Department of Earth, Ecological and Environmental Sciences

Aquatic Ecology Lab. – Gottgens
Example question for the lab practical (EEES 4740/5740)

 1.  You are asked to survey the zooplankton of the western basin of Lake Erie.  Circle the sampling devices you would use from the following list.  More than one answer may be correct. 

  A.  Wisconsin net
            B.  Ekman dredge
            C.  Secchi Disk
            D.  Sediment corer
            E.  Hoola hoop
            F.  Sieve bucket
            G.  Kemmerer water sampler

 2.  Identify the class, subclass and order for these organisms.

 3.  The two samples in front of you have been analyzed for total phosphorus and are ready to be read on the spectrophotometer (at 880 nm).  Measure the absorbances for these two samples, assuming that the spec has been properly blanked.  To complicate matters, however, somebody forgot to label the samples.  All you know is that one sample was taken from the City of Toledo wastewater treatment plant prior to treatment, and the other was taken following treatment.  Which is which?

 Absorbance sample 1:

 Absorbance sample 2:

 The pre-treatment sample was #        , the post treatment sample was sample #       .

4.  The source of energy for this organisms is:_____________

     The source of carbon for this organisms is:_____________

5.  To which phylum does this organism belong?

6.  Consider these two soil samples (A and B).  Which sample comes from a hydric soil?