The Competition Between the Two Green Algae:
Abstract
This experiment tested the hypothesis that the pure algae populations of Ankistrodesmus and Chorella will show growth in the number of organisms, and the mixed population will establish a dominant species. Each population should also reach its carrying capacity. All of the populations had the same resources available.
The sampling of 0.5ml of each population was used to count the number of organisms. A Neubauer slide and microscope will be needed to do this. From this count, determine the number of organisms in 1ml. After doing this procedure for three weeks the organisms in the pure samples should have grown in size and reached a carrying capacity. The mixed population of the two algae species should show that one species is dominant over the other. The results of the experiment support this hypothesis.
Both the pure samples of Ankistrodesmus and Chorella increased dramatically in size and then reached their carrying capacity. The mixed population showed that Chorella is the dominant species over the Ankistrodesmus.
Introduction
This experiment was conducted by using the green algae: Ankistrodesmus and Chorella. Most species of green algae live in shallow freshwater environments. The can live on moist rocks, trees, and soil; some can inhabit shallow ocean waters. Green algae usually occur as single cells or as multi-cellular, threadlike filaments, hollow balls, or flat sheets (Postlethwait and Hopson).
This experiment was used to study the growth of the algae and the effects of competition when grown in a limited resource. Competition is a contest between rivals for the same resource and habitat. The experiment was concerned with counting the number of algae in 1ml. There was a pure sample of both Ankistrodesmus and Chorella. There was also a population that contained a mixture of the two algae.
Two types of competition were observed. Inter-specific competition occurs within a population of different species.
This experiment tested the hypothesis that the pure algae populations of Ankistrodesmus and Chorella will show growth in the number of organisms, and the mixed population will establish a dominant species. Each population should also reach its carrying capacity. All of the populations had the same resources available.
The sampling of 0.5ml of each population was used to count the number of organisms. A Neubauer slide and microscope will be needed to do this. From this count, determine the number of organisms in 1ml. After doing this procedure for three weeks the organisms in the pure samples should have grown in size and reached a carrying capacity. The mixed population of the two algae species should show that one species is dominant over the other. The results of the experiment support this hypothesis.
Both the pure samples of Ankistrodesmus and Chorella increased dramatically in size and then reached their carrying capacity. The mixed population showed that Chorella is the dominant species over the Ankistrodesmus.
Introduction
This experiment was conducted by using the green algae: Ankistrodesmus and Chorella. Most species of green algae live in shallow freshwater environments. The can live on moist rocks, trees, and soil; some can inhabit shallow ocean waters. Green algae usually occur as single cells or as multi-cellular, threadlike filaments, hollow balls, or flat sheets (Postlethwait and Hopson).
This experiment was used to study the growth of the algae and the effects of competition when grown in a limited resource. Competition is a contest between rivals for the same resource and habitat. The experiment was concerned with counting the number of algae in 1ml. There was a pure sample of both Ankistrodesmus and Chorella. There was also a population that contained a mixture of the two algae.
Two types of competition were observed. Inter-specific competition occurs within a population of different species.
References: Marshall, Joseph A., and Walton, Cheryl L., 1999, Micro-sampling 1-4, Competition 1-3, Explorations in Biology. Postlethwait, John H. and Hopson, Janet L., The Nature of Life, 3rd Edition, p. 481. Starr, Cecie and Taggart, Ralph, 1998, 8th Edition, Population Ecology, Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life, p. 793-803.