A8lC1lC lAC1C8S LllLC1 Cl WA1L8 Cx?

CLn Anu 1LML8A1u8L Cn CL8MlnA1lCn

lnLroducLlon

AbloLlc facLors are nonllvlng componenLs of Lhe ecosysLem conslsL of physlcal and chemlcal
facLors ln Lhe envlronmenL affecLlng llvlng Lhlngs SLudylng Lhese componenLs of Lhe ecosysLem
ls very lmporLanL slnce lL help us undersLand Lhe adapLaLlons and characLerlsLlcs of many llvlng
organlsms ln a glven place (Penderson 2003)

Cb[ecLlves

1he ob[ecLlves of Lhe acLlvlLy are
a) SLudy Lhe effecLs of abloLlc facLors ln an organlsms growLh and developmenL and
b) undersLand Lhe lmpacL of presence of waLer oxygen and LemperaLure changes ln an
organlsm

MaLerlals

Mongo seeds eLrl dlshes forceps lncubaLor frldge (or lce box) LhermomeLer anaeroblc [ar
(lf noL avallable use wldemouLh ordlnary [ar and elecLrlcal Lape as sealanL)
rocedure

1) SeL up Lhe four peLrl dlshes wlLh a wad of absorbenL coLLon wool ln each
2) Label Lhe dlshes A 8 C u
3) ln dlsh A leave Lhe coLLon dry mongo seeds lacklng waLer
4) WeL Lhe coLLon wool ln each of Lhe oLher dlshes
3) lace 10 mongo seeds ln each dlsh
6) lace dlsh 8 ln Lhe frldge mongo seeds lacklng a sulLable LemperaLure
7) lace dlsh C ln Lhe anaeroblc [ar (lf noL avallable use wldemouLh ordlnary [ar and
elecLrlcal Lape as sealanL) acLlvaLe and seal mongo seeds lacklng oxygen
) lace dlshes A C (Lhe anaeroblc [ar) and u ln Lhe lncubaLor aL 23 C
9) ulsh u has mongo seeds wlLh waLer oxygen and a sulLable LemperaLure
10) Check Lhe dlshes dally for 34 days 8ecord Lhe resulLs
11) 8epllcaLe Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon or cross reference your resulLs wlLh oLher groups
Analyse resulLs and reporL lL Lo Lhe class

SLudy CuesLlons

1) WhaL are Lhe observable effecLs of waLer oxygen and LemperaLure on Lhe germlnaLlon
of mongo seeds?
2) WhaL posslble phenomena can explaln Lhe effecL of each abloLlc facLors on Lhe seed
germlnaLlon?
3) 8elaLe Lhe experlmenL wlLh effecL of Lhese abloLlc facLors ln Lhe ecosyLems and clLe
some examples?
4) uo Lhese abloLlc facLors affecLs adapLaLlons and characLerlsLlcs of many llvlng organlsms
ln an ecosysLem? lf yes why? (rove your answer and clLe examles)
3) LlsL oLher abloLlc facLors and descrlbe how lL lnLeracL wlLh llvlng organlsms ln Lhe
ecosysLem

8eferences

Penderson A 2003 ltoctlcol metboJs lo ecoloqy !ohn Wlley Sons











CuLA1lCn 8lnClLL Anu LS1lMA1lCn

lnLroducLlon

opulaLlon ls deflned as Lhe aggregaLe of organlsms wlLh Lhe same klnd (specles) on a glven
area Moreover lL ls ln Lhe sLrlcL sense LhaL Lhe area" glven Lo deflne a populaLlon musL be a
place where Lhe members of Lhe populaLlon are solely reproduclng (lnLerbreedlng) wlLh
number mlgraLlon or lnLerbreedlng wlLh members of same populaLlon of oLher area musL be
negllglble or lnslgnlflcanL (lf zero mlgraLlon or lnLerbreedlng ls noL posslble) (uanlel 2007)
1hese deflnlLlons of populaLlon are very lmporLanL ln sLudylng esLlmaLlng Lhe numbers of Lhe
members of a populaLlon lnLeracLlng ln Lhe ecosysLem (Penderson 2003)

Cb[ecLlves

1he ob[ecLlves of Lhe acLlvlLy are
a) ueflne populaLlon and deLermlne lLs componenLs
b) SLudy Lhe prlnclples of populaLlon esLlmaLlon ln an ecosysLem and
c) undersLand meLhods ln populaLlon esLlmaLlon ln an ecosysLem




