The Effects of Salinity on Brine Shrimp Growth

Water & Soil Microbes Experimenter Kit	Surface Microbes Experimenter Kit	Student's Microscopes
Age 10 +	Ages 10 and up	Ages 8 thru Adults

PURPOSE

The purpose of this experiment was to determine how different levels of salinity affect size of mature brine shrimp.

I became interested in this idea when I bought a kit with brine shrimp. The directions said to add a specific amount of salt. I wondered if I added more salt what would happen.

The information gained from this experiment could help people who culture brine shrimp so their brine shrimp develop more efficiently. People who feed brine shrimp to tropical fish would also benefit, because they would know how to raise the largest brine shrimp possible.

HYPOTHESIS

My hypothesis is that the growth of the brine shrimp will be positively affected by the salinity. I think that the brine shrimp will grow larger in higher salinities.

I base my hypothesis on a statement made in the Encyclopedia of the Animal World which states that ìbrine shrimp growth depends on salinityî and ìlarger brine shrimp tend to grow in higher salinityî.

EXPERIMENT DESIGN

The constants in this study were: The amount of water added to the pans.
The amount of eggs added to the pans.
The amount of food added to the pans two times a week.
The type of water. (tap)
The temperature of the water.
The amount of time that the brine shrimp are allowed to grow.
The type and size of rearing pan.

The manipulated variable was the amount of salt added to the water.

The responding variable was the growth in length of the brine shrimp from ìtailî to ìheadî.

To measure the responding variable, the brine shrimp will be measured after two and one half weeks under a microscope using a micro ruler in tenths of millimeters.

MATERIALS