For qualitative observations, the elodea in the control flask is mostly dead. More algae cover the walls of the flask, obscuring the water and preventing some of the sunlight from coming through. The 2 pond snails that were added to the control flask are also dead. In contrast, the elodea in the experimental flask is rooted and is thriving within the ecosystem. Because the algae were not added to the experimental ecoflask, the water remains clearer than the control flask. We suspect that it is the algae in the control flask that is causing the death of the elodea, because of the lack of sunlight penetrating through the water. The decaying mass may allow the population of scavengers in the flask to rise. In the future, we will have to keep the pyramid of energy in mind as the control and the experimental flasks each take different turn of events.
An unpredicted event was the growth of new plants in the flasks. The duckweed in the experimental flask is increasing. This was surprising as the levels of dissolved oxygen were constantly being lowered in both flasks. To understand this, we will have to take other requirements for sustaining life into consideration.
We again ran the pH test and the dissolved oxygen test. The control flask had a pH level of 8.0 and a dissolved oxygen level of 5.09 mg/L. The experimental flask had a pH level of 7.59 and a dissolved oxygen level of 3.5 mg/L. We also tested the phosphate level in the control and the experimental flasks. The control flask had a phosphate level of 0.50 and the experimental flask had a phosphate level of 0.55.
The pH levels of both the control and the experimental flasks were within the acceptable range for freshwater environments, which is between 6.5 and 9.5. From the previous test, the pH level has lowered in both flasks. Before, the pH levels were almost too high; now, they're well within the range. The pH levels does not seem to correctly match the health of the ecoflask, because even though they are comfortably within the acceptable range, the control flask still seems to be dying.
The dissolved oxygen levels, however, were far lower than the acceptable range, which is between 9.1 mg/L and 11.3 mg/L. The dissolved oxygen levels in both flasks have also decreased from the previous test. This means that the producers are dying and are not photosynthesizing enough. The dissolved oxygen levels correspond somewhat with the overall health of the flasks. The low levels of oxygen account for the deaths of the elodea and other organisms in the control flask.
The results of the phosphate tests suggest little difference between the control and the experimental flasks. Both flasks had extremely low levels of oxygen, yet experienced some plant growth. We're trying to correlate this phenomenon with the phosphate levels.
Our goal in this ecoflask project is not necessarily to achieve homeostasis, but to figure what would lead to it and what wouldn't. A quality of a good scientist is patient endurance. Although the ecoflasks are dying now and may never revive, these failures can lead to good things. Therefore, we should continue the experiment even more craving for knowledge, rather than being discouraged.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Saturday, February 4, 2006
Journal #2
- Give a detailed qualitative analysis in narrative format (paragraphs) of changes that have occurred in your column since the initial construction. LOOK AT PRIOR ENTRY TO REMEMBER WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE. If you have photos, be sure to look at them and compare. Write to give the reader a mental PICTURE of what’s going on.
There had been some changes that occurred since the construction of the EcoFlasks. The water in both groups seem to be clearer than from the time of the first journal. The control group still had the algae cover its walls as opposed to the experimental group, which did not contain any. The snails (found living after the plants were placed) seemed to be thriving. The Elodea and the duckweed plants were rooted and healthy for the most part, but some of them looked like they were dying. - Which new organisms are you adding (sci. names)? Why and how did you decide on the numbers? Explain your reasoning using some of the terms/ideas you used in your research proposal. How will your efforts lead to homeostasis in the column?
We added 3 adult brine shrimp (Anostraca, Artemia), 2 pond snails (Gastropoda, Austropeplea), 8 green hydras (Hydrozoa, Hydra), and 13 water fleas (Cladocera, Daphnia) in each flasks. Originally, we would have placed orb snails instead of pond snails, but they were the only choice of snails that arrived. Also, we decided to put the brine shrimp into the flasks, though we decided not to put the seed shrimp (we couldn't find them on the catalogue). We decided that there should be less predators than the prey to balance out the population since some will be eaten by others. These efforts will lead to homeostasis in the EcoFlasks by letting the some of the smaller organisms reproduce before getting eaten or dying. - Are there any abiotic additions or subtractions being performed today? Why or why not?
