Initial Experimental Question: What factors affect population growth?

Initial Experimental Question:  What factors affect population growth?

1. Constructing your hypotheses– What variables may have an effect on caudatum and S. ambiguum population growth; when grown separate (use your previous findings) and together (what you will investigate the next 2 weeks)? Each group member will select a different variable for their study that may affect population growth in P. caudatum, S. ambiguum, or both.

Pre-lab Assignment Below:

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• Search the internet to determine what variables affect population growth in caudatum and S. ambiguum.
• Select 1 variable you will use in your study.
• Print out the article, or articles that discusses how your variable was used in other related studies. You must have at least 1 primary research article.
• Include a 1-page double-spaced 12-point font write-up that is typed describing (in your own words) the findings of the study from your selected article.
• Each group member must complete this pre-lab.

2. On Thursday, as a group you will share the variables selected. Choose 1 out of the 4 variables for your study. You must have scientific evidence to support your hypothesis. Provide Prof. Olave or Dr. Bignami with the articles that may justify your potential study. Once you have approval you may proceed to #3.

3. Experimental design– Explain how you will test your hypothesis. How will you measure population growth with the variable in your study?

• How will you set-up your experiment
  • Concentration of caudatum and S. ambiguum at the start of the experiment. Why have you chosen a specific concentration?
  • How often will you measure population growth?
  • How many replicates will you have? Explain?
  • How will you label your samples? Where will your samples be stored (at what temperature)?
  • How often does caudatum and S. ambiguum need to be fed? Is one food pellet enough? How often must you add a food pellet?
  • What group member will be responsible for updating the spreadsheet to avoid participation point deductions? Note: It is the responsibility of each group member to ensure data is recorded onto the spreadsheet for each corresponding lab section. Failure to update the spreadsheet within the same day of collecting data will result in point deduction for all group members.

Post-lab Assignment: Your post-lab is a collaborative effort, as you will create a flowchart of your experimental design with your group. ALL GROUP MEMBERS must work together and contribute to receive points for the post-lab (valued at 10 points). A template of the flowchart, and example of a flowchart with an experimental design has been provided by Prof. Olave or Dr. Bignami on Blackboard.

4. How will you determine when caudatum and S. ambiguum will reach the carrying capacity of the environment? How will you know this?

You will answer the following questions below once you are close to completing your experiments.

5. How has your variable affected the population growth patterns of the two protozoan species? What does this tell you about how each species uses resources?

6. Compare population growth between your first study (no variable), and your current study (with the variable you have selected).

7. How did your variable affect population growth? Why? Note: The “why” is not based on your opinion. It is based on scientific evidence. This means you must find research articles. The research articles must be relevant to your study that include caudatum or S. ambiguum. You must include the abstract of each article you include in your justification. There is no minimum number of articles. However, your justification is supported by including more than 1 article.

8. Go to blackboard to download the guidelines for your research report. Include the answers to questions 5-7. You will summarize your data into a comprehensive graph, include analysis and conclusions.

9. Submit a hardcopy of your research report to Prof. Olave or Dr. Bignami on the due date (see research report guidelines for details) for your group write-up. Details will be given in lab (including the due date for this write-up).