Date: October 27/2014

Candidate: Laura Montes Ramrez

Title: Measuring biotic and abiotic factors on a moorland ecosystem.

Topic: Biotic and abiotic factors.

Criterion Planning D.C.P C.E

Completely
Partially
Not Accomplished

Instructions given by Teacher:

Measure biotic and abiotic factors in a moorland ecosystem.

Introduction:
Measure biotic and abiotic factors and population size in an ecosystem is something needed to understand other
factors that can be useful to understand other factors in populations and the way the changes can be seen
throughout time. The changes that can be observed are most likely to be increases or decreases on soil and air
temperature, CO2 concentration, etc. But this can be determined, also, by the type of ecosystem that is been
studied. If is a moorland, it may intertropical mountain ecosystem type dominated scrub vegetation ( shrubs)1.
The Montaa del Oso is a sub-moorland because it has a mid-temperature around the 10C. So is needed to
understand how the factors mentioned lastly can be affected by the type of ecosystem, in this case a sub-
moorland.

Materials:

15m rope
1 Measuring tape
1 pH sensor
1 Temperature sensor
1 Dissolved oxygen sensor
1 CO2 sensor
1m quadrat
1 Small shovel

1
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A1ramo_(ecosistema)
 1 Ruler
Objective:

Measure abiotic and abiotic factors in a moorland ecosystem.

Research question:

How does the distance measured affect the result of the measured variables such as soil pH, soil and ambient
temperature, CO2 concentration and light intensity in a moorland ecosystem?

Hypothesis:

If the distance measured affects the result of the soil pH, CO2 concentration, soil and ambient temperature, and
the light intensity, then the result of this factors will increase when the distance measured increases because the
soil will have more effects of the biotic and abiotic factors, taking into account that biotic and abiotic factors are
not dispersed the same into the transect, and that will make the results of the factors measured very different.

Variables:

Independent variable: Distance measured: A 15m rope will be put on the land, with the rope marked at every
tree points. In the beginning of the rope (0m), in the middle (7.5m) and in the end (15m). In this way, it will be
observed how the pH, soil and air temperature, CO2 concentration, and light intensity increases or decreases
throughout the rope distance.

Dependent variable:

Soil pH: A sample of soil at every point marked in the rope (beginning, middle and end) will be taken and
measured with the pH sensor to determine the level of pH in the soil and its increases or decreases throughout
the distance measured.

Soil and ambient temperature: With a temperature sensor, the air temperature will be measured in every marked
point (beginning, middle and end). The soil temperature will be measured in the same way, but the temperature
sensor will be introduced into the soil in every point and in that way determine the result.

CO2 concentration: This variable will be measured with the CO2 sensor, in every marked point of the rope, to
determine the CO2 concentration in a moorland ecosystem.

Light intensity: Illumination will be measured with a dissolved temperature sensor, at every marked point of the
15m rope, to determine the increase or decrease of illumination of a moorland in relation to the distance
measured. The measurement unit of this variable is in lux.

Controlled variables: Amount of soil measured: There will be collected some samples of soil and they will be
introduced into a plastic container. Three soil samples will be collected. In the beginning of the rope (0m), in the
middle (7.5m) and in the end (15m).

Method:

In pairs make a transect line of 15 m where your teacher instruct you

Tree points of transect will be marked with the measuring tape. At the beginning (0m), middle (7.5m)
and end (15m).
There would be measured with the materials all this variables:
 a) Soil particle size with the ruler.
b) Soil pH with the pH sensor.
c) Soil and ambient temperature with the temperature sensor.
d) CO2 concentration with the CO2 sensor.
e) Light intensity with the dissolved oxygen sensor.
f) Slope.
g) With the shovel, collect samples for soil moisture and put the soil on a
Every set distance along transect, the quadrant will be placed and measured the population density of an
organism chosen.
All the data will be recorded.

Variables table:

Variables How it will be controlled.

Independent variable
Dependent variable
Distance measured: A 15m rope will be put on the
land, with the rope marked at every tree points. In
the beginning of the rope (0m), in the middle
(7.5m) and in the end (15m). In this way, it will be
observed how the pH, soil and air temperature,
CO2 concentration, and light intensity increases or
decreases throughout the rope distance.
Soil pH: A sample of soil at every point marked in
the rope (beginning, middle and end) will be taken
and measured with the pH sensor to determine the
level of pH in the soil and its increases or
decreases throughout the distance measured.

Soil and ambient temperature: With a temperature

sensor, the air temperature will be measured in
every marked point (beginning, middle and end).
The soil temperature will be measured in the same
way, but the temperature sensor will be introduced
into the soil in every point and in that way
determine the result.

CO2 concentration: This variable will be measured

with the CO2 sensor, in every marked point of the
rope, to determine the CO2 concentration in a
moorland ecosystem.

Light intensity: Illumination will be measured with

a dissolved temperature sensor, at every marked
point of the 15m rope, to determine the increase or
decrease of illumination of a moorland in relation
to the distance measured. The measurement unit of
this variable is in lux.

Controlled variable Amount of soil measured: There will be collected

 some samples of soil and they will be introduced
into a plastic container. Three soil samples will be
collected. In the beginning of the rope (0m), in the
middle (7.5m) and in the end (15m).

Data collection and processing:

Figure 1: Percentage of margaritas on a 15m distance.

Figure 1.1: Light intensity marked at every point of the 15m rope.

Figure 1.2: Graph showing the weight of the petri dish without soil.
Figure 1.3: Graph showing the weight of the petri dish with soil.

Figure 1.4: pH of the soil marked at each point in the 15m rope.
Figure 1.5: Graph showing the pH in the soil one day after the initial measurements.

Figure 1.6: Graph showing the air temperature.

