Effects of the Environment on Organisms Primary Productivity

Effects of the Environment on Organisms Primary Productivity In this lab, samples of pond water were taken and measured using the Wrinkler and the Light and Dark bottle method in order to study the effects of the environment on primary productivity in organisms. The central purpose was to determine the effect of temperature on the amount of dissolved oxygen and photosyntehitic activity on primary productivity. The results from part A indicate that as temperature increases the amount of oxygen present decreases and the results from part B indicate that as the amount of photosynthetic activity increases the amount of oxygen present growths. For most organisms Oxygen is vital for cellular respiration. There is an abundance of oxygen in the atmosphere (about 200 milliliters of processes). Dissolved Oxygen is oxygen that is dissolved in water. In the aquatic environment there are only five to ten milliliters of DO in a liter of water. Dissolved Oxygen is required by all aquatic organisms. As water travels past an aquatic organisms gills (or other breathing apparatus), microscopic bubbles of oxygen gas in the water, called  (DO), are moved from the water to their blood.  At  low dissolved oxygen levels called hypoxia animal growth or reproduction can be damaged while the complete lack of oxygen called anoxia will kill animals. Also most algae, macrophytes, and any chemical reactions important for lakes require oxygen to survive. The Wrinkler method is used in this lab to measure the amount dissolved oxygen. The procedure includes the addition of alkaline iodine and magnanous sulfate to a water sample. From that manganous hydroxide is produced and upon acidification is changed to a manganese compound by oxygen in the sample. Immediately, the compound reacts with the iodine to release iodine which changes the water color to yellow. The amount of free iodine is equal to the amount of oxygen in the sample. The amount of iodine is measured by titration with sodium thiosulfate until the sample loses the yellowish color. The methods precision rate is 0.1 to 0.6%. The general question for part A of the lab involves the effect of temperature on dissolved oxygen . The hypothesis predicts that the relationship between temperature and dissolved oxygen will be an inverse relationship. So as the temperature increases the amount of dissolved oxygen will decrease. Five major gases that all have biological and physiochemical similar but differ in behavior and origin are dissolved in aquatic environments. The most important are nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. Oxygen takes up about 21% of the atmosphere and nitrogen 78%. Water vapor takes up to 3% in volume. Most gases follow Henrys law that states that at constant temperature the amount of gas absorbed by a given volume of liquid is proportional to the pressure in atmosphere that the gas exerts. An exception is Carbon dioxide which may combine with numerous cations while entering natural waters to become more abundant than what the principle of Henrys law dictates. It can be found in both combined and free states. The amount of atmospheric component can be found dissolved in an aquatic environment can be predicted with the following formula: C= K*P where C equals the concentration of the gas that is absorbed, K equals the solubility factor, and P equals the partial pressure of the gas. Temperature is one factor that can influence the amount of oxygen dissolved in water. Waters capability to hold oxygen lowers as water becomes warmer. Warmer water becomes saturated more easily with oxygen. This effect of temperature on DO results in a seasonal wavering of DO in a body of water. Wind also mixes oxygen into the water as it blows across the surface. Oxygen decrease can be so severe enough on windy nights to kill fish. Another factor that affects dissolved oxygen is photosynthetic activity. Aquatic plants are capable of producing more oxygen in bright light. So during night when photosynthesis cannot balance the loss of oxygen through decomposition and respiration, the amount of DO could gradually decrease. Also the amount of DO could differentiate with the lake depth. More oxygen is produced near the top of the lake which is most exposed so that photosynthetic activity can occur from the sunlight. Oxygen consumption is also great along the bottom of a lake, where sunke n  organic  matter accumulates and decomposes. The amount of DO is lowest before dawn when photosynthesis continues. In addition, Microbial processes consume oxygen as organic material decays. Waterfalls, rapids, and wave action all aerate water and increase oxygen concentration. Salinity is the content of dissolved salts in water. As temperature and salinity increase the solubility of oxygen in water decreases. Partial pressure of oxygen in the air above water also influences the amount of DO in water. At higher elevations, less oxygen is present because the air is less dense. Because the air is less dense, it contains less oxygen. Seasonal changes can affect the DO concentrations. Warmer temperatures during summer speed up the rates of photosynthesis and decomposition. When growing season comes to an end and all of the plants die, their decomposition results in heavy oxygen consumption. Also seasonal events, such as changes in lake water levels, volume of  inflows  and   outflows, and presence of ice cover, also cause natural variation in the amount of DO. The general question for part B of the lab is the effect of photosynthetic activity on primary