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Project Summary
| Difficulty | 4 – 6 |
| Time required | Long (a couple of weeks) |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Material Availability | Duckweed can be purchased from plant nurseries, or you can also find it growing naturally in local ponds and marshes. If you find the duckweed in a local water source, make sure you get permission from the land owner or town before taking any. |
| Cost | Low ($20-$50) |
| Safety | No issues |
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Sponsor
| Sponsored by a generous grant from Monsanto Fund |
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| * Note: This is an abbreviated project idea, without notes to start your background research or a procedure for how to do the experiment. You can identify abbreviated project ideas by the asterisk at the end of the title. If you want a project idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk. |
Abstract
Some plants grow only in water-logged environments. These plants are usually native to wetlands and are important for the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. Wetland ecosystems are very fragile and susceptible to the toxic dumping of sewage and fertilizer run-off from neighboring farm land. One very common aquatic plant called duckweed inhabits many wetland marshes. Duckweed grows by asexual reproduction and floats at the surface of the water with tiny roots extending into the water below. Can you find duckweed from a local pond or wetland? You can grow the duckweed at home in bowls of water. Will the duckweed grow well in different types of water? Will it grow better in bottled mineral water than when using tap water? What will happen to duckweed grown in acidic water, or water with fertilizer? Are there other types of water contaminants you can test with duckweed? Consult the Measuring Plant Growth page for tips on how to determine which duckweed is growing the most.Variations
- For more science project ideas in this area of science, see Plant Biology Project Ideas.
Last edit date: 2008-11-11 12:13:08
Career Focus
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring careers in Plant Biology.
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Soil and Plant Scientist With a growing world population, making sure that there is enough food for everyone is critical. Plant scientists work to ensure that agricultural practices result in an abundance of nutritious food in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. |
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