RMSST Student Showcase
By: Tiffany Adjmul and Sierra
Turpin
RMSST
2-11-14
Effect of Iron Fertilization
Concentrations on Aquatic
Ecosystems
Introduction
• With the world constantly advancing, humans
are creating more and more pollution of all
kinds without even realizing it.
• One of the major problems caused by CO2
pollution facing our oceans and other aquatic
ecosystems today is ocean acidification.
Rationale
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One of the major problems facing our aquatic life today includes ocean
acidification which is caused by the ever increasing amounts of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere. One of the methods to reverse the problem is iron
fertilization of the water used to promote growth of phytoplankton. While
phytoplankton consumes much of the carbon, they potentially may also be
consuming too much oxygen. This can have a negative effect on organisms as
well.
Testing with ghost shrimp is logical because they are impacted by both the
ocean acidification and loss of oxygen. If we find that the iron fertilization does
have a negative impact on ghost shrimp and the oxygen levels in the water,
then we can save even more damage to the environment caused by humans.
Problem and Purpose
• Problem: was what is the effect of
different concentrations of iron oxides
on the health and viability of aquatic
ecosystems?
• Purpose: To test the effect of different
concentrations of iron oxides on the
health and viability of aquatic
ecosystems.
Background Information
– Predictions of ocean if acidification continues
– Studies the impacts of acidification on marine
ecosystems
– Studies the impact of iron fertilization on
phytoplankton growth.
– Studies impacts of acidification.
– Heart rate under microscope.
Progression of Ocean Acidification
Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (2007). Coral Reefs Under Rapid
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification
How Ocean Acidification
Works
Oceana.org
Hypotheses
• Part 1: If iron oxide is tested
in water, then it will increase
phytoplankton growth, and
reduce oxygen levels in the
water.
• Part 2: If low, medium, and
high concentrations of
phytoplankton and iron
oxides are tested, then high
concentrations of
phytoplankton and iron
oxide will result in the
greatest decrease in ghost
shrimp population.
Experimental Design Diagram 1
•
Part One: The effect of iron oxides ad phytoplankton on water clarity and
oxygen levels.
•
Hypothesis: If iron oxide is tested in water, then it will increase phytoplankton
growth, and reduce oxygen levels in the water.
Independent Variables:
Phytoplankton in water –
Control 1
3 Trial
Iron Oxide in Water – Control 2 Phytoplankton and Iron Oxides
in Water
3 Trial
3 Trial
•
Dependent Variable: absorbance (tested with spec 20) and oxygen and pH
levels (tested by vernier probes)
•
Constants: amount of water, length of time being tested, amount of iron oxide,
temperature, amount of light.
Experimental Design Diagram 2
•
Part One: The Effect of Iron Fertilization Concentrations on Ghost Shrimp
•
Hypothesis: If low, medium, and high concentrations of phytoplankton and iron
oxides are tested, then high concentrations of phytoplankton and iron oxide will
result in the greatest decrease in ghost shrimp population.
Independent Variables:
Iron Oxide in water –
Control 1
Phytoplankton in water
– Control 2
Phytoplankton and iron
oxide in water low
concentration
Phytoplankton and iron
oxide in water medium
concentration
Phytoplankton and iron
oxide in water high
concentration
3 Trial
3 Trial
3 Trial
3 Trial
3 Trial
•
Dependent Variables: Ghost Shrimp Health measured under a microscope but
recording heart rate, a health scale, and whether or not they have died.
•
Constants: amount of water in the tank, tank size, amount of light, type of
shrimp, water temperature, amount of shrimp in each tank, food.
Part 1 Procedures
Materials
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Phytoplankton
Iron Oxide
Spring Water
3 Tanks
Vernier
Probes
• Spec 20
• Pipettes
Set Up
Tanks
• 3 gallons of
spring water
in each
• Add
treatments
Spec 20
• Use the
spec 20 to
test the
absorbance
level of each
tank.
Vernier
Probes
• Use the
vernier
probes to
test the
amount of
oxygen in
each tank.
Analysis
• Test over
the course
of 3-4
weeks.
• Record
results each
time you
observe the
absorbance
and oxygen
level.
Part 2 Procedures
Materials
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Spec 20
Vernier Probes
Iron Oxide
Ghost Shrimp
Phytoplankton
8 Tanks
Spring Water
Fish Food Flakes
Sand
Rocks
Pipettes
Microscope
Set up
tanks
• Add 3 gallons
of spring water
to each.