productivity. The hypothesis states that as the amount of light increases the more oxygen will be consumed, showing a direct relationship between photosynthetic activity and primary productivity. Primary productivity is the rate at which plants and other photosynthetic organisms produce organic compounds in the ecosystem. Only organisms that have photosynthetic pigments can use sunlight to produce new organic compounds from inorganic substances. The basic equation of photosynthesis is: 6Co2+6H20à  C6H12O6+6O. This equation says that green plants consume carbon for carbohydrate production from the carbon dioxide in H20 or in air. A measure of oxygen production over time gives a method of finding the amount of carbon that has been bound in organic compounds over a period of time. For each millimeter of oxygen produced about .535 milligrams of carbon has been integrated. Primary productivity can be measured by the rate of sugar formation, the rate of oxygen production, and the amount of carbon dioxide used. Measuring dissolved oxygen can gauge primary productivity in an aquatic ecosystem because oxygen is one of the most easily measured products of both respiration and photosyn thesis. The method of measuring the rate of oxygen production is used in this lab. The light and dark bottle method is one method of measuring the rate of oxygen production. With this method, the DO concentrations of samples of lake, ocean, samples of laboratory algal cultures, or river water are measured and compared before and after incubation bottles in light and darkness. In the lab the light and dark bottle method is used to measure the amount of oxygen in The amount of oxygen that the organisms in the bottles are consuming is indicated by the difference between the measurement of DO in the initial and dark bottles. The biological processes of photosynthesis and respiration are occurring in the bottles exposed to light so the change over time in DO concentration from the initial concentration measures net productivity. Net productivity is the organic material that remains after photosynthetic organisms in an ecosystem have used some of these compounds for their cellular energy needs (cellular respiration). Gross productivity is the entire photosynthetic produc tion of organic compounds in an ecosystem. It is the difference over time between amount of DO in the light bottle and the dark bottle. Materials Pond water 2 Bulbs: Sylvania Gro-Lux F40/GRO/AQ/WS/RP 40W A8/8a Tank Masking tape Carolina Lab 12: Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Primary Productivity kit 8-station 74663DA Aluminum Foil Aquaculture aquarium pump MK1504 Thermometer Rubber bands Tank 2 dirt stones Methods Begin part A of the lab by filling three of the bottles with samples of water in the three different temperatures given. With the procedure given, determine the DO of each sample and record the values. Record the values with the class data and then enter the class means in the table. Graph both the lab group data and class data as a scatter plot and draw the line of best fit. Begin part B of the lab, on the first day get seven BOD (water sampling) bottles. Fill all the bottles with the algal or lake water sample given. The water samples in this experiment are from the Green Hope High School wetland. The alga was kept under light for 24 hours a day until January 3rd. The solution then was strained until microscopic colonies of algae were existent. On January 18th, the tank was drained and 20 liters of H2O was used to dilute the solution. For one week, 6 tubes of algal growth were administered to the solution Take caution not to leave air bubbles at the top of the bottles. Label the cap of each bottle with measuring tape. Mark the labels as follows: I ( for initial, D (for dark), 100%, 65%, 25%, 10%, and 2%. Determine the DO for the Initial bottle now. Record this value. Record the class Initial bottle mean. The Initial amount of DO is the DO that the water has to begin with. With aluminum foil, cover the Dark bottle so that no light can enter. No photosynt hesis can occur in this bottle therefore the process of respiration by all of the organisms present will be the only thing that changes the DO. Plastic window screens will stimulate the attenuation of natural light that occurs because of the depth in a body of water. Wrap screen layers around the bottles in the following patterns: 100% light- no screens. Wrap; 65% light- 1 screen layer; % 25 light- 3 screen layers; 10% light- 5 screen layers; and 2 % light- 8 screen layers Make sure to cover the bottoms of the bottles to keep light from entering there. Use clothespins or rubber bands to keep the screens in place. Put the bottles on their sides under the bank of lights. Make sure to turn the bottles so that the labels are facing down to keep from preventing light from getting to the contents. Leave the bottles overnight under constant illumination. On day two of part B, determine the DO in all the bottles that were under the lights. Record the DO of the Dark bottle. Calculate the respiration rate using the formula in the table. Record the other bottles in another table. Complete the calculations to determine the gross and net productivity in each bottle. Follow the Wrinkler method. Fill the water sampling bottle. Add eight drops of Manganous Sulfate Solution. Add eight drops of Alkaline Potassium Iodine Azide. Cap and mix the bottle. Allow the precipitate to settle. Use the 1.0 g spoon to add Sulfuric Acid Powder or 8 drops of Sulfuric Acid. Cap and mix until reagent and precipitate dissolve. Fill the test tube to the 