ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS

THE KANSAS SCHOOL NATURAL/ST Kansas State Teachers College

Emporia, Kansas

Vol. 18 Feb . No. 3 1972

The Kansas

School Naturalist Published by

The Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia Prepared and Issued by

The Department of Biology, with the cooperation of the Division of Education

Editor: Robert J. Boles

Editorial Committee: James S. Wilson, Robert F. Clarke, Gilbert A. Leisman, Harold Durst

Exofficio: Dr. Edwin B. Kurtz, Head, Dept. of Biology

The Kansas School Naturalist is sent upon request, free of charge, to Kansas teachers, school board members and ad­ministrators, librarians, conservationists, youth leaders, and other adults interested in nature education. Back numbers are sent free as long as supply lasts, except Vol. 5, No.3, Poisonous Snakes of Kansas. Copies of this issue may be obtained for 25 cents each postpaid. Send orders to The Kansas School Naturalist, Department of Biology, Kansas State Teachers College, Em poria, Kansas, 66801.

The Kansas School Naturalist is published in October, Decem­ber, February, and April of each year by The Kansas State Teachers College, 1200 Commercial Street, Emporia, Kansas, 66801. Second-class postage paid at Emporia, Kansas.

"Statement required by the Act of October, 1962: Section 4369, Title 39, United States Code, showing Ownership, Management and Circulation." The Kansas School Naturalist is published in October, December, February, and April. Editorial Office and Publication Office at 1200 Commercial Street, Emporia, Kansas, 66801. The Naturalist is edited and published by the Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia, Kansas. Editor, Robert J. Boles, Department of Biology.

3

ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS Dr. Harold Durst

This issue of the Naturalist con­sists of several investigations se­lected from approximately 70 that were developed and tried out by participants in an institute in en­vironmental biology and human ecology at the Kansas State Teach­ers College during the summer, 1970, under the direction of Dr.s. Thomas Eddy, John Ransom, Dwight Spencer, and Harold Durst. Since that time, the investigations have been used by a number of teachers and students. Suggestions for minor changes and modifica­tions of the original materials were received and considered during the rewriting of those investigations selected for this issue of the Natu­ralist.

The names and addresses of the participants having the major re­sponsibility for developing the original studies will be given at the end of each investigation. To be sure, the ideas for the investiga­tions came from a variety of sources, but do represent studies that these persons considered ap­propriate for gaining a better un­derstanding of the environment.

Dr. Durst, of the KSTC Biology Staff, is

aspeci<llist in Science Education. He is

interested in thc improvemcnt of science

instruction, and the development of new

<lnci innovative teaching techniques.

DIVERSITY STUDY OF ARTHROPODS ON PLANTS

Objectives: After completing this investiga­

tion you should be able to:

1. Construct a model showing a plant and the various types of arthropods associated with that plant. The bases for determin­ing types may be such things as what the organisms do in rela­tion to the plant and each oth­er, methods of feeding, or means of locomotion.

2. Identify some of the organisms associated with the plant being studied.

3. Predict how certain arthropods obtain their food when shown the mouthparts of representa­tive individuals.

Materials:

1. A relatively undisturbed area containing the plant you wish to use in the study.

2. Notebook for recording field ob­servations.

3. Pieces of colored ribbon or other materials to designate the plants to be observed.

4. Killing jar (see illustration at end of investigation).

5. Insect pins or other thin straight pins.

6. Insect net (see illustration at end of investigation).

7. References for identification of organisms.

4

8. Container such as a cigar box for holding speciments.

9. Forceps or tweezers. 10. Hand lens or dissecting micro­

scope. 11. Cards 1 cm' for labeling organ­

isms collected and killed. Procedure: 1. Study a variety of nearby areas

that could be visited daily for your study.