No abiotic changes were made during the addition of the new organisms. No rocks or soil were added. A small amount of water went into the flasks when the new organisms were added and a small sample was taken out when tests were performed. - Identify at least one new, interesting, or unexpected development in your columns. Why do you think this occurred? How will this affect the balance in your column in the future?
Some of the duckweed from our experimental group died. This has occurred perhaps because of the competition with other plants or the lack of resources in the EcoFlasks. This will affect the balance by lowering the oxygen level produced from photosynthesis. This may lead to other producers thriving in the flasks or the consumers to die because of the imbalance in the food chain. - What were the results of your pH and DO tests? What do these results mean and how will you respond? Identify how the readings compared with acceptable ranges for aquatic ecosystems. Will you continue to run these two tests, or do you want to try some new ones next time. Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.
--> For each test, make sure that there is a separate post reserved in your blog with a data table to record the data with date. This way, you can track the readings easily over time.
Possible Tests: pH, total hardness, dissolved carbon dioxide, dissolved oxygen, phosphates, nitrates
The control group had a pH level of 8.59 and a dissolved oxygen level of 5.7 mg/L. The experimental group had a pH level of 9.09 and a dissolved oxygen level of 6.5 mg/L. The results of the dissolved oxygen tests were too low for a healthy ecosystem, because the acceptable range for dissolved oxygen level in freshwater environments is between 9.1 mg/L and 11.3 mg/L. This may mean that the plants are dying and not producing enough oxygen to sustain the ecosystem. The pH levels of the flasks were in the acceptable range for pH, which is between 6.5 pH and 9.5 pH. According to the results, we would have to raise the level of dissolved oxygen within the flasks without affecting the pH levels. We should continue these tests because the dissoved oxygen test and the pH test seem to be the closest representation of the health of the ecosystems. - Read the excerpt printed below. Pick two of the characteristics that make a "“good scientist" and explain in detail how you and your group are doing these things in your ecocolumn work.
Taken from: http://newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01233.htm
In response to a question on "What makes a good scientist?"”, Ric Rupnik wrote the following:
I do not have an author to quote with a profound answer
to your question. I will make a few comments as to
what I have personally experienced in those I feel
fall into the "good" scientist category:
Someone who:
1. has a passion for learning
2. has an open mind and is not disabled by boundaries of thought
3. can look at situations from many angles
4. is not frustrated in finding one or several plausible solutions regardless of the time involved,
and who can use failure to improve future approaches to problem solving
5. uses learned knowledge and theories but is not fully bound by them in facing new situations , i.e.
can think outside the box
6. can acknowledge input / feelings from others as one source of information but not be overly swayed by that input
7. has at their core a desire to improve the human condition without adversely affecting the environment
or other living things
8. is honest in the collection and analysis of data whether they support his (her) own theories or not
9. communicates clearly their findings with honesty as a primary consideration, leaving funding and
politics for others to consider
I am sure there are other good qualities, some
indication of aptitude or intelligence as well as
working with others without ego which could increase
their effectiveness, but lacking these would not make
them ineffective as a scientist.
Ric Rupnik, Scientist
Argonne National Laboratory (University of Chicago)
I think that a person who fall into the categories 2 and 5 would make a good scientists. Questions are solved in science by using the scientific method, but it's supposed to come up with new ideas. When our group worked on our EcoFlasks, the results from the tests were not always favorable. However, we didn't conclude that the EcoFlasks were failing. We had to find out which part about the flasks were faulty and make new changes to the procedure.
Friday, February 3, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Everything that went into our EcoFlask
Date of construction: November 9, 2005.
Materials list:
Original list:
We didn't put these materials or amounts of these materials for different reasons. First, we used less water because it overflowed; there was too much water when we put all the materials in the flask. We used more elodea because there was enough room in the flask for a longer piece of Elodea. We used more duckweed because there was enough room, and we didn't want to waste the left over duckweed. We added topsoil because rocks don't give any nutrition to the plants. We didn't use the larger rocks because we decided the gravel would provide enough protection and living space for the microscopic organisms.
