EcoCoulmn Project

EcoColumn Project:

Purpose:

The purpose of this lab is to design a small scale model of the ecosystem, which will simulate many of the dynamic processes that sustains an ecosystems. This model will help the students to learn about ecosystems in the real world.  You will create, maintain and monitor an eco-column within a small group.  

PROCEDURAL OVERVIEW:

Part 1: Plan your eco-column

1. First familiarize yourself with the project and eco-columns.  Look over the assembly diagram to understand each chamber.
2. Identify a specific ecological problem that you would like to investigate through the creation and observation of your eco-column.  As a group, write a problem statement that can be answered through observation and data collection during this project.
3. Write a hypothesis that answers your problem statement.  Provide justification for your hypothesis.  Note:  You may choose to alter your hypothesis after you complete Part 2 of this project based on new information, but write a hypothesis now using your prior knowledge and understanding of ecosystems.
4. Decide what components to include in each section (which organisms, type of soil, etc.).  See the lists on page 3 for ideas.  Think about all the requirements of the various organisms to survive (biotic and abiotic).  If you don’t provide these requirements, your organisms will quickly die.  Make sure that you can feasibly acquire all the organisms you choose.  Decide who in the group will be responsible for obtaining each organism.

Your Eco-Column Plan (one per group) is due _10/8_.

Part 2: Background Research

Conduct background research to acquire additional information.  You will create a bibliography and write a one page summary of the information you obtain which will become the background section of your final laboratory report.  This summary must include information on the following topics:

• General eco-column information
• Information related to Biodome and Biosphere projects that have occurred around the world
• Information pertaining to the problem you are investigating with your eco-column

Each student needs at least 3 credible sources of information.  All sources may be websites and students within the same group may share sources with one another.

The 1-page summary of Background Information & a bibliography in APA format (one per group) is due __10/14__.

Part 3: Construction

There will be two phases of eco-column construction.  The first phase will be the assembly of the eco-column and the additional of all abiotic components and plants (terrestrial and aquatic).  Assemble your eco-column according to the column assembly on Page 4.  Building instructions are on Page 5.  Other organisms will be added ONE WEEK AFTER the initial construction once the ecosystem has stabilized.

Phase One of Construction will occur _10/8__.

Aquatic and Terrestrial Fauna will be added __10/15__.

Part 4:  Daily Observation and Data Collection: Your daily data entries (outlined below) will be placed onto your BLOG site. Your teacher will regularly check your entries, and your fellow students, at times, will provide feedbacks to your work.

Begin each class by making your daily observations. Use the format below to write your BLOG entries. Write notes in your ecocolumn notebook. Your notebook is your record of everything that happens re: your ecobottles! I will be checking the BLOGS periodically throughout the week.  Additionally, your notebook will be collected at the end of the project when you hand in your final ecocolumn report.

Daily Observation (BLOG) Format: Write each of the following categories down in your BLOG every time you make an observation.

• Date:
• Time:
• The number of days your eco-column has been running
• General impressions: This is the first section you complete.
• Qualitative Observation: Should include observations, i.e.
• like: the bottle smells like ??
• the water is the color of my favorite pajamas,
• there is a lot of condensation and we can’t see, , etc.
• Record any observations about how the three habitats are interacting.  
• Make sure to mention if you pulled your bottles apart or performed any other structural changes while making your observations.
• Terrestrial: (In addition/supplement to the quantitative measurements for the data table)
• Quantitative observations: For example;
• Animal Status - there are 3 live crickets and one dead cricket,
• Up-keep - 2 ml of treated tap water added to the “precipitation section” of the ecocolumn,
• Plant Status - no bean sprouts are visible, etc.
• Decomposition:(In addition/supplement to the quantitative measurements for the data table)
• Quantitative observations: Ex.,
• Decomposition rate - A circle of mold approx. one centimeter in diameter on our apples.
• Animal Status- fruit flies have hatched and there are 6 now flying in the decomposition and terrestrial habitats, etc.
• Aquatic: (In addition/supplement to the quantitative measurements for the data table)
• Quantitative observations: Ex.,
• Animal Status - Two guppies are living and one is dead
• Plant Status - The water now appears to have a film of algae,
• Water Status - The water temperature is ??, etc.

