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2024 Practical 2A Setting Up of Sealed Mesocosm

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21 views2 pages

2024 Practical 2A Setting Up of Sealed Mesocosm

Uploaded by

marcus.ng.chen.kye
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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IB Biology

(SL / HL)

Practical 2A: Setting Up of Sealed Mesocosm


[IB Biology - 1st Assessment 2025]

Name: ……………………………………………… Class: …………………

[Practical 2A] Setting up sealed mesocosms to try to establish sustainability.

(I) Introduction
A mesocosm is a long-term experimental study that models a small part of the natural
environment under controlled and observational conditions.

(II) Procedure
1. Construct an eco-column according to the diagram.
2. Add soil, sand, and gravel to the aquatic and terrestrial chambers as instructed in
class.
3. Add leaf litter, grass clippings, and a banana peel to the decomposition chamber as
instructed in class.
4. Add clean gravel and a clean
fist-sized rock to the aquatic
chamber, and then volumetrically
calibrate the aquatic chamber at
100 ml intervals as pond water is
added.
5. If necessary, allow the soil in the
terrestrial chamber to dry. Add
seeds or viable plant cuttings to
the terrestrial chamber.
6. Add several sticks and/or twigs
to the predator/prey chamber,
and then add two or three
captured spiders as instructed in
class.

1
7. Measure the dissolved oxygen (D.O.), pH and temperature of the aquatic chamber,
and then add aquatic plants to the aquatic chamber. Measure the D.O., pH and
temperature of the aquatic chamber the next day, and continue to regularly monitor the
D.O., pH, and temperature of the aquatic chamber.
8. After the plants in the terrestrial chamber are growing successfully, add terrestrial
fauna to the terrestrial chamber.
9. After the plants in the terrestrial chamber are growing successfully, and the D.O., pH
and temperature of the aquatic chamber are stable add aquatic fauna to the aquatic
chamber.
10. Continue to regularly monitor the D.O., pH and temperature of the aquatic chamber.
11. Perform additional water quality tests as instructed in class.

(III) Data Analysis


1. In the lab notebook, keep comprehensive records of all work on the eco-column.
2. Observe and collect data from your eco-column until the end of the semester.
3. The lab notebook will include the procedure, all observations, data (tabulated), charts,
and graphs.
4. At the conclusion of the lab, a thoughtful, scientifically valid, and collaborative
discussion will be completed.

(IV) Questions
1. Explain the changes you observed in your eco-column.
2. Identify one producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, and decomposer in
your eco-column.
3. What was the limitation of not putting in the final chamber? How different is this
eco-column to a mesocosm?
4. What were the limiting factors that restrained population growth in your eco-column?
5. Explain the food web of your eco-column.
6. Do you think there is a keystone species in your eco-column? Why or why not?
7. What biome does your eco-column most closely resemble? Defend your choice.
8. Explain how carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water cycle through your eco-column.
9. What are the differences between a real ecosystem and your eco-column? Can a large
ecosystem really be managed?
10. Biosphere 2 was a sealed experimental ecosystem in the Arizona desert. It was a
failure. What advice would you give to future eco-column builders?

[This assignment was developed by David Hong]

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