND this is on topic, since the original thread brought it up.

Biology could just as well be merged with the pets thread.

[Coffeehouse]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Well, this has to stay biology then, if we shouldn't merge it with the Science thread.

That would be the plan yes..

Originally Posted by Eärniel

I'm not sure whether the dolphins would be trashing the water to keep the shark away. Trashing water is exactly one of the things what attracts sharks to prey! I wonder whether the dolphins just tried to alert the swimmers to the presence of the shark. I also wonder whether the shark was even hungry or just happened to be near. Usually dolphins actually ram sharks to drive them off, although I have only seen it with smaller species. And a great white is of course a very big fish! (Absolutely fascinating fish but I would so totally, immediately have a heart attack if I noticed one below me while swimming.)

The great white knew they were there. As soon as the two swimmers who broke free from the circle were out the white shark came at them, while it did not manage to come close while they were encircled..

In fact that is why the dolphins did trash around in a tight circle, keeping the four swimmers locked in an area just large enough for the four of them. The dolphins repeatedly hindered them in trying to get out and it was only after one of the swimmers made an attempt in desperation, to get a view of the situation, that he managed to get out of the circle.

The dolphins did alert them to the danger, but the point of circling around the swimmers for 45 minutes, hindering them from going anywhere, was to solve the problem for them.
The rest of dolphins most definitely did try to make the great white go away, and that is why only 4-5 of the dolphins (Out of about 10) were busy encircling the swimmers.
The white shark made at least one direct attempt at eating one of the swimmers.

In any case there were three marinebiologists in the documentary who gave this analysis.

[Coffeehouse]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

Biology could just as well be merged with the pets thread.

Why should Biology be merged with Pets thread???

[Willow Oran]

Because our pets are the most direct link most of us have to the field of biology through our interactions with and observations of them?

Not that I think Sis was being serious...

While we're on the subject though, the behaviors of domestic cats are really rather fascinating, especially the methods by which they adopt and share their territories and their humans. It seems that our cats and our neighbors have grown close enough that they not only don't mind sharing outdoor territory, but that one of ours has shown one of theirs how to enter at exit our hosue at will, demonstrating an apparently willing sharing of indoor territory for no particular reason except, perhaps, entertainment.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

Just posting to say that preserving this as a separate thread is totally inconsistant with the grand rush to combine perfectly nice active threads with elderly ones. And I object.

AND this is on topic, since the original thread brought it up.

Biology could just as well be merged with the pets thread.

Weren't you the one hinting I was too quick to close or merge new threads, and so when I'm being nice and allow one to try, you still complain?

Originally Posted by Coffeehouse

The great white knew they were there. As soon as the two swimmers who broke free from the circle were out the white shark came at them, while it did not manage to come close while they were encircled..

Hmm, I daresay this is merely conjecture since according to the story, the shark was only observed after the split-off swimmer looked down. So we do not know whether the shark had been close enough to chew on any loose ankles before. Neither are we told whether the shark actually made an agressive move towards the swimmers, other than swimming below them, perhaps only interested in seeing what all that noise was about. Sharks do not always attack humans on sight, nor are they always hungry, let's give them some credit. As I said, he could have just been nearby. It doesn't make the dolphins' altruistic behaviour towards another species any less interesting, though.

In any case there were three marinebiologists in the documentary who gave this analysis.

Eh, far be it from me to go against a marine biologist, never mind three, on only partial data and no visuals.

[Nautipus]

Originally Posted by Coffeehouse

The great white knew they were there. As soon as the two swimmers who broke free from the circle were out the white shark came at them, while it did not manage to come close while they were encircled..

In fact that is why the dolphins did trash around in a tight circle, keeping the four swimmers locked in an area just large enough for the four of them. The dolphins repeatedly hindered them in trying to get out and it was only after one of the swimmers made an attempt in desperation, to get a view of the situation, that he managed to get out of the circle.

