Suppose You Are Studying the Nitrogen Cycling in a Pond

question 2

Multiple Choice

Suppose you are studying the nitrogen cycling in a pond ecosystem over the course of a month. While you are collecting data, a flock of 100 Canada geese lands and spends the night during a fall migration. What could you do to eliminate error in your study as a result of this event?

• A) Find out how much nitrogen is consumed in plant material by a Canada goose over about a 12-hour period, multiply this number by 100, and add that amount to the total nitrogen in the ecosystem.
• B) Find out how much nitrogen is eliminated by a Canada goose over about a 12-hour period, multiply this number by 100, and subtract that amount from the total nitrogen in the ecosystem.
• C) Find out how much nitrogen is consumed and eliminated by a Canada goose over about a 12-hour period and multiply this number by 100; enter this +/- value into the nitrogen budget of the ecosystem.
• D) Do nothing. The Canada geese visitation to the lake would have negligible impact on the nitrogen budget of the pond.
• E) Put a net over the pond so that no more migrating flocks can land on the pond and alter the nitrogen balance of the pond.

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Definitions:

Hereditary Component

Genetic factors inherited from parents that contribute to an individual's traits, characteristics, and predisposition to certain conditions.

Adoptive Parents

Individuals who become parents through the legal process of adoption, taking on the parenting role for children who are not biologically their own.

Intelligence Scores

A numerical representation of an individual's cognitive abilities relative to the population, typically obtained through standardized tests.

Genetic Factors

Elements within an organism's genes that influence its physical traits and behaviors, highlighting the role of heredity in development.