Abstract
The aquatic ecosystem that boasts of both freshwater and marine setting serves as basis for the analytical that is carried out on the plants and animals found in these surroundings. The study assesses comprehensively the habitation and the food web that the living organisms in these surroundings partake for their survival. The aquatic living organisms adapt to a definite system for their survival. The species examined by this study include the Nitella and the ribbon weed. As was observed, the ribbon weed is a native stoloniferous that is found in the submerged waters with flowers, which support its mechanisms of floating. The ribbon weed has a length of 47 cm with and a temperature of 25 degree centigrade whereas Nitella is a native organism that is also submerged in the water and has a length of 29 cm with the temperature of its being 10 degrees centigrade. Both the plants feed on shrimps and weeds for their survival. The eco system is self sufficient as it offers the desired necessities for survival of the species. In the final observation of the two species revealed, the length of the ribbon weed to be 56 cm and the Nitella fragmented. The observation revealed an increase in the lengths of all the plants thereby testifying to the fact that phosphates and nitrates have an effect on the length of the products, as they are a necessity for survival.
Introduction
Aquatic ecosystem refers to the surrounding in which the living organisms struggle for different resources of survival. This ecosystem is made up of the marine and freshwater. The marine ecosystem is mainly made up of salty water, the living beings existing in water such as the sharks, and fish among many other species, and additional compounds such as the brown algae and the corals (Solomon & Martin, 2007). The species encounter various environmental difficulties in their survival endurance. For instance, since fish is a source of food, activities of over fishing are reported along with encountering of difficulties in the form of pollution that affects all the species in the marine ecosystem, climatic changes and constructions that take place along the coastal places. Fish and a variety of plants mainly inhabit the freshwater ecosystem (Findlay & Sinsabaugh, 2006).
Occasionally, the ecosystem is affected by the biotic and abiotic environmental factors, which result in the ecosystem being either self sufficient or insufficient. The biotic factors comprise of the living organisms whereas the abiotic elements consist of the influences stemming from non-living creatures such as the temperature, habitat, and the changes in the climate. The biotic and abiotic factors function together in making the ecosystem efficient as the distortion of one-factor results in the interference with the ecosystem (Findlay & Sinsabaugh 2006). Global developments have consistently affected the ecosystem with pollution being a leading factor, which results in the alteration of the co-existence of the living organisms. Pollution leads to the distortion of food production by the main producers of this ecosystem. The alteration of the primary producer affects the other food chain members owing to an insufficient ecosystem (Solomon & Martin, 2007).
The food web contains nutrients that the living organisms use for their survival. The food web is a demonstration of how food is created, utilized, and reprocessed in the ecosystem. The sunshine rays supply the plants and bacteria with the energy they utilize for creation. The primary consumers consume living organisms and as such are herbivores. The secondary consumers, carnivores, feed on the primary consumers. Other living organisms such as human beings have the capacity of feeding on both the vegetables and animals (Findlay & Sinsabaugh, 2006). The objective of a food web is to provide the fundamental requirements that are essential in an ecosystem. The provisions make life bearable for the organisms in the ecosystem. A sufficient food web is characterized through the satisfaction derived by all the species in the food web and their manner of co-existence. In the study, the selected species live in submerged ecosystems with snails and Mayfly making up the composition of their food web (Romero & Srivastava, 2010).
Materials and Methods
The materials used in the experiment comprised of the biotic and abiotic materials. The materials included the ribbon weed and Nitella that were the focal point of the experiment. The abiotic materials included phosphate, a PH scale, thermometer, nitrate, and a ruler. The species composition was made up of the freshwater snail and Mayfly Nymphs that were used as food by the ribbon weed and the Nitella. The freshwater snail and Mayfly inhabited the freshwater ecosystem and made it possible for the experiment to happen as they provided the needed resources the plant species regarded as insectivorous required. There is a transparency in the mayfly as they have an external layer that is lean and sheds it as it matures. The mayfly did not survive mainly in the freshwater bodies particularly in the proximity of the banks where they co-exist with aquatic plants such as the ones already aforementioned. The mayflies do not feed on alga, as well as, rotting plants that are found in the water bodies. They lack teeth that could assist them with the grating of food. Unfortunately, mayflies are exceedingly affected by pollution, as their features do not assist them with storage of oxygen that is required in the instances of pollution. Occasionally, the snails come out of the water bodies in search for oxygen. Nonetheless, extreme pollution jeopardizes their existence. Mayflies do not possess exceptional features that are vital for survival in such situations (Solomon & Martin, 2007).
