Student handout
Interdependence in the Aquarium
For this experiment, three aquariums are set up in airtight
one-quart jars:
Aquarium 1. Water and aquatic animals (guppies or
snail)
Aquarium 2. Water and an aquatic plant (Elodea or
Anacharis)
Aquarium 3. Water, aquatic animals, and a plant
The water temperatures in all three aquariums will be the same
about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- What do you think will happen in each aquarium after several
weeks? Write your hypothesis in your journal.
- Each day, observe the aquariums and record your observations
in your journal. Be sure to write down the water temperature in
each aquarium and any other measurable dat you can think of, such
as plant growth. Also be sure to note any other less obvious
changes in each aquarium, such as the health of the fish and
plants, and the condition of the water.
- At the end of the experiment, compare your observations with
your original hypothesis. Do your results confirm your hypothesis,
or would you rewrite your hypothesis to fit what you know
now?
- Define interdependence in your own words. What examples of
interdependence in other environments can you think of?
- What additional experiments would you like to do with the
three aquariums? What do you think would happen if you changed the
amount of light or heat each aquarium received?
Illustration of the three aquariums for the interdependence
experiment; Illustration is by Leyla Sezen.
Author: Tugrul Sezen
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