Project Advisor(s) (Students Only)
Dr. Kevin Geedey
Presentation Type (All Applicants)
Poster Presentation
Disciplines (All Applicants)
Environmental Education
Description, Abstract, or Artist's Statement
The focus of this project was to study the primary production of the filamentous green algae, Microspora, and its potential to inhibit its own photosynthesis as well as the potential for rooted aquatic plants to inhibit its photosynthesis. The spatial distribution of Microspora could be explained by this competition between organisms. To test this, I set up buoys in areas of rooted aquatic plants, Microspora mats, and direct sunlight. The buoys held Biological Oxygen Demand bottles in which Microspora was held in-situ for net primary production measurements. Net primary production was defined as the difference between the final and the initial oxygen concentration in each bottle, and then expressed as a rate by dividing by the bottle volume and incubation time. The results showed statistically significant differences in net primary production of Microspora under mats of itself and beds of Potamogeton crispus. Net primary production was negative in both habitats, suggesting that Microspora net primary production is inhibited in both locations. Furthermore, the statistically significant results indicate that microhabitats within the pond favor different species.
Augustana Digital Commons Citation
Sauer, Christina. "Microspora Competition for Sunlight" (2017). Celebration of Learning.
https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/celebrationoflearning/2017/posters/12
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Microspora Competition for Sunlight
The focus of this project was to study the primary production of the filamentous green algae, Microspora, and its potential to inhibit its own photosynthesis as well as the potential for rooted aquatic plants to inhibit its photosynthesis. The spatial distribution of Microspora could be explained by this competition between organisms. To test this, I set up buoys in areas of rooted aquatic plants, Microspora mats, and direct sunlight. The buoys held Biological Oxygen Demand bottles in which Microspora was held in-situ for net primary production measurements. Net primary production was defined as the difference between the final and the initial oxygen concentration in each bottle, and then expressed as a rate by dividing by the bottle volume and incubation time. The results showed statistically significant differences in net primary production of Microspora under mats of itself and beds of Potamogeton crispus. Net primary production was negative in both habitats, suggesting that Microspora net primary production is inhibited in both locations. Furthermore, the statistically significant results indicate that microhabitats within the pond favor different species.
Comments
This project was a Senior Inquiry project in Biology.