The effect of Cyclops copepod predation on the promotion of growth within Microcystis aeruginosa populations through chemical signaling
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Microbiology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a major threat to the world and need to be studied and researched more carefully. This research is aimed towards finding out if the predation of cyanobacteria actually causes more harm than good. There were three groups of 15 dishes that were all filled with 200 mL of distilled water. Cloth boundaries were made to split each dish in half(side A and side B) and they were hot glued to the glass. Each of the dishes contained 4 mL of Microcystis aeruginosa in both side A and side B. One group of dishes contained 4 mL of Cyclops copepods in side A, another group contained 6 mL of copepods in side A, and the last group contained no copepods at all. Five cyanobacteria diameters were measured and recorded from each dish over the course of four days. An ANOVA [F(2, 177)= 84.10, p<0.001] indicates there was a significant difference between the amount of copepods added and the cyanobacteria cell diameters. The 4 mL of copepods group had a noticeably larger average cyanobacteria diameter than the control group and the 6 mL of copepods group had a substantial difference from the control group. This data supports the claim that predation of Microcystis aeruginosa by Cyclops copepods does indeed cause increased cyanobacteria growth in the long run.
Recommended Citation
Urs, Sachet, "The effect of Cyclops copepod predation on the promotion of growth within Microcystis aeruginosa populations through chemical signaling" (2018). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 180.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2018/all/180
Location
Neville 221
Start Date
4-14-2018 11:30 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
The effect of Cyclops copepod predation on the promotion of growth within Microcystis aeruginosa populations through chemical signaling
Neville 221
Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a major threat to the world and need to be studied and researched more carefully. This research is aimed towards finding out if the predation of cyanobacteria actually causes more harm than good. There were three groups of 15 dishes that were all filled with 200 mL of distilled water. Cloth boundaries were made to split each dish in half(side A and side B) and they were hot glued to the glass. Each of the dishes contained 4 mL of Microcystis aeruginosa in both side A and side B. One group of dishes contained 4 mL of Cyclops copepods in side A, another group contained 6 mL of copepods in side A, and the last group contained no copepods at all. Five cyanobacteria diameters were measured and recorded from each dish over the course of four days. An ANOVA [F(2, 177)= 84.10, p<0.001] indicates there was a significant difference between the amount of copepods added and the cyanobacteria cell diameters. The 4 mL of copepods group had a noticeably larger average cyanobacteria diameter than the control group and the 6 mL of copepods group had a substantial difference from the control group. This data supports the claim that predation of Microcystis aeruginosa by Cyclops copepods does indeed cause increased cyanobacteria growth in the long run.
