Jade showing off the basil plants she just added to her group’s Aquatic Ecosystem ModelJelani doesn’t like to be distracted from his intense work.Data collection is a core skill that students learn from the start.Measuring physical-chemical parameters takes a lot of team work – another emphasis of the MBRP.10 Grade MBRPSkill: Germinating basil seeds hydroponicallySkill: Measurement of all AEM componentsSkill: Flourite and gravel substrates stimulate detritus and waste transformationSkill: Measuring Ammonium Chloride with a digital balance to kick start nitrificationAEMs Undergoing NitrificationBeautiful basil plants growing from the Nitates produced by the AEM’s bioreactor.Basil roots growing in the AEM’s nutrient rich water solution.Vertebrates, invertebrates, and algae are among the ecosystem components of the AEM.Skill: Adjusting the AEM’s pHSkill: Graphing AEM water quality resultsTeam Work!Skill: Data entry for water quality and plant growth rates
Skill: Microscopy for identifying the AEM’s algae and protozoans
Skill: Disinfecting AEMs for the next groupStudents are never happy when they have to part with their systems.
Civic Scientist Environmental Monitoring of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary