Living in an Alkaline Environment

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From left to right: Mia Patterson uses proper safety procedures as she begins the activity (Image credit: David J. Patterson); Mono Lake (Image credit: Brett Leigh Dicks/microscope ); Dunaliella (Image Credit: David J. Patterson/microscope ); Frontonia (Image credit: David J. Patterson/microscope ); Artemia monica (Image credit: David J. Patterson/microscope ); California Gull (Image credit: National Park Service staff photo)

• Part One: How different is Mono Lake water from distilled water? In this activity, you will observe the differences between Mono Lake (alkaline, hypersaline) water and distilled water.
• Part Two: How does increasing alkalinity affect common soil bacteria? In this activity, you will test the effect of high pH on the survival of soil bacteria.
• Part Three: A WebQuest exploring the life and ecology of Mono Lake. This activity will lead you on a web-based exploration of the life and ecology of Mono Lake. You will research organisms living in and around Mono Lake, and create field guide pages and a food web detailing the Mono Lake ecosystem.