The freshwater snail has shells on his body that give him a distinguishing feature from the slugs. Their major habitat is on the ponds and streams where they attach themselves to plants for their survival. Furthermore, the snails similarly feed on alga, as well as, rotting plants that are found in the water bodies. Their teeth assist them with the grating of food. Fortunately, snails are not exceedingly affected by pollution as their shells assist them with the storage of oxygen that is required in the instances of pollution. Occasionally, the snails come out of the water bodies in search for oxygen. Nonetheless, extreme pollution jeopardizes their existence. Snails possess an exceptional feature of having both the male and female reproductive systems (Solomon & Martin, 2007).
The method made use of in carrying out the experiment is a practical approach where the species are placed in different conditions. The experiment undertaken in testing out the mechanisms of survival of the snails reveals the changes that would occur in the event of the exposure to different substances. The initial stages of the experiment involved recording the lengths of the plant along with their temperatures. The analysis of the food web allowed for the indication of a clear picture regarding the manner in which the ecosystem operates. The practical work also entailed taking record weekly reports on the experimental study to make certain the receipt of precise results. The collected data was analyzed in the form of graphs, tables, and diagrams for presenting a clear knowledge of the entire experiment.
Abiotic variables Equipment
Temperature DO meter
pH pH meter
Nitrate Nitrate level kit
Phosphate Phosphate level kit
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) DO meter
Electrical Conductivity(EC) EC Meter
Turbidity Observation
Results
Abiotic components
This included the length measurement of the plants, their temperature changes, and the components of the PH. The initial measurement of the ribbon weed was 47 cm with its temperature at 25 degrees Celsius. On the contrary, the initial measurement of the Nitella was
29 cm and the temperature 10 degrees Celsius. The temperatures of the organisms continued increasing weekly whereas the PH component did not adjust in any of the first two weeks. However, there was an increase in the third week, with a drop witnessed in the fourth week. When the species were exposed to the temperature conditions of the water glasshouses, changes were reported as the changes in the temperature did not have a large difference. The observation on the temperature range was reported to be between one and three. Similar species when exposed the temperatures of the sun glasshouses recorded a large difference in the temperature intervals. When put under the shade temperature of a glasshouse, the differences in the interval were also large.
Biotic components
In the concluding week, the length of the ribbon weed had an increase to 56 cm with the Nitella being fragmented. Also notable was the increase of the phosphate concentration, which increased in the initial two weeks. However, there was a decline in the third week, which rose again in the fourth week even though the concentration of nitrates remained at zero level all through the experiment period. The food web depicting the ecosystem comprised of snail and Mayfly, which were significant for the endurance of ribbon weed.
In the figure 1, the level of pH for the aqueous solution was low on the first and second week even though as time went by, the pH of the solution increased exponentially from 7.2 to 8.6 on the third week. However, on arriving at the optimal level of the ecosystem, the acidity level dropped from 8.5 to the initial level of 7.2. Nevertheless, it began rising in another cycle. The fluctuation is attributable to the trend in the ecosystem of maintaining valance. Immediately the population arrives at its peak, others die with the rate of carbon dioxide usage in the water dropping thereby resulting in the increase of the acidity level of the water on the subsequent cycle in the fifth week.
In figure 2, the plant heights increase with time as during the first week, the height of the plant is low but increases exponentially as the pH level of the water increases. Therefore, it is evident that the plants can perform better in acidic solutions compared to the basic solutions.
Figure 1
Figure2
Figure2
Table 2: Nitrate, Phosphate, and turbidity level in the ecosystem jar over 4 weeks
Abiotic variables Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Nitrate level (mg/L) 0 0 0 0
Phosphate level (mg/L) 0.25 0 0 0
Turbidity (high/low?) High Intermediate High Low
Figure 3
In figure 3, the number of the snail species tripled in the second week, with the number increasing to more than 15 in the third week. On the fourth week, the snail species increased to an estimated 30. On the contrary, the mayfly species was unseen on the second week, and a reported death was the case for the third and fourth weeks.
