1. Reflect on the autotrophs and heterotrophs in your Ecocolumn by answering the questions below:
Two autotrophs that can be found in my Ecocolumn are the anacharis located in the aquatic environment and the pinto bean plants located in the terrestrial environment.
Two heterotrophs found in my Ecocolumn are the ladybugs that live in the terrestrial region and the guppies which are in the aquatic region.
Data that we recorded from our Ecocolumn demonstrated that both the autotrophs and the heterotrophs were interacting and were reliant on each other. For example, when we had placed the ladybugs into the terrestrial environment, we noticed that they were eating the aphids who are pests that eat the plants. The ladybugs and plants formed a mutual …show more content…
Question: Does an increase of nutrients affect the aquatic environment of our Ecocolumns. (in terms of an increase of growth in algae)
Background Information (from pg.86 in the Miller and Levine Bio. textbook): “That’s why farmers use fertilizers! Most fertilizers contain large amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which help plants grow better in poor soil. Sometimes, such as after heavy rains, an aquatic ecosystem receives a large input of a limiting nutrient-for example, runoff from heavily fertilized fields. When this happens, the result can be an algal bloom-a dramatic increase in the amount of algae and other primary producers.”
Hypothesis: If we provide an excess of nutrients into one of our Ecocolumns, then the Ecocolumn with the excess amount of nutrients will have a poorer ecosystem and have a larger population of algae. This is because an abundance of nutrients allows the algae to thrive and reproduce faster, ultimately the consumers will not be able to catch up and eat them all.
Materials:
two jars (to replicate our …show more content…
Once labeled, fill each jar halfway with water.
Take your algae and place a reasonable, yet equal, amount into each jar.
Once your jars are ready, use your pipette to add in your plant food.
Add an excess of food into one jar, adding in a regular amount (1 to 2 drops) into the other.
When finished, set up your lamp making sure it is properly shining on each jar. (leave the lamp on for 24 hours)

Diagram:

Data: Create a table. Everyday, record your data (both qualitative and quantitative) and write the observations you see. Weekly, you may also use nitrogen tests (or any other tests) to measure the amount of excess nutrients in each jar. Record the growth of the algae as well.

Daily and Weekly Observations:
Different Jars
Daily
Weekly
Jar #1 (excess nutrients)
-the algae grew to be twice its size
-nitrogen levels higher than starting point
Jar #2 (regular)
-algae growth is not noticeable
-nitrogen levels are constant and have not changed

(example of) Qualitative Data:
Different Jars
Observations
Jar #1 (excess