Diatom Investigation

Question: Are there more diatoms in the 1 inch layer or the 30 inch layer?


Procedure:

1. Gather tools


2. Get three samples of 1 inch layer


3. Examine by scanning your slide and counting the amount of diatoms for five minutes per slide


4. Record data


5. Get three samples of 30 inch layer


6. Examine and count diatoms for five minutes per slide


7. Record data


8. Compare results

Data:

1 inch layer-

• Slide one-7 diatoms


• Slide two-4 diatoms


• Slide three-6 diatoms

30 inch layer-

• Slide one-13 diatoms


• Slide two-15 diatoms


• Slide three-14 diatoms

Conclusion: Are there more diatoms in the 1 inch or 30 inch layer?

There are more diatoms in the 30 inch layer. We think this because in the one inch layer we found an average of 5.7 diatoms per slide and in the 30 inch layer we found an average of 14 diatoms per slide. A reason this could of happened is because of climate or habitat change between the two time differences in the layers.

Further Questions:

1. What caused more diatoms in the 30 inch layer than the 1 inch layer?


2. Would in the 15 inch layer the average number of diatoms be 10 per slide based off our previous investigation?

By Micaela, Derek, Ethan, Stephi