Materials list:
- 900 mL of distilled water
- 60 cm of Elodea (Alismatales, Elodea)
- 40 mL of duckweed (Alismatales, Lemna)
- 1 container of green algae (Chlorophyta, Cladophera)
- 400 mL of topsoil
- gravel
Original list:
- 1300 mL of distilled water
- 30 cm of Elodea (Alismatales, Elodea)
- 30 mL of duckweed (Alismatales, Lemna)
- green algae (Chlorophyta, Cladophera)
- 2 three centimeter rocks
We didn't put these materials or amounts of these materials for different reasons. First, we used less water because it overflowed; there was too much water when we put all the materials in the flask. We used more elodea because there was enough room in the flask for a longer piece of Elodea. We used more duckweed because there was enough room, and we didn't want to waste the left over duckweed. We added topsoil because rocks don't give any nutrition to the plants. We didn't use the larger rocks because we decided the gravel would provide enough protection and living space for the microscopic organisms.
EcoFlask proposal
Purpose and hypothesis:
The purpose of our experiment is for us to be able to create a self-sustaining ecosystem of our own and along the way learn about our own balance in our ecosystem. We’ll be getting to know the importance of the scientific method and learn how to use it. By observing, making hypotheses, researching, experimenting, making analysis of the data recorded, and concluding, we’ll be able to get the experience of thinking and working together as scientists. We will learn how to plan out an experiment, how to control and compare the variables, and how to write out a lab report clearly. Also from creating our own ecosystem, we can see what factors it needs to survive and learn what importance these factors have on the environment around us. In our experiment, our experimental variable is the green algae. Because the green algae are at the bottom of the food chain that supports the balance of the ecosystem, we wanted to see how an ecosystem would adapt without its most basic food source. Our hypothesis is that "If green algae are not present in the experimental group, then the controlled group with the greed algae will be more successful."
Background research:
A self-sustaining ecosystem is an ecological community in which the organisms and their environment live in balance maintaining and regenerating life. A self-sustaining ecosystem works by following a cycle or chain in which organisms give and take nutrients which are replaced or renewed. For example, light energy and carbon dioxide allow algae to produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Higher organisms use up this oxygen while feeding on algae and bacteria. These bacteria break down animal waste into nutrients which the algae reuse. The higher organisms and bacteria also give off carbon dioxide which the algae use to produce food and oxygen starting the cycle again.
Seed shrimp (Ostocoda, Cypris) are extremely small (almost microscopic) which is good because of the limited amount of space available. It is a scavenger and feeds on dead plants and animals or decaying matter. It also feeds on algae, bacteria/ microorganisms, and the shed exoskeletons of other shrimp. We decided to use six seed shrimp per flask because it is a consumer and will be eaten by predators, so there needs to be enough to reproduce and keep the algae and bacteria population controlled. Orb snails (Gastropoda, Heliosoma) are one of the lunged snails that live in clean, quiet water. They eat algae and are very sensitive to acidic water. They don’t need as much oxygen as other types of snails. We decided to use 3 orb snails per flask because they take up a little more space than some of the other organisms, but they will also help control the algae population. Hydra (Hydrozoa, Hydra) live in clean, unpolluted waters. They feed on one-celled animals, water fleas, and seed shrimp. It gets oxygen through its skin. We decided to use four hydras per flask because they are predators and will control the water flea and seed shrimp population. Water fleas (Cladocera, Daphnia) feed on algae, microscopic animals, and organic debris. It’s very tiny and has a transparent body. We decided to use six water fleas per flask because they are consumers and will be eaten by predators, so there needs to be enough to reproduce and keep the algae and the amount of organic debris controlled. Elodea (Alismatales, Elodea) provides excellent oxygenation and can be used in plant respiration and photosynthesis. It is about 6-8 inches long. Green algae (Chlorophyta, Cladophera) provide balance to the ecosystem. It provides food and oxygen for organisms. Organisms leave organic waste which bacteria break down producing carbon dioxide and inorganic nutrients. This is then used by the algae again. Algae will also tell if the pH level in the water is too high or if there’s too much or too little sunlight. Duckweed (Alismatales, Lemna) is easy to culture with small leaves and a single root. Gravel, indirect sunlight, larger rocks, and room temperature are abiotic factors that will contribute to column stability. Gravel allows microorganisms to hide from shrimp and other predators that feed on it. Gravel also creates more surface area for bacteria to grow and break down waste materials. Indirect sunlight is what algae uses to create food and oxygen, which in turn allows all other organisms to live. The amount of sunlight also directly affects the pH level in the water. Light energy also helps change chemicals into nutrients. Larger rocks allow organisms like shrimp or snails to hide from predators. It also creates more surface area for bacteria to grow like gravel. Room temperature makes sure that there’s not extra stress on the organisms and that they won’t have slower metabolisms.