2. Select a particular kind of plant to study. (Example: dandelion, plantain, a shrub, or a tree). If possible, select a type of plant

Kind of Organism Observations

Day 1 I Day 2 I Day 3 I Day 5

4. You should collect one of each kind of organism found on the plant. Obviously you should not collect organisms such as birds in the event that a tree has been chosen for study. Start your collection on the first day and collect only newly observed types thereafter. However, you will observe and record data each day.

5. Remove organisms from the killing jar as soon as pOSSible, identify, pin, and label. You may want to restrict your ob­servations and collections to in­sects and spiders. In the event that you do choose to collect other animals you will need to use other means for preserva­tion and display.

6. Repeat the observations for four to five days and remember to

that is in bloom sometime dur­ing the study. It is best that you find several different plants of the same kind for observing so that you will not have to rely on a single plant for your data. Mark the plants selected for study in some manner so that they can be easily located each visit.

~3. Construct a chart similar to the one that follows for recording data. You may wish to construct a separate chart for each plant observed.

ActivityTotal Part of Plant

record only organisms found on the plant.

7. At the end of the observation period, four to five days, collect one of the plants or parts of one, press, glue to a sheet of paper, and place with your collection of animals.

8. At this point determine the number of different kinds of of organisms observed; the kind that was observed most fre­quently, the kind that was most numerous, and the part of the plant where the greatest num­ber of organisms were observed.

Studying the Data: 1. Construct a table for placing the

organisms into different groups according to what they were doing on the plant. Examples are resting, feeding, etc., and if feeding, were they feeding on

plants or upon. other animals? What types were most numer­ous, and, is this what you ex­pected?

2. Determine which organisms were permanent residents on the plants and which were vis­itors. Describe any differences between these two groups of organisms with respect to what they were doing while on the plants.

3. Construct either a food chain or

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KILLING JAR An insect-killing jar may be made from a

wide-mouthed jar, some absorbent cotton, and a piece of perforated cardboard. Do not use carbon tetrachloride as a killing agent, as the fumes are harmful if inhaled. Alcohol for saturating the cotton is much safer. The insects may also be killed or immobilized by placing them in the freezing compartment of a refrigerator.

a food web that includes the plant and the organisms found on the plant. This could be done by arranging a display of the organisms, plant and ani­mals, that were collected.

4. Describe at least one additional investigation that could be done using techniques and organisms similar to the ones you used for this investigation. '

Kenneth Bishop, Garnett, Kansas Alva Van Etten, Haysville, Kansas

b,oom sfiGk.

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COLLECTING NET

A satisfactory net for collecting insects

may be made from an old broom stick, a

piece of wire, and a triangular-shaped piece

of cloth. The top part of old nylon hose

may be used to make a collecting net of a

smaller diameter.

5

6

TEMPERATURE STRATIFICA­TION IN FLUIDS

Objectives: Upon completing this investiga­

tion, the student should be able to: 1. Construct an apparatus for

demonstrating temperature inver­sion in air.

2. Demonstrate temperature stratification in air and water.

3. Relate some of the effects of temperature changes in fluids to gross organismic behavior.

4. Describe the conditions neces­sary for the occurrence of tempera­ture inversions under natural con­ditions.

Materials: Metal can, 15 cm diameter x 7)f

cm high Metal can, 10 cm diameter x 15

cm high Sheet clear plastic, 60 cm x 33

cm. Scotch tape 2 pieces plastic tubing (7 mm

I.D. ), 50 cm long Meter stick 2 thermometers Stiff wire, 20 cm long Tray of ice cubes Congo red Wire gauge Meter stick Cigarette Tin snips Scissors Vacuum pump 600 ml beaker Bunsen burner Ring stand Ring Aquarium

Procedure :

A. Temperature Inversion

1. Assembling the apparatus

a. Cut a ring about 2.5 cm wide from the top of the can that is 15 cm in height. Then, cut off the remainder of the can to a height of 7)f cm. ;

b. Tightly fit a 60 cm long cylinder of clear plastic into the 7)f cm tall can and tape the cylinder to the can rim.