MaLerlals

Corn kernels or WhlLe 8eans medlumslzed [ar or any relaLed conLalners wlLh lld marker pen

8CCLuu8L
1) uL 100 corn kernels (be sure Lhey are all of same slzes) ln Lhe [ar
2) lck 40 corn kernels from Lhe [ar wlLh 100 kernels
3) Mark Lhe 40 corn kernels wlLh Lhe marker
4) 8eLurn back Lhe marked 40 kernels ln Lhe same [ar and cover wlLh Lhe lld
3) Shake Lhe conLalner Lo mlx Lhe kernels Lhoroughly
6) 1ake Lhe lld off and wlLhouL looklng wlLhdraw 20 kernels CounL Lhe number of
marked kernels and record ln Lhe daLa Lable below
7) uL Lhe 20 kernels back ln Lhe conLalner and cover agaln wlLh Lhe lld Shake Lhe
conLalner agaln and wlLhdraw a second seL of kernels
) Agaln record Lhe number of marked kernels ln Lhe sample ln Lhe daLa Lable
ConLlnue ln Lhls manner unLll you have compleLed 20 Lrlals
9) LsLlmaLe Lhe populaLlon slze for each Lrlal by mulLlplylng Lhe number of kernels
marked (40) by Lhe number of kernels ln each sample (20) and dlvldlng Lhe producL
by Lhe number of marked kernels for LhaL Lrlal 1he resulL ls an esLlmaLlon of
populaLlon slze CompuLe for Lhe error by 100 kernels mlnus populaLlon esLlmaLe
value dlvlded by 100 kernels Lhen Llmes 100 When you have done Lhls for all 20
Lrlals flnd Lhe average by addlng Lhe esLlmaLes and dlvldlng by 20 also wlLh Lhe
average error
uA1A
1rlal
no
no marked
kernels ln
sample
opulaLlon
esLlmaLe
Lrror

11
12
13
14
13
16
17
1
19
20
1rlal
no
no marked
kernels ln
sample
opulaLlon
esLlmaLe
Lrror

1
2
3
4
3
6
7

9
10

Average populaLlon slze esLlmaLe _________ Average Lrror __________
S1uu? CuLS1lCn
1) Pow does Lhe average value compare Lo Lhe acLual populaLlon slze of 100? lf Lhere ls
a dlfference explaln whaL mlghL cause Lhe dlfference
2) Why musL Lhls meLhod only appllcable wlLh closed populaLlons?
3) Lxplaln Lhe deflnlLlon of populaLlon and why lL ls very lmporLanL ln esLlmaLlng
number of members of populaLlon of an organlsms ln a glven area
4) WhaL meLhods of populaLlon esLlmaLlons ln Lhe fleld LhaL ls comparable wlLh Lhls
slmulaLlon?
8eferences

Penderson A 2003 ltoctlcol MetboJs lo coloqy !ohn Wlley Sons
ParLl u L 2007 ltloclples of lopolotloo Ceoetlcs Slnauer AssoclaLes













8lCSPL8L 1L88A8luM LxL8lMLn1

ln18CuuC1lCn

8losphere ls Lhe LoLallLy of llfe and abloLlc facLors (however cosmlc radlaLlon ls bounced back
Lo Lhe ouLer space) ln Lhe earLh lnLeracLlng LogeLher Lo form a close and selfregulaLlng sysLem
1hese comprlses of all dlfferenL ecosysLems wlLh Lhe lnLeracLlon of all llvlng organlsms wlLh Lhe
elemenLs of llLhosphere aLmosphere and Lhe hydrosphere wlLh Lhe energy from Lhe sun

C8!LC1lvLS

1he ob[ecLlves of Lhe acLlvlLy
a) 1o undersLand Lhe componenLs of blosphere and how Lhey flL LogeLher
b) SLudy Lhe lnLeracLlon of soll (llLhosphere) waLer (hydrosphere) alr (aLmosphere) and
sunllghL (sun) wlLh Lhe llvlng Lhlngs and
c) ldenLlfy Lhe Sun as Lhe source of energy and llfe on LarLh

MA1L8lALS

8ecLangular glass Lank (blg aquarlum) poLLlng soll (loam) gravel (noL Lhe consLrucLlon gravel
buL Lhe gravel used ln aquarlums) acLlvaLed charcoal (or [usL charcoal) sand clay rocks planL
llLLers (small Lwlgs and dry leaves) WaLerlng can wlLh a LhermomeLer lnslde Small glass bowl
(Lo slnk ln Lhe soll as a pond) Small plasLlc Loys waLer sprayer LransparenL plasLlc cover and
elecLrlcal Lape as sealanL

CpLlonal occupanLs earLhworms and flsh (use guppy flsh a small buL fasL swlmmlng flsh
resembllng Ladpoles from sLreams canals or esLeros) duck weeds and hydrllla (Lo be puL on
Lhe flsh bowl) small planLs (ferns mosses small cacLus (bulb shape ones) panclLpanclLan and
oLher small buL fasLgrowlng planLs)

8CCLuu8L

1) Arranged Lhe soll layer llrsL puL Lhe gravelsand layer 13 lnches Lhlck
2) 1hen arranged Lhe flsh bowl on Lhe cenLer (keep lL empLy don'L flll anyLhlng on lL)
3) uL Lhe charcoal layer 1 lnch Lhlck (noL on Lhe flsh bowl buL on Lhe sldes wlLh Lhe
sand layer)
4) 1hen add Lhe soll layer up Lo Lhe level of Lhe mouLh of Lhe flsh bowl (noL Lhe flsh
bowl buL Lhe sldes) 1he seLup wlll look llke a pond 8e careful noL Lo puL any soll ln
Lhe bowl
3) Shallowly bury Lhe earLhworms ln Lhe soll near Lhe surface Lhen add Lhe planL llLLers
and Lwlgs
6) uampen Lhe layers by spraylng waLer [usL enough Lo weLLen or dampen Lhe soll
(don'L splll Lhe waLer)
7) lanL and arranged Lhe planLs anywhere buL noL near Lhe pond Also arranged Lhe
Loys
) Clean Lhe bowl from any dlrL Lhen flll wlLh waLer uL Lhe hydrllla flrsL Lhen Lhe duck
weeds on Lhe surface
9) LasLly add Lhe guppy flsh
10) WaLer Lhe planLs by spraylng
11) ALLached Lhe waLerlng can lnslde Lhe upper slde of Lhe Lank use a sofL flexlble Lube
and Lle Lhe end Lo conLrol Lhe ouLleL of Lhe waLer (drop by drop lasL drop 911
seconds lnLerval before a nexL drop)
12) uL Lhe LhermomeLer lnslde Lhe can wlLh Lhe x of lLs body ls exLended ouLslde Lhe
aquarlum
13) 1hen seal Lhe openlng of Lhe aquarlum wlLh Lhe Lank wlLh Lhe plasLlc cover and
elecLrlcal Lape Powever cuL 2 very small hole enough for Lhe LhermomeLer Lo be
flLLed ln Lhe waLerlng accesslble for measurlng LemperaLure and refllllng Lube Lhe
for refllllng Lhe can wlLh waLer (use hard waLer)
14) Also make a very small hole (2mm dlameLer) aL each corner of Lhe Lerrarlum
13) 1hen puL Lhe Lerrarlum ln a place (room LemperaLure) wlLh ample amounL of
sunllghL (noL dlrecL sun llghL)
16) SLablllze Lhe seLup for 12 days
17) Cbserve Lhe Lerrarlum and Lhe organlsms Lwo Llmes dally (one ln Lhe mornlng and
one ln Lhe afLernoon) Check frequency of waLer reflll LemperaLure and growLh and
behavlor of Lhe organlsms
1) uo Lhls for 43 days 8ecord Lhe resulLs and LabulaLe Lhe daLa
19) Cross reference your resulLs wlLh resulLs of oLher groups Analyze and presenL
flndlng aL Lhe class

