Pond Water Paper
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pH, Protisits, and Ponds
Everything Pond Water
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Introduction
Humans are surrounded by thousands of bodies of water throughout the world. What makes a lake differ from an ocean? Or what makes a pond different from a lake? A pond is a body of standing water either natural or man made, that is usually smaller than a lake. Ponds contain amazing biodiversity, providing an environment for birds, fish, amphibians, alages, protists, and many many more organisms. A pond is normally much shallower than a lake, and sometimes plants roots can grow all the way to the bottom of the pond because the suns rays can penetrate to the bottom of the pond. It is very hard to determine the difference between a pond and a lake, most differences occur with size. “Certain organizations and researchers have settled on technical definitions of ponds and lakes which rely on size alone.(1)” The definition of a pond and what makes a pond different from a lake can be somewhat unclear. Not all ponds meet the exact requirements for ponds, and not all lakes meet the requirements for them to be a lake. Most ponds are determined to be pond based of physical size alone, as the quote states. This paper on a pond water sample from Clare Co. will help to better understand the organisms inside, and the different conditions in which these organisms flourish. The hypothesis for this paper is “If algae prefer a higher pH level, then the number of algae will increase with pH.” Taking a closer look at the pond water sample, it becomes clear that the pond water sample contains many micro organisms. These organisms are what provide the oxygen and food for other aquatic organisms.
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Materials and Methods
Materials Used: water quality test strips slides coverslips microscope glass jar with holes in lid thermometer disposable pipette
A sample of pond water was collected on March 14, 2011 at 8:11 PM from a pond in Clare County. The weather was slightly overcast and the air temperature was
pH, Protisits, and Ponds
Everything Pond Water
2
Introduction
Humans are surrounded by thousands of bodies of water throughout the world. What makes a lake differ from an ocean? Or what makes a pond different from a lake? A pond is a body of standing water either natural or man made, that is usually smaller than a lake. Ponds contain amazing biodiversity, providing an environment for birds, fish, amphibians, alages, protists, and many many more organisms. A pond is normally much shallower than a lake, and sometimes plants roots can grow all the way to the bottom of the pond because the suns rays can penetrate to the bottom of the pond. It is very hard to determine the difference between a pond and a lake, most differences occur with size. “Certain organizations and researchers have settled on technical definitions of ponds and lakes which rely on size alone.(1)” The definition of a pond and what makes a pond different from a lake can be somewhat unclear. Not all ponds meet the exact requirements for ponds, and not all lakes meet the requirements for them to be a lake. Most ponds are determined to be pond based of physical size alone, as the quote states. This paper on a pond water sample from Clare Co. will help to better understand the organisms inside, and the different conditions in which these organisms flourish. The hypothesis for this paper is “If algae prefer a higher pH level, then the number of algae will increase with pH.” Taking a closer look at the pond water sample, it becomes clear that the pond water sample contains many micro organisms. These organisms are what provide the oxygen and food for other aquatic organisms.
3
Materials and Methods
Materials Used: water quality test strips slides coverslips microscope glass jar with holes in lid thermometer disposable pipette
A sample of pond water was collected on March 14, 2011 at 8:11 PM from a pond in Clare County. The weather was slightly overcast and the air temperature was
References: (1) Biggs J., Williams P., Whitfield M., Nicolet P. and Weatherby, A. (2005). 15 years of pond assessment in Britain: results and lessons learned from the work of Pond Conservation. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 15: 693-714. Smyth, A., & Bradley, P.. (2009). Microscopic Past of Poutwater Pond. Northeastern Naturalist, 16(4), 595-606. Retrieved May 1, 2011, from Sciences Module. (Document ID: 1936021341). (3) A symbiotic relationship :Algae companies. (2011, March). The Economist (Online),[insert pages]. Retrieved May 1, 2011, from Research Library Core. (Document ID: 2306269561).