Factors Causing Changes to the Ecosystem | Experiment

Factors Causing Changes to the Eco clay ExperimentMadison ChapmanPurpose/theoryThe purpose of this investigate was to better under floor how an ecosystem changes over time by simulating the interaction between the aquatic, quotidian and decaying parts of an ecosystem. Several variables of an aquatic put up, terrene chamber, and decaying chamber were monitored to provide evidence for the changing of the ecosystems. Dissolved atomic number 8, pH, temperature, and turbidity, were some of the things heedful and used as evidence to prove that the ecosystem was bear up undering change. Obvious aesthetic changes were to a fault noniceable, these were observed and recorded as changes at bottom the environment. Without a complete and colonial food chemical chain, and with the sm whole size of the ecosystem, it was non likely that the ecosystem would remain static for a extended period of time. The lack of a food chain will not allow for larger organisms such as the weight and b eetle to remain alive for a long time. The chambers should undergo similar changes that a normal ecosystem would.MethodsThe setup for the experiment was begun on kinfolk 9, 2013. Two liter soda bottles were used as the chambers for apiece environment type. The bottles were cleaned, cut to appropriate size, and taped together. Openings were cut into both the erratic and aquatic environment to allow access for interrogation. The top chamber was the guff environment. Two rotting banana peels, decaying leaves, and were added to the depravation editorial, the top column. Rocks, spot, grass, moss, sticks, three earthworms, and mavin beetle were inserted into the middle, terrestrial chamber. A long stick was inserted through the decomposition chamber, into the terrestrial chamber to connect the ii chambers. The bottom aquatic chamber was filled with local lake weewee and some aquatic plants. At the starting of November the dissolved group O levels in the water were high and ha d stabilized, so a fish was added to the chamber. Upon all(prenominal) try out event several(prenominal) variables were c atomic number 18ful in the aquatic and terrestrial chambers. In the aquatic chamber turbidity, color, Nitrate, Dissolved Oxygen, alkalinity, pH, and temperature were measured and recorded. In the terrestrial chamber Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, and pH levels were measured and recorded. Also during each taste event visual observations were made and recorded for both chambers. The off in events were biweekly for most of the experiment. Throughout the experiment there were six try out events these were on September 9, October 1, October 8, October 22, November 5, and December 3. The experiment lasted a total of 75 days, with the last sampling event on December 3, 2013.ResultsTable 1The ecosystem appeared to be invariable until around the third sampling event. The ecosystem was growing and stabilizing. In the aquatic chamber dissolved oxygen was slowly i ncreasing as well as alkalinity. In the terrestrial chamber potassium change magnitude from an adequate level to a sufficient one. On October 22 the nitrogen, potassium, and phosphoric levels in the soil declined significantly from the last sampling event. There were to a fault teensy-weensy fluctuations visible in the aquatic variables we tested. The dramatic depletion of almost all variables observed on the November 5th sampling event was foreshadowed by the round of the water from clear to yellow. This showed the first signs of changes within the environment. On the November 5th sampling event the water in the aquatic chamber was green, the dissolved oxygen and alkalinity levels dropped considerably. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous levels were all depleted in the soil. Figure 1With the exclusion of alkalinity most of the aquatic variables that were measured and recorded stay remotely constant. turbidity did increase steadily toward the end of the experiment and the dis solved oxygen levels decreased. This was shown by the green water color that was observed. treationANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. image EACH QUESTION. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RETYPE THE QUESTIONSIdentify two fare Chains or Food Webs in each of your habitats (chambers). subprogram arrows to dilate these food chains and food webs complete sentences are not required. Use extra paper if needed.Aquatic ChamberDecomposition Chamber (top soil chamber)Terrestrial ChamberIdentify and briefly discourse the biogeochemical cycles which are victorious place/which are present in your EcoColumns. Do not scarce state that they are all present instead, provide more precise information.water cyclenitrogen cyclecarbon cyclephosphorous cycleIs your ecosystem column a closed or broadcast system? or is it something in between a closed or open system? Explain how this (closed, open or other) influences the ecosystem