Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which plants in your ecocolumn use nitrogen and therefore remove it from the soil?
Which plants in your ecocolumn use nitrogen and therefore remove it from the soil?
- Green bean plant
- Pea plant
- Both green bean and pea plant (correct)
- None of the above
Which plants in your ecocolumn ADD nitrogen to the soil? How?
Which plants in your ecocolumn ADD nitrogen to the soil? How?
- Green bean plant
- Pea plant
- Both green bean and pea plant (correct)
- None of the above
Describe several roles detritivores play in your ecocolumn.
Describe several roles detritivores play in your ecocolumn.
Detritivores help to break down and decompose matter in the soil into nutrients.
Describe 3 purposes for leaf litter.
Describe 3 purposes for leaf litter.
Describe 3 roles that the elodea plays in the aquatic chamber.
Describe 3 roles that the elodea plays in the aquatic chamber.
What bacteria came with the water on the wet elodea?
What bacteria came with the water on the wet elodea?
Why doesn't the fish die from the ammonia?
Why doesn't the fish die from the ammonia?
Why did nitrates increase after the fish was living in the water for a couple of weeks?
Why did nitrates increase after the fish was living in the water for a couple of weeks?
Why do we water our terrestrial chamber with the aquatic chamber?
Why do we water our terrestrial chamber with the aquatic chamber?
Why is dissolved oxygen important in the aquatic chamber? What is an acceptable level for life?
Why is dissolved oxygen important in the aquatic chamber? What is an acceptable level for life?
Describe 2 ways dissolved oxygen is added to the aquatic chamber.
Describe 2 ways dissolved oxygen is added to the aquatic chamber.
Explain WHY the dissolved oxygen levels went down in the columns with dead fish.
Explain WHY the dissolved oxygen levels went down in the columns with dead fish.
Explain why pH in the water may increase with the healthy elodea and duckweed.
Explain why pH in the water may increase with the healthy elodea and duckweed.
Explain why pH in the water may decrease with a dead fish or dead elodea.
Explain why pH in the water may decrease with a dead fish or dead elodea.
Why do we bury a dead fish in the terrestrial chamber?
Why do we bury a dead fish in the terrestrial chamber?
Why do we have a filter chamber? What is the function of the sand and gravel?
Why do we have a filter chamber? What is the function of the sand and gravel?
What role do plants play in the hydraulic cycle in your column?
What role do plants play in the hydraulic cycle in your column?
Discuss the cycling of carbon between producers and consumers in your ecocolumn.
Discuss the cycling of carbon between producers and consumers in your ecocolumn.
What are the limiting factors in your aquatic chamber? Identify as density dependent or density independent.
What are the limiting factors in your aquatic chamber? Identify as density dependent or density independent.
What organisms in your ecocolumn engage in gross primary production?
What organisms in your ecocolumn engage in gross primary production?
How is energy lost after gross primary production?
How is energy lost after gross primary production?
What organisms receive net primary productivity?
What organisms receive net primary productivity?
How do these organisms receive energy?
How do these organisms receive energy?
Why is the temperature important to aquatic life?
Why is the temperature important to aquatic life?
Why is pH important to aquatic life?
Why is pH important to aquatic life?
What is turbidity?
What is turbidity?
What is TDS (total dissolved solids)? What do you think is the biggest reason TDS increase in your eco-column?
What is TDS (total dissolved solids)? What do you think is the biggest reason TDS increase in your eco-column?
Study Notes
Nitrogen Utilization and Contribution
- Green bean plants, classified as legumes, utilize nitrogen from the soil.
- Legumes, including green beans and pea plants, also add nitrogen to the soil through nitrogen fixation, converting atmospheric nitrogen into usable ammonia.
Role of Detritivores
- Detritivores decompose organic matter in the soil, turning it into nutrients available for plants.
Functions of Leaf Litter
- Leaf litter serves as food for detritivores and offers them hiding places.
- Decomposing leaves enrich the soil with nutrients.
- A layer of leaves helps retain moisture in the soil by covering the surface and trapping evaporated water.
Function of Elodea in Aquatic Chamber
- Elodea produces dissolved oxygen through photosynthesis, vital for fish survival.
- Serves as a food source for fish in the chamber.
- Elodea absorbs ammonia from fish waste, preventing toxicity in the water.
Nitrifying Bacteria
- Nitrifying bacteria are introduced with water from wet elodea, aiding in nitrogen conversion processes.
Ammonia and Fish Survival
- Ammonia from fish urine is kept at safe levels due to the presence of elodea and nitrifying bacteria, which convert ammonia into less harmful substances.
Nitrate Increase
- Nitrates rise in the water as healthy nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrates.
Irrigation of Terrestrial Chamber
- Aquatic chamber water is used to irrigate the terrestrial chamber simulating precipitation and providing nitrogen from fish and elodea waste.
Importance of Dissolved Oxygen
- Dissolved oxygen is crucial for aquatic life; should be above 2-3 mg/L or 1 ppm for fish survival.
Sources of Dissolved Oxygen
- Dissolved oxygen is contributed by fish and aquatic plants like elodea.
Impact of Decomposing Organisms on Oxygen Levels
- Increased biological oxygen demand (BOD) from decomposing fish lowers dissolved oxygen levels in the water.
pH Variation in Relationship to Elodea and Duckweed
- Healthy elodea raises pH by dissolving CO2, thus forming less acidic conditions.
pH Decrease due to Decomposition
- pH drops with dead organisms as decomposers release CO2, increasing acidity in the water.
Nutrient Addition from Dead Fish
- Burying a dead fish in the terrestrial chamber enriches the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus.
Role of Filter Chamber
- The filter chamber purifies water and facilitates drainage.
- Sand and gravel effectively remove pollutants, emulating natural filtration in rivers or lakes.
Plant Functions in Water Cycle
- Plants contribute to the hydrologic cycle through transpiration and facilitating water infiltration into the soil.
Carbon Cycling in Ecosystem
- Producers generate oxygen and glucose. Consumers utilize glucose, releasing CO2 through respiration, creating a cycle of energy flow.
Limiting Factors in Aquatic Chamber
- Limiting factors include limited resources for fish and mineral competition (density-dependent) and external conditions like irregular precipitation (density-independent).
Gross Primary Production Organisms
- Plants such as elodea, pea plants, green beans, and radishes participate in gross primary production (GPP).
Energy Loss Post-GPP
- Energy is lost after GPP primarily through cellular respiration processes.
Net Primary Productivity Receivers
- Consumers like fish and worms receive net primary productivity (NPP) via consumption of plants.
Importance of Temperature in Aquatic Systems
- Temperature fluctuations can cause aquatic organisms to migrate or perish.
pH Significance for Aquatic Species
- Aquatic species thrive within specific pH ranges, with deviations potentially lethal.
Understanding Turbidity
- Turbidity refers to murky water caused by suspended particles, impacting clarity and aquatic life.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
- TDS quantifies all combined dissolved substances, with increasing levels often resulting from contaminants like salts, nitrates, and phosphates in the ecosystem.
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Description
This quiz focuses on the role of plants in an ecocolumn concerning nitrogen usage and addition to the soil. You'll explore which plants remove nitrogen and which plants contribute it back through nitrogen fixation. Ideal for understanding plant interactions and soil health.
