Place Matters In Biology
Where one lives could have vast effects on a person. Elderly, adults, children, and even infants could pick up a particular trait based off of where the person lives. Often times these traits could be behavioral, physical or even both weather it be good or bad these traits to become abundant or clear. For example, where I live really did mark “its territory” on me. I lives in the city of Lawndale where its less than five minutes away from the beach and there is always noise going up and down the streets so typically there is the sound of the city all around. Living here in Camarillo I realized that I couldn’t sleep with complete silence in the middle of the night I need the sound of cars passing by or people laughing out side even just the noise of someone just walking by. Then there is the trait of the beach before moving here I typically thought that I could go without the beach because it was not a necessity to me. However- recently I discovered that I find comfort in the beach it just brings back memories of home and family. Verbally living in Los Angeles I picked up the trait of calling a freeway by saying “the ___”. I had realized that this is a trait the varies from county to county and it doesn’t always rub off on people yet I realize others say the name of the actual freeway by saying “California 1 freeway.” When discovering this I was completely applauded because not everyone specifically kept the names of the freeways short and simple. With an even bigger picture as a Californian I’ve come to discover that yes- Californians do have an accent. We as Californians have to enunciate every vowel. This accent seems ridiculous but it is surprising for one to see that a Californian could speak differently from people in other states. My personal sense of place has had gone up and down through the years. There are small objects, smells, and even phrases that take me to back home. I have said it once and will say it again the city I live in really does rub its traits off onto me and I do see them when speaking about my home.
With continuing on through university 298 research and investigations, I have recently discovered a way that Geographic information Systems (gis) applies to my major. Using past research findings through GIS I began to narrow down the various topics to one that appeals to myself. Going from a broad subject such as Biology, narrowing it down to Biology including GIS narrowed sown the search to about a third of my findings, while discovering the different topics on how they apply I narrowed it down to obesity within cities to how much a city is providing and encouraging the people living within it to be active. In the articles I have looked at the research is narrowed down to about one or two counties at most and analyzed to see how often one is active or makes use of public recreation, physical activity and even available food resources. Using the Geographic Information Systems available I would be able to further my investigations to a further degree of GIS by narrowing down from county to specific cities. Through the articles I have selected I am able to break down the obesity rates and how there opportunities are for city by age , race and gender.
Works Cited
Patterns of Walkability, Transit, and Recreation Environment for Physical Activity. Marc Adams – Michael Todd – Jonathan Kurka – Terry Conway – Kelli Cain – Lawrence Frank – James Sallis – American Journal of Preventive Medicine – 2015
Saelens, Brian E., James F. Sallis, Lawrence D. Frank, Sarah C. Couch, Chuan Zhou, Trina Colburn, Kelli L. Cain, James Chapman, and Karen Glanz. “Obesogenic Neighborhood Environments, Child and Parent Obesity.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 42.5 (2012). Web.
