Biodiversity And The Interconnectedness Of Life Assessment

Context

You have completed the following in class:

• Mandatory practical: Determine species diversity of a group of organisms based on a given index.
• Mandatory practical: Use the process of stratified sampling to collect and analyse primary biotic and abiotic field data to classify an ecosystem.
• Mandatory practical: Select and appraise an ecological surveying technique to analyse species diversity between two spatially variant ecosystems of the same classification (e.g. a disturbed and undisturbed dry sclerophyll forest).
• Suggested practical: Measure abiotic factors in the classroom using field samples (e.g. pH, nitrogen nutrients, salinity, carbonates, turbidity)
• Practical: Use the process of stratified sampling to collect and analyse primary biotic and abiotic field data to determine diversity of lichen on a tree.

Task

Modify (i.e. refine, extend or redirect) an experiment in order to address your own related hypothesis or research question. You may use a practical performed in class, a related simulation or another practical related to Unit 3 (as negotiated with your teacher) as the basis for your methodology and research question.

To complete this task, you must:

• identify an experiment to modify*
• develop a research question to be investigated*
• research relevant background scientific information to inform the modification of the research question and methodology
• conduct a risk assessment and account for risks in the methodology*
• conduct the experiment*
• collect sufficient and relevant qualitative and/or quantitative data to address the research question*
• process and present the data appropriately
• analyse the evidence to identify trends, patterns or relationships
• analyse the evidence to identify uncertainty and limitations
• interpret the evidence to draw conclusion/s to the research question
• evaluate the reliability and validity of the experimental process
• suggest possible improvements and extensions to the experiment
• communicate findings in an appropriate scientific genre, i.e. scientific report

*The steps indicated with an asterisk above can be completed in groups. All other elements must be completed individually.

Stimulus

Not applicable

Checkpoints

1. Select experiment and identify proposed modifications
2. Perform experiment and process data.
3. Analyse and evaluate evidence, submit draft
4. Submit final response

Authentication strategies

• You will be provided class time for task completion.
• Your teacher will observe you completing work in class.
• Your teacher will collect and annotate a draft.
• You must acknowledge all sources.
• Your teacher will compare the responses of students who have worked together in groups.
• You must submit a declaration of authenticity.
• When working as part of a group, your individual response is assessed by your individual performance in the assessment technique/task.
• You will use Safe Assign via Education Queensland's Learning Place to submit your response.
• You will provide documentation of your progress at draft check-date in Term 2, Week 1.

Scaffolding

The response must be presented using an appropriate scientific genre (i.e. scientific report) and contain:

• a research question
• a rationale for the experiment
• reference to the initial experiment and identification and justification of modifications to the methodology
• raw and processed qualitative and/or quantitative data
• analysis of the evidence
• conclusion/s based on the interpretation of the evidence
• an evaluation of the methodology and suggestions of improvements and extensions to the experiment
• a reference list.

An example of how one of the practicals could be modified to develop a research question

Practical that will be modified:

Measure the population of microorganisms in Petri dishes to observe carrying capacity.

Research question:

Does a 25% glucose solution limit the carrying capacity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae?*

Developing the research question: