How Do We Do Science?

RESEARCH:GROUP
Sample
Biotope
Poster
1) You may type or
hand write the
information.
2) Make sure to try
and make the pictures
to scale as best you
can. A shark and a
goldfish should not
look the same size!
3) Make sure to
connect the
information to the
pictures so we know
whats what!

Biotope Research Project

New Guinea River
You will be conducting
research as a group, and
presenting your
information using a poster.
We will be researching
biotopes, a type of
aquarium design where a
particular ecosystem is
recreated. We
will vote on
the best
ATLs
biotope
-Colla
design
bo
- Info ration
and
rmati
on
Techn
create
ology
that
biotope in
our class
aquarium by going to
Chatuchak and buying the
appropriate plants, fish,
and substrate.

Research will be done in

Fish Cards
the library. We will first
Boeseman's Rainbowfish
start by using books and
Irian Jaya Rainbow
encyclopedia to gather
Dwarf Neon Rainbow
information. Then will use
the Internet to add details
that are still missing. In all
of our research we must
record our references.
After we have gathered our
research you will be
choosing 3-5 fish species,
3-5 plant species, and the
appropriate substrate for
your biotope. We will do
this by playing Biotope
Poker, with your Biotope
Cards trying to come up
with the best design. Then
you will be presenting your
design as a poster with
information following the
design model above.

Plant Cards

Vallisneria
Aponogeton
Ceratopteris
Bolbitis

Biotope Research Fact Sheet

Name:_____________

General Facts---------------------------------------------------------------Where can your ecosystem be found? Find a map to print or copy.
Where does the water in your ecosystem come from?
Where does the water in your ecosystem go?
Altitude?
Amount of sunlight?
Precipitation?
Temperature range?

-----------------------------General Facts References-----------------------------

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Water Quality------------------------------------------------------------------Describe the quality of the water and what's in it. Clear? Muddy? Polluted?
pH?
Dissolved O2?
Visibility / Clarity?
Salt? Fresh? Brackish?

-----------------------------Water Quality References-----------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Substrate & Flow Rate-------------------------------------------------------What type of substrate does your ecosystem have?
What kind of habitats does the substrate provide for organisms?
What is the flow rate like? Fast/slow? Smooth/Rapids? Waves? Etc?

------------------------Substrate & Flow Rate References-------------------------

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Fish---------------------------------------------------------------------------What kinds of fish live in your ecosystem?

What is their Scientific Name?
How big do they get?
What do they eat?
Where do they live (habitat)?
What eats them?
How long do they live?
Do they get along with other fish?

----------------------------------- Fish References-----------------------------------

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Plants--------------------------------------------------------------------------What plants live in your ecosystem?

What are their Scientific Names?
How much sunlight do they need?
Where do they grow?
Do they need a specific substrate?
Are they food or shelter for any animals?

--------------------------------- Plants References----------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Other Animals-----------------------------------------------------------------What other animals live in your ecosystem? (shrimp? snails? turtles? otters?)
What are their Scientific Names?
What do they eat?
Where do they live (habitat)?

-----------------------------Other Animals References-----------------------------

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