Science Project Ideas for Educators...Home Instructors...Students
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| Objective | Evaluate the growth of weeds in a dry area or climate when irrigation is applied artificially |
| Materials Required | Weed identification references such as online images,
books, or
eBooks with images Three plots of soil each about two feet square Water for irrigating plots Digital or film camera |
| Operation | Find an area where very few plants or weeds are growing due to dry conditions or climate. Select plots of soil near where you have access to water for irrigating plots. Water the first plot with two gallons of water, the second plot with one gallon of water and don't apply any water to the third plot. Label each of the plots for the amount of water applied: "2 gallons", "1 gallon", "No water". Make sure that each plot has similar soil, sunlight and initial plant growth. Apply measured water every day for two weeks. You want to show that weeds will grow in the selected plots merely by applying water. You should not make any efforts to till the soil, apply fertilizer or sow any types of seeds. The only thing you will do is apply measured amounts of water to the specified plots and let nature do the rest. This can be done in many areas, even desert climates where very few plants ever grow. |
| Measurements | When each plot has been labeled and water applied, keep notes of the date when the project was begun and take photographs of each plot and the three plots together. If some weeds are already growing in your plots, measure the heights of the plants and count exactly how many weeds are visible on the first day of measurements. Measure and count the weeds every two days for two weeks. If you have more time, you can continue the same pattern for another week or two. Using your weed identification references, identify the species names of each weed and keep track of the growth in size and number of each species in each plot. When your test period is done, take final photos and measurements of weeds for each plot. |
| Hypothesis and Conclusion | Your hypothesis will be that more weeds will grow in the plots where more water was applied. You may also hypothesize that some of the weed species that grow when irrigated are species that are not commonly found in the immediate area. When you make the final measurements, the plot with the greatest amount of water should also have the most weeds and largest weeds to show that your hypothesis was correct. You may also comment in your conclusions if you thought that other conditions may have been a factor, such as unexpected rain or disturbance of your plots by animals, for example. |
| Objective | Evaluate the growth of weeds in a rainy area or climate when irrigation is restricted artificially |
| Materials Required | Weed identification references such as online images,
books, or
eBooks with images Two plots of soil each about two feet square Clear plastic sheets to block rain from selected plot Digital or film camera |
| Operation | Find an area where a number of plants or weeds are growing due to rainy conditions or climate. Select plots of soil near where you can apply a plastic cover to one plot. Place a plastic cover over one plot to block the rain water but not the sun or wind. Make sure that each plot has similar soil, sunlight and initial plant growth. You want to show that weeds will grow slower in the selected plot merely by blocking normal rain water. You should not make any efforts to till the soil, apply fertilizer or sow any types of seeds. The only thing you will do is control rain water to the specified plots and let nature do the rest. This can be done in many areas where weeds normally grow. |
| Measurements | When each plot has been labeled and water cover applied, keep notes of the date when the project was begun and take photographs of each plot and the two plots together. If some weeds are already growing in your plots, measure the heights of the plants and count exactly how many weeds are visible on the first day of measurements. Measure and count the weeds every two days for two weeks. If you have more time, you can continue the same pattern for another week or two. Using your weed identification references, identify the species names of each weed and keep track of the growth in size and number of each species in each plot. When your test period is done, take final photos and measurements of weeds for each plot. |
| Hypothesis and Conclusion | Your hypothesis will be that less weeds will grow in the plot where rain water was restricted. You may also hypothesize that some of the weed species may be more sensitive to irrigation levels than others. When you make the final measurements, the plot with the greater amount of water should also have the most weeds and largest weeds to show that your hypothesis was correct. You may also comment in your conclusions if you thought that other conditions may have been a factor, such as unexpected draught or disturbance of your plots by animals, for example. |
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