Some of the expected interactions would be that producers would provide food for the consumers which in turn will be consumed by the predators. Seed shrimp feed on dead plants and animals, decaying matter, and the shed exoskeleton of other shrimp; orb snails eat algae; hydras feed on one-celled animals, water fleas, and seed shrimp; water fleas feed on algae, microscopic animals, and organic debris. Elodea provides oxygen for the organisms and green algae provides the food for the other organisms except the hydra. Green algae provide food and oxygen for the organisms. By themselves, sunlight and time would create the algae and microbes that some of the organisms need in the experimental group. The microbes act as a food source and help decompose decaying matter.
An ecosystem is a complex interaction of organisms and their environment. In the eco-flask project, which would hopefully become a self-sustaining ecosystem, the interaction between the organisms would balance the ecosystem and help organisms live without being fed. Consumers that occupy a higher trophic level (level of consumption in the food chain), such as the snails, are smaller in total biomass, and, according to the pyramid of numbers, their population should be smaller, and vice versa. The pyramid of energy shows that as energy moves up a food chain, it is either used up or lost during the energy conversion, more energy being available for producers, such as the duckweed and elodea, and primary consumers, but leaving less for the consumers. Biomass is found by multiplying the average dry weight of a population and the number of individuals. The pyramid of biomass also shows that the biomass diminishes as the organism is further form produces in the food chain. In conclusion, the consumers should be less numerous than the producers in the eco-flask. Biotic factors are caused by living things. Abiotic factors are caused by nonliving objects in the environment. Consider: competition between the various organisms in the container may inhibit growth or kill off one of the species, when they are fighting for food, water, space, and resources. A type of plant may choke out the sunlight, or the shrimps and the hydras may compete for the same type of food. Since the size of the container is small, the resources and the space would be limited. A habitat is the location and the environment where the organisms live. The habitat of an organism would be source of competition, and if a species lost, it would be driven away from its home. Water purification systems are needed because this is a closed system, and the water may be blocked from entering the water cycle. Some microorganisms may be able to filter out water. Fist, the plants such as duckweed will make energy. This energy will be carried up the food chain. Then herbivorous animals would become preys for predators that are carnivorous. Though on top of the food chain, when these consumers die, it will be left for the decomposers to feed on the dead organisms. Another factor is symbiosis. Parasitism is one where one benefits and one is harmed. Commensalism is when they are relatively unaffected. Mutualism is when both benefits. Plants and animal should not harm each other if they are part of a symbiosis.
We will be performing different tests to determine and to analyze what must be done to make the ecosystem more habitable. We’ll be performing tests to see the concentration of oxygen and the carbon dioxide level in the water once a week. We need to know whether the plants and organisms beneath the water are getting enough oxygen to survive. Because many chemical reactions and cellular processes rely on oxygen, the concentration of oxygen in the ecosystem will alter the ecosystem itself.
Interesting facts:
Materials:
Flask construction procedure:
Variables:
Controlled
Experimental
The experimental variable is the presence of the green algae in the ecosystem, while the experimental group will have none. Since the algae are producers that photosynthesize, more energy may be able to enter the pyramid of energy. However, more life may increase the competition and inhibit growth.