Note:

• I will be checking the blog periodically throughout the week.  
• You will be permitted to add water at the top of your eco-column during each observation.  Any other additions/alterations should be kept to a minimum.

Ideas for Chamber Components:

Aquatic habitat

• Fine grained aquarium gravel (provides “bedrock”)
• Sand or topsoil (provides bottom sediment)
• Untreated tap water or distilled water (provides aquatic habitat)
• “Boulders,” “sunken logs,” and other miniature objects typical of a pond bottom
• Aquatic plants and animals

Compost habitat

·        Fine grained aquarium gravel (provides “bedrock”)

·        Sand/topsoil mix (provides soil substrate)

·        Leaf litter (provides compost habitat)

·        A few chunks of turnips, potato, apple, or other roots, stems, or fruits

·        Twigs

·        Earthworms, pill bugs, millipedes, and other natural inhabitants of leaf litter

Terrestrial habitat

• Fine-grained aquarium gravel (provides “bedrock”)
• Topsoil (provides soil substrate)
• Leaf litter (provides decaying material)
• “Boulders,” “dead trees,” and other miniature objects typical of a forest habitat
• Terrestrial plants and animals
• Food for animals as needed

Materials The Teacher  Will Provide	Materials You Must Provide
Water Soil, sand and aquarium gravel All construction materials and tools except 2-liter bottles Aquatic organisms: fish (feeder minnow fish), snails, aquatic plants Terrestrial plant seeds and grass	6 clear 2-liter bottles with lids Compost Materials, i.e. leaf litter Any additional organisms (plants or animals) you would like to include Miniature objects for pond bottom and terrestrial layer Compost organism: pillbugs

NOTES:  Goldfish are not a good choice.  They tend to poison themselves with their own waste.  Additionally, you do not want to include too many organisms in your eco-column.  They will have difficulty surviving.

Procedure:

Part I: Set-up of your eco-column

Steps 1-3 you should conduct in class with your eco-column group members.  Steps 4-7 you should do at home.

1. On the first day of this Lab, follow the Eco-Column Assembly Guide to assemble your eco-columns.  You will need a pair of scissors or box cutters, five 2-liter, clear, plastic bottles with the labels removed and a straw.  You need to keep three caps.  One bottle cap needs a hole the size of a straw, with smaller holes around the larger hole, a second cap has a series of smaller holes that are in a circular pattern in the cap.  The third hole has several random holes drilled in it.
2. Once your eco-column is assembled, identify what you are trying to discover through the creation of your eco-column.  Look over the assembly diagram to understand each chamber.
3. Decide what components to include in each chamber (which organisms, type of soil, etc…) See the list of possible organisms you might want to include in your eco-column.
4. Decide what background sources of information you will use (which parts of the textbook or what other references you will need.
5. Write a hypothesis for each of the three chamber: aquatic, decomposition, terrestrial
6. Draw a DETAILED diagram of your eco-column and identify the biotic and abiotic factors present in each habitat.
7. Draw the food webs you anticipate taking place within your eco-column.  Make every effort to identify the species you have added as specifically as possible.  If any organism is unidentifiable, include a drawing of it.

Part II Observations and Data Collection

Once every week, for four weeks, you will make Quantitative measurements (using kits and/or probes) of your eco-column.  Each observation should include:

• Date of observation & number of days your eco-column has been running
• Quantitative Data: pH, temperature, nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen in aquatic chamber; in terrestrial chamber: nitrogen, phosphorous levels, pH
• Qualitative Data: turbidity, plant growth, decomposition rate, fish status, odor, color of aquatic chamber

Part III Lab Write-Up: As with your observations, your final report will be placed onto your BLOG site.

