Final Observations Week 5

Observations on Thursday November the 14th 2013. The last week of observations were done at the bottom, middle, and top of the micro aquarium. Many of the micro organisms seen throughout the blog are still surviving. Some of the diatoms though have died, their silica cell walls are no longer  intact. In lieu of their death a service was held by some of their good friends the amoebas. At the bottom of the micro aquarium a new micro organisms were identified. One of them can be seen in figure 1 the Tachysoma sp. identified by Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa by D. J. Patterson. Another one the Pediastruim sp. in figure 2 was seen in the middle of the micro aquarium and was identified by Handbook of Algae by Herman Silva Forest. With in the micro aquarium a abundance of life can be seen with a microscope, in total over eleven micro organisms where identified, but many more where observed.  

                                                                  Figure 1. Tachysoma sp. Seen moving back and forth from the bottom to the middle of the micro aquarium.     

                                                                  Figure 2. Pediastruim sp. . Seen stationary in the middle of the micro aquarium. 

References:
Botany Lab at UTK. Room 507. November 14, 2013. Figures 1-2.

Forest H S. 1954. Handbook of Algae. 1st ed. Knoxville (TN): The University of Tennessee Press. 100 p.

Patterson D J. 2003. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa. 2nd ed. reprinted by 1752 N Street NW, Washington DC (VA): AMS Press. 125 p.
 

Observations of Micro Aquarium Week 4

Observations on Wednesday November the 6th 2013. This weeks observations were done near the middle of the micro aquarium were most of the plant life exists. With in the plant life several  Euchlanis Rotifer sp. (Pennak 1953) were seen  moving in and out of the Amblestegium varium (Hedwig) Lindberg (McFarland 2013). Also seen was one Vorticella sp. (Patterson 2003) attached to Amblestegium varium (Hedwig) Lindberg (McFarland 2013) and three attached to different areas of the Fontinalis sp. (McFarland 2013). The abundance of micro organisms in a small area of the micro aquarium are astonishing. In scanning the micro aquarium a Nematode sp. (Ward 1918) was seen, below in figures 1-4 of it dancing. Also in figure 4 below the Nematode sp. there is an Amoeba sp. floating around. The Nematode sp. was identified using the book Fresh-Water Biology by Ward and Whipple. The Amoeba sp. was subjectively identified by Mr. McFarland. 
                                                                  Figure 1. Nematode sp. curling up.

                                                                  Figure 2. Nematode sp. curled up.

                                                                  Figure 3. Nematode sp. uncurling.

                                          Figure 4. Nematode sp.  done with the dance. Below the Nematode sp. an Amoeba sp.
                                                                                  can be seen floating around admiring the dance.

 

References:
Botany Lab at UTK. Room 507. November 6, 2013. Figures 1-4.
 
McFarland, Kenneth [Internet] Botany 111 Fall 2013. [cited 11/11/13]. Available from http://botany1112013.blogspot.com/ In text citation. (McFarland, 2013)

Patterson D J. 2003. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa. 2nd ed. reprinted by 1752 N Street NW, Washington DC (VA): AMS Press. 113, 149 p.
 
Pennak Ph.D. R W. 1953. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States. 1st ed. New York (NY): The Ronald Press Company. 170, 171 p.

Ward H B, Whipple G C 1918. Fresh-Water Biology. 1st ed. Boston (MA): Stanbope Press P. H. Gilson Company. 459-482 p.

Observations of Micro Aquarium Week 3

Observations on Wednesday October 30th 2013. This week the middle to the top of the micro aquarium was observed. Micro organisms are still very abundant and active near the bottom, but in the middle to the top of the micro aquarium there is a copious amount in week 3 compared to week 2 observation. Some micro organisms seen are subjectively identified as diatoms and amoebas, and are very abundant in all areas of the micro aquarium. Identified micro organisms are below with pictures and some characteristics. Figures 1 and 2 were identified with the book Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa, by D. J. Patterson, and figure 3 was identified with the book Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States, by Ph. D. Ronald W. Pennak.

 Figure 1. Vorticella sp. Seen attached to Amblestegium varium (Hedwig) Lindberg plant near the middle top of the micro 
                 aquarium. (McFarland 2013) 

Figure 2. Cyclidium sp. Seen stationary at the top of the micro aquarium. A suspension feeding scuticociliate. 
               (Patterson 2003)

Figure 3. Euchlanis Rotifer sp. Seen moving around the top and middle of micro aquarium.  

References:

Botany Lab at UTK. Room 507. October 30, 2013. Figures 1-3.

McFarland, Kenneth [Internet] Botany 111 Fall 2013. [cited 11/4/13]. Available from http://botany1112013.blogspot.com/ In text citation. (McFarland, 2013)


Patterson D J. 2003. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa. 2nd ed. reprinted by 1752 N Street NW, Washington DC (VA): AMS Press. 113, 149 p.
 
Pennak Ph.D. R W. 1953. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States. 1st ed. New York (NY): The Ronald Press Company. 170, 171 p.