Figure 1.7: Graph showing the soil temperature.

 Figure 1.8: Graph showing the CO2 concentration marked at every point of the 15m rope.

Table 1: pH, illumination, air and soil temperature, CO2, and the weight of the petri dish with and
without soil of the soil samples in every tree distances (0.0 mts, 7.5 mts, and 15 mts).

MTS WITHOUT WITH PH ONE ILUMINATION TEMP. TEMP. CO2

DISTANCE SOIL (gr) SOIL DAY (lux) AIR (C) SOIL (ppm)
(gr) AFTER (C)
(pH)
0.0 6.94 16.75 7.55 11.70 8.460 13.9 15.4 39.0
7.5 6.97 13.54 7.98 9.37 8.460 15.1 14.3 7150
15.0 6.40 18.97 8.15 14.26 8.460 13.5 14.7 5300

Uncertainties:
1) With soil: 13.54-11.70/13.54 x 100= 13.29%
Mean: 13.54 + 16.75 + 18.97/3 = 16.4067
2) pH: 7.55-11.70/7.55= -54.9%
 Mean: 7.55 + 7.98 + 8.15 / 3 = 7.89
3) Illumination: 8460-8460/8460 x 100= 0 %
Mean: 8.460 + 8.460 + 8.460 / 3 = 2.38
4) Temp. air: 15.1-13.5/15.1 x 100=10.5%
Mean: 13.5 + 13.9 + 15.1 / 3 = 14.16
5) Temp. soil: 15.4-14.3/15.4 x 100= 7.14%
Mean: 14.3+14.7+15.4/3= 14.8
6) CO2: 7150-39/7150 x 100= 99.4%
Mean: 39+5300+7150/3= 4163

Table 1.1: The percentage of margaritas on the 15m transect.

TRANSECT
(mts) MARGARITAS
0.0 1%
7.5 3%
15 5%

Discussion, evaluation and conclusion:

In the table 1 in can be observed that the uncertainties are below 15% so it can be said the data has been taken
correctly. The only numerical data that can be said it was incorrect is the CO2 concentration, because the
uncertainty was 99% so that demonstrates a lot of mistakes were made when taking that data. Maybe the
mistakes of the procedure was that when taking the last data (CO2) there was not enough time and there was the
needed to take the data in a short time so the procedure wasnt correct. That affected the data in a long way
because CO2 concentration cannot be taken into account when analyzing the final results, because that result is
not reliable.

It can be stated that the other results (except for CO2) are very reliable, and that is shown in the uncertainties.
The data results show a process of the biotic and abiotic factors, and where taken with enough time showing a
well procedure. This data results are very important in the solution of the research question because they show
increases and decreases in the moorland ecosystem in relation with the distance. Table 2 shows the percentage
of margaritas on the 15m transect, and the highest percentage of margaritas is 5%. That shows in the distance
measured population of margaritas is so reduced, and may this affect the other factors measured. The quadrant
allows very well to determine the quantity of the population measured. So this lab allowed Quanlitative and
Quantitative data.

It can be observed in the table 1 that the lowest pH measure is of 7.55pH and the highest of 8.15 pH, very
different when comparing it with the next day, that the lowest was 9.37pH and the highest 14.26pH. The
illumination was constant in every distance measured, it always was 8460lux. The lowest air temperature was
13.5C and the highest 15.1C. The lowest soil temperature was 14.3C and the highest was 15.4C.
A mistake in this experiment was that the rope to know the distance was nailon, and that type of rope got lost
into all the grass that was on the moorland. Also, the nailon wasnt marked at every tree points so the distance
measured (at the beginning 0m, at the middle 7.5m and at the end 15m) wasnt so precise. That was a mistake in
the method. Another thing that wasnt so precise was the particle size, because the soil particles were so big and
were fastened one with another, making the measurement not so precise. Another mistake was that the distance
chosen was only of grass, so obviously there were not going to be so much margaritas so saying that in all the
moorland area there are only 5% of margaritas isnt precise. But in the area measured yes.

The improvements that can be made are to use a better rope material, more strong and that can be more visible.
Also, it is needed to be more precise at the time of separating the size particles. To determine the exact
population in the entire ecosystem, it is needed to measure all the area or at list most of the area, to have a better
and more specific conclusion of the population living there. It is also needed to mark the rope at every point to
have data results more precise.

In conclusion from this experiment, the moorland area called Montaa del Oso is an area with a mid-
temperature, not so hot but not so cold, and it has normal levels of pH, CO2 concentration and light intensity.
The differences of the data results with the distance measured is well observed, because it increases and
decreases, but at low rates. The only variable that is always constant is light intensity. So it can be said that the
hypothesis is well supported with the data results, even though the results decreases and increases are in a low
rate.

Diagram:

Abiotic and biotic factors on a moorland ecosystem.

 Measure abiotic and abiotic factors in a
moorland ecosystem

Materials:

- 15m rope
- 1 Measuring tape
- 1 pH sensor
- 1 Temperature sensor
- 1 Dissolved oxygen sensor
- 1 CO2 sensor
- 1m quadrat
- 1 Small shovel
- 1 Ruler

In pairs make a transect line of 15 m CO2 Every set distance

where your teacher instruct you concentration along transect, the
Tree points of transect will with the CO2 quadrant will be placed
be marked with the sensor. and measured the
measuring tape. At the Light intensity population density of
beginning (0m), middle with the an organism chosen.
(7.5m) and end (15m). dissolved All the data will be
There would be measured oxygen sensor. recorded.
with the materials all this Slope.
variables: There will be
Soil particle size collected
with the ruler. samples for
Soil pH with the pH soil moisture.
sensor.
Soil and ambient
temperature with the
temperature sensor.

Observations:
Observations: