Observation 5

Oocystic sp.
Information taken from: Handbook of Algae. Forest, Herman. The University of Tennessee Press. Knoxville, 1954.

Ulothrix sp.
Information taken from: Freshwater Algae: Their Microscopic World Explored. Lund, Hilda and Lund, John. Biopress Ltd. Bristol. 1995. pg. 66, fig. 103

This week in observation I discovered some more new organisms. One was a rotifer, or a micro invertebrate, specifically a philodina. This rotifer at first resembles a worm, but it's mouth contains a type of spinner that it uses to move longer distances at a fast pace. To move locally, it srunches it's body as a worm would. I first saw it in the left bottom corner in the soil deposit.

Along with the rotifer, I also found several new green algae. The first is called Oocystic sp. and is characterized by circular membrane sheath with several oval shaped cells clustered inside the membrane, with several other colonies in the surrounding area. It can also usually be found with cyanobacteria winding in between the colonies. The other green algae was called Ulothrix sp. and is rod shaped. The cells can be seen within the membrane. It is found with several other algae around it, include colony algae and other Ulothrix sp.

I also saw several Pseudopodia, mainly the common amoeba found in several area around the aquarium. More single celled organisms have also appeared, mostly in the areas around and in between the plant A and plant B. Scott, my cyclops was found moving through the soil deposit , coming into full view for only a few minutes.

Observation 4: More new life

Desmid.

Cyanobacteria: Calothrix Gracillis.

Cyanobacteria: Calothrix Gracillis.
Information taken from:
Wolle, Rev. Francis. Freashwater Algae of the United States. Bethelehem, Pa: The Comenius Press. 1887.

Tetraspora Lamelloss sp.
Information taken from:
Prescott, G.W. Algae of the Western Great Lakes. WM. C. Brown Company Pub. Debouise, Iowa. 1962. Fig. 6 page 670.

Diatom

Diatom

Cyclops, "Scott"
side view

During the observation of my microorganism aquarium I once again discovered new life. In addition to my cyclops, nematode, and single celled organisms, I also found a colony of cyanobacteria growing in the area between plants A and B, the colony situated closer to plant A. I believe my cyanobacteria to be calothrix gracillis. It consist of long stacked strands that taper into ends. It contains no outer sheath and is mainly frashwater. I also discovered multiple diatons in my aquarium both in oval and rectangular shapes. They ranged from greens to golden browns and were not motile.

Along with the diatoms, I also found a desmid in my aquarium located at the in the middle of the bottom area moving in a out of the soil. It was long, and oval shaped and consited maily of green colors with some patches of clear yellow. Among one of my more intersting finds was an organism called Tertasopra lamelloss Sp. This organism is round in shape with an outermembrane with cells grouped together in pairs towards the center of the oragnism. Flagella come from the middle of the organism to the outer membrane and then in to the environment, and appear on all sides of the organism. This organism was found towards the upper tight corner of the tank. Along with the tetraspora lamelloss sp., I also found a worm like creature called a Analid, but was unable to capture a photograph of it.

As for the tank itself, the water has become somewhat murky towards the bottom where the soil is located as well as around the plants set in the middle of the tank. The water also loos more congested towards the center of the aquarium due to the plants as well as the organisms that inhabit that area of the tank, such as my cyanobacteria. More water was added to the tank due to evaporation over the past weeks.

Inforamtion about my aquarium

My water source is Meads Quarry, Island Home Ave. Knox. Co. Tennessee. Partial sun exposure, rock quarry. N35 57.162 W83 51.960 880.

"Atison's Betta Food". Made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Ingredients include: Fish meal, wheat flower, soy meal, krill meal, minerals, vitamins and preservatives. Analysis: Crude Protein 36%; Crude fat 4.5%; Crude Fiber 3.5%; Moisture 8% and Ash 15%.

Observation 3: Newly Discovered Life

This week in the observation of my microorganism aquarium, I found that the algae I had seen last week had multiplied around both plant A and plant B. I also saw that more of the organisms seemed to be accumulating around the area of the aquarium that contain the plant samples. Along with this, new single celled organisms seemed to have appeared and they are more cylinder in shape than circular and seem to center around the high areas of soil and the plants.

I also discovered a new multi-cellular organism called a nematode. It resembles a worm, and under the microscope appears a dark green in color. It moves in whip like motions as well as curling around its self and what appears to be a flipping motion. When moving forward it is extremely fast in a snake like slithering motion. What was different about this organism is that I could also see it without the use of a microscope. With the naked eye it appears white, but is very small. You can also see its more excessive motions when looking at it without a microscope. I attempted to get a picture, but it moved into the soil before I was able to make it to the camera.

As for my cyclops, I didn't see much of Scott today, but I think I caought a glimpse of him moving through the main mass of soil in the middle of the bottom area of the aquarium.

Observation 2

I once again observed my microorganism aquarium. Much of what I observed was very similar to what I noticed in my last observation, but I did notice some new organisms. Aside from the single celled organisms I observed last week, I also saw what appeared to be cube like structures, which I believe to be water-web, a green algae, or a blue-green algae. I saw the majority of these in the area surrounding plant A, and a few in the area surrounding plant B.

I also saw a round, clear organism towards the base of the aquarium, but not quite in the soil itself. It moved in a sort of throbbing, circular motion. I once again saw my cyclops, Scott, in the area between plant A and plant B. Not much had changed in my aquarium, but I was pleased to find some new organisms.

Observation 1- Scott

We have started out term project in Biology 111, also known as Botany. Our term project consists of a personal microorganism aquarium, and our observations of said microorganism aquarium. My observations will be recorded in this blog over the next four week period.

We started out term project by making the aquarium itself out of a small rectangular, extremely thin, glass container. We had a selection of different water and soil sources, which will be recorded in the next blog update. The first element of the aquarium consisted of the dirt which we deposited into the bottom of our aqaurium's to give out microorganisms both a "home" and food. Then we took a sample of water from the same source our soil came from and filled the aquarium until it was about three fourths of the way full. Along with the soil and water we also placed two plant samples into the aquarium to observe the effect the plant might have over out organisms over the period of the project.

I was surprised by the amount of life I saw in my aquarium already. I have a multiple single celled organisms, which to me look like little black moving dots. I also have an organism that i have decided to make my new pet. Yes out lab teachers said the girls would do this, and I have. Aside from my single celled organisms I also have a cyclops which I have named Scott. He is a microscopic "bug" and while he is transparent for the most part, you can clearly see his shape, that looks like plate like armor. He has a oval body with a "tail" and three "legs" on each side of his body. What defines Scott from other microscopic bugs, is the bright red dot on the top of his head, thus a cyclops. From what I observed this week, he tends to move either through the dirt or on the outer edges of the aquarium wall.