c. Tape the seam of the plastic cylinder.

d. Place the previously cut can ring over the top of the cylinder and tape in place flush with the top of the cylinder.

e. Cut a hole in the cylinder large enough to receive the plastic tubing 25 cm from the bottom.

f. Insert the plastic tubing, letting it drop to about 2.5 cm from the bottom of the cylinder.

g. Reaching down through the cylinder, tape the tubing in place.

h. Tape around the tubing en­trance through the hole in the cylinder to make it air­tight.

g. Tape two thermometers to the meter stick so that the bulb of one thermometer will be at the 5 cm mark and the other will be at the 50 cm mark.

h. Insert the meter stick so that the thermometers are

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TEMPERATURE INVERSION

in center the cross over the top rim of cyl. section the cylinder. the wire ends

in so that by looping

i. hold meter and thermometers

bending the wire lifted out as ll(/'\..v~,,,a'

meter

8

2. The Demonstration that has been cooled with a. Center the cylinder in the ice into the aquarium and

large ( 15 cm diameter) observe. can. Fill the outer can 2. Demonstration without with ice up to the tape on dyes. Proceed as above but the cylinder. Record the hang two thermometers in temperatures until there is the aquarium, one with a 15° C difference between bulb at the bottom and an­ " the upper and lower ther­ other with bulb in water mometers. near the air-water interface,

b. Gently blow smoke into the and observe. A variation cylinder until it is )$ to )4 would be to use fish as in­full. dicators of temperature

c. Gently remove the ice and stratification as cold water allow to stand undisturbed. was added. Record the temperatures 3. You might want to deter­for five minutes. mine if temperature inver­

d. Record any changes in the sions can be produced in height and movements of water.

Oscar Brubaker, W estland, Michigan the smoke layer. 3. Studying the data AUTOMOBILE IN USAGE

1. What kind of temperature stratification has been pro­ Objectives: duced? After completing this investiga­

2. 'Is this a stable or unstable tion the student should be able to: condition? 1. Design at least one investigation

.'3. Where could such condi­ in order to determine the ef­tions exist in nature? ficiency of automobile usage.

4. Why have temperature in­ 2. Construct tables for recording versions become objects of data and record data in tabular much concern to man? form .

B. Temperature Stratification in 4. Demonstrate an improved pro­Water ficiency in basic mathematical

1. Demonstration with dyes. operations. Fill an aquarium 2/3 full 5. Propose a more efficient mass with tap water and let set­ transit system than the one pre­tle. Siphon dyed water sently used in the community.

Date ____________________________ Time _______ __ _____ __ ____________ Location ____________________________ 1 Passenger 2 Pass. 3 Pass. I 4 Pass. 5 Pass. 6 or Pass.

Materials: Pencil and paper for recording

observation.

Procedure: 1. Prepare a table similar to the

one lower to the left for record­ing observations.

2. Choose several locations for ob­serving and recording the num­ber of passengers in each pas­sing car. A busy street corner, a road leading to an industrial plant, and the entrance to the school parking lot are locations that could be used.

3. Using a check and tally system, record the number of cars pas­sing the location in the appro­priate column for a predeter­mined period of time, at least 15-30 minutes in length.

4. Depending on the sites chosen, you may want to repeat the ob­servations at other times of the day. Also, repeat the observa­tions for a given time for several days. Many variations in this experimental design can be de­veloped. Let students help des­ign a study.

Studying the Data: 1. Construct bar graphs to show

(a) the total number of cars pas­sing each check point and (b) the average number of passen­gers per auto at each location for the different times of the day.

2. If an automobile may emit about 2400 lbs. of CO, 185 lbs of ni­trogen oxides, 132 lbs. of hydro­carbons, and 11 lbs. of parti­culates per 1000 gallons of gaso­

line used, calculate the amounts of these emissions for a certain distance, (eg. one mile), along the areas observed during the investigation.

3. Develop a priority system that might be used for assigning a limited number parking spaces in places as your school, down­town, and near a factory.

4. Design a transportation system that would be effective but re­duce pollution and the utiliza­tion of reSOUl'ces. John Eckert, Hutchinson , Kansas Steve Morris, Wellsville, Kansas Douglas Everett , Phoenix, Oregon

PESTICIDES AND AQUATIC ORGANISMS

Objectives: Upon completing this investiga­

tion the student should be able to: 1. Calculate the amounts of solutes

and solvents needed to prepare given concentrations of pesti­cides.

2. Identify the controlled, respond­ing, and manipulated variables in an investigation.

3. Observe the effect of the mani­pulated variable and record the observations in a manner that aids in testing the hypothesis.

4. Formulate a hypothesis con­cerning the expected outcome of the investigation.

5. Analyze the data in order to ac­cept or reject the hypothesis.

6. And state some of the limita­tions of the investigation in at­tempting to generalize the in­fluence of pesticides upon natu­ral populations.

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10

Materials: l. Six to eight uniform-sized

aquaria (wide-mouthed jars are satisfactory) .

2. Seine, dip nets, or either equip­ment suitable for collecting freshwater organisms.

3. Any of the insecticides or herbi­cides.

4. Freshwater organisms (tadpoles, minnows, crayfish, or Daphnia).

5. Aquarium dipnet. 6. Balance, sensitive to hundredths

of a gram. Procedures: l. Fill aquaria with equal meas­

ured amounts of water. 2. Allow to stand for 24 hours.

This will permit chlorine to es­

ppm desired

grams of pesticide needed

Example: desire 5 ppm

grams pesticide

ppm desired

cape if using chlorinated water and provide time for water to adjust to room temperature.

3. Mix measured amounts of the pesticide into the aquaria. Vary the amounts so that the ppm of pesticide range from a few to several hundred, depending 011

your balances and the size of aquaria. Determine ppm as follows :

4. Label aquaria with the parts per million (ppm) of pesticide be­ing used and one aquarium as a control.

.5. State what you think will hap­pen to the organisms when in­troduced to the aquaria. This is :vour hypothesis.

1,000,000

grams of water in aquarium

in 4 liters of water. 4 liters = 4,000 g. of water, approx.

4,000

1,000,000

5 • 4,000 20,000 grams pesticide =

1,000,000 1,000,000

grams pesticide 0.2

6. Prepare a table for recording data, introduce animals, note the time, and record observa­tions.

7. Continue observing frequently during the first 30-45 minutes and at longer intervals there­after. Remove any dead animals and dispose of as you would dis­card preserved specimens.

Studying the Data: l. Construct a graph similar to the

example to the upper right.

2. From the data obtained try to determine more than one kind of relationship between con· centrations of the pesticide and behavior of the organisms used.

3. Design an investigation to deter­mine the length of time that the pesticide retains its effective­ness upon being mixed into water.

4. Do the data support your hypo­thesis? If you were conducting the same type of investigation

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using another pesticide, how might you a state a more precise hypothesis?

5. Which variables did you control in conducting this investigation? Were there variables which, if controlled, would have improv­ed the investigation?

6. Were your concentrations in ppm of the active ingredients in the pesticide or for the total which would include solvents? You may want to study the label on the pesticide container.

7. How might you account for the fact that some organisms within a single aquarium were affected more or less than others? Robert Engel, Mankato, Kansas James Overmyer, 2012 Edith Avenue,

Fort Wayne, Indiana Glena Watt, Frontenac, Kansas

EFFECT OF DETERGENTS ON TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS

Objectives:

Upon completing this investiga­tion the student should be able to:

10 II I~ la 14 IS I~ 17 18 19 ;Zo :1I ~1. .<3 2.1

in Minutes

1. Design a controlled experiment to determine the influence of certain chemicals on the num­bers and kinds of organisms in a terrestrial environment.

