umuc biol103 lab 7 Assignment latest 2016 October

UMUC Biology 102/103
Lab 7: Ecological Interactions
INSTRUCTIONS:
• On your
own and without assistance, complete this Lab 7 Answer Sheet electronically and
submit it via the Assignments Folder by the date listed in the Course Schedule
(under Syllabus).
• To
conduct your laboratory exercises, use the Laboratory Manual located under
Course Content. Read the introduction and the directions for each
exercise/experiment carefully before completing the exercises/experiments and
answering the questions.
• Save your
Lab 7 Answer Sheet in the following format:
LastName_Lab7 (e.g., Smith_Lab7).
• You
should submit your document as a Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf)
file for best compatibility.
Pre-Lab Questions
1. Would you
expect endangered species to be more frequently generalists or specialists?
Explain your answer.
2. How does
temperature affect water availability in an ecosystem?
3. Choose a
species and describe some adaptations that species developed that allow them to
survive in their native habitat.
Experiment 1: Effects of pH on Radish Seed Germination
Data Tables and Post-Lab Assessment
Table 1: pH and Radish Seed Germination
Stage/Day Observations Acetic
Acid Sodium Bicarbonate Water
Initial pH
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Take a picture of your results. Include a note with your
name and date on an index card in the picture. Insert picture here:
Post-Lab Questions
1. Compare
and construct a line graph based on the data from Table 1 in the space below.
Place the day on the x axis, and the number of seeds germinated on the y axis.
Be sure to include a title, label the x and y axes, and provide a legend
describing which line corresponds to each plate (e.g., blue = acetic acid, green
= sodium bicarbonate, etc…).
2. Was there
any noticeable effect on the germination rate of the radish seeds as a result
of the pH? Compare and contrast the growth rate for the control with the alkaline
and acidic solutions.
3. According
to your results would you say that the radish has a broad pH tolerance? Why or
why not? Use your data to support your answer.
4. Knowing
that acid rain has a pH of 2 – 3 would you conclude that crop species with a
narrow soil pH range are in trouble? Explain why, or why not, using scientific
reasoning. Is acid rain a problem for plant species and crops?
5. Research
and briefly describe a real world example about how acid rain affects plants. Be
sure to demonstrate how pH contributes to the outcome, and proposed solutions
(if any). Descriptions should be approximately 2 – 3 paragraphs. Include at
least three citations (use APA formatting).