Dependent (tests)
Random error:
We’ll minimize the error by checking procedures over before doing anything; we’ll write down all of our errors so we won’t make them again. We have to be careful when measuring quantities so that both groups have the same amount of every organism (except green algae) in both groups. We could make an error in maintaining the controlled variables. We could also make a mistake in collecting data from observations.
Environment:
We can learn from the lessons of our eco-flask, which is an accurate representation of our environment, by using the knowledge gained from this experiment and putting it towards better understanding of our environment. For either one of the eco-flask or the environment, organisms must provide other things for other organisms. For example, green alga provides food while elodea provides oxygen. Also, there cannot be too many or too little or any organism. Too many organisms can mean overpopulation, yet too little would mean that there aren’t enough for the organisms to survive. We learn that both the eco-flask and the environment can only survive with a careful balance.
Resources:
Photocopied sources:
The purpose of our experiment is for us to be able to create a self-sustaining ecosystem of our own and along the way learn about our own balance in our ecosystem. We’ll be getting to know the importance of the scientific method and learn how to use it. By observing, making hypotheses, researching, experimenting, making analysis of the data recorded, and concluding, we’ll be able to get the experience of thinking and working together as scientists. We will learn how to plan out an experiment, how to control and compare the variables, and how to write out a lab report clearly. Also from creating our own ecosystem, we can see what factors it needs to survive and learn what importance these factors have on the environment around us. In our experiment, our experimental variable is the green algae. Because the green algae are at the bottom of the food chain that supports the balance of the ecosystem, we wanted to see how an ecosystem would adapt without its most basic food source. Our hypothesis is that "If green algae are not present in the experimental group, then the controlled group with the greed algae will be more successful."
Background research:
A self-sustaining ecosystem is an ecological community in which the organisms and their environment live in balance maintaining and regenerating life. A self-sustaining ecosystem works by following a cycle or chain in which organisms give and take nutrients which are replaced or renewed. For example, light energy and carbon dioxide allow algae to produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Higher organisms use up this oxygen while feeding on algae and bacteria. These bacteria break down animal waste into nutrients which the algae reuse. The higher organisms and bacteria also give off carbon dioxide which the algae use to produce food and oxygen starting the cycle again.
Seed shrimp (Ostocoda, Cypris) are extremely small (almost microscopic) which is good because of the limited amount of space available. It is a scavenger and feeds on dead plants and animals or decaying matter. It also feeds on algae, bacteria/ microorganisms, and the shed exoskeletons of other shrimp. We decided to use six seed shrimp per flask because it is a consumer and will be eaten by predators, so there needs to be enough to reproduce and keep the algae and bacteria population controlled. Orb snails (Gastropoda, Heliosoma) are one of the lunged snails that live in clean, quiet water. They eat algae and are very sensitive to acidic water. They don’t need as much oxygen as other types of snails. We decided to use 3 orb snails per flask because they take up a little more space than some of the other organisms, but they will also help control the algae population. Hydra (Hydrozoa, Hydra) live in clean, unpolluted waters. They feed on one-celled animals, water fleas, and seed shrimp. It gets oxygen through its skin. We decided to use four hydras per flask because they are predators and will control the water flea and seed shrimp population. Water fleas (Cladocera, Daphnia) feed on algae, microscopic animals, and organic debris. It’s very tiny and has a transparent body. We decided to use six water fleas per flask because they are consumers and will be eaten by predators, so there needs to be enough to reproduce and keep the algae and the amount of organic debris controlled. Elodea (Alismatales, Elodea) provides excellent oxygenation and can be used in plant respiration and photosynthesis. It is about 6-8 inches long. Green algae (Chlorophyta, Cladophera) provide balance to the ecosystem. It provides food and oxygen for organisms. Organisms leave organic waste which bacteria break down producing carbon dioxide and inorganic nutrients. This is then used by the algae again. Algae will also tell if the pH level in the water is too high or if there’s too much or too little sunlight. Duckweed (Alismatales, Lemna) is easy to culture with small leaves and a single root. Gravel, indirect sunlight, larger rocks, and room temperature are abiotic factors that will contribute to column stability. Gravel allows microorganisms to hide from shrimp and other predators that feed on it. Gravel also creates more surface area for bacteria to grow and break down waste materials. Indirect sunlight is what algae uses to create food and oxygen, which in turn allows all other organisms to live. The amount of sunlight also directly affects the pH level in the water. Light energy also helps change chemicals into nutrients. Larger rocks allow organisms like shrimp or snails to hide from predators. It also creates more surface area for bacteria to grow like gravel. Room temperature makes sure that there’s not extra stress on the organisms and that they won’t have slower metabolisms.
Some of the expected interactions would be that producers would provide food for the consumers which in turn will be consumed by the predators. Seed shrimp feed on dead plants and animals, decaying matter, and the shed exoskeleton of other shrimp; orb snails eat algae; hydras feed on one-celled animals, water fleas, and seed shrimp; water fleas feed on algae, microscopic animals, and organic debris. Elodea provides oxygen for the organisms and green algae provides the food for the other organisms except the hydra. Green algae provide food and oxygen for the organisms. By themselves, sunlight and time would create the algae and microbes that some of the organisms need in the experimental group. The microbes act as a food source and help decompose decaying matter.
An ecosystem is a complex interaction of organisms and their environment. In the eco-flask project, which would hopefully become a self-sustaining ecosystem, the interaction between the organisms would balance the ecosystem and help organisms live without being fed. Consumers that occupy a higher trophic level (level of consumption in the food chain), such as the snails, are smaller in total biomass, and, according to the pyramid of numbers, their population should be smaller, and vice versa. The pyramid of energy shows that as energy moves up a food chain, it is either used up or lost during the energy conversion, more energy being available for producers, such as the duckweed and elodea, and primary consumers, but leaving less for the consumers. Biomass is found by multiplying the average dry weight of a population and the number of individuals. The pyramid of biomass also shows that the biomass diminishes as the organism is further form produces in the food chain. In conclusion, the consumers should be less numerous than the producers in the eco-flask. Biotic factors are caused by living things. Abiotic factors are caused by nonliving objects in the environment. Consider: competition between the various organisms in the container may inhibit growth or kill off one of the species, when they are fighting for food, water, space, and resources. A type of plant may choke out the sunlight, or the shrimps and the hydras may compete for the same type of food. Since the size of the container is small, the resources and the space would be limited. A habitat is the location and the environment where the organisms live. The habitat of an organism would be source of competition, and if a species lost, it would be driven away from its home. Water purification systems are needed because this is a closed system, and the water may be blocked from entering the water cycle. Some microorganisms may be able to filter out water. Fist, the plants such as duckweed will make energy. This energy will be carried up the food chain. Then herbivorous animals would become preys for predators that are carnivorous. Though on top of the food chain, when these consumers die, it will be left for the decomposers to feed on the dead organisms. Another factor is symbiosis. Parasitism is one where one benefits and one is harmed. Commensalism is when they are relatively unaffected. Mutualism is when both benefits. Plants and animal should not harm each other if they are part of a symbiosis.
We will be performing different tests to determine and to analyze what must be done to make the ecosystem more habitable. We’ll be performing tests to see the concentration of oxygen and the carbon dioxide level in the water once a week. We need to know whether the plants and organisms beneath the water are getting enough oxygen to survive. Because many chemical reactions and cellular processes rely on oxygen, the concentration of oxygen in the ecosystem will alter the ecosystem itself.
Interesting facts:
- Many factors affect the overall existence of organisms in the ecosystems. The chemical and physical characteristics will determine which organisms are more likely to survive. But the organisms that enter the ecosystem also have the possibility of changing the whole ecosystem.
- Orb snails have lungs that take up half of their bodies and gills at their feet.
- Water fleas have transparent bodies.
- Hydras have tentacles.
