Prelab
1. Why would we want to rate the amount of biodiversity in a location?
The amount of biodiversity is an indicator of other factors such as how healthy the environment is. The greater the amount of biodiversity is an indicator the environment is healthy and is able to support a larger amount of life.
2. Examine the charts below and calculate the diversity indices for the three samples:
Sample 1:
Simpson’s Index: .18
Simpson’s Index of Biodiversity: .82
Simpson’s Reciprocal Index: 5.4
Sample 2:
Simpson’s Index: .249
Simpson’s Index of Biodiversity: .751
Simpson’s Reciprocal Index: 4.01
Sample 3:
Simpson’s Index: .92
Simpson’s Index of Biodiversity: .08
Simpson’s Reciprocal Index: 1.1
3. Use the results from the previous question to describe the biodiversity of each sample.
Sample 1 had the greatest biodiversity of each sample. All three samples had the same richness; however, sample 1 had the greatest evenness with each species having 10. Sample 2 had the second greatest biodiversity. Sample 2 had the same richness; however, species 1 and 2 had the clear majority compared to the other species found in sample 2. Sample 3 had the lowest biodiversity. Species 1 was the clear majority with the other species lacking in population, making the environment not very diverse.
The amount of biodiversity is an indicator of other factors such as how healthy the environment is. The greater the amount of biodiversity is an indicator the environment is healthy and is able to support a larger amount of life.
2. Examine the charts below and calculate the diversity indices for the three samples:
Sample 1:
Simpson’s Index: .18
Simpson’s Index of Biodiversity: .82
Simpson’s Reciprocal Index: 5.4
Sample 2:
Simpson’s Index: .249
Simpson’s Index of Biodiversity: .751
Simpson’s Reciprocal Index: 4.01
Sample 3:
Simpson’s Index: .92
Simpson’s Index of Biodiversity: .08
Simpson’s Reciprocal Index: 1.1
3. Use the results from the previous question to describe the biodiversity of each sample.
Sample 1 had the greatest biodiversity of each sample. All three samples had the same richness; however, sample 1 had the greatest evenness with each species having 10. Sample 2 had the second greatest biodiversity. Sample 2 had the same richness; however, species 1 and 2 had the clear majority compared to the other species found in sample 2. Sample 3 had the lowest biodiversity. Species 1 was the clear majority with the other species lacking in population, making the environment not very diverse.
Problem
What is the biodiversity of the organisms found in Heritage High School's trail's ecosystem?
Hypothesis
If we put soil and leaves into open containers under a light for 5-6 days and observe the critters that we find living there, then the critters that we find will be even and rich in population.
Variables
Independent: location
Dependent: biodiversity
Control: light source, alcohol solution, time spent under the lamp, location taken from on the trail, weather, time of day, date of collection, lamp
Dependent: biodiversity
Control: light source, alcohol solution, time spent under the lamp, location taken from on the trail, weather, time of day, date of collection, lamp
Experimental Groups
Control: soil collection
Experimental: The leaf litter was collected from different places on the trail
Experimental: The leaf litter was collected from different places on the trail
Materials
compound microscope
Berless funnel
leaf litter
alcohol
heat lamps
soil
leaf litter
empty gallon container
zip-lock bags
shovel
rake
Berless funnel
leaf litter
alcohol
heat lamps
soil
leaf litter
empty gallon container
zip-lock bags
shovel
rake
Procedure
1. Collect a sample of leaf litter or soil on the trail using a shovel and/or rake and put it into a Zip-loc baggie.
2. Examine the sample and classify what you see the layer is composed of.
3. Place your sample into the empty gallon container under the heat lamp.
4. Place a small beaker of the alcohol solution under the funnel. Small organisms should fall down the funnel and into the beaker to be collected.
5. After a few days, collect your beaker and examine the organisms you have collected under the microscopes.
7. Using the Identification pages to name each species, identify and calculate the number of each species you have.
6. Use the information to observe the diversity of your sample
2. Examine the sample and classify what you see the layer is composed of.
3. Place your sample into the empty gallon container under the heat lamp.
4. Place a small beaker of the alcohol solution under the funnel. Small organisms should fall down the funnel and into the beaker to be collected.
5. After a few days, collect your beaker and examine the organisms you have collected under the microscopes.
7. Using the Identification pages to name each species, identify and calculate the number of each species you have.
6. Use the information to observe the diversity of your sample
Observations
Location: Heritage High School Nature Trail
Type of Community: Woods
Date: February 7, 2013
Time: 12:00pm
Weather description: cloudy
Air temp: 41°F
Soil temp: 41°F
Relative Humidity: 60%
Type of Community: Woods
Date: February 7, 2013
Time: 12:00pm
Weather description: cloudy
Air temp: 41°F
Soil temp: 41°F
Relative Humidity: 60%
Data Table
The community was not even whatsoever; however, the community was quite rich.
Simpson's Index = .614
Simpson's Index of Diversity = .326
pson's Reciprocal Index = 1.63
Simpson's Index = .614
Simpson's Index of Diversity = .326
pson's Reciprocal Index = 1.63
Questions
1. What are two reasons the organisms move away from the light down the funnel? What does this indicate about the organisms?
The organisms moved away from the light because that is what they are used to doing. With all the leaves surrounding them, the bugs thought they were in their natural habitat; therefore, they thought they were moving deeper into the soil. This indicates that organisms have established a survival routine. If the organisms did not move away from the light, they would have a higher chance of being seen and eaten.
2. Summarize whether you think the biodiversity of this litter is high or low density. If low, try to give some reasons why this might be.