20 mL line. Fill the titrator with Sodium Thiosulfate. Titrate until the sample color is pale yellow. Make sure to not disturb the titrator. Add 8 drops of starch indicator. Continue titration until blue color disappears and the solution is colorless. Read result in ppm Dissolved Oxygen. (College Board, 2001) Equations and Calculations L= Initial Bottle, L= Light Bottle, D= Dark Bottle L-I= Net Productivity I-D= Respiration L-D= Gross Productivity Average= Sum of the values from each group/# of groups Results This table showed the group and class average for par A of the lab. The class average is calculated from table 2. The data shows the dissolved oxygen concentration at the cold, room, and warm temperature. The graph shows class data from table 2. The line of best fit shows the decreasing overall trend in dissolved oxygen. As shown by the line as the temperature increase, the amount of DO decreases. This shows the group for part B of the lab. The DO, gross, and net productivity are shown. The gross productivity was found by calculating the DO of the light bottle minus the DO of the dork bottle. So the Gross Productivity of 0 screens and 100% light is 20.0-0.0 which equals 20.00. The Net productivity was found by calculating the light bottle minus the initial bottle. So the net productivity of 0 screens and 100% light is 20.00-8.2 which equals 11.8. The gross and net productivity must be calculated per day so the gross and net productivity calculated form the data had to be divided by two. The table shows the DO concentration of the class. The average DO is calculated by adding all eight of the groups DO and then dividing by eight. Class Gross Productivity Similar to the net productivity, the gross productivity was calculated for two days and needs to be for one day. Each gross productivity of each group was divided into two, and then the average of the eight groups gave the class average of gross productivity for each bottle. Graph 2 The graph shows that as the number of screens increased the DO decreased. Next, the net productivity was calculated from the DO values from chart 5. Because the DO was accumulated over a period of two days the net productivity must also be divided by two. Graph 3 The graph shows that the more screens there were the less DO was present. The screens obstructed light so the more screens there were the more light that was obstructed. The respiration rate was calculated by calculating The DO of the Initial bottle minus the DO of the Dark bottle. So the respiration rate for the group data was the original value of Initial dissolved oxygen divided by 2 minus the DO of the Dark bottle, so 8.2/2 is equal to 4.1-0.0 which is equal to 4.1. The results were accurate because the average was derived from four different groups for part A and eight different groups for part B, performing the same experiments. There was expression for variability because the temperature among the groups were not exactly the same and the sources of error may have led to unwanted variability. Conclusion The results from part A support the hypothesis predicting that the relationship between temperature and dissolved oxygen would be an inverse relationship. Graph 1 shows that as the temperature increases the amount of DO decreases. The results from part B prove the hypothesis which states that there is a direct relationship between the amount of light an organism receives and the amount dissolved oxygen present. Graphs 2 shows that the more screens there were to obstruct light, the less the net productivity of DO there was. The net productivity shows the change over time in DO concentration from the initial. The results proved to be accurate and effectively showed the effects of temperature and light on dissolved oxygen. An error that occurred in the lab was that the bulbs were placed parallel to the tray which caused the light intensity to be varied affecting the amount of DO. Also the bottles may have been shaken while being filled allowing additional oxygen to enter. A third error could have been that the Winkler test may not have been performed quickly enough which maybe have allowed the temperature to be changed in the warm and cold bottles. This maybe have affected the amount of DO present. Also the dark bottle may not have been covered completely allowing light to be absorbed. This would also have affected the amount of DO. The cap may not have been screwed on all the way allowing oxygen to leak, affecting the DO. One improvement could be to place the bottles parallel to the tray so that each bottle receives the same amount of light. Another improvement could be to allow the DO to only accumulate for one day rather than for two. One possible extension is to measure the amount of DO produced at various depths in a lake. Another extension is to measure the affect in dissolved oxygen production if algae is supplied with nitrates and/or phosphates. Work Cited Biology lab manual for students,  2001,  New York: College Board Campbell, N.A., Reece, J. B., Mitchell, L.G. (1999).  Biology (5th ed.). Menlo Park:  Benjamin/Cummings. Dissolved Oxygen. (2007, December 7).  Retrieved from Water on the Web website:  http://www.waterontheweb.org/under/waterquality/oxygen.htm Dissolved Oxygen Water Quality Test Kit. (n.d).  Retrieved from LaMOTTE COMPANY website:  http://www.lamotte.com/pages/common/pdf/instruct/7414.pdf The Flow of Energy: Primary Production to Higher Trophic Levels. (2008, October 31).  Retrieved from University of Michigan website:  http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/kling/energyflow/energyflow.html

