Virtual Lab Demonstrating the Scientific Method
SCIE207-1302B-06
Biology Lab
American Intercontinental University

Purpose:
To determine how added nitrogen affects the growth in arable and non-arable soils.
Introduction:
Nitrogen is known by others to be the main component that is most likely to limit growth in several ordinary terrestrial and marine ecosystems (Vitousek & Howarth, 1991). Arable soil is the perfect kind of soil used in agriculture that allows a variety of crops to grow (M.U.S.E., 2010).
Hypothesis:
It is determined that plants only grow on arable land when receiving an adequate amount of nitrogen fertilizer.
Methods:
To get my lab results I started with the introduction video titled Using the Scientific Method. At the end of the video a table appeared which represented the amount of mineral nitrogen fertilization. To gather data for the Arable soil, and the Nonarable Sandy Loam soil this following process was taken, in step 1 I clicked on the amount of mineral nitrogen which started with 0, and then I clicked the Arable Soil button which gave me the amount of yield of maize. I clicked the Nonarable Sandy Loam Soil button to get the amount of yield of maize. I repeated this step 1 process from the chart that is measure in multiplies of 20, up to 180. After gathering this information I filled in the lab report with the number of yield of maize for each amount of mineral nitrogen for the Arable and Nonarable soil.
Results:
This is my results from my lab report.

Table 1: Maize Yield From Arable Soil

Amount of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization (kg per 100 acres) Yield of Maize (mg of dry mass per 100 acres per year) in Arable Soil
0 8
20 10.7
40 13
60 15.2
80 16.4
100 18.2
120 19.2
140 20.8
160 20.4
180 20.1

Table 2: Maize Yield From Nonarable Sandy Loam Soil

Amount of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization (kg per 100 acres) Yield of Maize (mg of dry mass per 100 acres per year) in Nonarable Sandy Loam Soil
0 15.6
20 17.0
40 18.2
60 19.3
80 20
100 20.9
120 21.2
140 21.8
160 21.1
180 20.1

My hypothesis was incorrect because I said that plants that receive an adequate amount of nitrogen fertilization grow only on arable land. According to data from the lab, having enough nitrogen fertilization on arable or nonarable land can be suitable for any crop. The result of 180 amount of mineral nitrogen for arable and nonarable soil has the same amount of yield of maize which is 20.1. Other studies that can be done to get more data would be to use different type of soil, or try it with another crop plant.

References:
M.U.S.E., (2010). Retrieved from: www.aiuonline.com
Vitousek, P.M, Howarth, R.W.,(1991). Nitrogen Limitation on Land and in the Sea: How Can it occur. Retrieved from: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users.com