4 pages max. with 12 pt. Times New Roman, single-spaced, including Figures, Tables, and References.
4 sections: Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion, References.
The lab report must answer the three questions:
(a) What variables are correlated (and likely predicts) nutrient pollution of total nitrogen (TN) and total
phosphorous (TP)?
(b) What variables are correlated (and likely predicts) with atrazine concentrations in lakes?
(c) Does nutrient pollution correlate with primary production?
Location of data: Go to https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/data-national-aquatic-resource-surveys.
Filter data by survey: Lakes 2012.
1.1 Nutrient Pollution
According to the National Lakes Assessment 2012, a collaborative survey of lakes in the US, “…nutrient pollution is common in US lakes; 40% of lakes have excessive levels of total phosphorous and 35% have excessive levels of total nitrogen. Nutrient pollution is the most widespread stressor among those measured in the NLA and can contribute to algae blooms and affect public health and recreational opportunities in lakes” (NLA 2012 Report; Page 1).
1.2 Atrazine
Atrazine, an herbicide used to control weeds in crop fields, was found in 30% of lakes although concentrations were generally low. Atrazine has been implicated as a hormone disruptor for frogs, although its impacts remain fiercely debated by scientists and industry. For an interesting and informative take on this issue, see this New Yorker article published back in
2014: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/02/10/a-valuable-reputation
