The Effect of Fertilizer and Pesticide on Algae Growth Fulton Fontana Central Catholic High School 9th Grade

Rationale To determine the effects of a common fertilizer and pesticide on algae growth.

Fertilizer Aids plant growth and development Scotts® Liquid Turf Builder® Lawn Food Essential Elements: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Ingredients: 29% Urea Nitrogen, 3% Solable Potash, 17% Triazone, Potassium Chloride Enter water sources through rain runoff 20% of all fertilizer is lost through rain runoff Could harm non-target species

Pesticide Repel unwanted insects, animals, and other pests Ortho® Home Defense® Insect Killer Contain species-specific ingredients to kill them Bifenthrin - 0.05%, Zeta- Cypermethrin 0.0125%, Cis, Min,Trans Isomers 99% Enter water sources through rain runoff 5% of pesticides are lost to rain runoff Could harm non-target species

Euglena gracilis Algal-like protist Both animal and plant characteristics Single-celled with a flagellum Found in freshwater, saltwater, and soil Commonly used as a model organism

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Species of algae Single-celled with two flagella Found in almost every environment on Earth Widely studied by scientists

Hypotheses Null: There will be no significant variation between the effects of each concentration of fertilizer and pesticide on the growth of either type of algae. Alternative: The fertilizer and pesticide will significantly enhance the growth of either one or both types of algae.

Materials Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Test Tubes (13 x 100 borosilicate culture tubes) Euglena gracilis Tube Rack Scotts® Liquid Turf Builder® Lawn Food Pipettes Ortho® Home Defense® Insect Killer Soil Water Spring Water Spectrophotometer

Procedure A combination of soil water, spring water, algae, and variable was used to create 5 replicates of the following concentrations: 0% 0.5% 1% Algae 2 ml Soil Water 1 ml Spring Water 1.975 ml 0.05 ml Variable 0 ml 0.025 ml 1.95 ml Total 5 ml

Procedure (Continued) Each tube was mixed and then the absorbance was taken at 430 Nanometers in a spectrophotometer. The absorbance of the test tubes was measured every other day for two weeks. When not in use, the tubes were kept 1.2 meters below a 40 watt light bulb at 20 degrees Celsius for twelve hours a day. The bulb was turned off for the other 12 hours

Effect of Fertilizer on Euglena Growth Day 7: P-Value = 0.020195 Day 13: P-Value = 8.35E-07 Key: Blue – 0% Orange – 0.5% Gray – 1%

Effect of Fertilizer on Chlamydomonas Growth Day 7: P-Value = 0.384381 Day 13: P-Value = 0.412104 Key: Blue – 0% Orange – 0.5% Gray - 1%

Effect of Pesticide on Euglena Growth Day 7: P-Value = 0.008045 Day 13: P-Value = 0.006038 Key: Blue – 0% Orange – 0.5% Gray – 1%

Effect of Pesticide on Chlamydomonas Growth Day 7: P-Value = 0.0003 Day 13: P-Value = 0.000207 Key: Blue – 0% Orange – 0.5% Gray - 1%

Dunnett’s Test - Fertilizer Algae Day Concentration T-Value T-Crit Value Significance Euglena Day 7 0.5% 9.20 3.03 Significant 1% 12.76 Day 13 4.96 6.36 Chlamydomonas - Insignificant

Dunnett’s Test – Pesticide Algae Day Concentration T-Value T-Crit Value Significance Euglena Day 7 0.5% 1.34 3.03 Insignificant 1% 3.24 Significant Day 13 1.56 3.64 Chlamydomonas 2.50 5.83 2.54 5.61

Conclusion The alternative hypothesis was supported and the null was rejected for Fertilizer on Euglena at both concentrations. The null hypothesis failed to be rejected for Fertilizer on Chlamydomonas at both concentrations . Overall, the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative was supported for pesticide on both algaes. The null failed to be rejected at 0.5% for both algae but was rejected at 1% for both algae.

Limitations and Extensions Small Range of Concentrations Use more Fertilizers and Pesticides Did not Test for Combined Effect Increase Range of Concentrations Algal Health May have Varied Expand Tested Organisms Questionable Optimal Conditions - Lighting, Mixing, Temperature, etc. Increase Replicates Test for Interaction of Both Variables

Sources https://www.britannica.com/science/Euglena http://eol.org/pages/11704/overview https://www.britannica.com/science/Chlamydomonas https://www.chlamycollection.org/resources/about-chlamydomonas/ https://home.howstuffworks.com/question181.htm https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pesticides/index.cfm https://ojs.grinnell.edu/index.php/tillers/article/download/33/33 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3586617/ www.ortho.com/en-us/products/insect-control/ortho-home-defense-insect-killer-indoor-perimeter- comfort-wand www.scotts.com/en-us/products/lawn-food/scotts-liquid-turf-builder-lawn-food