Nutrient bioassay of two ponds

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

Spring 2011

Abstract

Introduction
We compared the nutrient content in two ponds, the Woodland Pond in the DePauw Nature Park and the Golf Course Pond at Old Hickory Golf Course.

Hypotheses
We hypothesized that the Woodland Pond would be limited in phosphorus, nitrogen, or both, and that the Golf Course Pond would not be limited in phosphorus or nitrogen because of artificially introduced chemicals and nutrients.

Methods
We collected water samples from each pond and set up an experiment in the lab. The treatments consisted of a control, addition of nitrogen, addition of phosphorus, and addition of nitrogen and phosphorus. There were three replicates per treatment from each pond. We added 500 microliters of nutrients to each sample. After five days, we used a fluorometer to measure chlorophyll concentration of each sample.

Results
There was no effect of treatment on chlorophyll concentration of samples from the Woodland Pond. Chlorophyll concentration was higher in the control treatment and lower in the nutrient- addition treatments from the Golf Course Pond but the differences were not statistically significant.

Comments

Completed as part of Aquatic Ecology class, BIO 390, Biology Department, DePauw University.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS