Biology 12 Unit 1 Assignment 2 Scientific Method Virtual Lab
Biology 12 Unit 1 Assignment 2 Scientific Method Virtual Lab
Biology 12 Unit 1 Assignment 2 Scientific Method Virtual Lab
Level of ECB
Infestation
Growing Pot
1 Yield
Growing Pot
2 Yield
Growing
Pot 3 Yield
Average
Yield
Journal Questions:
1. Describe the effects of the ECB infestations you used. Were all corn varieties equally
effective at controlling the ECB? How do you know?
The effects of the ECB infestations were all different. Not all corn varieties were equally
effective at controlling the ECB. We know because we can see the result after the growth and we
can see the big changes.
2. If there was no ECB infestation in a certain year, would a farmer gain or lose financially
by planting Bt corn? Explain why?
If there was no ECB infestation, a farmer would probably lose financially by planting Bt corn.
This is because they have no need to buy Bt corn because there are no bugs that are eating their
corn. They are wasting extra money on Bt corn when they do not need it.
3. What might happen if Bt corn affects non-target organisms such as beneficial insects or
harmless insects?
It could possibly cause a chaos in the ecosystem and it would destroy many organisms life.
4. What might happen if ECB became resistant to Bt?
If ECB became resistant to Bt, it would affect the outcome of the harvest as they would destroy
most of the crop. There would not be enough healthy crops produced and could cause an
economic crisis.
5. Discuss possible benefits and drawbacks of a transgenic organism such as Bt corn?
Some benefits include the protection from the ECB and it is safe for humans, animals and other
insects. Some drawbacks could be that the ECB could grow resistant to the Bt and if Bt somehow
transfers to other plants it might affect their growth rate.
6. A farmer planted a field of Bt 123 corn and wants to estimate the yield in terms of
bushels per acre. He counts 22 ears in 1/1000 of an acre. He determines that each ear has
about 700 kernels on average. He also knows that a bushel contains about 90,000 kernels
on average. What is the farmer's estimate of yield in bushels/acre?
22 ears x 1000 / acre x 700 kernels / ear x 1 bushel / 90,000 kernels = 170 bushels / acre
Table 1: Average Yield for each seed variety at no, low, and high infestation levels
Seed Variety
BT 123
BT 456
Golden
Super Harvest
Level of
ECB
Infestation
None
Pot 1
Yield
Pot 2
Yield
Pot 3
Yield
Average
Yield
160.1g
164.8g
164.2g
163.0g
Niedrig
164.4g
162.2g
168.3g
165.0g
Hoch
155.1g
163.0g
163.9g
160.7g
None
190.0g
183.2g
184.8g
186.0g
Niedrig
164.0g
162.6g
168.3g
165.0g
Hoch
157.3g
157.0g
159.0g
157.8g
None
181.6g
182.8g
189.8g
184.7g
Niedrig
177.9g
171.2g
170.6g
173.2g
Hoch
135.4g
139.6g
138.3g
137.8g
None
164.1g
164.3g
161.9g
164.4g
Niedrig
159.1g
155.0g
157.5g
157.2g
Hoch
125.5g
129.0g
130.0g
128.2g
Table 2: % Reduction in yield for each seed variety at high levels of infestation
(transfer data on average yield with no infestation and high infestation from Table 1 to Table 2)
Seed Variety
BT 123
% Reduction
In Yield
1.41%
BT 456
186.0g
157.8g
15.16%
Golden
184.7g
137.8g
25.39%
Super Harvest
164.4g
128.2g
22.02%