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LSM3254 Ecology of Aquatic EnvironmentsPractical 4: Plankton sampling11th October 2011
INTRODUCTION
Following up on the “Plankton and Productivity” lecture, this practical will give you anopportunity to observe living plankton from Singapore’s coastal waters.
OBJECTIVES
1.
Sample plankton from two locations along the south coast of Singapore.2.
Collect various water quality parameters from the same two locations.3.
Explore the diversity of the plankton under a microscope.4.
Estimate the density of the plankton using a Sedgewick rafter chamber.
BACKGROUND
Plankton are small aquatic organisms suspended in the water column and incapable of moving against water currents. Plankton are often separated into two categories, phytoplankton (drifting/floating photosynthetic organisms) and zooplankton (drifting/floatinganimals). These divisions are rather arbitrary with many groups containing species not easilyassigned (e.g., protists). One of the major characteristics separating phytoplankton andzooplankton is size, generally zooplankton are larger than phytoplankton. Here we will beusing nets of 80 µm mesh size that will collect both zooplankton and larger phytoplankton.
PROGRAMME
This exercise comprises two parts: plankton sampling in the field (Republic of SingaporeYacht Club or Marina at Keppel Bay) and some microscope work back in Lab 7.
Fieldwork:A. MaterialsPer group:
Plankton net, rope and pole x 1Wash bottle x 1Sample bottles x 5Bucket x 1Pencil and labels for samplesTransect tape x 1
B. Procedure
Collect some water ~1m below the surface using the water sampler (1
st
sample). Emptythis into the bucket provided.
Use some of this water to fill the bottle at the end of the plankton net. Use the rest of thewater to measure the environmental parameters listed in Table 1.
Name: Group number:Site:TA:
Per site (shared among groups):
Horizontal water samplers x 2Multimeter probe x 1Secchi disc x 1First aid kit x 1
2
Take another sample (2
nd
sample) from slightly deeper (~4 m) and test this too.
Table 1. Water physico-chemical parameters
1
st
sample (~1m) 2
nd
sample (~4m)pHTemperature (
C)Dissolved oxygen (mg/l)Salinity (ppt)Secchi depth (m?)
Use the Secchi disc to fill in the last parameter in Table 1. Follow these instructions:
Record the depth at which the disc disappears. Slowly raise the disc and record thedepth of reappearance. The Secchi depth is the median of the two readings. Repeat 3times and use the overall mean value as the final Secchi depth.
Roll out 30m of transect tape along the railing/edge of the jetty/pontoon/breakwater.
Take the plankton net rope and feed it through the PVC pole. Standing at one end of thetransect tape, drop the net into the water like you were fishing. Now, slowly walk alongthe tape until the end, making sure that the opening of the net is about 1m below thesurface as you pull it along. Turn around and repeat. Do this 4 times until you havewalked 120m.
Carefully pull up the net and catch the bottle. Unscrew the bottle and pour the contentsinto your sample jar. Now, replace the bottle and rinse the inside of the net using theseawater-filled wash bottle (I suggest all this is done in the bucket so you do not lose anywater). Pour this water into the same sample jar, seal and label.
Lab workA. MaterialsPer group:
Disposable pipettesDissecting stereomicroscopesIdentification sheetsSedgewick rafter chamber
B. Procedure 1: Exploring plankton diversity
1.
Shake your sample bottle and pipette 1ml or so into a petri or glass dish. Put this under adissecting stereomicroscope and try and identify what you see.2.
Take 1ml from the pre-prepared concentrated samples (shake them first) at the front of the lab and repeat as 1. Look at the samples from both sites – are there any obviousdifferences?
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3.
In Table 3, start drawing and naming the types of organisms you are seeing. If you seesomething that is not included in the laminated ID sheet, ask your TA or look for it in theguidebooks.
B. Procedure 2: Estimating plankton density
1.
Add some Lugol’s solution (1% of the volume of your sample) to your samples to preserve them.2.
Pipette 1ml of your preserved sample into a Sedgwick rafter chamber and cover with thecover slip (before filling the cell, try placing the cover slip diagonally across the cell asthis should help prevent formation of air bubbles in the cell corners).3.
Count the phytoplankton and zooplankton you see in 5 randomly selected grid squares.Read the section in the Appendix on how to use a random number table to select your grid squares. Carry on until Table 2 is completed.Table 2
Replicate
number
1
2 3 4 5
Total
Mean
Squares
from
left
Squares
from
top
Phytoplankton
Zooplankton
Now fill out all of this section based on your Sedgewick rafter chamber work
Phytoplankton per ml (mean x number of grid squares in your chamber) =Zooplankton per ml (mean x number of grid squares in your chamber) =Area of net opening in cm
2
(
π
r
2
in case you had forgotten!) =Distance net was towed in cm =
CALCULATIONS:
The number of plankton present in a litre of water can be calculatedusing this formula: ___________plankton per ml × total volume of sample (in ml). (area of net opening in cm
2
× distance net was towed in cm) / 1000Using your own data (counts from your Sedgewick rafter chamber) calculate phytoplankton per litre and zooplankton per litre:×` ( × ) / 1000×` ( × ) / 1000Collate your groups’ results on the Master Sheet your TA has provided you with.
Plankton
per litre
=
Phytoplankton
per litre
=
Zooplankton
per litre
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