Daphnia are macroscopic planktonic creatures that consume algae at a microscopic level.
To prove daphnia can consume a significant amount of algae in a short amount of time, we conducted two tests.
Test #1:
This test was conducted using an unidentifiable type of algae. We added 324 mL of the algae water into the cup, along with 20 adult daphnia. This test ran over a course of 11 days.
To prove daphnia can consume a significant amount of algae in a short amount of time, we conducted two tests.
Test #1:
This test was conducted using an unidentifiable type of algae. We added 324 mL of the algae water into the cup, along with 20 adult daphnia. This test ran over a course of 11 days.
DAY ONE
1/15/16
DAY FOUR
1/19/16
1/19/16
DAY SIX
1/22/16
1/22/16
DAY TEN
1/26/16
1/26/16
DAY ELEVEN
1/27/16
1/27/16
Results:
Over the duration of the eleven days, all of the visible algae was cleared. The daphnia also repopulated greatly, making for about 80 daphnia in the cup rather than 20.
Trial #2:
Although we received great data from trial one, we wanted to do another trial on a more specific type of cyanobacteria. We used Mycrocystis Aeruginosa, which is the leading type of cyanobacteria to cause algal blooms, to see if daphnia can consume it.
To create the trial, we put our cultured daphnia in three identical test tubes. The first test tube had 30 daphnia, the second had 20 daphnia, and the third had 10 daphnia. We altered the amount of daphnia in each sample from Carolina Biological to determine the ideal ratio of daphnia to water containing cyanobacteria. Each day we took pictures of our testing area to visually display the effectiveness of daphnia in the consumption of the cyanobacteria, Mycrocystis Aeruginosa.
Over the duration of the eleven days, all of the visible algae was cleared. The daphnia also repopulated greatly, making for about 80 daphnia in the cup rather than 20.
Trial #2:
Although we received great data from trial one, we wanted to do another trial on a more specific type of cyanobacteria. We used Mycrocystis Aeruginosa, which is the leading type of cyanobacteria to cause algal blooms, to see if daphnia can consume it.
To create the trial, we put our cultured daphnia in three identical test tubes. The first test tube had 30 daphnia, the second had 20 daphnia, and the third had 10 daphnia. We altered the amount of daphnia in each sample from Carolina Biological to determine the ideal ratio of daphnia to water containing cyanobacteria. Each day we took pictures of our testing area to visually display the effectiveness of daphnia in the consumption of the cyanobacteria, Mycrocystis Aeruginosa.
DAYS 1-5
Results:
As you can see, over five days, the daphnia consumed all the available cyanobacteria. The test tube with 30 daphnia consumed the cyanobacteria in 3 days, the test tube with 20 daphnia in 4 days, and the test tube with 10 daphnia in 5 days. Using this data we can now estimate an average number of daphnia to add to a certain amount of water.
As you can see, over five days, the daphnia consumed all the available cyanobacteria. The test tube with 30 daphnia consumed the cyanobacteria in 3 days, the test tube with 20 daphnia in 4 days, and the test tube with 10 daphnia in 5 days. Using this data we can now estimate an average number of daphnia to add to a certain amount of water.