The Dysfunctional Family of Shakespeares King Lear Essay -- King Lear

The Dysfunctional Family of King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the reasons why Shakespeare is so thoroughly read today is because of his ability to portray human nature so accurately through his characters.   Shakespeare's play, King Lear shows us that humans are treacherous and selfish.   We can also relate to the play because of the family issues that Shakespeare incorporates throughout the work.   Lear's family is definitely a dysfunctional one.   However, the disrupted family unit is the basis for the play's tragedy.   The Contemporary Guide to Literary Terms defines tragedy as "a piece of writing that inspires fear or pity, through which the audience/reader experiences catharsis" (a purging of emotions).   Tragic plots should have a clear beginning, middle and end that all involve the protagonist in some way.   It is essential in this play for King Lear to have serious family problems in order for him to become a tragic hero.   The whole premise of the plot is based on his conniving daugh ters (with help from Lear's ego).   These family problems turn Lear into a tragic hero.   Much the same could be said about Gloucester, which will also be examined in this paper.      It is universally agreed that the primary source for the story of King Lear and his daughters was the anonymous earlier play known as The True Chronicle History of King Leir (usually abbreviated to King Leir or just Leir), which was not published until 1605 but was probably performed in 1594 or earlier (Thompson, 13).   Shakespeare's King Lear is a detailed description of the consequences of one's man actions, and the behavior of his family.   Lear is the king of England in this play, who decides to distribute his kingdom amongst his three daughters... ...otagonist in the work who suffers great emotional and physical pain, which the reader/audience can identify and sympathize with.   This hero must also suffer and/or die, which is unacceptable but inevitable.   King Lear is such a hero, the result of both egocentrism and family problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Frey, C.   Experiencing Shakespeare.   Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1988. Granville-Barker, H.   Prefaces to Shakespeare.   London: B.T. Batsford INC, 1984. Halio, J.   The Tragedy of King Lear.   Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Kimbrough, R.   Shakespeare and the Art of Human Kindness.   NJ: Humanities Press   Ã‚  Ã‚   International, 1990. Thompson, A.   King Lear Criticism.   NJ: Humanities Press International, 1988. Vickers, B.   Appropriating Shakespeare.   New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993.   

Patriot Movie Review

The Patriot In theaters on June 30, 2000. Directed by: Roland Emmerich Written by: Robert Rodat Main Characters in the movie: Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin, Heath Ledgar as Gabriel Martin, Tom Wilkinson as Lord General Cornwallis, & Jason Issac as Colonel William Tavington The film is rated R for strong war violence. Summary: It is 1776 when the Revolutionary War began between the American Colonists and the British soldiers. The main character, Benjamin Martin, is a veteran of the French and Indian war who wants independence from Britain, but is not willing to risk the safety of his already motherless children by going to war.It was the British who had killed his wife and he did not want to put his family in danger as he did so once before. However though he forms a militia and goes around looking for people in the colonies who are willing to fight against the â€Å"red coats† which are the British because he knew it had to be done. He did not approve of his oldest son Gabriel joining the Continental Army but Gabriel wanted to so bad that he went behind his fathers back to sign up anyway. This caused problems for him because they found him and threatened him on his own land.Benjamin Martin helped wounded soldiers both from the American side & British side and because of that he was viewed as a traitor to many people. The killing of his son when the British came to his home caused him to react and want to go to war with them. The Americans and British went to war and there was a lot of loss of American soldiers and the French came to help them because they disliked the British as well and tried to stop the British from trying to take over other places. After years in the war the Americans finally won and were able to pass the Declaration of Independence.Benjamin Martin had finally gotten even and killed Tavington because he killed both of his sons. Even though a lot of people died they were free at last from British control and that’s when good thi ngs started to happen for the Americans. Benjamin Martin ends up falling in love with his dead wifes sister & protects his family. He is truly considered a hero because if it weren’t for him then the Americans would have never taken it upon themselves to fight against the British. The colonies became united and it was just the beginning of a good period of time.The Patriot is a wonderful movie that not only has action and romance, but it has an important meaning. It gives us an outlook on the events that took place long ago that eventually led to our independence and the states uniting. Without it we probably wouldn’t have been the United States like we are now and it might have been longer before we would have been free from the British. I would definitely recommend everyone to watch this movie because you will definitely enjoy it regardless of your age or interests. Historical Accuracy: In the movie, the Continental Congress extends an order to slaves stating that if they serve 12 months in the Colonial Army, they would be granted their freedom and be paid 5 schillings per month served. The Congress never extended such an order in real life. – Benjamin Martin sends his children and his family friend to a slave colony after their plantation is burned down. Martin's family is welcomed into the colony and there is much celebration at their coming. Although a few slave colonies existed, they were very secluded and most likely would not have taken kindly to a group of white plantation owners looking for shelter.

