| MadSci Network: Zoology |
The great thing about science projects is that they let you answer questions just like the one you asked! Let's see if we can figure out a way to determine if salinity has an effect on meiofauna. As you know from your experience, meiofauna is the name for the billions of microscopic creatures that inhabit the earth, invisible to our eyes. Specifically, meiofauna are those organisms that live in freshwater or marine habitats and range in size from 42 micrometers to one millimeter. A scoop full of beach sand contains millions of meiofauna representatives with an amazing diversity of species.
Meiofaunal populations have been studied as reporters of environmental pollution. The tiny size of these organisms makes them exquisitely sensitive to changes in the environment and the population will shift as a result . Those organisms able to withstand new conditions will become predominant.
One way that you could judge the affect of different salinity levels on meiofauna is to study population changes. Upon collection you would record the numbers and types of organisms that you see in each Petri dish. Then adjust the salinities to the levels you want. I would make several different levels, including a very high and a very low concentration. However, the most important thing is to leave one sample untouched to serve as a control. Having a control will help you determine if the changes in population structure are due to salinity or other factors you cannot explain. These microscopic organisms reproduce quickly, so I would recount the representatives in each population every day. It shouldn't take long to see a shift if there is one.
What if you don't see an effect? Try higher salt concentrations or longer periods of observation. Also, if you isolate meiofauna from a marine environment, they could be adpated to salinity, so try using meiofauna isolated from a freshwater source.
Check out Meiofauna: The Microscopic World Meiofauna: The Microscopic World for excellent detailed information on meiofauna.
Happy Hunting! -Tinsley
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Zoology.