11/15/12 MicroAquarium Observation 5

MicroAquarium Observation 5 - November 15, 2012

 

On Thursday, November 15th, I made my final observation regarding the MicroAquarium. Right off of the bat I noticed an increase from one amoeba last observation to an asotounding five this week. The best amoeba was spotted in the top layer of the MicroAquarium with multiple organisms it had disgested visible inside of it. These creatures are slow-moving and very large in comparison to many organisms. Previously mentioned in Week 2 of observations, I came upon a few actinosphaeriums again and noticed they had increased in size (Patterson 1998). Actinosphaerium are too slow to be noticed in small amounts of time. Also on this top layer I noticed many fragments of dead organisms, surprisingly, this layer seemed to have the largest amount of fragments in comparison. 

 

Moving into the middle layer I came upon various algae. Once again, primarily oscillatoria were encountered (Prescott 1978). Amoeba were also present in this area. The middle layer is the least inhabited area of the MicroAquarium.

 

The liveliest layer within my MicroAquarium was certainly the bottom layer. Among previously encountered organsims once again seen were more amoeba and stentors. This week I came across an organism I had never encountered before. This organism had rotating cilia similar to stentors and was identified as a Euplote. (Figure 201, Pg 124, Patterson 1998). 

Bibliography

• Patterson D. 1998. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa.  1st Edition. Loudon, NW, London Madison Publishing. 223 pp.
•  Prescott, G.W. 1978. How to Know Freshwater Algae. 2nd Edition. Dubuque, IA. W.C. Brown Publishing. 293 pp.

11/7/12 MicroAquarium Observation 4

MicroAquarium Observation 4 - November 7, 2012

This week displayed the most activity I have encountered in regard to my MicroAquarium. As usual, my observations began with scanning throughout different levels of the Aquarium. Immediately upon beginning I encountered an organism I had never observed before, this organism could be identified as a euchlanis (Pennack 1989). Attached to this organism was a difflugia (Pennack 1989). The Euchlanis "rolled" around end over end very rapidly yet remained in the same vicinity. This multi-celled organism also had active antennae, I encountered around five of these throughout all layers. Once more, I encountered multiple actinosphaerium also in the upper layer of the MicroAquarium. Meandering through leaves I spotted a bowling-pin shaped single celled organism. This organism changed locations very quickly and hid behind leaves, I could not gather a proper identification on this organism.

Progressing, the second layer was also interesting this week. Many pinnularia were observed though many were also dead. Water gnats seems to be most abundant in the middle, also. I came across a large, glob-like organism slowly moving throughout the water. This organism was then identified as an amoeba, the first I have come across. This creature was slow-moving yet was not bothered by any other organisms within the MicroAquarium, as it was significantly larger. This amoeba was the only amoeba present.

Lastly, the bottom layer contained many organisms both new and old. Cyanobacteria were once again present. Also, the stentors I have encountered in the past weeks have progressively slowed and not become as active as they once were, the cilia are not spinning near as fast. As each week continues I notice more and more dead organisms collecting at the bottom of the MicroAquarium primarily in the sediment. An interesting find I had not yet encountered were fragilaria (Prescott 1978). This multi-celled organism was gold in color and remained stationary, there were about three of these organisms in the same vicinity.

Bibliography

• Pennack, R. Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States. 1st Edition. New York, New York, Wiley-Interscience Publishing. 656 pp.
• Prescott, G.W. 1978. How to Know Freshwater Algae. 2nd Edition. Dubuque, IA. W.C. Brown Publishing. 293 pp.

11/2/12 MicroAquarium Observation 3

MicroAquarium Observation 3 - November 2, 2012

This week my MicroAquarium has greatly increased in biological diversity and activity. On Friday October 26th a Beta Fish food pellet (Nutritional information in bibliography) was placed into all of our MicroAquariums. Based upon this addition it seems there is a direct correlation between an increase in life and the addition of the BFFP. My visiting time was around 11 A.M. on Friday, November 2nd. 

Interestingly, the top layer did not have as much as activity as last week, it seems all of the activity has shifted towards the bottom half. on the upper layer I saw a lot of the same organisms. Most notably, an actinosphaerium was identified again (Patterson 1996). Once more, this multi-celled organism was stationary and had many axopodium (legs). 

Upon scrolling through the MicroAquarium the middle layer had quite a bit of activity. Unfortunately, I could only gather one confirmed species. This species was a Vorticella (Patterson 1996). Attached to a stem of one of the plants the organism was not mobile. No chlorophyll was present in the organism and it was multi-celled.  This organism had "teeth," also known as cilia to assist in food collection and guide it down the digestive tract much like a Stentor (Figure 223, Page 113, Patterson 1996). Aside from this discovery, many of the same organisms are present in the MicroAquarium as last week, but with more regularity and larger size. 

The liveliest layer was the bottom layer. Many dead organisms appeared on the bottom, also. Two species of cyanobacterium were identified in this layer. The first, oscillatoria, is multi-celled and slowly moved through the liquid (Figure 328, Page 187, Prescott 1978). This organism is very long and somewhat rigid and also has chlorophyll pigments present, differentiating it from normal bacteria. The other species, ulothrix, is a smaller species of cyanobacterium. Though still long, it's individual cells were closer together, allowing the organism to have more agility; this cyanobacteria again had pigments present (Figure 328, Page 187, Prescott 1978). This week I again identified a stentor, this stentor had the same cilia as the previously mentioned vorticella and has grown significantly since the last examination (Figure 214, Page 112, Patterson 1996).  A pediastrum was also identified in the bottom layer, this organism does not move and is multi-cellular, it contains a lot of chlorophyll (Figure 81, Page 63, Prescott 1978).

Bibliography

• Patterson D. 1996. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa.  1st Edition. Loudon, NW, London Madison Publishing. 223 pp.

•   Botany 111 Fall 2012 (Blog). Watersource: 9.  Sterchi Hills Greenway Trail on Rife Range Road in Knoxville (cited 2012 October 22).  Available from: http://botany1112012.blogspot.com/
• Prescott, G.W. 1978. How to Know Freshwater Algae. 2nd Edition. Dubuque, IA. W.C. Brown Publishing. 293 pp. 
• "Atison's Betta Food" made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Ingredients: 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%.