Human Motivation essays

Human Motivation essays In some ways, U.S. business has come a long way from the "leave your brain at the gate" era. Supervisors can no longer get by with saying "Do it because I said so," and executivessome of them at leastexpect input from their managers, and reward them for providing it. After the introduction of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in business schools, there was at least an awareness that modern people are motivated by lots besides fear. Understanding the bases of motivation has done a lot to change the way companies reward their employees. At MRI Center, motivation is expected to be intrinsic to a great degree, because it is an organization employing mainly professionals in their fields. But there is always room for reward and encouragement, and MRI Center provides both. Relationship of human needs to motivation Survival needs are being met by paychecks, and they are not otherwise addressed at MRI Center. But social needs play a role in some of the rewards. "To belong and be accepted by others" is the core definition of this need. (Thinkers, 1999) In the workplace, that means that man as a social being' wants to belong to more than just the company as a whole; belonging to a specific work group is also not only necessary in terms of getting the work done, but desirable in terms of fulfilling employee needs and thereby motivating them. One of the group's employees may belong to is a mentoring group. This helps both old and new employees. Many workplace gurus have recommended a formal program of mentoring. One believes that " coaches' can do a better job helping employees build careers within the company than the employees' managers, who are too busy handling technical issues." (Scheier, 1997) Whether or not career building is enhanced, MRI Center new employees like to know there is a volunteer' to whom they can bring bo...

The History of the IRA essays

The History of the IRA essays Northern Ireland has been plagued by bloody and virtually ceaseless violence for the better part of the last hundred years. The conflict in Northern Ireland is a combination of religious strife between Catholics and Protestants, nationalism versus colonialism and a search for a true Irish identity that has been elusive since the colonization of Ireland in 1603. Republicans in Ireland seek a unified Ireland, one that is free from the imperialistic hands of the British crown. In hopes of achieving this goal, the Irish Republican Army has waged a violent and bloody campaign against both Protestant unionists in the North and the English themselves. From 1920 until 1998 the IRA methods of terror instilled fear in the people of Northern Ireland while the division within its population grew deeper. The Belfast Agreement of 1998 represents the most promising opportunity for a peaceful political resolution and an end to IRA violence in Northern Ireland because the recent approach towar ds peace contrasts the approaches taken in previously failed attempts. The process of politics in Northern Ireland bears the scars of long years of violence. The republicans, unionists and the British have all suffered high casualty rates from political and religiously motivated aggression. During the eighty or so years of violence there have been only two respectable attempts to establish a platform of peace that would satisfy each of the three key actors in this conflict. Each of these moves for peace crumbled because they were constructed on a weak and susceptible foundation. As Irish history demonstrates, reaching a peaceful solution will require a foundation that satisfies the needs of all those involved. Politics in Northern Ireland has never been a process. There, politics has been a zero-sum game with all the spoils going to the victors, with a huge dose of fatalism and frustration residing with the vanquished (Arthur & Jeffe...

Movie review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Movie review - Essay Example car crashing in the start of the movie while she was driving to get her son from the center, I was eagerly looking forward to what kind of a woman she was. However, unfortunately but yet interestingly, I found out how gruff she was when I listened to her â€Å"hello† over the phone call in the car crash scene. She was very non-sexy yet elegant in her own style. Moreover, when she was in the center where she had to take the custody of her son Steve, she was in conversation with the governess or the headmistress whosoever she was. That woman was a normal looking, kind lady. Die also got into harsh conversation with her. I can tell that because she was not talking nicely with her, and her body language showed how irritated she was. However, when she received her son and the two were walking down the street, Die kissed him on the cheek and forehead which showed that she had that kind of a heart that is stereotype of a loving mother. Die showed her fondness toward her son through these gestures no matter how harsh she herself was. Later on, I saw her with her son resting his head on her lap. This was very interesting for me, and I could see a totally different woman inside the embodiment of a strong and sturdy man-ish character. This different woman was a bit kind, gentle, loving and affectionate. Die smiled at that point like a normal, fragile lady. She talked to her son like a good communicative mother. This shows that man is a versatile creature who can act and react in a myriad of ways, depending upon his moods and the circumstances. For me, Die is a strange and creepy character because I am not able to figure out properly in which category of human nature I should fit her in. She is harsh but gentle, non-se xy but fragile, all at the same time. Hence, the mother and her son walking toward their home was the most interesting sequence for me as it helped me reveal different aspects of Die’s nature as a human being and as a mother. Although the whole movie was

Interpreting Financial Results Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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