Midterm Assignment

 Terrestrial Carbon Cycle

 Describe in 3 paragraphs (no more or less) the terrestrial carbon cycle

Everything and everyone is connected in the universe as a part of continuous carbon cycle. The living and non living things interacts every single second; however, the being living cannot survive without having the support somehow of the non- livings. The Carbon is the most widely element on the planet earth. The human body is made of carbon, trees, mineral, and organic matter. Carbone dioxide is a naturally occurring at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth’s atmosphere in the state of gas.

During the photosynthesis process, they plant release dioxide and transform the water (H₂0) with carbon dioxide under the action of sunlight to form dioxide and sugar. The plant get a large amount of carbon dioxide from living things when the breath out. The herbivores consume the plant and when they died their bodies get eaten by the decomposers. On the other hand, when the decomposers get died they become carbon in the soil and later, the carbon pull out from the soil through its pores.

The carbon dioxide that have been absorbed by the trees and the animals return to nature in the same form. Despite all, tertiary consumers get a significant amount of carbon by eaten the secondary consumers. The same process that I describe in the second paragraph happen with the carbon till it returns into the atmosphere in the state of gas. Human being breath out the carbon dioxide in order to get the dioxide (air) which is made of by trees as well created naturally in the atmosphere. In fact, I consider carbon almost like law of energy which means nothing is lose,nothing create but all is transferred in another state.

Lab 5

Germination and Productivity

Part 2

1-      What was our control for this experiment?

The control for this experiment was to calculate the germination and total plant growth in heights of the radish seeds that grow under the normal light condition and total darkness. Based on our traditional botanical knowledge; we advanced the hypothesis that plant cannot grow in the total darkness. To carry out this study, we planted 4 seeds per cup in 36 cups for every sample (light and dark). The analysis of this experiment happened one week after the planting date.

2-   What is the percent germination for light treatment? For dark treatment?

Percent germination =(total number of seeds germinated    )/(total number of seeds planted)*100

                                    x=69/144*100

                                    x = 48% for light treatment

                                    x=50/144*100

                                    x = 35 % for the dark treatment

3- Make a graph of a total germination percent per treatment.

Part 3

1-    Compare the difference in appearance in the dark treatment and the light treatment plants. If there is a difference in appearance, explain.

• In the light treatment, the seedlings were green and grow curvely because of the competitivity for the sunlight.
• In the dark treatment, most seedling weak , yellow and dropped leaves and started dying.

2-If there was growth in the dark treatment plants, explain why that growth may have taken place even though light was not reaching the plants.

The growth in the dark happened because the seeds have an ambryon that break down the shell and come out  for searching light. A little bit of sugar was stored in the ambryon which was using to provide energy for  the leaves in a short period of time. Without the presence of sunlight, the leaves became weak and yellow because they didn't have chlorophyll.

3-    Using your calculation of class’s data, draw or make three graphs, showing comparison on  average height, dry and wet weight between light and dark treatment. Titles your graph label your x and y, and make sure your treatment are clear in each graph.

Lab 4

Sandy River Delta's dam Report

Introduction

Recent research in hydrology and biology has been focused on the impact of stream diversion on the aquatic wildlife after the removal of Marmot dam. Five years ago, the Sandy River Delta dam which was managed by Portland General Electric since 1908 was removed in order to restore fish habitat. The removal of Sandy River Delta dam has attracted the attention the community of scientists to observe a vast amount of sediment collected in a reservoir. This report presents some fundamental geological, hydrological and ecological change observed five years after this removal. This watershed was disturbed by human action for over many decades; in fact, the reestablishment of this biome as it used to be is considered as a secondary succession.

Sandy River Delta dam’s history

Figure 1: The Marmot dam: Photo credit: Kesley Khan

Sandy River dam was built by Portland General Electric (PGE) through the Bull Run Hydroelectric Project between 1909 and 1912 near the Bull Run. In 2007, the Marmot Dam on the sandy river was removed because of its environmental costs. “The powerhouse had a generating capacity of 22 megawatts (MW), enough to power 12,000 homes in 2007”( The Oregonian p. E04 2007)

Sandy River Delta dam’s location

Figure 2: Marmot dam

Dam was located about 3.1 miles down the Roslyn Lake (GNIS, 2010). Latitude 45°24'0.39"N, longitude 122° 7'55.40"W and range 338 m. The Marmot Dam divert water from the Sandy to the Little Sandy by canal and tunnel, it has 30 feet high. The dam was disturbed the salmon from the upper level to migrate to the downstream. In fact, they included a fish ladder to allow the migration of salmon. Despite all, the fish ladder wasn’t effective and efficient. In 1951, the PGE installed fish screen to prevent fish from being drawn in dam.

The impacts of the removal of Sandy River Delta dam .

1.      Ecological Secondary Succession

      Stream Channel

The removal of the dam allows the river to flow naturally. The coarse sediment that was in pool reservoir has made a little change by moving downstream. It has changed the form and the behavior of the downstream. There are two large of point bars in the both side of the site which have accumulated of sands, gravels, cobbles and a few boulders deposited by the stream when its velocity drops along the inner bank after the dam’s removal.

      Aquatic wildlife

Figure 3: Salmon habitat

The sediment that was buried in the reservoir of the dam did not cause damage the salmon habitat and others species aquatic. Contrariwise, the community of salmon has been mixed and diversified which help them to not be extremely endangered species. In the other side, salmon don’t need human help to move down and upper stream anymore. Despite all, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has a hatchery raised fish; as the result over million fish species such as coho, spring Chinook , and steelhead have removed into the river every year.

      Vegetation

This area is managed by Western Rivers Conservancy which is a non-profit organization that buys land in the western part of USA to conserve critical habitat, create public access in the forest. It cooperates with others environmental agencies to secure the health of the whole ecosystems.The west side of dam’s site is an old young Douglas fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ) forest. The manager has introduced some species of hardwood and shrub in an open area where the dam’s building was located. There are many invasive of grasses and shrubs such as Himalaya Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus (syn. Rubus discolor), scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) in this open area. The east side of the dam’s site is an old growth Western red cedar (Thuja plicata)  forest.

      Soil

Sandy River has a young geologic landscape. This river was formed less than 300 years ago. The river floor is cover of sands, gravels, and cobbles. The stream’s shore is likely beach sand. This soil in western part of the river is volcanic which means the growth rate of the trees is very slow however in the eastern part the soil underneath the Western red cedar is really spongy, rich in nutrients and microorganisms.

Conclusion

The removal of Sandy River dam is considered as a secondary succession because this area has covered with vegetation many years ago. In fact, it will take only a couple of year for this area to regenerate.

References/ edit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_Run_Hydroelectric_Project ( All references are from Wikipedia)

Jump up

1. ^ "Roslyn Lake". Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
2. Jump up^ "Bull Run River". Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved January 16, 2010.