Daniel Melchior, SCIE131-Q1WW, Assignment 12-1 [Nutrient Pollen Lab] Exercise 1: Starting Up 4.1 4.

2 Cyanobacteria are capable of nitrogen fixation Daphnia are commonly known as water fleas

5.1 7.1 7.2 7.3

The zooplankton population appears to rise when phytoplankton die Bosmina eat green algae Daphnia eat green algae and cyanobacteria Trout eat daphnia and bosmina

8.1

Yes, at first I overlooked that daphnia eat both green algae and cyanobacteria, it appeared that they only ate green algae

Exercise 2: P in the Water 6.1 Phosphorus Input 1x 2x 3x Green Algae Population Size 183 327 458 Dissolved Oxygen (Mg/L) 7.6 4.9 1.8

6.2

Daniel Melchior, SCIE131-Q1WW, Assignment 12-1 [Nutrient Pollen Lab]

Green Algae Population

500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Phosporus Input Level 1X Phosporus Input Level 2X Phosporus Input Level 3X Green Algae Population

6.3 6.4

Yes, with additional phosphorus added, the algae flourished

Dissolved Oxygen
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Phosporus Input Level Phosporus Input Level Phosporus Input Level 1X 2X 3X Dissolved Oxygen

Daniel Melchior, SCIE131-Q1WW, Assignment 12-1 [Nutrient Pollen Lab] 6.5 6.6 The oxygen level was steadily in decline as phosphorus level increased As the algae increases, oxygen level decreases, and vice versa. I expect this relationship occurs due to the breakdown of algae requiring oxygen

Exercise 3: DO or die 1.1 1.2 1.3 I think it will be lower due to competing species being a factor I think it will be lower due to more species being in the environment The trout, because they will need the oxygen more than the other species

2.1 Phosphorus Input 1x 2x 3x Green Algae Population Size 109 194 411 Dissolved Oxygen (Mg/L) 8.3 6.8 2.9

3.1

I was correct about the green algae being lower, but incorrect about the oxygen level. The trend still appears to be the same as in the last experiment, but changes were not as dramatic

6.1

With producers and consumers present, there is a more balanced ecosystem, thus not dramatically eliminating the oxygen supply when more phosphorus is present

8.1

Yes, it fluctuates between approximately 1.8 and 6.5 but never actually appears to go below 1.8 (taken from a 1500 week simulation) The trout die out if the oxygen level goes below 2.0

8.2

Exercise 4: Toxins 1.1 1.2 Trout Trout are the largest species so I suspect that they would contain the highest mercury levels

Daniel Melchior, SCIE131-Q1WW, Assignment 12-1 [Nutrient Pollen Lab] 2.1 Toxin Analysis Data: Time = 0 Population Size 130 20 10 20 5 Mercury 0 0 0 0 0

Green Algae Cyanobacteria Daphnia Bosmina Trout

3.1

Toxin Analysis Data: Time = 1 year (52 weeks) Population Size 92 11 5 23 3 Mercury 54 40 43 63 0

Green Algae Cyanobacteria Daphnia Bosmina Trout

Toxin Analysis Data: Time = 2 years (104 weeks) Population Size 112 9 3 16 3 Mercury 53 40 50 115 148

Green Algae Cyanobacteria Daphnia Bosmina Trout

Toxin Analysis Data: Time = 3 years (156 weeks) Population Size 117 8 13 20 2 Mercury 47 30 136 107 228

Green Algae Cyanobacteria Daphnia Bosmina Trout

Daniel Melchior, SCIE131-Q1WW, Assignment 12-1 [Nutrient Pollen Lab] 3.2

250

200

150

Green Algae Cyanobacteria Daphnia

100

Bosmina Trout

50

0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

3.3

Initially there is more mercury in the phytoplankton, however as time goes on, the species at the top of the food chain retain more of the mercury Yes, biomagnification is present in this lake, as the mercury is being retained in trout, daphnia, and bosmina

3.4

Exercise 5: Mystery in the Lake 2.1 This lake may have high levels of ammonia or some other nitrate, as this would increase the cyanobacterias growth substantially The species needing the nutrient will grow in population and health The nutrient will have no effect, or possibly a negative influence in the population of the species It appears that higher levels of phosphorus are contributing to the cyanobacteria growth. When phosphorus levels were lowered from 1x to 0x, cyanobacteria population dropped drastically

2.2 2.3 3.1