2. Demonstrate the use of a classi­fication system or the develop­ment and use of a classification system to categorize the organ­isms found in a study plot.

3. Demonstrate a proficiency in the skills required to conduct the studies - preparing the vari­ous concentrations, site selection and measuring, sampling, ob­serving, data collection and re­cording, and data analysis.

Materials: This investigation is divided into

three sub-investigations. The ma­terials listed below are required to establish the treated plots for any or all of these studies. 1. Four 1 m x 1 m plots. Each plot

should have similar vegetation, sunlight, and drainage.

2. Giant size box of detergent. 3. Several buckets. at least one gal­

lon capacity.

12

4. Water (5 liters per plots per treatment) .

5. Sprinkling can or bucket with holes punched in bottom.

6. 16 stakes (4 per plot) 15 cm long.

7. Rod for stirring. 8. Meter stick. 9. Optional - camera and film to

take pre- and posttreatment pictures.

Procedure: 1. Four separate plots 1 m x 1 m

are measured and marked hy driving stakes at each of the four corners of each plot.

2. Label the plots A, B, C, and D . Plot A serves as the control and plots B, C, and D receive in­creasing concentrations of the detergent.

3. To arrive at an amount of deter­gent to use, you may want to use the manufacturer's suggest­ed amount for washing a load of clothing to plot C, one-half that amount to plot B, and double the recommended amount for plot C.

Plot A - Control Plot B - Half strength Plot C - Full strength Plot D - Double strength

5 liters of water only. 5 liters of water + % detergent

for C. 5 liters of water + recommended

amount of detergent. 5 liters of water + 2 times deter­

gent for C.

4. The rate of treatment may vary because of the ability of the soil

to absorb water as determined by soil texture and drainfall, but one treatment each week should be a minimum. Apply water evenly to the control, plot A, first and then apply detergent solutions to plots B, C, and D in that order. Rinse equipment when finished.

Investigation A. The Effects of Detergents on Plant Life.

Materials:

1. Two meter sticks. 2. String. 3. Paper and pencil.

Procedure :

1. Four separate plots 1 m x 1 m are measured and marked by driving stakes at each of the four corners of each plot.

2. String should be placed next to the ground and around the stakes to define the boundary for each plot.

3. The number of each kind of plant in each plot is counted. If the determination of plant names on the site is too difficult, assign unknown plants either a letter or number and collect a like kind plant from outside the plot, attach the letter or number designation, take to the class­room and identify using avail­able reference materials.

4. Construct a table with headings as shown for recording data.

5. The counting of plants is facili­tated if small segments of each plot are counted. One method is to divide the plot into small strips by placing the meter sticks

Plant type

NUMBER OF PLANTS

Plot CPlot BPlot A BeforeBefore I After

across the plot, count, and move across the plot until completed.

6. Determination of numbers of plant types should be done for all plots before and after the treatments. You may wish to record the condition of the plants, too.

Studying the Data:

l. How might you account for any changes in the total number and kinds of plants in the plot?

2. In case some kinds of plants have a beter survival rate, where do we commonly find those used in the experiment?

.'3. Among those plants which were damaged; describe the various signs of damage to the plants.

4. Where in our environment might plants be exposed to treat­ments similar to those used in the experiment?

Investigation B. Effect of Deter­gents on Below-Ground Organisms

Materials:

1. Four small metal cans of same size and with top removed.

2. Small spade or garden trowel. 3. Four plastic bags, each large

enough to hold contents of one can.

4. One, 2 .. 5 cm thick board. 5. One hammer. 6. Four Berlese funnels (see dia­

gram ).

Before I AfterI After Plot D

Before I After

BERLESE FUNNEL A goose-necked reading lamp may be

substituted for the source of heat and light to drive the arthropods down into the killin~ fluid.

7. Isopropyl alcohol, rubbing al­cohol.

8. Hand lens or stereomicroscope. 9. :\lasking tape.

10. Four small pieces of screen " 'ire or steel wool.

13

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11. Cake pan or sheets of white to a plastic bag, tie shut, and paper. label.

12. Saucer or petri dish. ~l. Upon returning to the class­room, the contents of each bag 13. Medicine dropper or forceps. is placed in separate Berlese

Procedure: funnels.

1. The numbers of organisms in the 4. Fill each vial about )~ full with litter and in the soil to a depth alcohol. Attach the vial with of 2 cm is determined before the masking tape to the lower end first and after the last treatment. of the funnel spout. After put­One sample per plot is hardly ting the sample into the funnel indicative of the number of turn on the light. In about 24 kinds of organisms present. As­ hours the heat and the drying suming that you are identifying will drive most organisms down organisms to the order level, a into the alcohol. sample is taken and the number 5. To count the organisms collect­recorded in tabular form, and ed in the alcohol, pour the con­the total number of orders re­ tents of the vial into a saucer or corded on a graph. Sampling petri dish. Observe with hand is repeated until a stabilization lens or stereomicroscope. Place in the total number of orders is the organisms in groups or cate­attained as shown by a plateau gories and name according to on the graph below. So long the amount of time and refer­as new orders are found, samp­ ence materials availables to vou ling should continue. for determining a classification

system and record in a table for 5 later use.

: L :

Studying the Data: "" ~~.-..-­/ ~ E Q) ". ,D'C

/ §5 1. What evidence was obtained. z 1 • that would help you decide if

o the organisms were killed or if0 1 ? 5 o 1 4 5

Ntnnber of Samples Number of Samples thev were driven from the area Incomplete Sampling Complete Sampling bec'ause of disturbances?

2. The sample is collected by plac­ 2. \Vhat animals seemed to show ing the open end of the can over the greatest tolerance of the the litter, placing a block of addition of detergents to the wood on top the can, and ham­ areas? Was there any indica­mering 2 cm into the soil. Slide tion of a relationship between the spade or trowel under the tolerance to detergents and the can cutting the soil as you do so. kinds of food the organismsTransfer the contents of the can consume?

15

Group CoHembola Arachnida Insect Larve Ant Beetle Diptera Sucking . Insect

NUMBER OF ORGANISIVIS Plot A Plot B Plot C

Before After Before

3. Would the substitution of other detergents and soaps produce the same results?

5. Design an investigation to deter­mine the amount of time requir­ed for a return to the normal number and kinds of below­ground organisms.

Investigation C. Determination of the Effect of a Detergent on Above-Ground Organisms.

Materials :

1. Insect net. 2. Four small jars or vials with lids. 3. Paper and pencil for recording

observations.

Procedure:

1. Using the insect net, make ten sweeps over each plot. Sweeps are made alternately to your left and to your right across all the area in each plot. Transfer the organisms to the collecting jars, identify and record results in a table similar to that for in­vestigation B.

2. This procedure should be car­ried out before detergents are applied and again following the last application.

Studying the Data:

1. Do your data show any relation

After Before After Plot D

Before After

between the amounts of deter­gents applied and the numbers and kinds of above-ground or­ganisms? How might you im­prove upon the investigation in order to make either more posi­tive statements or an inference of greater validity?

2. How might you account for any increases in the number of kinds of insects in any of the experi­mental plots? the control plot?

3. What factors other than the ad­dition of detergents might be responsible for fluctuations in the number and kinds of in­sects?

Further investigations:

1. If soil testing materials are avail­able, you might compare the pH, phosphates, and nitrates for the plots.

2. Other treatments that may be used either singly or in com­binations are detergents and soaps, pesticides and fertilizers.

3. Study the effects of detergents or other substances on a aquatic environment. This can be done by adding varying concentra­tions of the substance to a series of aquaria such as wide-mouth­ed jars. Wayne Drayer, Fairbury, Illinois Robert Moorhead, Ponca City, Okla.