User:Tunji Odunlami/Notebook/Biology 210 at AU
Lab 1. Biological Life at AU Campus
Tunji Odunlami
Instructor: Alyssa Pedersen
June 30, 2014
Introduction
The purpose of this experiment was to make observations that would allow for a better understanding of natural selection and how it drives evolution. There are millions of different species that live on earth, some of which are unidentified, and these groups of species can coexist while inhabiting the same area at the same time (Bentley, 2014). The topography of transect 5 led to the hypothesis that there will be more photosynthetic specimen in transect 5 than the other locations.
Materials and Methods
This experiment required the observation of green algae in the Volvocine line. The samples of green algae examined were the Chlamydomonas, Volvox, and Gonium. Characteristics such as the number of cells, mechanisms of motility, and colony size were determined and later recorded. This was followed by observing a niche at American Universities campus. A 20 by 20 meter transect was marked and general characteristics such as topography, location, and abiotic components were identified and recorded. This experiment entailed the making of a Hay Fusion Culture. This was done by weighing 10 to 12 grams of soil from the transect and placing it in a jar with 500ml of water. About .1 grams of dried milk was mixed into the jar for 10 seconds. The top of the jar was then removed and placed on a flat surface.
Results
Transect 5 appeared to have both abiotic and biotic components. Ants were seen covering several rocks along with a brown bird on a tree. The tree appeared to be approximately 20 to 25 feet in height. This tree stood directly in the middle of the transect and was visibly bigger that the other trees. The transect was filled with green patches of moss and occasional spots of long green grass. Soil was also seen on the ground in the midst of rocks and many different shaped stones. The largest stone was seen directly east of the transect and stood out in comparison to the other stones because of its apparent mass.
Table 1.
Table 2
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Discussion
Populations of several different species are assembled in nature as a community (miller, 2002). This experiment exemplified this fact, as different species were observed cohabiting transect 5. This experiment also observed samples of green algae from the volvacine line. The Chlamydomonas, Gonium, and Volvox samples displayed different characteristcs such as size and mechanisms of reproduction that may offer insight about the beginning of life as well as evolution.