column overall.The ecosystem is closed with the riddance of when things were added such as the fish or rain water. There are no away forces working on the ecosystem, such as wind.What kindly of niches are available/present for the various organisms in the column? Be specific, descriptive, and use terminology that is pertinent to the topic.The larger organism could hold the fictitious character of predator and prey on the smaller organisms. Most of the smaller organisms and the earthworms held the roles of decomposers.Discuss evidence of ecological succession taking place in your column (or in the column of another lab group if you confuse not observed any signs of succession in your column).One group whose ecocolumn water turned completely black in the first few weeks of testing experienced succession. Eventually the water cleared and the oxygen levels rose.Discuss the stableness and sustainability of the ecosystem columns in the lab, including your own.The ecocolumns appeared to show moderate stability throughout the experiment, however, once in deviations in a variable occurred the ecocolumn seemed to change rapidly. The ecocolumns were sustainable until around two to three weeks before the experiment ended.Discuss three trends or patterns which stand out as you think back on the data which you have been recording for 6 weeks. These trends or patterns should apply to the water quality tests or other observations which you have made over this multi-week time period. Briefly discuss these three trends or patterns, providing possible explanations based on environmental apprehension principles.Fluctuation in dissolved oxygen tend to be a precursor to fluctuation in other things. Water color was a good indicator of dissolved oxygen levels. Turbidity and dissolved oxygen are inversely conjugated.Explain what eutrophication refers to and how this occurs. Apply this explanation to your ecosystem column. How might eutrophication take place in your column? Explain fully.Eutrophication is the excessive increase in nutrients that causes an overg rowth in aquatic plant life, the plants become so great(p) it causes death in organisms and a loss of oxygen. If a large derive of nutrients drains from the soil of the terrestrial chamber into the aquatic chamber, then eutrophication may occur. picking another group in your class. How do your data compare to theirs? perceptiveness some causes/reasons for any differences.The group in front of us has several sources of error such as bad lake water, and lack of precision during sampling events.Finally, address any sources of error in this lab. This should be narrated in a cause and effect manner and talk about specific problems. A good example would be water did not drain from the terrestrial chamber so while a bad example would be we messed up the measuring one day.There was not an adequate number of rainwater added to the environment as we were not in control of when the ecosystem was watered. The ecosystem was not completely closed because of the holes that had to be cut into t he ecosystem for testing purposes, this allowed for unknown outside organisms to enter the environment.Conclusion (.5 page)Write a brief summary dissever as your conclusion. Address what did you learned that you did not know front to the experiment? What were the most important findings of the project and why?The ecocolumn remained fairly stable and function for the first few weeks of the experiment. Not until three weeks before the experiment was concluded were fluctuations in the tested variables observable. Eventually collectable largely to the small size of the ecosystem and the incomplete food chain within it, the ecosystem broke charge and the levels of nutrients began to greatly decline, as well as the dissolved oxygen levels within the aquatic chamber. Prior to this experiment I had never seen eutrophication in person. The hazard to observe and further study eutrophication will help me later. The most important finding of this experiment was that different parts of an ecosystem (aquatic, terrestrial, decomposing) are all linked together. The variables in each part can easily influence variables in another part.References (on a separate page)You must use at least(prenominal) three (3) sources in your report. Cite them using the correct parenthetical or footnote format as indicated by the APA style guide that was turn over out in class. If you do not know how to format the parenthetical citations or the bibliography, please see Mrs. Houston for help before the paper is dueTSA Program. (2013, May 23).Eutrophication. Retrieved from http//toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/eutrophication.htmlRitter, M. E. (2009, October 1). Biochemical cycles. Retrieved from http//www4.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/earth_system/biogeochemical_cycles.htmlBritannica, E. (2007, April 6). Niches. Retrieved from http//www.britannica.com/topic/414016/historyEco-column judge Sheet