Week 4

For the final observation, I didn't notice a big change throughout the MicroAquarium since the last observation. The water level had continued to drop however, it was half of what it started out to be and therefore the aquatic plants were mostly exposed. Yet, the plants were still mainly green although a few spots had started to brown. The beta food pellet was no longer visible. While observing, I saw the effects that the beta food pellet had on the MicroAquarium. With its presence, it had the MicroAquarium burst with microorganisms due to the nutrition added, yet I am now noticing how with its absence, the microorganisms are deceasing. With the help of McFarland, I was able to find several microorganisms that were still present. Such microorganisms were Philodina sp. (Picture 1), two Heliozoa splitting (Picture 2), and lastly Fragilaria sp. (Picture 3). When looking for organisms throughout the MicroAquarium, McFarland and I noticed that there were microorganisms present, just not in abundance as they used to be.

                                                                   Picture 1

                                                                   Picture 2

                                                                 Picture 3

                                                                   

Week 3

When observing my MicroAquarium this week I noticed several drastic changes. Such changes as the fact the water level had dropped and some of the vegetation was not submersed anymore. I also noticed how the beta food pellet was no longer there but had finally been dissolved into the water. Lastly, although the vegetation was still a vivid green, when looking for microorganisms through the microscope lenses, it appeared as if their numbers had decreased significantly. This was apparent when I was searching through the muck that was collected at the bottom of the MicroAquarium where Cyclops sp. inhabit, yet there were none present. Next, when trying to locate the Parameciulm sp. with Chlorella sp. present within it, the spot in which they were trapped within was empty. Finally after 30 minutes of looking around for microorganisms, I spotted an insect larvae moving within the vegetation. Overall, the MicroAquarium appears that it is slowly coming to an end with the microorganims beginning to die.

Week 2

This week in my MicroAquarium, I noticed a major change throughout. The MicroAquarium life had burst and there were microorganisms every where, a lot more than there was last week. I also discovered a green algae, Euglena, growing in my MicroAquarium. Euglena is a unicellular flagellate protist that can be found in fresh or salt waters and are heterotrophs and autotrophs. I also discovered numbers of slow moving organisms that were long and oval shaped. I then found out that the organisms were Paramecium sp. that had Chlorella sp. inside of each which made them have a green appearance (Video 1).

Video 1

It was assumed by McFarland that one got stuck in the intersections and overlapping of the mosses in the MicroAquarium and began reproducing asexually. Paramecium sp. are a genus of unicellular ciliate protozoa (Patterson and Hedley). Within each Paramecium sp. is Chlorella sp. that are living in a symbiotic relationship (Luna and Luna). Next, I observed what was a Stentor sp. which was trumpet shaped when extended but oval while swimming (Picture 1).

Picture 1

Lastly, I observed a Limnias sp. while it was filtering the water around itself (Video 2). This microorganism lives in a self built tube attached to the water plants around it (Pennak). Attached to it is a rotifer which uses fast moving cilia to create a vortex that allows it to sweep in food particles where the gut within the microorganism is seen grinding the food (Pennak). 

                                

  Video 2

Week 1

When observing my MicroAquarium this week, I noticed a change throughout.This is most likely due to the fact the Professor McFarland added one beta food pellet on October 25 (McFarland 2013). The ingredients of Atison's Betta Food made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. is 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% (McFarland 2013). The first thing I observed was the fact that the plant life was not as green as it was before. It had started browning and began to give off an odor. Next, I started moving the microscope around looking for aquatic life. The first microorganism I came across was an aquatic insect larvae that wasn't far enough in it life cycle to be identified. The next organism I discovered was several Cyclops' sp. which were swimming through the dirt and muck located at the bottom of the MicroAquarium (Picture 1). A cyclops, also known as a water flea is the most common freshwater copepods (Thorp and Covich 2010). Within my MicroAquarium, the Cyclops sp. had a single large red eye, which made it easier to find and identify them. 

Picture 1

The next microorganism I was able to identify was an Amoeba sp. (Picture 2). An Amoeba sp. is part of the Protozoa genus. It is an unicellular organism that doesn't have a definite shape. When I first came across the amoeba, it amazed me because it was the first one I was able to find throughout a MicroAquarium filled with Cyclops sp. and insect larvae. The amoeba moved at a pace that wasn't fast like the other microorganisms, yet not too slow. The amoeba was clear and made it able for you to see the cell's organelles throughout. 

Picture 2

The final microorganism I discovered before finishing the observation was Loxodes sp. (Picture 3). A Loxodes sp. is a flattened organism with a concave buccal region (Patterson and Hedley 1996). This microorganism habitats sediments or the area in the water that has thermal stratification. The Loxodes sp. moved extremely fast and away from the plant life. It was incredibly to watch especially when it began to turn and was unable to see due to the fact that it is very flat and clear. 

                                                                         Picture 3

Bibliography

Cook R, McFarland K. 2013. General Botany 111 Laboratory Manual. 15^th ed. New York (NY): W.H. Freeman and Company. 155-156p 

Luna-Canter, Hilda, and Luna John WG. Freshwater Algae: Their Microscopic World Explored. England: Biopress LTD, 1995, Print 

McFarland, Kenneth [Internet] Botany 111 Fall 2013. [cited 23 October 2013]. Available from http://botany1112013.blogspot.com//

McFarland, Kenneth [Internet] Botany 111 Fall 2013. [cited 31 October 2013]. Available from http://botany1112013.blogspot.com//

Patterson, D.J., and Hedley, Stuart. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. Washington D.C.: ASM Press, 1996. Print

Pennak, Robert W. Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States: Protozoa to Mollusa. New York:The Ronald Press Company, 1953, Print.

Prescot, G.W. How To Know The Fresh-Water Algae. Dubuque: WM.C. Brown Company, 1964, Print

Thorp, James H., and Covich, Alan P. Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates. 3rd edition. Canada: Academic Press, 2010, Print.

Wolve, Francais Rev. Fresh Water Algae: Plates of The United States Exclusive of the Diatomaceae. Bethlehem: The Comenius Press, 1887, Print

The Set-Up

On October 16, 2013, the MicroAquarium was assembled. It was constructed of a glass tank, a stand holder, and a lid (Cook & McFarland 2013). Each MicroAquarium was identified by three colored dots allowing students and the instructor to know who's is who. My MicroAquarium was filled with water from the Tommy Schumpert Pond, which will be the environment for the microorganisms for the next month. This water source is located in the Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge in Knoxville County, Tennessee (McFarland 2013). The Tommy Schumpert Pond receives partial shade exposure and Sheet runoff around the sink hole (McFarland 2013). Next, different species of plants where placed inside the MicroAquarium to add to the microorganisms new habitat. Within the MicroAquarium, I added Amblestegium varium (Hedwig) Lindberg which is a moss collected from the Natural Spring at Carters Mill Park with  partial shade. Also added was Fontinalis sp.,  another moss yet collected from the Holston River along the John Sevier Highway. Lastly, Utricularia gibba, a flowering carnivorous plant grown in water tanks outside of the Helser Biology Building at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, was added to the MicroAquarium (Picture 1).

Once the setup of the MicroAquarium was finished, observing the microorganisms started. Placed under the microscope and using the 10x lens, the microorganisms were view able within the MicroAquarium. I was able to see several different organisms throughout the MicroAquarium; such as long worms twitching throughout the muddy water at the bottom of the aquarium. Others included smaller yet wider microorganisms moving throughout the moss, fast and swift and skinnier microorganisms that were clear colored and moving out in the open.

                                                                         Picture 1