Miss MW 10/18/10

Pond Observation

A.  Purpose:

The objective of this experiment is to become more familiar with the life that inhabits areas such as a pond. It is important to perceive and try to understand the nature and life around us. This experiment is specifically concerned with the life that thrives in ponds and similar areas. After completing this experiment, the student should be able to identify, or at least have a rough idea, of the types of animals and plants that live and grow in a pond environment.

Ecology is "the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings."(Dictionary), which includes the study of ecosystems. Ecosystem is a "biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment" (Dictionary). The particular environment concentrated on in this experiment is the pond environment. A pond is "a small body of still water formed naturally or by hollowing or embanking" (Dictionary). Animals such as Mallard ducks and plants such as algae are typical of a pond environment, however the reverse is not always strictly true. Mallard ducks like shallow water, and but are flexible as to what they eat and their surroundings. They migrate just the same as many other birds when weather becomes to harsh for them (Handbook). Algae are "simple non-flowering plants of large groups that include seaweeds and many single-celled forms. Algae contain chlorophyll but lack true stems, roots, leaves, and vascular tissue." (Dictionary) Green surface algae is common in ponds, and is actually the best type of algae to have in a pond. It is a good source of food for snails, fish, tadpoles, and other such creatures that inhabit a pond. As long as it is controlled, algae is a good thing, but control is important for the health of the pond and its inhabitants (Niagara). Other kinds of bacteria can be used for the good of man, such as the kinds of bacteria used to make antibiotics, or foods such as cheese (Wile).

This experiment hopes to show not only how the ecosystem of pond life works, but also the relationship between life and the environment it thrives in. Learning about science is not confined to complicated definitions and graphs. Many of the topics a student learns about while studying the science of life come alive through visual, hands-on experiments such as this one. It is advisable for every living being to try to familiarize his/herself with his/her surroundings. Even through studying the plant and/or animal that inhabit the area the student lives in or near. Life and its complications and significance can be better understood through just being observant and aware of the circumstances, changes, and inhabitants of our environment.

This topic is of interest to science because exploring the environment can lead to appreciation of the complexity of organisms and how dependent they are on each other. Through observation and experimentation, organisms can be used to benefit man. Organisms (bacteria), some even thought to be harmful, have been used to make new foods and medicines (such as antibiotics). This, again, illustrates how important it is for a student or scientist to keep an open mind, absorb, and analyze the nature surrounding him/her.

Hypothesis:  If a student is curious and observant, then much can be learned about the variety of the plant and animal life of a pond environment in a field trip of one-two hours.

B.  Equipment:  (5 points possible)

1.  A pond.
2.  A lab notebook
3.  A long stick attached to a ladle with duck tape
4.  A camera with a zoom lens

5.  Something to rest the lab notebook on while drawing in it.
6.  Colored pencils.

C.  Procedure:  (5 points possible)

1.  After locating a proper body of water, plan a field trip of one to two hours.
2.  Use the ladle attached to the stick and scoop some muck from the bottom of the pond.
3.  Walk slowly around the pond, sitting occasionally to observe everything that is around. Make sure not only to look, but also listen carefully.
4.  Use the camera to observe surrounding nature better. Take some pictures of things around to better remember observations made.
5.  Draw each of them in a lab notebook as noted. Don't forget to look under rocks and other hiding places.

D.  Observations:  (10 points possible)

1.  It was noted that the water that was scooped from the bottom of the pond with a ladle smelt worse than the water on top.
2.  No mosquitos were noticed.
3.  It was noted that the pond was in general not as smelly, and not as covered with green and yellow scum (algae?) as observed during the previous summer.
4.  No birds were noticed flying overhead over a span of 1 hour of observation, however many ducks were seen swimming in clusters, 6 mallard ducks and 2 female ducks all in a group together.
5.  Two birds of questionable identity were seen together on a tree branch. Both were identical in design and color, so it is noted to be possible that both were female or both were male.
6.  A painters turtle was observed swimming, poking his yellow striped head out of the water.
7.  No water-bugs were noticed, though they have been present in past visits to this same pond during the previous summer.
8.  Many empty snail shells, mostly white, cream, or brown, along the shore of the pond were noticed, whereas snail shells that still housed slimy, blackish brown snails were seen floating in the water. The shells observed on the shore were various sizes, but mostly large. The shells floating in the water were small: about the size of a dime.
9.  Definitely more gooey, brownish green muck and sediment was noticed on the bottom of the pond as opposed to closer to the surface.
10.  The two water sources for the natural pond under observation were rain and run off from streets through culverts. The pond eventually trickles down to a creek.
11.  The end of a worm was noticed sticking out of the dirt under a rock about the size of a fist.

E.  Conclusions:  (10 points possible)

The data collected during the course of this experiment supported the previously stated hypothesis. During this experiment, the student, by remaining attentive to his/her habitat and being curious about the environment surrounding him/her, can find that science isn't found only in books. In fact, the study of science begins with observation. It is amazing how much a student can learn about his/her locality within a short span of 1 hour!

There are a probably many ways to improve the experiment as performed by the student. One would be to set more time aside for the field trip to the pond. The student only stayed for 1 hour, and said student would recommend that more time be spent on this interesting experiment, perhaps 2 or 3 hours. Another way would be to locate a less public pond for this experiment, thus having the chance to see more life normally hidden from inquisitive eyes. Experiments are never infallible, and can always be improved in some way - the above examples are merely two of these ways.

Here are some ideas the experiment generated for further research as occurred to the student. The student wondered whether or not dead snail shells usually collect on the shore, and the living float in the water, never landing on the shore, as supported by collected data. The student also wondered whether or not the smaller amount of scum and smell on the top of the water was due to the dropping temperature as the year matures. Also whether or not all the bacteria contained in the pond water collects at the bottom of the pond when the water freezes, as suggested by collected data. There are many interesting topics to be investigated that were suggested by this experiment, and hopefully, if the student was sufficiently inspired by the former experiment, he/she may continue on to research these questions raised in his/her mind.

F.  Bibliography:  (10 points possible)

Comstock, Anna Botsford. "Handbook of Nature Study". Comstock Publishing Associates, 1967.

"Dictionary"
Version 2.0.3 (51.5)
Copyright 2005-2007 Apple Inc.

"Niagara Frontier Koi and Pond Club"
Domain: http://www.nfkpc.org
Document: /html/algae.html

Rosenoff, Steven. Classroom Lecture. October 2010.

Wile, Dr. Jay. L. and Durnell, Marilyn F. "Exploring Creation with Biology", 2nd Ed. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 2005.