OLE_npp

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Analysis and Discussion:
Using the formulas on the worksheet "Measuring Productivity in a Pond Ecosystem", complete the analysis of the data by finding the mean value of the light and dark bottle readings. And calculate the Respiration Rate, Gross Primary Productivity, and Net Primary Productivity.


 * Describe in plain language what the respiration rate, GPP and NPP are actually measuring.
 * Why is it important to be able to measure these factors in an ecosystem?
 * How does the energy enter the pond ecosystem? How does it ultimately leave the ecosystem?

Extension:
As a class, we need to investigate the environmental impact **nutrient runoff** on the productivity of aquatic ecosystems. Set up teams to:
 * design a variation of the light bottle/dark bottle experiment that will allow us to form and evaluate a hypothesis related to this question.
 * research and create a poster describing examples of how nutrient runoff negatively affects aquatic ecosystems.
 * research and create a poster describing the science behind the effects of nutrient runoff on aquatic ecosystems.