2. The Best Quantity of the Nutrients
Phosphate and Potassium for the
Gambierdiscus toxicusto Create a
Harmful Bloom.
Sunday, July 14, 13
3. Introduction*
✤ Dinoflagellates are a group of flagellate unicellular protist which
are considered to be a type of algae.
✤ Some dinoflagellates have characteristics of both plants and
animals. They can photosynthesize, but they are also mobile.
✤ Dinoflagellates reproduce both asexually, by dividing and
sexually, by combining with another member of its species and
forming a zygote. The zygote releases substances that cause it to
be enclosed within a cyst.
*http://www.ucl.ac.uk/GeolSci/micropal/dinoflagellate.html
Sunday, July 14, 13
4. Introduction*
✤ Harmful Algae Blooms(HAB)*
✤ Is the quick uncontrollable growth of algae.
✤ Algal blooms can deplete the oxygen and block the sunlight that other
organisms need to live, and some can produce toxins that are harmful to
the health of the environment.
✤ It also can cause ciguatera which is poisoning by eating infected fish.
✤ Mainly caused by the Gambierdiscus toxicus
*http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/hab/default.htm
Sunday, July 14, 13
5. Introduction*
✤ Gambierdiscus toxicus
✤ Is a Dinoflagellate found in the Caribbean and in all the tropical and
subtropical regions of the world.
✤ It releases 2 toxins : Ciguatoxin and Maitotoxin.
*http://products.coastalscience.noaa.gov/pmn/_docs/Factsheets/
Factsheet_Gambierdiscus.pdf
Sunday, July 14, 13
6. Inquiry
✤ Will different quantities of potassium and phosphate affect the
population growth of Gambierdiscus toxicus and create a Harmful
Algal Bloom?
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7. Hypothesis
✤ The quantity of the nutrients Potassium and Phosphate will affect the
population growth of the Gambierdiscus toxicus
✤ Large quantities will cause a HAB*.
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8. Objectives
✤ To know what quantity of phosphorous or potassium is needed for
the Gambierdiscus toxicus to create a HAB*.
✤ To know what quantity of the combination of both nutrients is needed
to create a HAB*.
✤ Long term- To create a Standard chart with the data , which people
can use to know if the water is safe for fishing or for any kind of
activity.
✤ Long term-Prevent in any kind of way the harms caused by the HAB*
Sunday, July 14, 13
10. Methodology
✤ We will have a fish tank filled with salt water , the water will be
maintained at 78 Farenheith .
✤ The UV light lamp will be on and giving UV radiation to the fish tank.
✤ The Gambierdiscus toxicus will be in the fish tank.
✤ There will be 6 fish tanks , one negative control group with no
nutrients , and the other 5 will be the experimental group.
Sunday, July 14, 13
11. Methodology
✤ Control will be the “A tank.”
✤ Potassium only will be the“B tank”.
✤ Phosphate only will be the “C tank”.
✤ More Potassium than Phosphate will be the “D tank”.
✤ More Phosphate than Potassium will be the “E tank”.
✤ Same quantity of Potassium and Phosphate will be the “F tank”.
Sunday, July 14, 13
12. Methodology(“Tank A”)
✤ Gambierdiscus toxicus will be inserted in the saltwater .
✤ We will examine the growth of the population with a
spectrophotometer 2 times a day.
*http://www.academicjournals.org/jece/pdf/pdf2011/August/Rodrigues
%20et%20al.pdf
Sunday, July 14, 13
14. Methodology(“Tank B”)
✤ Gambierdiscus toxicus is inserted in the saltwater.
✤ Every day we will add 2mg of potassium.
✤ 2 times a day we will measure the population density with the
spectrophotometer.
Sunday, July 14, 13
15. Methodology (“Tank C”)
✤ Gambierdiscus toxicus is inserted in saltwater.
✤ We will add 2mg of phosphate every day.
✤ 2 times a day we will measure the population density with the
spectrophotometer.
Sunday, July 14, 13
16. Methodology(“Tank D”)
✤ Gambierdiscus toxicus will be inserted in the saltwater .
✤ We will add everyday 1mg of phosphate and 2 mg of potassium.
✤ 2 times a day we will measure the population density with the
spectrophotometer.
Sunday, July 14, 13
17. Methodology(“Tank E”)
✤ Gambierdiscus toxicus will be inserted in the saltwater .
✤ We will add everyday 1mg of potassium and 2mg of phosphate.
✤ 2 times a day we will measure the population density with the
spectrophotometer.
Sunday, July 14, 13
18. Methodology(“Tank F”)
✤ Gambierdiscus toxicus will be inserted in the saltwater .
✤ We will add everyday 2mg of phosphate and 2 mg of potassium.
✤ 2 times a day we will measure the population density with the
spectrophotometer.
Sunday, July 14, 13
19. Methodology
✤ After having all the data we will , analyze it and compare it in a chart
and get to a conclusion.
✤ The conclusion will help to determine if the hypothesis was accepted
or not , if the objectives were covered and what to improve in the
methodology etc.
Sunday, July 14, 13
20. Expected Results
✤ The expected results are that when we add more nutrients in the
water there will be notable change in the population density of the
Gambierdiscus toxicus.
Sunday, July 14, 13