Biotic components
Table 3: Number of species in the ecosystem jar observed during 4 weeks.
Species Number of species
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Snail 1 3 More than 15 Approximately 30
Mayfly 1 unseen 0 (dead) 0
Ribbon weeds 2 3 leaves 2 1 new leaves 2 4 new leaves 2 5 new leaves
3 leaves 2 new leaves 5 new leaves 6 new leaves
Figure: In figure 4, the change in temperature as shown by the graph, bears a fundamental sponging influence on the change of the humidity. This subsequently increases the heights of the plant under experiment. The utilization of phosphate results in varied outcomes each week whereas the composition of nitrogen leads to a similar outcome. According to the graph, there is a varying change of the organism all through the experiment. The outcomes support the hypothesis that states the expectation of the ecosystem is self-sufficiency. From the recorded changes in the biotic and abiotic components, the plants and the food sources signify an eco friendly existence thus making survival bearable (Spencer & Warren, 1996).
Other Observations
The freshwater snail feed on decaying bacteria and plants for his survival, whereas the mayfly did not survive. This ensures the food web is sufficient since snail co-exists well in the ecosystem.
The jars demonstrate an evident stability in the level of nitrates and a sparing level in the case of phosphates. The initial level of phosphates was 0.25mg/L but got to 0mg/L and remained pending deconstruction.
Discussion
Nevertheless, the ecosystem was slightly unstable as some of the abiotic aspects provided varying outcomes different from the species survival. Nonetheless, the concluding result indicative of the increase in length of ribbon weed was a clear proof growth from the plant, as well as, the freshwater snail. The changes in temperature in the ecosystem are conducive to the species existence presently put under various conditions. The temperature changes demonstrated slight alterations in every condition as proof of temperature changes to be conducive. The predicted food web is practical as the increment in the plants gave proof of proper feeding from the available food in the ecosystem.
The aquatic ecosystem under study is quite dissimilar from the other aquatic ecosystems as the ecosystem under experiment made the plant species dependent on the animals such as the shrimps and the snails in their survival. Naturally, the expectation on the co-existence was for the vice versa as the plants are the major victims of small creatures in the aquatic life. Other aquatic plants will need oxygen for their assistance in the production of food but with the aforementioned plants depending on the shrimps and snails for survival.
The concentration of nitrogen is found to be at zero level thus demonstrating that the plant and the animal species do not require nitrogen for their survival. The food web used in the experiment was exceptional as it categorizes the plants as insectivorous owing to their feeding on them for survival ordinary plants will majorly rely on sunlight for the production of food. They are also the main producers for the entire food web. The rotting plants and bacteria provide food to the snail for his survival as food is made available to the ribbon weed and the Nitella. This makes the ecosystem self-sufficient (Perrow et al, 1994). The existence of insectivorous plants is fundamental for the survival of animals in the ecosystem.
The objective of a food web is to provide the fundamental requirements that are essential in an ecosystem. The provisions make life bearable for the organisms in the ecosystem. A sufficient food web is characterized through the satisfaction derived by all the species in the food web and their manner of co-existence.
Works Cited
Findlay, S., & sinsabaugh, R. (2006). Aquatic ecosystems: interactivity of dissolved organic matter. New York: Academic Press.
Solomon, E., Berg, L., & Martin, D. (2007). Biology. Massachusetts: Cengage Learning.
Perrow, M., Moss, B., & Stansfield, J. (1994). Tropic interactions in a shallow lake following a reduction in nutrient loading-a long-term study. Hydrobiologia, 275, 43-52.
Romero, G., & Srivastava, D. (2010). Food-web composition affects cross-ecosystem interactions and subsidies. Journal of Animal Ecology, 79, 1122-1131.
Spencer, M., & Warren, P. (1996). The effects of habitat size and productivity on food web structure in small microcosms. Oikos, 75, 419-430.
