"Introduction to Marine Plankton"

Introduction:

 The word plankton comes from the Greek word Planktos which is the means "wander." The meaning of the the word "wander" is that it can't swim against the current or wind. There are four ways that you can classify the plankton by food, color, size. Plankton can come in different colors. The blue green plankton creats 90% of the oz in the air. Holoplankton can spend it whole life as a plankton. Meroplankton only spends part of its life as plankton. The plankton can vary is size from 2mm-<.005mm in length.

Research Question:

What is the diversity of Plankton in South Maui?

Hypothesis:

I think that I will find 500 species of Plankton in the water at the kihei boat ramp.

 Materials:

• Plankton net
• Vial
• jar
• Journal
• Pipette
• Microscope
• Slide/cover slip
• Id Book

 Procedure

1. Drive to the beach
2. Walk down to the ramp
3. Pull net around in water for 3 min
4. Remove vial from net
5. Put all samples in the a jar
6. At school put plankton on to a microscope slide
7. Gently place the cover slide on top but starting from a side so no air bubbles get in
8. Look at plankton through the scope
9. Use the ID book to identify the plankton

Dissolved Oxygen

1. fill the test tube with water from the ocean to the top
2. put 2 tablets in the test tube and shake for 3 mins
3. let it set for 5 mins

Phosphates:  

 

1. Fill test vial to 10ml.
2. Add test tablet and shake for one minute.
3. Wait five minutes.
4. Compare sample color to color on card.
5. Record results in journal.

Nitrates

1. Fill test vial to 10ml.

2. Add test tablet and shake for one minute.

3. Wait five minutes.

4. Compare sample color to color on card.

5. Record results in journal.

For turbidity:

1. Fill test vial to 25ml.
2. Place test vial over the secchi disk on the card.
3. Compare it to the the pictures of the other disks.
4. Record results in journal.

 pH:

1. Remove cap from pH/temperature pen.
2. Place pen in water to be sampled.
3. Wait for numbers to stabilize.
4. Record results in journal.

 Water Temperature

1. Take the cap of the botoom of the prob
2. Stick it in the water for a few seconds
3. pull it out and read the temp
4. Record data in your journal

Compund scope

1. Find a scope holding the scope by the arm and take the cover off
2. plug the scope in and turn the light on
3. Put a drop of water on the slide and taking a cover slip and place on top but starting from one side to put it on.
4. Then place the cover slde on the black tray over the light
5. Then look through the eye peice and count how many plankton you see and record in your journal

Digtal Proscope

1. Find a black box that has all of the different insturments in it.
2. Open the box
3. take out the scope and the  data

Data

1. Temp 20.4c
2. Salinity 26%
3. Dissolved oz 0
4. phosphates 4
5. nitrates 2
6. current/tide/wind high tide
7. wind slight brezz
8. time
9. pH 8.09

Conclusion

 I was only able to find  different species of plankton.What is the diversity of Plankton in South Maui? I think that I will find 500 species of Plankton in the water at the kihei boat ramp.

 Sorces of erro

Having the water sit for a long period of time and not having fresh water every day because the plankton could die.