Materials:
- 12 seed shrimp
- 6 orb snails
- 8 hydras
- 12 water fleas
- 1300 mL of distilled water
- 1 graduated cylinder
- 2 flasks
- 80 grams of gravel
- 30 centimeters of elodea
- 30 centimeters of duckweed
- 60 grams of green algae
- 2 three centimeter rocks
Flask construction procedure:
- Make sure the temperature of the room where the flasks will be stored is set between 15C and 25C
- Obtain two flasks
- Label one of the flasks "CONTROL"
- Make sure the flask is standing upright vertically
- Remove the cap of the flask
- Put all of the following organisms and materials into the flask labeled "CONTROL"
- Place gravel evenly on the bottom of the flask so that it fills about one fifth of the flask
- Use a beaker to measure out 200 mL of topsoil
- Put 200 mL of topsoil into the flask
- Gently shake the flask to mix the gravel and topsoil together
- Make sure the soil and gravel layer is level
- Place 30 centimeters of elodea (Alismatales, Elodea) inside the flask vertically making sure none of it sticks outside of the flask
- Use a graduated cylinder to measure 450 mL of distilled water
- Pour the 450 mL of distilled water into the flask
- Use a beaker to measure out 20 mL of duckweed
- Put 20 mL of the duckweed (Alismatales, Lemna) into the flask
- Pour all the green algae (Chlorophyta, Cladophera) from its container into the flask
- Place 6 water fleas (Cladocera, Daphnia) into the flask
- Place 3 orb snail(s) (Gastropoda, Heliosoma) into the flask
- Place 6 seed shrimp (Ostrocoda, Cypris) into the flask
- Place 4 hydras (Hydrozoa, Hydra) into the flask
- Close the cap of the flask
- Place the completed "CONTROL" flask by the window where it can receive indirect sunlight
- Label the second flask "EXPERIMENTAL"
- Make sure the flask is standing upright vertically
- Remove the cap of the flask
- Put all of the following organisms and materials into the flask labeled "EXPERIMENTAL"
- Place gravel evenly on the bottom of the flask so that it fills about one fifth of the flask
- Use a beaker to measure out 200 mL of topsoil
- Put 200 mL of topsoil into the flask
- Gently shake the flask to mix the gravel and topsoil together
- Make sure the soil and gravel layer is level
- Place 30 centimeters of elodea (Alismatales, Elodea) inside the flask vertically making sure none of it sticks outside of the flask
- Use a graduated cylinder to measure 450 mL of distilled water
- Pour the 450 mL of distilled water into the flask
- Use a beaker to measure out 20 mL of duckweed
- Put 20 mL of the duckweed (Alismatales, Lemna) into the flask
- Place 6 water fleas (Cladocera, Daphnia) into the flask
- Place 3 orb snail(s) (Gastropoda, Heliosoma) into the flask
- Place 6 seed shrimp (Ostrocoda, Cypris) into the flask
- Place 4 hydras (Hydrozoa, Hydra) into the flask
- Close the cap of the flask
- Place the completed "EXPERIMENTAL" flask by the window where it can receive indirect sunlight
Variables:
Controlled
- type of liquid – pour in only distilled water
- amount of liquid – measure the liquid with a graduated cylinder
- size of container – use the container provided from the science class
- type/material of container - use the container provided from the science class
- temperature of water – keep the temperature at room temperature
- amount of rocks/gravel – measure the volume of rocks with the displacement method
- type of rocks/gravel – use the same type of rock and soil for each
- amount of tests per week – 1 set of testing per week
- amount of sunlight – placing it in one location throughout the entire experiment
- amount of each organism – making sure each container contained the exact number of organisms
Experimental
The experimental variable is the presence of the green algae in the ecosystem, while the experimental group will have none. Since the algae are producers that photosynthesize, more energy may be able to enter the pyramid of energy. However, more life may increase the competition and inhibit growth.
Dependent (tests)
- pH
- level of dissolved oxygen
- level of dissolved carbon dioxide
- level of dissolved solids
- temperature
- nitrates
Random error:
We’ll minimize the error by checking procedures over before doing anything; we’ll write down all of our errors so we won’t make them again. We have to be careful when measuring quantities so that both groups have the same amount of every organism (except green algae) in both groups. We could make an error in maintaining the controlled variables. We could also make a mistake in collecting data from observations.
