TITLE: Physical and chemical implications that determine living conditions of an organism in a wetland

Topic: Group 4 Project

Present to: Sonia Garnica

Date: May 19,2017

Personal
engagement
Exploration Analysis Evaluation Communication TOTAL

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Summary
In this experiment, there will be analyzed a series of physical and chemical factors as base to determine and to evaluate
the conditions in which an organism live in an aquatic ecosystem for examining all these implications and how they are
being affected in a social environmental area, hereby, to determine the ideal level in which the organism must live having
in mind 5 different depths of the ecosystem. To analyze different depths a thermometer was used with brands every 5 cm,
to analyze the temperature in each of them and its implications within the organism, the pH was measured up using a
paper of sunflower, that was introduced on the water sample after each depth mark

Background information
First, we should define some key concepts as the pH, it is a system of measure which establishes levels of acidity and
alkalinity of a substance, the pH has a range of 0-14, 0-7 its defined as an acid substance, 7-14 as a base and 7 being
neutral. Ecosystem is a set where biotic and abiotic beings develop or operate (Definista, 2017). Aquatic ecosystem is
where the biotic beings and abiotic they develop in an aquatic environment, it includes rivers, lakes, seas, etc. (Definition
ABC, 2017). Organism is in use for naming the organs of the alive beings, including the natural laws that regulate his
functioning (Definition. Of, 2017). Depth is the distance between the bottom of something and the point taken as reference
(Oxford Diccionarios | Spanish, 2017). Hydric resources, that are the water bodies that exist in the planet. (Definición. of,
2017). Finally, it’s important to define and identify the basic characteristics of the organism intended to be studied, that is
the reed plant, Present in humid or wet places and in systems of sweet water. They are fibrous plants that habitually
develop in swampy zones, have long and thin leaves, the stems are generally triangular in transverse section, but
sometimes it can be a semibreve, the stems are not hollow, but they are full of marrow, have tiny and individual flowers,
arranged in compact or free spikes in the ends of the stems, the fruits are small achenes. It stabilizes the banks of the
water bodies. (Guia para la identificacion de especies de flora presentes en los humedales de la sabana de Bogotá.pag
23)
The problem that we want to solve, likewise, his connection with the real life, eradicates in determining and analyzing the
conditions of an organism given in an ecosystem from a series of physical and chemical implications, which will allow us
to analyze the moral and environmental implications of a society to contribute in the development and the maintenance of

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the conditions of the studied organism. We were motivated to choose this topic, due to the quantity of factors that can
manage to be analyzed in an ecosystem and as all these to play a fundamental role for the maintenance of the organism,
in addition, taking an aquatic ecosystem as an object of study, to have the aptitude to sustain environmental factors that
concern the organism directly.

Objective
The objective of this experiment is to determine and analyze to what extent the pH and temperature that exists in an
aquatic ecosystem determines and establishes the conditions in which the studied organism (reed plant) should live,
considering some factors of the ecosystem as its depth, in this way, analyze the organism from each of them and identify
how it can manage to adapt its characteristics to different conditions. If we meet a depth aquatic ecosystem (wetland),
then, we hope that the organism finds its ideal level in the less deep range, because, it is in this instance in which we
expect to find a neutral pH, beneficial for the plant.

Research question;
Considering the depth of an aquatic ecosystem, to what extent the pH and temperature determines the conditions in
which the studied organism (reed plant) should live?

Variables

Variable Independent:
Depth (every 5cm the pH and temperature were calculated)

Variable Dependent:
Reed Plant

Controlled Variables:
The perimeter established for the study of the organism, we used a meter to establish the range of study.
Environmental temperature of the zone, we use an application to determine the temperature of the zone, that was of 16ºC.
Relative humidity, we used an application to determine the relative humidity of the zone, and it indicates it was of 64.3%
The size and the material of the can used for measuring water, we use a glass bottle of 500ml.
Depth of the aquatic ecosystem, 5 different ranges were established using a meter to make a mark each 5cm, to evaluate
the organism from these 5 distances.
The altitude of the zone, Guaymaral, we worked under an altitude of 2,720m

Materials:
Table 1: Materials
Glass flask with lid of 500 ml Sunflower Paper
App of Ambient Temperature, Humidity
and altitude Marker
Thermometer Vernier Lab Quest
Meter Vernier pH Sensor

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Experimental procedure

PONLO TU TRADUCIDO PORFA. 􀋘

Write in past tense time.
􀋘 Establish the controlled experiment to have a standard test to make final comparisons.
􀋘 Develop a protocol to collect data , ranges and intervals of the independent variable. method to collect sufficient
relevant data. Describe control test .
􀋘 Present a methodology numbered steps..
􀋘 Write in third person where the sequence of steps performed is revealed, detailed instruments to measure, way to
measure (quantify) the dependent variable.
􀋘 Write number of data will be collected and explain what you will do with the data
􀋘 Write frequency in which data were taken.
􀋘 Include different levels and / or intensity and / or concentrations of the independent variable.
􀋘 Detail form as the controlled variables were controlled.
􀋘 Include table for data collection
􀋘 If use any source of information use APA standards with appropriate references.

