Biology

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

*When the students walk in, they are greeted by a smiling teacher. This is never a good sign.*

Good morning. Coffee and doughnuts are near the back if they are needed. Today, we will begin talking about decomposition rates with regards to fulvic acids.

Decomposition of preparations of various fractions of fulvic acids in pure cultures of bacteria and in the soil was investigated. In the soils enriched with fulvic acids the amount of bacteria increased, oxygen consumption and formation of carbon dioxide followed a typical sigmoid curve. The above measurements indicated that mineralization occurred after a very short or negligible lag phase.

During the decomposition of fulvic acids the ability of microorganisms to oxidize aromatic compounds, e.g. vanillic and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, increased. The presence of aromatic structures in the used preparations of fulvic acids was demonstrated on the basis of their IR spectra and according to the results of chromatographic analyses of their hydrolysates. The results indicated a relationship between metabolism of fulvic acids and aromatic compounds. In samples of the soil preincubated with glucose with fulvic acids decomposed more rapidly than in untreated samples.

By the way, we will be taking our fieldtrip to the body farm sometime next week. Wear clothing you don't mind throwing out because you will never get the stench out of it.

Comments

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

Jake walks over to grab a coffee right off the bat, saying to no one in particular, "Well, this ought to make Wednesday happy if nothing else."

[addams-daughter.livejournal.com]

"It does make me happy." Wednesday's voice, deadpan as usual, came from about two feet behind her and to her left.

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

Spinning around in place, holding the coffee protectively, Jake gaped at her. "Jesus Christ, don't do that! I could've spilt my coffee!"

[addams-daughter.livejournal.com]

Wednesday raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps a cup with a lid?" She eyed Jake critically. "When did you become a girl?"

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

"...Last week. Don't want to talk about it."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::addressing no one in particular::

I am so glad I never got around to burning my zombie-fighting clothes. ::shudder:: I don't know if I could deal with another perma-smell outfit.

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

I will be providing lemons and decomp formula afterwards. *said mildly*

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

*looking vaguely pre-occupied Callisto grabs a coffee and starts taking notes*

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia's mouth fall open slowly at the description of the body farm and she suppresses a shudder. "Do we have to sign up for this field trip?" Maia swallows hard blocking out a mental picture of Sara at a body farm, dead and decomposed. why did she have to tell me that she'd rather go to a body farm then be buried the hairs on Maia's neck stand up as she looks at Sara's face. She can't keep the images out of her head now of the body farm.

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

If you wish to opt out of going, you can do a term paper. We will be discussing details later this week.

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia shakes her head 'No, I-I want to go'. Maia puts her head down and starts to write notes pushing the images out of her head almost forcefully.

[deadlikegeorge.livejournal.com]

Um, do we need to have permission slips signed to go on this field trip? And will it involve giant pink rabid bunnies and cannibals? Because I think I got my fill of those last weekend.

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

As far as I know it will not involve rabid pink bunnies or cannibals. I will be giving out permission slips later this week.

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry, teach," Angelus said, his voice ultra-reasonable, "but was that a slur?"

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

A slur on what, Angelus?

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Excuse me," Angelus said, not changing his tone, "but I find it most distressing to hear a member of Fandom High's esteemed faculty making derogatory remarks about the metaphysically challenged. I also find it difficult to believe that it would be considered permissible for anyone to get away with implying that human students have a stench that can't be gotten out of clothing."

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

It is truly a shame you are metaphysically challenged, Angelus. *such a pleasant smile and tone* You would make a wonderful evangelist. If I offended you, I apologize, however I was simply stating facts as I know them.

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"I see," Angelus said. "So you would claim, as a teacher, that it is a fact that non-human students smell? Ms. Sidle, I came to this class to learn biology, not the propaganda of Disintelligent Design."

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

It is a fact that decomposing bodies smell. You might be dead physically, Angelus, but your body is not decomposing by any means I can detect. Nor do you smell Kindly stop twisting my words around.

*returns to lecturing*

[demonbelthazor]

Body farm. Cool.

[iwasawesome.livejournal.com]

Ew. Body farm?

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

A facility devoted to the scientific study of decomposition rates in controlled and uncontrolled environments. *a quick grin* If you'd rather opt to writing a paper, you may.

[iwasawesome.livejournal.com]

Ew. Writing a paper sounds even worse. I'll go, and everything- I've already decayed once, seeing it on other people can't be any worse, right? *small laugh*

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

*gently* If it will bother you, Lilly, we can make other arrangements.

[iwasawesome.livejournal.com]

No, no, it'll be fine. I'll have to get used to the whole not being dead thing sometime. But I'm totally reserving the right to get grossed out a lot.

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

*chuckles lightly* I can guarantee that.

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana comes in, takes a seat and listens intently. Part of her mind is planning to stop at a store in town and buy some cheap clothes that she can throw out after the body farm field trip.

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

::raises his hand::

Ms. Sidle, will I be able to get the decomp formula in bulk?

::takes notes on the topic of the day::

(OOC: I love how you're actually finding links to material for us. Thanks!)

[equalsmcsquared.livejournal.com]

[OOC: It saves me the time and effort of actually continuing lectures. ;)]

I certainly will, Hank. I'll be making it later this week.

[master-of-fear.livejournal.com]

*Jonathan takes some coffee and a doughnut and proceeds to take notes and do the lab*

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

*signs in*

Body farm. Wonderful.

*gets to work on lab*

[fates_jaye]

Jaye swallows. "Body farm?" she repeats, a little pale.

This is either the coolest or the grossest thing ever. Maybe both. She starts to wonder if they grow bodies there, or if zombies just drive the tractors.

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

Great. Now I have two sets of clothes I can't wear in public.

Body farm, thought John. If THAT doesn't sound like a zomb-o-fest, I don't know what does.

[swerval_zero]

Oh, swerval.

*It's hard to tell if she's being ironic or not. Hey, she knew about this when she signed up for the class, but that was before the zombies.*

[sunny-skyes.livejournal.com]

Sora grabs a doughnut as he sits down, finding it rather fascinating... though rather glad that the heartless just dissapeared rather than rotting... that would have been... really really... messy.

[mycanonhatesme]

Chloe sits down, not sure whether or not she's excited about going to the body farm. The zombies have definitely changed her outlook on the undead.