The dolphins did alert them to the danger, but the point of circling around the swimmers for 45 minutes, hindering them from going anywhere, was to solve the problem for them.
The rest of dolphins most definitely did try to make the great white go away, and that is why only 4-5 of the dolphins (Out of about 10) were busy encircling the swimmers.
The white shark made at least one direct attempt at eating one of the swimmers.

In any case there were three marinebiologists in the documentary who gave this analysis.

The question that first arises is: What benefit is afforded the dolphins by protecting the people? There doesnt seem to be any, so why would the animal do it? Out of some sense of benevolence? There are some reports of dolphins protecting sea turtles, but these havnt been substantiated. And while the marine biologists are good sources that mak a story seem credible, unless they were there they are ging on heresay, and that's it.

Then: Is that truly what the dolphins were trying to do? It certainly seems that way, unless the dolphins were just thrashing around because they were scared of such a large predator. Because, unlike fish, marine mammals swim upwards (generally speaking) when stressed. Most fish swim down, which is how many nets used to work.


Finally, a debate I can cntribute to with some degree of experience. Key word: debate.

[Coffeehouse]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Hmm, I daresay this is merely conjecture since according to the story, the shark was only observed after the split-off swimmer looked down. So we do not know whether the shark had been close enough to chew on any loose ankles before. Neither are we told whether the shark actually made an agressive move towards the swimmers, other than swimming below them, perhaps only interested in seeing what all that noise was about. Sharks do not always attack humans on sight, nor are they always hungry, let's give them some credit. As I said, he could have just been nearby. It doesn't make the dolphins' altruistic behaviour towards another species any less interesting, though.


Eh, far be it from me to go against a marine biologist, never mind three, on only partial data and no visuals.

The shark was only seen, less than a meter from the one lifeguard, after over 30 minutes of dolphin-circling yes. But one can infer much from those 30 minutes.

Had the swimmers been receiving a mere warning the dolphins certainly would have made close contact, trying to get their attention. The dolphins however did a whole lot more than that. What started with two or three dolphins swimming close up to the swimmers soon developed into four-five dolphins circling quickly around, and around, and around the swimmers, for over 30 minutes. Meanwhile the swimmers said they could feel and see several other dolphins swimming beneath them, occasionally coming up to the surface, and then going down again. The white shark certainly was around long before they spotted it. These lifeguards could not understand, having been around dolphins many times, why they were not allowed to move anywhere. It dawned on them later that what the dolphins had been doing without exhaustion for the entire 45 minutes was to keep the white shark away with violent splashings and coaxing. The direct intervention of the one dolphin when the two of the swimmers had broken out and were seconds away from being bitten shows that the dolphins were really intervening and actively protecting them. This was a whole lot more than warning signals.

*And to Nautipus: What the marinebiologists that commented on the incident argued was that although this act of altruism is almost unheard of, it is consistent with the scientific knowledge we have of the dolphins' brain and its great capability for empathy (which is quite rare in the animal kingdom)*

[Nautipus]

Originally Posted by Coffeehouse

The shark was only seen, less than a meter from the one lifeguard, after over 30 minutes of dolphin-circling yes. But one can infer much from those 30 minutes.

Had the swimmers been receiving a mere warning the dolphins certainly would have made close contact, trying to get their attention. The dolphins however did a whole lot more than that. What started with two or three dolphins swimming close up to the swimmers soon developed into four-five dolphins circling quickly around, and around, and around the swimmers, for over 30 minutes. Meanwhile the swimmers said they could feel and see several other dolphins swimming beneath them, occasionally coming up to the surface, and then going down again. The white shark certainly was around long before they spotted it. These lifeguards could not understand, having been around dolphins many times, why they were not allowed to move anywhere. It dawned on them later that what the dolphins had been doing without exhaustion for the entire 45 minutes was to keep the white shark away with violent splashings and coaxing. The direct intervention of the one dolphin when the two of the swimmers had broken out and were seconds away from being bitten shows that the dolphins were really intervening and actively protecting them. This was a whole lot more than warning signals.

*And to Nautipus: What the marinebiologists that commented on the incident argued was that although this act of altruism is almost unheard of, it is consistent with the scientific knowledge we have of the dolphins' brain and its great capability for empathy (which is quite rare in the animal kingdom)*

It certainly does, and it seems that the dolphins were actively protecting the swimmers. It also ges against what animals would normally do. So dolphins have the capacity for empathatic behaviors, as well as great violence.

[Earniel]

It's difficult to unravel an animal's motivations. Was the shark actually looking for a snack? Possibly, but not proven. Some sharks tend to bump or nibble on people to identify edibility before attacking in full. Was the shark close because he intended to have a taste first, or are there other factors? How deep was the water where the swimmers were? If shallow waters for example, the shark wouldn't have much depth to swim under the swimmers, so he could have come far closer than comfort. But there is no reason why the shark may not have been curious of the people and came closer to inspect, without putting them immediately on the menu. How big was the shark even? That too can be a defining characteristic in behaviour.

Did the dolphins know or simply assume the shark posed a threat? It could go either way. The dolphins themselves could have been mistaken about the shark's intentions.

So I'm wary to presume much about the situation.

[Coffeehouse]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

It's difficult to unravel an animal's motivations. Was the shark actually looking for a snack? Possibly, but not proven. Some sharks tend to bump or nibble on people to identify edibility before attacking in full. Was the shark close because he intended to have a taste first, or are there other factors? How deep was the water where the swimmers were? If shallow waters for example, the shark wouldn't have much depth to swim under the swimmers, so he could have come far closer than comfort. But there is no reason why the shark may not have been curious of the people and came closer to inspect, without putting them immediately on the menu. How big was the shark even? That too can be a defining characteristic in behaviour.

Did the dolphins know or simply assume the shark posed a threat? It could go either way. The dolphins themselves could have been mistaken about the shark's intentions.

So I'm wary to presume much about the situation.

According to the most experienced of the lifeguards, the one who was less than 1 meter away from the white shark, it was a massive specimen. The area in which they were swimming was many, many meters deep. They were during the time the dolphins circled around them, between two islands, in a bay and far from either shore. It certainly was no shallow place.

The white shark is of course no stranger to attacking human beings and trying to eat them. I've myself seen a deep, wide scar in a guy's leg in South Africa, where attacks by the coast is not uncommon. According to the lifeguard he was not bitten because the dolphin intervened and struck the white shark. Seems good enough evidence of an attempted attack.

The dolphins who encircled these swimmers for 45 minutes were also Bottlenose Dolphins, unique among dolphins for their ability of self-awareness. Incidentally I came across a similar occurrence in an article now, where a surfer was bitten 3 times while on his surfing board, the white shark trying to chew off his right left, when suddenly dolpins intervened and, remarkably, did the exact same thing, swimming around and around the surfer until aid arrived.

[Nautipus]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

It's difficult to unravel an animal's motivations. Was the shark actually looking for a snack? Possibly, but not proven. Some sharks tend to bump or nibble on people to identify edibility before attacking in full. Was the shark close because he intended to have a taste first, or are there other factors? How deep was the water where the swimmers were? If shallow waters for example, the shark wouldn't have much depth to swim under the swimmers, so he could have come far closer than comfort. But there is no reason why the shark may not have been curious of the people and came closer to inspect, without putting them immediately on the menu. How big was the shark even? That too can be a defining characteristic in behaviour.

Did the dolphins know or simply assume the shark posed a threat? It could go either way. The dolphins themselves could have been mistaken about the shark's intentions.

So I'm wary to presume much about the situation.

Very good pints all. Also, many sharks are simply curious and like t figure their way around an object, and the only tactile organ they posses is their mouth. But that is irrelevent in this instance as is (for argument's sake) whether the shark was looking for a snack or not. I am not ready to jump on either boat, but right now I think I'm in yours. Coffeehouse, this is an endearing story to be sure, but it is mostly heresay.