Student Research Reports

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Characterization of physico-chemical parameters of water with the metabolism of cultivable bacteria in the Rochester School’s artificial reservoir

Organization(s):Rochester School

Country:Colombia

Student(s):Alejandro Torres Rico Sofia Palomino Linares

Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)

GLOBE Teacher:Erika Díaz

Contributors:María del Pilar Tunarroza

Report Type(s):International Virtual Science Symposium Report

Protocols:Alkalinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrates, Water Temperature, Water Transparency, pH

Presentation Poster: View Document

Optional Badges:I am a Collaborator, I make an Impact

Language(s):

Date Submitted:03/01/2018

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Small reservoirs are prevalent landscape features that affect the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of headwater streams and land around them. We reported a four months characterization of the artificial reservoir of Rochester School in Chia, Colombia. The site was sampled weekly for water quality parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, alkalinity, total phosphates, total nitrate with the use of protocols proposed by GLOBE and the analysis kit for water La Motte). The most fluctuated parameters were the concentration of nitrates and dissolved oxygen. Procedures for cultivating and characterizing bacteria and their metabolism were made, finding 23 isolates with both fermentative and oxidative metabolic capacities, low motility and great capacity to reduce nitrates, possibly as an adaptive measure to changes in chemical conditions of water and nutrient availability. All of this in order to first know the properties of the sample site and in a future evaluate whether or not it was possible to have complex animals.

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Comments

Hi guys! This is a good work. I am also doing GLOBE in another part of the world. Nice to know that's you guys also interested in our environments. I've read your research project already and saw that you have done a lot of fanstastic works. I have some question to ask you guys as follow:

1) From your measurements, what do you think the water quality in your reservoir are good or bad and why?

2) I saw in your methods you also mention that you did measure about soil parameters. I would like to ask you that why do you have to investigate soil parameter? And What's about the result on soil, do there have any link between water quality parameters and soil parameters?

Thank you :-)

Keep doing good work!
Cheers,
Sirilak

Wow- this is an absolutely amazing research paper! I am really impressed with the fact that you selected a body of water that was important to your school, and your research will enable you to make improvements to this artificial reservoir. I am curious about the dissolved oxygen levels, as you conclude that it may be that these levels are too low to sustain higher level organisms such as fish. Are there any ways in which you could improve these oxygen levels- perhaps with the use of bubblers- to bring these levels to desired levels? My other question is will students at your school continue with your research next year? I was very impressed that you were able to collect and record so much data!