1. Aquatic Ecosystems By: Sabrina hess

2. Introduction Two factors in a healthy ecosystem: -Biotic (Living things) - Abiotic (Nonliving things) Decomposers: Break up dead animal matter in the ecosystem, turn it into organic matter

3. Purpose Try to create a healthy ecosystem What kind of plants are needed? What types of fish are needed? What should also be in the ecosystem? Sustain life in an ecosystem

4. Hypothesis (Educated guess) The important abiotic factors are soil, rocks, & water The important biotic factors are plants, animals, & decomposers Our group’s aquarium will last twenty days to a month

5. Freshwater Aquarium Facts Freshwater is accessible to humans/ vital to our survival 12% of the world’s animals can live in freshwater Freshwater is found in rivers and streams

6. Qualitative and Quantitative Day 1: Clean water healthy fish (8 fish, 5 plants) Day 2: Somewhat dirty, healthy fish (8 fish, 5 plants) Day 3: Some fish dead, plants floating on top, dirty water (6 fish, 3 plants) Day 4: Can’t see through glass, smelly (3 fish, 2 plants) Day 5: Water even more green, fish almost decomposed, smelling worse (1 fish, 0 plants) Day 6: Plants decomposing, nothing could live in contaitner (0 fish, 0 plants) Day 7: Plants collecting on bottom, fish cant be found (0 fish, 0 plants) Day 8: Same observations as previous day (0 fish, 0 plants) Day 9: Leaves falling of plant stems (0 fish, 0 plants) Day 10: Decaying fish & plants collecting on bottom (0 fish, 0 plants)

7. Materials Jar ¼ filled with gravel Jar 1/8 filled with sand Jar ½ filled with water 26 oz. jar 8 guppies Non- Aquatic plants Fish survivor liquid

8. Procedure Gather all materials Rinse the jar, sand, gravel and plants off Pour about three inches of sand into jar Pour two inches of gravel (rocks) into jar Pour water into jar until it is almost full Place plants into gravel Place guppies into the water Close lid tightly Duck Tape Lid for protection of leakage and smell Record quantitative and qualitative observations every day

9. Aquatic Ecosystem Video This video shows an example of a real life aquatic ecosystem: – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH8ytEEyFHs &feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH8ytEEyFHs &feature=related