Using Algal Microcosms in Introductory Biology Lab. I: The Influence of Nutrient Levels on the Biodiversity of an Ecological Community

Autor/inn/en	Wise, Michael J.; Collins, Rachel
Titel	Using Algal Microcosms in Introductory Biology Lab. I: The Influence of Nutrient Levels on the Biodiversity of an Ecological Community
Quelle	In: Bioscene: Journal of College Biology Teaching, 46 (2020) 2, S.30-39 (10 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1539-2422
Schlagwörter	Biodiversity; Biology; Science Instruction; Introductory Courses; Ecology; Laboratory Experiments; Nutrition; Comparative Analysis; Cytology; Plants (Botany); Classification; Teaching Methods + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Biodiversität; Biologie; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Einführungskurs; Ökologie; Laboratory work; Laborarbeit; Ernährung; Zytologie; Pflanze; Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode
Abstract	The protection of earth's biodiversity requires a sophisticated understanding of how human activities can affect the relative abundances of species in natural ecological communities. Here, we report on an introductory biology laboratory activity in which students quantified biodiversity while investigating one of the most important controls on the biodiversity of an ecosystem: nutrient availability. Students established microcosms of six species of phytoplankton ("algae") in 50-mL beakers and exposed them to five different levels of inorganic nutrients. After two weeks, students used hemocytometers to count cells and compare the relative abundances of the algal species (i.e., their community composition) at different nutrient levels. The effect of nutrient level on biodiversity (measured by Simpson's reciprocal index) was significantly curvilinear, and best described as "U-shaped." Specifically, the algal community was most diverse at the lowest nutrient level, least diverse with a small amount of added nutrients, and intermediate in diversity at the highest nutrient levels. This convenient, quantitative investigation provided students an opportunity to consider how anthropogenic influxes of nutrients into ecosystems can lead to eutrophication, and how this phenomenon can have negative effects by decreasing the biodiversity of ecological communities. [For "Using Algal Microcosms in Introductory Biology Lab. II: The Influence of Biodiversity on Ecosystem Productivity," see EJ1285505.] (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Association of College and Biology Educators. Web site: http://acube.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01