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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