Qualitative Observations
The fieldwork used for developing the experiment was the Torca wetland, we found that the land was a little bit instable
due to the constant rains on the zone, that caused the land to be full of mud and complicated for developing the
experiment data collection and transporting the samples. In the same way, the space to stand on the shore for making the
calculations was short, avoiding that we could manipulate and analyze the samples for more time and make immediate
calculations. During the experiment, we could observe that the body of water were the samples were collected was very
contaminated and full of small organisms through it, seen when collecting water with the jar, thus, at the end of the
experiment, the jar was totally covered with mud, was dirty and with a black color appearance. Thermometer maintained
its cleanliness and was not affected by the mud on the samples. pH paper was rid after each trial, as it was functional only
for once.

Discussion of Results (at least one page)

For making a deep analysis of the results, is important to consider the significance and effect of the results regarding the
studied organism in the wetland, the junco or reed plant. In this way, firstly, we must consider the pH implications on the
reed plant, for determining this issue, it was clueless to keep always in mind the description and characteristics of the
plant (pointed on the background information) for understanding and leading to give us an answer on how the organism
can manage to change its characteristics in different conditions, these conditions were determined by the data collection
about pH and temperature. Considering the higher range of pH found on the wetland different depths was of 7-8, we could
analyze, that sediment and soil being neutral or almost neutral, helped the plant being analyzed for proper growth.
However, the imbalances of pH found in each depth, should include gaps in nutrient availability and the presence of high
concentrations of minerals that are harmful to the junco plant. pH levels may also influence micro organic activity that
contributes to the decomposition of organic materials. A neutral pH is ideal for microbial action that produces chemical
changes in soil, making nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus more available. A pH that is either too high or too low may also
interfere with the effectiveness of pesticides by changing their basic composition or weakening their ability to kill unwanted

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insects. (SF Gate, s.f.) On the other hand, we analyzed the body of water temperature in each depth implications on the
reed plant conditions. Knowing that if well we don’t find high variation of temperatures, we found it was never constant at
any depth, moreover, we found that when depth decreases, temperature increases, fact that could put our plant under
stress and cause damage. The optimum temperature for root to absorb water and nutrients is around 20ºC, in this way,
we could analyze, that the optimal condition for the plant to live is at the wetland shore, because, as seen in table 1, we
observe that when we collect data at the lowest depth, the temperature was ideal for the plant living conditions, knowing
that this temperature is a fundamental characteristic and where the reed plant best develop. Small variation of
temperature within the depth, may not be highly significant, however they could cause that pump mechanism not work as
effectively. (CANNA, s.f.). Now, talking about environmental problems and implications on the Torca wetland, which was
the studied zone, we have that it is suffering of some environmental problems, indicated by the guider of the wetland,
principally, the wetland has entries from 3 different water sources that are constantly exposed to human environmental
atrocities, as these being public, they completely affect the wetland itself, mainly with contamination of the body of water
as the key problem. Also, the wetland face with the problem of vehicular traffic, this factor affects directly the existence of
some plant species that are vulnerable to high quantities of gases expelled by the cars. However, analyzing the benefits
and usefulness of the reed plant, we consider that it may help the wetland environmental conditions as within its
characteristics it exists the fact that the plant stabilizes the riverside of the water bodies.

References

Definition ABC. (2017). Definition de Ecosystem Aquatic. [online] Available at: http://www.definicionabc.com/medio-
ambiente/ecosistema-acuatico.php [Accessed 19 May 2017].

Definición.de. (2017). Definition of organism — Definicion.de. [online] Available at: http://definicion.de/organismo/

[Accessed 19 May 2017].

Definición.de. (2017). Definition of hydric resources — Definicion.de. [online] Available at: http://definicion.de/recursos-
hidricos/ [Accessed 19 May 2017].

Definista (2017). ¿What is Ecosystem? - Su Definition, Concept and significance. [online] Conceptodefinicion.de.
Available at: http://conceptodefinicion.de/ecosistema/ [Accessed 19 May 2017].

Oxford Dictionaries | Spanish. (2017). depth – definition of depth Oxford. [online] Available at:
https://es.oxforddictionaries.com/definicion/profundidad [Accessed 19 May 2017].

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