Science- Rough Draft essay

Lab 3 – Biodiversity

Demonstration 1: Interdependence of Species

Table 1: Interdependence of Species Results
Round	Species Missing (Bead Color and Name)
1	Trees
2	Humans
3	Flowers
4	Lichen

POST LAB QUESTIONS

1. Explain how the ecosystem was affected by the missing species for each round of the demonstration.

a. Round 1 = Forest flowers, plants and bees would be nonexistent because they all depend on the trees just as we Humans do.

b. Round 2 = The eco-system is not greatly effect by the loss of the human race.

c. Round 3 = Bees would not be able to get food without flowers.

d. Round 4 = Without lichens plants can’t obtain the nutrients they need to grow.

2. Provide one action we as humans engage in that leads to the extinction of each of these components.

Action affecting Lichens =

Action affecting Trees = Deforestation or cutting down trees

Action affecting Flowers = Pollution

Action affecting Bees = Loss of habitat

3. Provide three specific actions that humans can take to minimize our impact on the ecosystem and ensure the survival of lichens, trees, flowers, and bees.

Action 1 = Prohibit cutting down trees.

Action 2 = Start cleanup programs for communities all over the world.

Action 3 = Water Conservation rules for communities where there are several water shortages in one year.

Experiment 1: Diversity of Plants

Table 2: Number of Each Plant Species Present in Pot 1 and Pot 2
Species Observed	Number in Pot 1(sunlight)	Number in Pot 2(shade)
Zinnia	0	0
Marigold	0	0
Morning Glory	0	0
Cosmos	0	0
Ryegrass	0	0
Total Number of Species in Pot:	0	0

POST LAB QUESTIONS

1. Develop a hypothesis on which pot you believe will contain the highest biodiversity.

Hypothesis = I think the plants that get the most sunlight will grow bigger and greener than the plants that are in the shade.

2. Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept the hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this.

Accept/Reject = I reject my hypothesis and this is because there was limited sunlight the flowers were not able to completely grow, there are several stems that grew but I cannot identify to which plant they belong.

3. Assume each pot represents a sample that you found in a group of wildflowers. Based upon the diversity of flowers present in each pot; would you say that the ecosystem is healthy? Why or why not?

Answer = I would say the eco system is healthy, my home is just not properly set for growing plants. I would say the eco system is somewhat healthy because there was some activity present in each pot.

4. How does biodiversity contribute to the overall health of an ecosystem? Provide specific examples and utilize at least one scholarly resource to back your answer.

Answer = According to Bensel & Turk, (2014), In terrestrial ecosystems, air pollution deposition affects plant physiology; microbial processes; biogeochemical cycles of substances, such as nitrogen; and plant community dynamics. In aquatic ecosystems, acidic deposition results in acidification of waterways, the mobilization of trace metals in surface waters, and ultimately, the loss of aquatic biodiversity.

References

Any sources utilized should be listed here.

Bensel, T., & Turk, J. (2014). Contemporary environmental issues (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.