 | Caution!
You must have the landowner's permission to access any land in your study. Even if your ecosystem is on public land, inform the proper authorities of your intent. Obtain permission before conducting tests at your study site. Never travel alone. Take a responsible adult with you to the study site. Always use proper safety protocol while using tools. |
Recall that your mission is to investigate and analyze the critical abiotic and biotic factors that define an ecosystem. Now that you have been fully briefed, it is time to make observations and interpret data as they relate to Lake Michigan and to your local ecosystem.
Russell Cuhel wants to understand how abiotic factors influence the ecosystem of Lake Michigan. As part of his research, he collects data on the chemical and physical conditions of the lake. These measurements help to show the dynamics of the ecosystem's biotic and abiotic relationships. The data also show how the ecosystem is responding to the invasive mussel species.
One of the physical factors that Dr. Cuhel studies is the penetration, or reach, of light into this aquatic ecosystem. Visible light is the energy source on which the lake ecosystem depends. Light passes through water until it is absorbed by molecules. Photosynthetic organisms absorb some of the light energy to produce food.
In this assignment, you will analyze Russell’s light penetration data collected from 1998 to 2006. Once you are done with the analysis of Lake Michigan data, you will shift your focus to a local ecosystem. You will identify one abiotic or biotic factor to monitor. Then, you will analyze these data and the data of others and interpret them in terms of what they mean to the ecosystem.
 | Mission 1 Argonaut Field Assignment Video
See how Russell Cuhel uses his understanding of abiotic and biotic factors found in an ecosystem to study the impact alien species have had on Lake Michigan. |