Duckweed Thalli Hypothesis
In this study, we found that the growth of the duckweed thalli did not have a significant difference in the NP solution and the creek water solution. Although we found that the duckweed grows faster in the NP solution, rather than the creek water they do indeed have relatively the same mean. Overall our results supports our hypothesis. This also makes us question what kinds of factors are affecting the creek water to kill off the duckweed. Duckweed also is known to stop the growth of algae, but in our experiment we ended up having algae grow in some of the wells filled with creek water. We feel as though the creek water might have had some chemicals in it through runoff that would be harmful to duckweed but beneficial to the algae growing in those wells.
Over the course of six weeks, we saw a lot of changes in the Thalli. We noticed that the growth of thalli in the nitrogen and phosphorus solution was significantly higher than when we started. We also noticed the growth of thalli in the creek water solution was relatively …show more content…
lower than when we started.
We alternated our water solutions of NP and Creek Water in each well plate.
Then we placed five Thalli in each well so that there would be a controlled start to the experiment. We then placed them in growth chambers every week so that they could have the proper conditions to grow. Every week we counted that thalli in each well, recorded the data, and refilled the wells with the solutions corresponding to the wells being filled. We did this for six weeks with an exception of one week because we didn’t have class. We also made sure that the labels on the tape were consistent with each other in case that would affect the amount of light each well got in the growth chamber. When calculating our results we averaged the difference of the duckweed in each of the wells for the water with the NP solution set from day one to the last day we checked them, and averaged the difference of the creek water from day one to the last day of the experiment as
well.
When it came to the design of our duckweed trays we decided to use water containing Nitrogen and Phosphorous, and water from the local creek. We filled the wells with liquid going every other. Starting off tray one with NP water then switching creek water. We then finished off the row with more NP water. Then for the second row we did the exact opposite.
When trying to to experiment with duckweed, we first must know what duckweed is. Duckweed is a “very small light green free floating, seed bearing plant” (aquaplant) that consists of 1-4 thalli. . Duckweed tends to grow in dense colonies in quiet, undisturbed water. It is known that there are up to 40 different species and over 20 species that can be found in the U.S.
For this experiment, our group was interested in the differences of growth in duckweed thalli when being exposed to a Nitrogen and Phosphorus NP solution compared to creek water that was drawn from the Galloway Creek here in Menomonie Wisconsin. These components are useful to us when experimenting on our duckweed thalli because the NP solution and the creek water were our two independent variables that we used to observe the difference in growth of thalli. One objective we are looking to identify was what sort of chemicals and stimulants were ending up in our creek water and how will it affect the growth of plant material in its waters, plants such as duckweed, and another was to see if nitrogen has similar positive growth effects on plants in water as it does on plants that grow in the soil.
What would happen to the duckweed when it is exposed to different solutions? Our hypothesis was that the number of thalli would be similar when the duckweed is grown in the nitrogen and phosphorus solution to the number of thalli from duckweed grown in the creek water solution. In this study we found that the duckweed grew faster in the nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) solution, but with a similar mean of 14 thalli in the NP solution than the creek water with a mean of 13 thali from week one to week six. There were two well plates that were outliers, which could be a human error. Overall our results supported our hypothesis that there would be no significant difference in growth between the two solutions.
Over the course of six weeks, we saw a lot of changes in the Thalli. We noticed that the growth of thalli in the nitrogen and phosphorus solution was significantly higher than when we started. We also noticed the growth of thalli in the creek water solution was relatively …show more content…
lower than when we started.
We alternated our water solutions of NP and Creek Water in each well plate.
Then we placed five Thalli in each well so that there would be a controlled start to the experiment. We then placed them in growth chambers every week so that they could have the proper conditions to grow. Every week we counted that thalli in each well, recorded the data, and refilled the wells with the solutions corresponding to the wells being filled. We did this for six weeks with an exception of one week because we didn’t have class. We also made sure that the labels on the tape were consistent with each other in case that would affect the amount of light each well got in the growth chamber. When calculating our results we averaged the difference of the duckweed in each of the wells for the water with the NP solution set from day one to the last day we checked them, and averaged the difference of the creek water from day one to the last day of the experiment as
well.
When it came to the design of our duckweed trays we decided to use water containing Nitrogen and Phosphorous, and water from the local creek. We filled the wells with liquid going every other. Starting off tray one with NP water then switching creek water. We then finished off the row with more NP water. Then for the second row we did the exact opposite.
When trying to to experiment with duckweed, we first must know what duckweed is. Duckweed is a “very small light green free floating, seed bearing plant” (aquaplant) that consists of 1-4 thalli. . Duckweed tends to grow in dense colonies in quiet, undisturbed water. It is known that there are up to 40 different species and over 20 species that can be found in the U.S.
For this experiment, our group was interested in the differences of growth in duckweed thalli when being exposed to a Nitrogen and Phosphorus NP solution compared to creek water that was drawn from the Galloway Creek here in Menomonie Wisconsin. These components are useful to us when experimenting on our duckweed thalli because the NP solution and the creek water were our two independent variables that we used to observe the difference in growth of thalli. One objective we are looking to identify was what sort of chemicals and stimulants were ending up in our creek water and how will it affect the growth of plant material in its waters, plants such as duckweed, and another was to see if nitrogen has similar positive growth effects on plants in water as it does on plants that grow in the soil.
What would happen to the duckweed when it is exposed to different solutions? Our hypothesis was that the number of thalli would be similar when the duckweed is grown in the nitrogen and phosphorus solution to the number of thalli from duckweed grown in the creek water solution. In this study we found that the duckweed grew faster in the nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) solution, but with a similar mean of 14 thalli in the NP solution than the creek water with a mean of 13 thali from week one to week six. There were two well plates that were outliers, which could be a human error. Overall our results supported our hypothesis that there would be no significant difference in growth between the two solutions.