Jackson, Malcolm Elodea Lab Experiment Report TA: Jessica April 14, 2015

A Jar of Plant Life: The Elodea Experiment. Introduction: In this report you will develop an understanding about what elodea is and the role the abiotic factors of the environment (sunlight, pH, and the deoxidized water) play in changing the biotic factors of elodea, effecting: growth, color, and node development. This article will discuss the relevant properties of photosynthesis, due to the absence or presence of sunlight, in this case, a light source. Because elodea is an aquatic waterweed, it made sense to test the elodea plants in imitations of aquatic environments (Causey, 2014.). And straighter shape and thicker elodea strands grow at seemingly better rates. The controlled water environment stayed under a light source and the other covered with a shade to prevent access to light energy. The plan was to measure photosynthetic progress based on the measures previously mentioned. During photosynthesis plants use light energy with an intake of carbon dioxide to grow and produce glucose (Angelstein, 99, 2009). Light energy is a vital component of photosynthesis, therefore, I hypothesized that the elodea in the controlled experiment will grow better because it is uncovered and will have easier gas exchange and access to light to better photosynthesize. Materials: To hold the two water ecosystems I use two transparent plastic containers. To further simulate a freshwater environment I used gravel to base the bottom of the containers and freshwater to support the elodea. I used a black screen shade to cover the top of the variable group system and secured it with rubber bands. To fulfill the purpose

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Jackson, Malcolm of the experiment I needed strands of elodea and measured them using a standard 12 inch (metric) ruler. I used Universal pH indicator strips to measure the pH and an Elos DO water kit to take measures of the deoxidized content of the water. There were paper towels used to catch the drip from the elodea, a lamp to simulate a light source and forceps to remove the elodea from the water. Methods: I took the plastic containers and added gravel to the bottom and filled them with water, added three strands of elodea, and place them under a light source. In the variable group, I used the rubber bands to bind the shade on top of the container. For days, I allowed both aquatic ecosystems to sit and each week for six weeks I took measurements of each strand of elodea: the length in centimeters using the ruler and the number of nodes using my hands. I then took measurements from the ecosystem, using the pH strips to test the acidity of the water and mixed a DO tablet in a small tube of the water from each container to measure the DO content. With the pH strips I dipped one into each ecosystem, gave the strip time to develop a color and paired the colors from the strip to that of a guide to get an accurate pH reading. For the DO content, I used a small sample of water from each ecosystem in the tube and placed a tablet in it, secured the top, and shook the tubes up for about five minutes or so and used the ppm guide to record a measure for the DO content. Results: The two charts below display measurements taken each week of the experiment. The following graphs after records of the averages.

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Jackson, Malcolm

Average Length (cm) per/Week

Average Number of Nodes per/Week
30

12

Number of Nodes

25 20 15 10 5 0 Week1 Week3 Week5 Control Variable

Length in Centimeters

10 8 6 4 2 0 Control Variable

ee k1

ee k2

ee k3

ee k4

ee k5

Acidity (pH) per/Week

6.6 6.4 6.2 6 pH 5.8 5.6 5.4 5.2 5 Week1 Week3 Week5

DO Water Content
8 6
Control Variable

ee k6

ppm 4 2 0 Week1 Week3 Week5

Control Variable

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Jackson, Malcolm Discussion: The data shows many discrepancies. The increases and decreases from week to week display no significant pattern of progress from either experiment group. However, both experiment groups experienced growth. Aside from a light source, the carbon dioxide concentration in the water made an ideal environment for the elodea photosynthesis because carbon dioxide is water soluble (Simpson et al., 415, 1980). And the increase in size and carbon dioxide uptake correlated to the increase of pH in the ecosystem while the elodea plants were undergoing photosynthesis, (Javed, M. Tariq, and Maria Greger, 102-103, 2011). The graphs showed this relationship, when the plant grows in the water the surrounding environment became more acidic and DO in the controlled group decreased.

The results could differ if the measurements were ill taken by several different groups of people. Some of the data miscalculated due to that reason in addition to the knowledge of how to take the measurements was scarce and direction of what the experiment entailed wasn't clear. Besides having one set of people recording data, I would also change the container the variable elodea dwelled into an opaque container, therefore, eliminating all possible access to light for the elodea. This will yield better results and more significant distinction between the photosynthetic capabilities of the variable group from the controlled group. Therefore, the experiment failed to reject my hypothesis because the elodea in the controlled group sustained a higher change in growth from week1 than the elodea in the variable group.

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Jackson, Malcolm References Angelstein, Susanne, and Hendrik Schubert. "Light Acclimatisation Of Elodea Nuttallii Grown Under Ambient DIC Conditions." Plant Ecology 202.1 (2009): 91-101. Environment Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. Causey, L. "Elodea AQUAPLANT." Elodea AQUAPLANT. Texas A&M AgriLife, 2014. Web. 12 Apr. 2014. <http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plantidentification/alphabetical-index/elodea/>. Javed, M. Tariq, and Maria Greger. "Cadmium Triggers Elodea Canadensis To Change The Surrounding Water Ph And Thereby Cd Uptake." International Journal Of Phytoremediation 13.1 (2011): 95-106. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. Simpson, P. S., J. W. Eaton, and K. Hardwick. "The Influence Of Environmental Factors On Apparent Photosynthesis And Respiration Of The Submersed Macrophyte <Em>Elodea Canadensis</Em>." Plant, Cell & Environment 3.6 (1980): 415423. Environment Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. Veraart, Annelies, et al. "Effects Of Aquatic Vegetation Type On Denitrification." Biogeochemistry 104.1-3 (2011): 267-274. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

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