I think overall the biodiversity of this litter was of a high density. The litter was very rich with different species of organisms. A total of nine
different species were present in the samples of leaf litter; however, the leaf litter wasn't as even as I expected it to be. Although most of our species fell between having 1-3 bugs, there were 6 Beatle Mites and 4 termites. Also, the tic, or predaceous mite, was an outlier in the data with 12 bugs of that species found in our samples. Overall, The leaf litter had many species which were mostly fairly equally in abundance, therefore, the leaf litter was had a high density. This is most likely because the ecosystem that the litter is from is very healthy. Nothing is causing a disturbance in biodiversity which is an indicator that the ecosystem is functioning properly.
3. Why would an environmental scientist need to make more than one measurement if he was calculating the biodiversity? How would you take
samples of a large forest?
If an environmental scientist was calculated biodiversity, he would need to take multiple measurements because just using one measurement does not account for the entire area. Species may be more populated in some areas than others; therefore, not all species will be present in one measurement. By taking multiple measurements, an environmental scientist can get a wider variety of species to produce a more accurate biodiversity index. In order to take samples of a large forest, an environmental scientist would need to take measurements from deep into the ground all the way up to the tops of the trees and possibly even higher. He would also need to take measurements in different locations of the forest. By doing so, an environmental scientist would have a more accurate amount of species to calculate the biodiversity from.
The organisms moved away from the light because that is what they are used to doing. With all the leaves surrounding them, the bugs thought they were in their natural habitat; therefore, they thought they were moving deeper into the soil. This indicates that organisms have established a survival routine. If the organisms did not move away from the light, they would have a higher chance of being seen and eaten.
2. Summarize whether you think the biodiversity of this litter is high or low density. If low, try to give some reasons why this might be.
I think overall the biodiversity of this litter was of a high density. The litter was very rich with different species of organisms. A total of nine
different species were present in the samples of leaf litter; however, the leaf litter wasn't as even as I expected it to be. Although most of our species fell between having 1-3 bugs, there were 6 Beatle Mites and 4 termites. Also, the tic, or predaceous mite, was an outlier in the data with 12 bugs of that species found in our samples. Overall, The leaf litter had many species which were mostly fairly equally in abundance, therefore, the leaf litter was had a high density. This is most likely because the ecosystem that the litter is from is very healthy. Nothing is causing a disturbance in biodiversity which is an indicator that the ecosystem is functioning properly.
3. Why would an environmental scientist need to make more than one measurement if he was calculating the biodiversity? How would you take
samples of a large forest?
If an environmental scientist was calculated biodiversity, he would need to take multiple measurements because just using one measurement does not account for the entire area. Species may be more populated in some areas than others; therefore, not all species will be present in one measurement. By taking multiple measurements, an environmental scientist can get a wider variety of species to produce a more accurate biodiversity index. In order to take samples of a large forest, an environmental scientist would need to take measurements from deep into the ground all the way up to the tops of the trees and possibly even higher. He would also need to take measurements in different locations of the forest. By doing so, an environmental scientist would have a more accurate amount of species to calculate the biodiversity from.
Conclusion
The results of the experiment did end up supporting half of my hypothesis. The data revealed that trail had a a very high biodiversity. The data had one outlier species of the precaceous mite, but other than that the data showed a high density biodiversity. The trail leaf litter’s biodiversity was high because the leaf litter had a large richness as well as a somewhat amount of evenness of abundance of species. The leaf litter had a high biodiversity because the trail ecosystem was healthy. The ecosystem is functioning properly and is able to support different species as well as supporting even populations of each of the species.
There were many sources of error that we could have encountered throughout this experiment. One source of error is the fact small amount of data
collected compared to the size of the area being measured. The general trail area that was measured is extremely large compared to the few samples that were taken. This makes the biodiversity calculated not really the most accurate figure of the biodiversity of the area. Another source of error is the location in which the leaf litter was collected. Most of the samples were collected relatively near the trail. This is an area heavily walked upon by humans compared to the other parts of the ecosystem which could alter the data and cause a less accurate result of the actual biodiversity.
Biodiversity is a very important indicator of the health of an ecosystem. Ecosystems all around the world from the Great Barrier Reefs to the Amazon Rain Forest are suffering from severe biodiversity loss from human activity. Humans, in the case of the tropical rain forests, are cutting down these forests and limiting the space the local wildlife has to live. This makes the ecosystem unable to support as much organisms which causes the biodiversity to go down. Biodiversity is also suffering from climate change, which is also an effect of humans. The global climate change is making ecosystems unlivable for many species of animals. These species of animals die off which allows animals with a greater range of tolerance to take over the ecosystem which creates a lower biodiversity.
There were many sources of error that we could have encountered throughout this experiment. One source of error is the fact small amount of data
collected compared to the size of the area being measured. The general trail area that was measured is extremely large compared to the few samples that were taken. This makes the biodiversity calculated not really the most accurate figure of the biodiversity of the area. Another source of error is the location in which the leaf litter was collected. Most of the samples were collected relatively near the trail. This is an area heavily walked upon by humans compared to the other parts of the ecosystem which could alter the data and cause a less accurate result of the actual biodiversity.
Biodiversity is a very important indicator of the health of an ecosystem. Ecosystems all around the world from the Great Barrier Reefs to the Amazon Rain Forest are suffering from severe biodiversity loss from human activity. Humans, in the case of the tropical rain forests, are cutting down these forests and limiting the space the local wildlife has to live. This makes the ecosystem unable to support as much organisms which causes the biodiversity to go down. Biodiversity is also suffering from climate change, which is also an effect of humans. The global climate change is making ecosystems unlivable for many species of animals. These species of animals die off which allows animals with a greater range of tolerance to take over the ecosystem which creates a lower biodiversity.
Real Life Example
"Biodiversity."
Global Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/169/biodiversity.
Global Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/169/biodiversity.