• Equal
amounts of
sand and
rocks.
• Follow care
sheet for
adding ghost
shrimp.
Add
Treatments
• Add
treatments
to each tank
respectively.
Test
• Ghost shrimp
heart rate
under
microscope
• Using
qualitative
scale to
measure ghost
shrimp overall
health.
Analysis
• Test over
the course
of 3-4
weeks.
• Record data
points
frequently.
Data Analysis
*Figure 1: In this graph of the
average oxygen concentrations in
each tank, it is clear to see the
decrease in the amount of oxygen as
the treatment goes from just
phytoplankton to phytoplankton and
iron oxide.
*Figure 2: In this graph of the
average pH levels for the separate
tanks, it is clear to see that there is a
decrease in the pH level of the tanks
as they progress from just
phytoplankton to phytoplankton and
iron oxide maybe indicating that the
iron oxide increased acidity.
Data Analysis
*Figure 3: In this graph of the
average absorbance levels in
the separate tanks, there is
no real trend in the data.
*Figure 4: In this graph of the
ghost shrimp final heart
rates, it shows a trend that
the heart rates increase for
the most part as the level of
treatment increase.
Conclusion: Part One
• Part one: The hypothesis was rejected since
the only value significant was the pH variable
(P=0.012), out of the three tested: oxygen
concentrations (P=0.054), pH levels, and
absorbance levels (P=0.464).
– Despite that it was rejected, part one still showed that the
treatments did have some impact on the conditions of the
water even if they weren’t significant when compared to
each other. One thing for sure was that the treatments did
impact the pH of the water making it slightly more acidic for
each tank.
Conclusion: Part Two
• Part 2: the type of treatments (df=4, F=35.03,
P=0.002) and as time progressed (df=1,
F=30.90, P=0.005) were both significant the
hypothesis supported.
– This means that the treatments applied to each tank not
only caused significant difference from the initial heart rate
to the final heart rate of each shrimp, but they were also
significantly different from each other.
– Qualitative analysis also showed that the shrimp physically
started to change
Limitations and Future
Research
• Limitations: feasibility with testing on
saltwater vs. freshwater.
• Future Research: different compounds
used to reverse ocean acidification
could be tested as well as on different
aquatic organisms
Acknowledgements
• We would like to thank:
– Mr. Hendrix
– Mr. Bolen
– Rockdale Magnet Fund
Bibliography
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www.presentationhelper.co.uk
Google images
www.oceana.org
Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (2007). Coral reefs under rapid climate change and ocean
acidification. Science, 318,1737-1742. Retrieved from
http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/harvell/Site/2007_files/HoeghGulberg07.pdf
Doney, S. C. (2009). Ocean acidification: The other co2 problem. Annual Review of
Marine Science, 1, 169-192. Retrieved from
http://www.unc.edu/~lbuckley/GCE/uploads/Main/Doney et al 2009.pdf
Fabry, V. J. (2008). Impacts of ocean acidification on marine fauna and ecosystem
processes. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65(3), 414-432. Retrieved from
http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/65/3/414.full
Smetacek, V. (2012). Deep carbon export from a southern ocean iron-fertilized diatom
bloom. Nature, 487, 313-319. Retrieved from http://eprints.unikiel.de/14868/1/nature11229.pdf
Ambrust, E. V. (2009). The life of diatoms in the world's ocean. Nature, 459, 185-192.
Retrieved from ftp://84.237.21.152/pub_archive/lin/yu/evol/Armbrust_2009_The life of
diatoms in the world oceans.pdf
Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (2007). Coral Reefs Under Rapid Climate Change and Ocean
Acidification
Fabry, V.J. (2008). Impacts of ocean acidification on marine fauna and ecosystem
processes.
Bopp, L. (2003). Dust impact on marine biota and atmospheric CO2
Anthony, K.R.N. (2008). Ocean acidification causes bleaching and productivity loss
in coral reef builders.
Martin, J.M. Heart Rate Response to Induced Stimuli in Freshwater Shrimp
Accomplishments
Accomplishments
• Vice President of Magnet Ambassador
Program
• Principal’s List
• Made a deal on class version of Shark
Tank.
Accomplishments Continued
• Entered 10 studios ;D
• International Club
• Built a roller coater and designed a car
EFFECT OF IRON FERTILIZATION
CONCENTRATIONS ON AQUATIC
ECOSYSTEMS
Questions?