S1uu? CuLS1lCnS
1) Cbserve LemperaLure records ln Lhe Lerrarlum and Lhe frequency of waLer reflll ln
Lhe seLup Analyze and compare lf lL slmulaLe a blosphere
2) WhaL changes do you observe ln Lhe behavlor of Lhe anlmals growLh of planLs?
Lxplaln
3) ueflne and descrlbe blosphere" and lL's componenLs ln Lerms of your experlmenL
and resulLs
4) Why LhaL blosphere ls ls a selfregulaLlng sysLem? Cbserve your seLup and llsL
ecosysLems LhaL can be compared wlLh your seLup
3) Why ls lL needed Lo expose Lhe Lerrarlum ln ample amounL of sunllghL?
6) Lxplaln why ls LhaL Lhe sun ls Lhe sole energy source of all llvlng Lhlngs ln Lhe
blosphere?
7) ls lL posslble Lo make an lsolaLed ecosysLem (space colony eLc)?
8LlL8LnCLS
Penderson A 2003 ltoctlcol MetboJs lo coloqy !ohn Wlley Sons
Campbell n A Wllllamson 8 Peyden 8 ! 2006 loloqy xplotloq llfe earson
renLlce Pall


















UAN1I1A1IVL S1UD CI ILCkA AND IAUNA IN AN
LCCSS1LM



SAMLlnC CuAu8A1 ML1PCu

ln18CuuC1lCn

ulsLrlbuLlon of dlfferenL specles of organlsms occupylng a deflnlLe area of an ecosysLem ls
lmporLanL ln able Lo quanLlLaLlvely characLerlze Lhe communlLy glven (such as foresL
grasslands marshes eLc) Moreover lL helps us undersLand Lhe rlchness of dlfferenL organlsms
occupylng Lhe area such as deLermlnlng number of specles of anlmals and planLs (Penderson
2003) Powever llsLlng and counLlng all organlsms ln large area would raLher noL be feaslble
lnsLead ecologlsLs would counL smaller represenLaLlve parL of Lhe populaLlon called a sample
1hereby a devlsed meLhod for sampllng Lhe mosL common ls Lhe quadraL meLhod 1hls meLhod
employs Lhe use of ooJtot a square made of llghL buL durable maLerlal (wood alumlnum or
plasLlc) wlLh known dlmenslons usually abouL 1m
2
or 023m
2
CuadraL ls Lhen placed randomly
ln Lhe sLudy slLe and sampllng ls done lnslde Lhe quadraL 1hls meLhod ls very appllcable
speclally on sedenLary o slowmovlng organlsms however oLher meLhod ls used on fasLmovlng
organlsms (Penderson 2003)

C8!LC1lvLS

1he ob[ecLlves of Lhe acLlvlLy are
a) 1o calculaLe Lhe frequency of an organlsm (sulLable for planLs and for sedenLary and
slow movlng anlmals)
MA1L8lALS

CuadraL frame marker Lape measure and Lools for sampllng speclmen

8CCLuu8L
1) Ask your professor how Lo make a quadraL lf quadraL frames are noL avallable
2) SelecL Lhe sample area ln Lhe ecosysLem and mark lL off
3) ueclde on and record Lhe organlsms Lo be sLudled (or sample speclmen lf specles
unknown)
4) 1hrow a small ob[ecL over your shoulder Lo selecL a random sample polnL
3) lace Lhe quadraL aL Lhe random sample polnL
6) 8ecord Lhe presence or absence of Lhe named organlsms wlLhln Lhe quadraL
7) 8epeaL for a number of Lhrows
) use Lhe formula below Lo calculaLe frequency
9) 1abulaLe resulLs
10) 1ransfer resulLs Lo graph or bar charL
11) unknown speclmens can be auLhenLlcaLed or [usL flnd whaL lL ls on rellable
references
uA1A

Crganlsms name
CuadraL 1hrow
1oLal lrequency

lrequency
1 2 3 4 3 6 7 9 10









lrequency no of quadraLs conLalnlng organlsms /
no of quadraLs Lhrown (10)



lrequency lrequency 100
S1uu? CuLS1lCn

1) uescrlbe Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon and frequency of dlfferenL organlsms sampled ln Lhe glven
area
2) 8elaLe dlsLrlbuLlon and frequency of dlfferenL organlsms ln Lhe condlLlon and abloLlc
facLors presenL ln Lhe area
3) Why a quadraL ls needed Lo have a deflnlLe measuremenL (1 m
2
) ln order Lo measure
accuraLely Lhe frequency of Lhe organlsms ln Lhe sample area?
4) CLher Lhan quadraL meLhod clLe oLher Lechnlques Lo measure Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon and
frequency of dlfferenL organlsms ln a glven area



8LlL8LnCLS
Penderson A 2003 ltoctlcol MetboJs lo coloqy !ohn Wlley Sons
naLlonal 8lology SupporL Servlces bttp//bloloqyslssle/