Question

The bass and crayfish likely "died off" becae the rapid growth of the algae eventually caed the level of dissolved oxygen to decline to a point that these oxygen-dependent organisms could no longer survive. - How would you modify this investigation of the pond organisms to determine if the algal bloom really was the cae of the bass and crayfish die-offs?

Answer 1

In order to verify whether algal blooms cause the death of oxygen-dependent organisms like bass and crayfish, a controlled experiment can be conducted with and without artificially induced algal blooms. Differences in the survival rates and the levels of dissolved oxygen could confirm the hypothesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine whether the algal bloom was indeed the cause of the bass and crayfish die-offs, one could modify the investigation by conducting a controlled experiment. This experiment should involve setting up two identical ecosystems, one with and one without an artificially induced algal bloom. With both environments identical in terms of temperature, pH, and resident organisms, any differences in the survival rates of the bass and crayfish can then be attributed to the presence or absence of an algal bloom.

Moreover, you could also monitor the levels of dissolved oxygen in both systems. A significant reduction in oxygen levels coupled with increased mortality in the system with the induced bloom would strongly support the hypothesis that algal blooms cause die-offs of oxygen-dependent organisms like bass and crayfish.

Learn more about Algal Blooms