Reproduction
D3391664, Ahmed Mateen, Group 12
Introduction
Reproduction allows organisms to grow their population and allows for many genetic variations we see a lot of with features such as eye colour, skin colour etc. There are two different types of Reproduction being: Sexual and Asexual. Sexual reproduction requires two parents, typically one female and one male. Asexual however; can reproduce on its own. Both have positives and negatives like how sexual reproduction allows for more adaptivity that can help organisms survive in changing environments (which we will touch upon later regarding the Mountain Gorilla species). This does not apply to Asexual, this is because its more suited for rapid growth in an unchanging environment. Most animals and plants sexually reproduce which leaves the unicellular organisms such as yeast, bacteria to mostly reproduce via Asexual tendencies. In this page both organisms we will look at will be sexually reproduced.
Mountain Gorilla
Mountain gorilla’s are one of the closest living relatives to humans, studies even found that they share around 98% of human DNA which makes their reproduction methods very similar to our own. As you can see in their name, they are found in the mountains, more specifically in the Virunga volcanic mountain range in D.R of Congo and they can also be found in Uganda more specifically the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Reproduction
Mountain Gorillas being diploids reproduce through sexual reproduction just like mammals, they have many phases just like us that go with reproducing:
Mating – Females typically reach their sexual maturity age at around 8-10 years of age whereas males mature slightly later at around 12-15 years. Females Estrous cycle is around 28 days in which they are able to mate, typically with dominant silverbacks which get exclusive mating rights before any other mountain gorilla.
Gestation – Mountain Gorillas gestation period is very similar to humans being around 8.5 months in which the embryo and the fetus inside create the birth of an infant, here there are even more phases this section such as the development of the fetal (which reminds the female mountain gorilla of pregnancy), the female will also have a mostly rich in leaves, stems and fruit diet which helps their dietary and nutritionary needs during the pregnancy
Birth – Labour starts when the fetus is moved into the correct position to start the delivery. After the birth is successful, the mother will normally clean up the infant and makes sure the its nursing begins. Typically only a single infant is born; twins are rarer to find. These deliveries normally don’t require any assistance and are done at night.
Threats and Issues
Even with the organised system the Mountain Gorillas have in place when it comes to reproduction, they are still an endangered species according to the International Union of the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Up until 2018 they where classified as critically endangered but luckily thanks to the IFAW and many other organisations, the population of Mountain Gorillas have slowly risen after many years of decline, being the only great ape that has an increasing population in this day and age.
Monkey Puzzle Tree
For over 200 years on this planet, back when dinosaurs where still roaming earth, Monkey Puzzle Trees with their spiky and distinct looks have made their strong impressions especially on squirrels which love to feast on the nuts which have a chestnut flavour and are desirable from he eyes of humans, more specifically, the Machupe people and are normally named piñones in Spanish or ngulliw in Mapudungun. They are found natively in Chile and West Argentina, centrally and southernly in Chile. A lot of parks in the Victorian and Edwardian era planted these trees around. They where later bought to the United Kingdom in 1795. It also houses over 70 different endemic insects which shows its value to our Life on Earth.
Monkey Puzzle Trees have sharp spiky and rather glossy leaves that are typically triangular shaped, thick at the base. The fruits they grow have edges that resemble hair, their cones are gold and green whilst they grow on the tips of branches, they ripe over 2 or 3 years, turning brown which then release big brown seeds which can be used as food, either raw or cooked, for both human and animals. They can also be used to create a new Monkey Puzzle Tree:
Reproduction
First off we need to know that Monkey Puzzle Trees reproduce through sexual ways. They require a Male and Female which in this case is through the flowers the tree grows out. Monkey Puzzle Trees are dioecious, which basically means that the male and female flowers are grown on separate trees. Here are both the Male and Female flowers:
As you can see the Male and Female flowers do look significantly different, Male catkins are around 10cm long, normally green however changed to a more yellow then brown at the end of summer period. Whereas Female catkins are a lot more spiky and TAK cone shape. The next stage will come down to natural causes such as wind etc that will carry pollen to the female cones, once said pollen gets into contact with the female cone, fertilization will occur and develop seeds which are nut-like and usually take around 18-24 months to grow in said cone. These seeds will need to be in moist conditions which usually start to branch out, a mechanism named germination, this occurs usually in spring. After all this, seedlings will start to grow slowly and show their spiky leaves etc. Finally, after around 30-40 years of growth, the tree will reach reproductive maturity and repeat history.
Threats and Issues
The monkey Puzzle Tree is among 8000 tree species under threat of extinction. A conservation plan is under play which only a handful of species have. A few organisations have came together to hopefully establish plans to manage vital creations for forests.
References
education.nationalgeographic.org. (n.d.). Plant and Animal Reproduction. [online] Available at: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/plant-and-animal-reproduction/8th-grade/.
WWF (2012). Mountain Gorilla | Gorillas | WWF. [online] World Wildlife Fund. Available at: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/mountain-gorilla.
Volcanoes National Park Rwanda. (2017). Mountain Gorilla Reproduction – gorilla reproduction. [online] Available at: https://www.volcanoesparkrwanda.org/information/mountain-gorilla-reproduction/.
Gorilla Trekking (2018). Gorilla reproduction. [online] Africa Adventure Vacations. Available at: https://africaadventurevacations.com/gorilla-reproduction/
BBC Gardeners World Magazine. (n.d.). How to grow a monkey puzzle tree. [online] Available at: https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-a-monkey-puzzle-tree/.
Woodland Trust (2019). Monkey Puzzle. [online] Woodland Trust. Available at: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/monkey-puzzle/.