The following are provide detailed instructions for your eco-column write up.  The purpose of the write up is to clearly present the information about your eco-column to your reader.  Your report should include each of the sections below.  Except for drawing and labels, you write up should be typed, double spaced.  FOLLOW THIS FORMAT!

1. Title page: name of project, authors, large fonts, pictures or drawings are nice.
2. Contribution page:  This page is to be done only if it is a team lab report.  On this page each person on the team is to be listed, followed by what they did to contribute to the project.  EVERYONE must write at least a portion of the report as well as perform the necessary lab work.
3. Next Page – Abstract: An abstract is a single paragraph that summarizes the entire lab project including the results and conclusion.  All research reports found in professional journals have abstracts. The purpose of an abstract is to let the reader know what the report is about so that he or she can decide whether or not it will beneficial to read the entire report.  The abstract is written LAST.
4. Next Page – Purpose/Introduction:  This is where you identify the problem that you are trying to solve.  Tell what you are attempting to discover through your research.  You may want to tell why this research is useful or important.
5. Background:  Every scientist gathers background information before they begin their research.  Background information will include lecture notes, magazine, journal, and internet articles, textbook and professionals heard in person.  Background information should always be cited.  For example, if you read an article, you should identify the name of the article, author, publication date and volume number.
6. Hypothesis:  This should be a statement indicating what you think the results of your investigation will be.  THIS IS NOT WRITTEN AT THE END OF THE LAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7. Materials:  List the materials and equipment you used during the lab.  Indicate the number of items used or amount used.  This list should be completed enough so anyone else could REPLICATE your experiment between your detailed diagram and list of materials.
8. Procedure: Refer to your detailed diagram to explain your initial set up and detail any changes you made during the lab.  Did you replace any organisms?  If so, when and why?
9. Data Presentation:  In a table format, present your quantitative and qualitative data.  Make sure your data tables are numbered and titled.  You may use multiple data tables to better present the information.  Make sure you identify the baseline data.  You must have 3 to 4 testing sessions.
10. Analysis:  Discuss the logic of your data for your eco-column with regard to your setup.  What does your data say about what has gone on in your eco-column?  

1. Chose one nutrient cycle (C, N, P, S) and diagram and explain how you think it would occur in your eco-column.  Explain how the biogeochemical cycle affected the organisms living in your eco-column.
2. Draw a food web and identify the role of each organism by putting letters just beneath the name of the organism (P- producer, C-consumer, D-decomposer, S-scavenger).  Make sure your food web has energy arrows going from the energy source towards the organism that gets that energy.
3. Identify the top level consumers in your eco-column.  What would happen if the decomposers were removed?  If the secondary consumer consumed 4,200 kilocalories of energy, how much energy would you assume was available to the primary consumer?
1. Conclusion:  What conclusions or generalizations can you make about your eco-column and what connections can you make to other natural systems?

12. Sources of Error: Identify any weaknesses in your investigation.  These could include equipment malfunctions, testing problems, collection errors, simple human mistakes. Sources of error could also include poor experimental design (set up).

Data Table:

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM DATA TABLE

DATES

TEST
pH
Temp. (ºC)
D.O. (ppm)
Phosphates (ppm)
Nitrates (ppm)
Turbidity
Odor
Color
Aquatic Fauna

Turbidity Scale	Odor Scale	Aquatic Fauna	Terrestrtrial Fauna
Crystal Clear = 1              Slightly Cloudy = 2             Moderately Cloudy = 3 Very Cloudy = 4 Blackish or Brownish = 5	No Odor = 1 Slight Odor = 2 Smelly = 3 Very Smelly = 4 Devastating = 5	Live:    _____   Dead:  _____	Live:    _____   Dead:  _____

Terrestrial ECOSYSTEM DATA TABLE

DATES

TEST
pH
Nitrogen
Potassium
Phosphorous
Observation – Flora
Observation - Fauna
Odor

Observations: Decomposition Chamber:

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