Saving Hermit!
Muslim Interscholastic Tournament
Science Fair 2014
INTRODUCTION
The world’s amphibian population has been in rapid decline for
the past 50 years. Their population is declining as fast as the
dinosaurs’ did 65 million years ago. This is an issue because
amphibians are indicator species: based on their health and their
numbers, the healthiness of an area can be determined. There
are many factors contributing to the decline, like competition
and the destruction of habitat, but 3 possible factors were tested:
competing European earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris,
population, vary pH levels, and varying nitrogen levels. A study
was done at Watkins Park to test these possibilities. This
experiment only focuses on earthworms since data from varying
pH and nitrogen levels were inconclusive.
PROBLEM
What is limiting the amphibian population at
Watkins Park?
HYPOTHESIS
If both earthworms and amphibians are
competing for the same resources, such as
space and food, then, earthworms would
limit the amphibian population at Watkins
Park.
VARIABLES
• Independent variables:
1. Population of Earthworms
• Dependent variables:
1. Population of Amphibians
MATERIALS
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20 1ft. x 1ft. x 1in. wooden boards
20 flags numbered from “1” to “20”
Amphibians and earthworms in Watkins Park
Binder with Data Sheets and Pen
PROCEDURE
1. Prior to the start of the experiment, 20 one foot by one foot by one
inch wooden board habitats were set up at Watkins Park
2. The wooden boards were placed randomly in parallel of the stream
and the Upland Trail, the range was about 100 feet. With flags, the
first wooden board, located on the southern tip of the creek, was
labeled “1” and each boards was continued to labeled accordingly as
they were randomly placed more north.
3. At the start if the experiment, the artificial habitats were visited on
nine separate over the course of ten weeks.
4. While these boards were looked under, the number of amphibians
and earthworms present were counted and were noted in the binder
with the data sheets in them.
5. pH levels and nitrogen levels were also noted.
RESULTS/ANALYSIS
• In graph and table A, a bar graph was made and an
unpaired t-test was conducted with a p-value that
was potentially zero. So there was a significant
difference in the number of amphibians and
earthworms present at Watkins Park.
• In graph and table B, a scatter plot was made and
the correlation, r, was calculated and r was
calculated to be -.274, so there is a slightly negative
correlation in the population of amphibians versus
the population of earthworms.
CONCLUSION
The hypothesis is supported by the data collected. Earthworms
may serve as a possible factor in the limitation of amphibians at
Watkins Park. This is known because there is a significant
difference in the population of amphibians and earthworms at
Watkins Park. In addition, according to the slightly negative
correlation, there is a somewhat correlation in the population of
amphibians versus the population of earthworms at Watkins
Park. Also Lumbricus terrestris, is known as an invasive species
in most of the world, not just at Watkins Park. So it is safe to
assume that they are a contributing factor to the decline in
amphibians. Varying pH and nitrogen levels tests were
conducted but the the results were proven to be inconclusive.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to give a special thank you to….
• Allah (subhanahu wa’ ta’ala), this project would not have
been possible without him.
• Our MIST coaches for assisting us while conducting this
experiment.
• Our parents for driving us around and buying us materials for
this project.
• Watkins Park for allowing us to use their facility for our
experiment.
• I.S. and S.B. for allowing us to use some of their research.
THEME INTEGRATION
Because amphibians are indicator species, they help us
humans determine if an ecosystem is safe for fishing,
hunting, agriculture and much more that is needed for the
sustainability of humans. Without amphibians, there would
be significantly more mosquitoes, which carry harmful
diseases to humans. Amphibians exemplify generosity
when occupying their niche in the ecosystem.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES
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Blaustein, A., R., Bancroft, B., A. (2007) Amphibian Population Declines: Evolutionary
Considerations. BioScience (2007) Vol. 57 No. 5
Bickelhaupt, D. (2014). Soil pH: What it Means. Soil pH: What it Means. Retrieved from
http://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/soilph/soilph.htm
Brady, N. C., Weil, R. R. (1996). The nature and properties of soils (11th ed.). Pgs 332-337.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Boyle, P., Grow, S. (2008) The Global Amphibian Crisis. Endangered Species Bulletin (2008)
Choi, C., Q. (2008). Saving Kermit. Scientific American (2008) Vol. 299 Issue 1, p27-28
Maerz, J., C., Nuzzo, V., A., Blossey, B. (2009). Declines in Woodland Salamander
Abundance Associated with Non-Native Earthworm and Plant Invasions. Conservative
Biology, Volume 23, No. 4. pp. 975-981
Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation (2013). Watkins Nature
Center. PG Parks (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.pgparks.com/Things_To_Do/Nature/Watkins_Nature_Center.htm
Ronsheim, Dr. Margaret L. (2012). Invasive species and their effects on native species. In
AccessScience.McGraw Hill Education. Retrieved from
http://www.accessscience.com/content/invasive-species-and-their-effects-on-nativespecies/YB120273
FUTURE RESEARCH
As stated in the introduction, there are many factors contributing to the
rapid decline of amphibians at Watkins Park, not just a competing
earthworm population. In future experiments, we hope to better the
experimentation done for pH and nitrogen levels, so the data and results
from them will be usable. We also want to test other factors that may be
limiting the population at Watkins Park, like direct human human
contact and other competitors. In the further future, we hope to
examine other ecosystems that amphibians are supposed to be present
and determine possible reasons why they are limiting there, then
determine if there are common causes in the limitation of these
amphibians.
Total Quantity of Amphibia and
Earthworms
Quantity of Amphibia vs. Quantity of
Earthworms on Average