Small-group research projects

Overview

Students will work in small groups (2-4 students/group), designing and conducting original research. This starts with asking questions, doing background research (literature review), and ends with presentation of a poster and evaluation of the project.

Potential topics for group projects

The following topics have been considered in the past, and we should have the capability to do them, depending on the specifics of your protocol. Note that some of these are the basis for the regular lab exercises; you will need to modify & expand on them for your own reserach.
  1. Duckweed: factors affecting growth
  2. Dendrochronology/tree growth
  3. Soil analysis: compare different ecosystems, management regimes, microscale differences...
  4. Succession: woody plant colonization, changes in forest over time, etc.
  5. Cemetery demography (including comparaisons with data from other colleges)
  6. Population estimation: comparison of techniques; compare to succession, mgt., etc.
  7. Owl pellets: detailed comparison of pellets with habitat, etc.
  8. Animal behavior: territories, use of habitat, etc. (birds or deer?)
  9. Patterns and factors affecting squirrel nests
  10. Dispersion of organisms in environment (hypothesize patterns or lack thereof)
  11. Measure water quality and correlate with biota
  12. Theoretical studies (models, etc.)
  13. Environmental physiology
  14. Lab (aquarium/cage) experiments in species interaction (competition, etc.)
  15. Bluebird territories, habitat use, behavior (will migrate in soon)
You may also come up with a topic not on this list. We will discuss the ideas and consult the Stockroom Manager regarding feasability. I suspect most topics could be studied.

Actual Bio 229 projects of years past (in addition to topics above):

  1. Blackbird territories
  2. Goldfish respiration rates
  3. evaluation (impacts of land use)
  4. Water quality surveys
  5. Sedimentation of Lake Red Rock
  6. Maple sap physiology
  7. Effects of elevated CO2 on plant growth
  8. Population genetics of fish in local streams
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This page last modified Jan 2002 by Paul Weihe