Abstract:
The teaching of ecological succession is a problem in biology classes where time is a limiting factor and field work is not practical. Under these conditions hay infusions may be employed to demonstrate ecological succession, since they can easily be kept in the laboratory and can support a variety of microorganisms with little care.The research project investigated was concerned with the accuracy of a laboratory experiment dealing with ecological succession in hay infusions. This experiment was found on pager 165-170 in laboratory Investigations in Principles of Biology (Mertens and Bennett, 108). The purpose of this experiment was to make possible the study of ecological succession in one two-or three-hour laboratory period. Instead of sampling one infusion each week for eight weeks to study succession, students sampled eight infusions (each established at weekly intervals) during one laboratory period. The major problem of this experiment has been in establishing a pattern of succession in these infusions. There was doubt that the method used in starting the hay infusions each week really resulted in infusions which presented a true picture of succession. A pattern of succession had to be identified for hay infusions and then compared to succession patterns (if any) in the experimental infusions.