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Instruction Sheet
012-10624A
EcoZone System
ME-6668
Recommended PASPORT Equipment
• Xplorer GLX (PASCO part PS-2002)
• Water Quality Sensor (PS-2169)
• Oxygen Gas Sensor (PS-2126)
• Carbon Dioxide Sensor (PS-2110)
• Temperature Sensor (PS-2125)
• Weather Sensor (PS-2154)
• Turbidity Sensor (PS-2122)
×3
×6 ×8 ×6
Included Equipment
• 3 EcoChambers with lids
•Tray
×8
• Water Quality Colorimeter (PS-2179)
• ezSample Water Quality Testing Kits:
• Iron (EZ-2331)
• Sulfate (EZ-2332)
• Nitrate (EZ-2333)
• Ammonia (EZ-2334)
• Fluoride (EZ-2336)
• Phosphate (EZ-2337)
• Chlorine (EZ-2339)
Recommended
• ScienceWorkshop 500, 700, or 750 Interface
• DataStudio
• Oxygen Gas Sensor (CI-6562)
•CO
• Temperature Sensor (CI-6526)
• Colorimeter (CI-6747)
Sensor (CI-6561)
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ScienceWorkshop
Equipment
• 3 grommets for coupling chambers
• 28 assorted stoppers for closing unused holes
• Cotton rope for wicking moisture between chambers,
900 cm
• Syringe and plastic tubing with connector for sampling
water, replenishing water, and injecting pollutants
800-772-8700 www.pasco.com
Introduction
The PASCO ME-6668 EcoZones System is designed to help students model and understand the complex interactions within and
among different ecosystems. The three clear acrylic EcoChambers are designed to accommodate PASCO sensors, making qualitative and quantitative measurements as easy as visual
observation.
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EcoZone System ME-6668
Students can measure many aspects of the traditional ecosystem—terrestrial, aquatic, and decomposition chambers. Students
can also use each chamber individually by decoupling the chambers and constructing a single biome.
The unique design of the EcoZones allows the system to remain
closed, which allows for measurements to have a minimal impact
on the system. Environmental science probes can be used to
actively measure variables in the ecosystem model. A syringe
and tubing are included to extract water for chemical testing,
replenished water without opening the system, and inject pollutants for chamber manipulation.
Set-up and Experiment
Considerations
Before setting up the EcoZone System, there are some things that
should be taken into consideration.
Consider what you are interested in measuring. There are nine
open spaces available for sensors in the lids of the chambers;
however, the Xplorer GLX has only 4 ports. If you intend to measure water quality (dissolved oxygen, conductivity, etc.), consider using the Water Quality Sensor, which supports several
different probes, instead of individual sensors to save port space.
6. Insert large stoppers with holes into the holes in the lids.
7. Insert probes into the holes in the stoppers.
8. Insert small solid stoppers into unused holes in the larger
stoppers.
Chambers connected with grommets
A cotton rope is included to allow for efficient wicking of water
from the aquatic chamber to the other chambers. Be sure that this
wick covers each chamber sufficiently. Lay the wick underneath
the plants both under and over the plants in the terrestrial chamber, for example, to ensure that plants receive sufficient water.
Use approximately 36 inches of rope.
Cotton rope is used for its excellent wicking ability; however
note that cotton in contact with soil may decompose over a period
of weeks. You may need to check and replace it periodically.
Equipment Set-up
Important: When carr ying the EcoZone System, do NOT pick the system
up by the aquatic chamber (the heaviest chamber). Pick the entire system
up by the tray.
1. Place the three EcoChambers into the custom tray.
2. Connect the EcoChambers using the rubber grommets as
illustrated.
3. Fill each EcoChamber according to the instructions in the lab
you are performing.
4. Select the sensors and interface that you intend to use for the
experiment.
5. Place the lids onto the EcoChambers, lining up open arches
at the bottom of each lid with the rubber connection grommets on the chambers.
9. Connect the sensors to Xplorer GLX or other interface.
Sensor Calibration
Calibrate sensors prior to using them in an experiment. Refer to
the documentation provided with each sensor for calibration
instructions.
Note: In some cases, sensors do not require calibration. If, for example,
you wish to measure only relative dissolved oxygen changes, the sensor
does not to be calibrated.
Xplorer GLX Set-up
Note: The interface set-up and data collection instructions and sample
data in this and the following sections apply to the Xplorer GLX datalogger. Other data collection systems can also be used.
EcoZones experiments are typically long-term experiments. If
data is collected at the default rate, the volume of information
may fill the memory of the GLX before the end of the experiment. To prevent the Xplorer GLX from ending the experiment
early, change the sample rate of every sensor.
1. Press
h+I
currently connected to the Xplorer GLX will show across the
top of the screen. The Sample Rate Unit will be highlighted
for the sensor in port 1.
to access the Sensors screen. The sensors
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EcoZone System ME-6668
2. Press c to see the available sample rate units for that sen-
sor. Highlight “minutes” using the arrow keys and press
c
.
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight Sample Rate and press
c
Change the sample rate to 1, 2, or 5 minutes between samples.
4. Use the arrow keys to highlight the sensor in port 2. Press
c
to select that sensor, and repeat steps 2 and 3 to change
the sample rate. Do this for the remaining sensors.
Data Collection
1. Ensure that the GLX is in Continuous data collection mode.
a. Press
b. Press
2. With the sensors in place, press
3. Allow the experiment to run for the specified time. Do not
bump or jar the EcoZones, as this may cause the sensors to
record erratically.
h+I
F
to access the Sensors screen.
to access the Mode menu. If necessary, use
the arrow keys to select Continuous and press
s
to begin recording data.
c
.
Sample Data
.
This graph shows how the concentrations of oxygen (black) and
carbon dioxide (gray) change as a light is turned on and off.
This graph shows how the relationship between the relative humidity
(black) and temperature (gray) within a terrestrial chamber over a
24-hour period.
4. Press
s
to stop collecting data.
Data Analysis
Graphs showing two variables changing over time are most valuable in the EcoZones experiments because they show the relationship between related quantities, such as oxygen and carbon
dioxide concentrations, and how these relationships changes over
time.
Example Activities
• Construct a traditional ecosystem with a aquatic, terrestrial,
and decomposition chamber.
• Construct a single biome, such as a desert, trundra, or mangrove biome.
• Monitor the effects of light on the photosynthesis of a plant
in a single chamber.
Technical Support
For assistance with any PASCO product, contact PASCO at:
Address: PASCO scientific
10101 Foothills Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95747-7100
Phone: 916-786-3800 (worldwide)
800-772-8700 (U.S.)
Fax: 916-786-7565
Web: www.pasco.com
Email: support@pasco.com
For more information about the EcoZone System and the latest
revision of this Instruction Sheet, visit:
www.pasco.com/go?ME-6668
Limited Warranty For a description of the product warranty, see the
PASCO catalog. Copyright The PASCO scientific 012-10624A
Zone System Instruction Sheet
mission is granted to non-profit educational institutions for reproduction of
any part of this manual, providing the reproductions are used only in their
laboratories and classrooms, and are not sold for profit. Reproduction
under any other circumstances, without the written consent of PASCO scientific, is prohibited. Trademarks PASCO, PASCO scientific, DataStu-
dio, ezSample, PASPORT, ScienceWorkshop, Xplorer, and Xplorer GLX
trademarks or registered trademarks of PASCO scientific, in the United
States and/or in other countries. All other brands, products, or service
names are or may be trademarks or service marks of, and are used to
identify, products or services of, their respective owners. For more information visit www.pasco.com/legal.
is copyrighted with all rights reserved. Per-
Eco-
®
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