Environment:
We can learn from the lessons of our eco-flask, which is an accurate representation of our environment, by using the knowledge gained from this experiment and putting it towards better understanding of our environment. For either one of the eco-flask or the environment, organisms must provide other things for other organisms. For example, green alga provides food while elodea provides oxygen. Also, there cannot be too many or too little or any organism. Too many organisms can mean overpopulation, yet too little would mean that there aren’t enough for the organisms to survive. We learn that both the eco-flask and the environment can only survive with a careful balance.
Resources:
- (n.d) Great Pond Snail. Retrieved October 10, from http://www. Bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factifiles/424.shtml
- 2004. Daphnia- The Water Flea. Retrieved October 10, 2005, from http://www.ebiomedia.com/gall/classics/Daphia/daphia-gen.html
- (n.d) Ecosphere Care. Retrieved October 10,2005, from http://www.eco-sphere.com/care_manual.htm
- http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/Stratford/landingES/Ecology/
mpages/duckweed.htm - http://www.planet-pets/plnthsdr.htm
- 2005. Freshwater Aquarium Specimen Sets. Retrieved October 10, 2005, from http://www.warschi.com/category.asp_Q_c_E-648_A_Freshwater+Aquarium+Speciment +Sets
- Retrieved October 9, 2005, from http://www.biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/search/dict-serach.html
- 2004. University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. Retrieved October 11, 2005, from http://alter.lumnology.wisc.edu/findings.html
Photocopied sources:
- http://www.eco-sphere.com/
- http://www.planet-pets/plnthsdr.htm
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Journal #1
- Give a detailed qualitative analysis in narrative format (paragraphs) of changes that have occurred in your flasks since your initial construction and the addition of producers. Write to give the reader a mental PICTURE of what’s going on in the flasks. What are the similarities and differences? Be sure to remind the reader about what constitutes your control and experimental groups.
The producers are now thriving in both EcoFlask groups. The Elodea are now both rooted in the soil. The algae in the control group and the duckweed in the control and the experimental groups have multiplied to.
The algae is present in our control group but not in the experimental group. The experimental flask is more clear because the algae in the control is preventing some of the sunlight from passing through the flask. - Which two tests did you run? What were the results for each flask? Did they fall within acceptable ranges? If a test fell within range, give two reasons why you believe the test result was favorable. If not, give two possible reasons describing why the test result was unfavorable.
We ran 2 tests: the pH test and the dissolved oxygen test. For the control group, the level of dissolved oxygen was 10.5 mg/L and the pH was 9.05. For the experimental group, the level of dissolved oxygen was 10.5 mg/L and the pH was 9.55. The levels of dissolved oxygen were within the acceptible range, which is between about 9.1 mg/L and 11.3 mg/L. The pH results of the flasks were barely in the acceptible range, which is between about pH 6.5 and pH 9.5. The results were somewhat unfavorable for the dissolved oxygen test. I expected that the control group would produce more oxygen than the experimental group because there are no algae in the experimental group. The results for the pH test were too high to be comfortable because having a very basic EcoFlaskmay harm the chances it will become self-sustaining. - Have any plant/producer deaths occurred? Give three hypotheses as to WHY using scientific reasoning.
No plant/producer deaths have occured. The plants received plenty of sunlight and the Elodea are now rooted in the soil. - Which consumer organisms (and how many) are you ordering to be added to the column? How is your order different from your original proposal? Why are the organisms that you are adding different in number or type from your proposal? What do you expect to happen upon addition of these organisms?
We ordered 6 orb snails (Gastropoda, Heliosoma), 8 hydras (Hydrozoa, Hydra), and 12 water fleas (Cladocera, Daphnia). Unlike the list from the original proposal, we did not order any seed shrimps. No seed shrimps could be found in a catalog, so they were left out. Upon the addition of these organisms, I expect that the snails, the hydras, and the water fleas would consume the algae in the control group and the other producers in the control and the experimental group. Since the seed shrimps are not being added, these consumers may receive less competition than expected in the original proposal. - If you have any pictures, feel free to add those to this blog or create a separate blog for them.
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