4th Observation

During my fourth observation, there were several rectangular, compartmental, yellowish brown diatoms as well as several rotifers dispersed throughout my microaquarium. I saw at least three rotifers that were no longer transparent and fat for they were filled with nutrients. Attached to the Utricularia gibba were multiple Vorticella, protozoa that attach to surroundings materials by means of a stalk and have a bell-shaped head with cilia surrounding open end, and collecting nutrients (Evans 2003). There also seemed to be a free swimming Vorticella towards the soil with its stalk coiled. I found two Actinophyrys, both stagnant, one next to the Utricularia gibba and the other close to the Fontinalis. Also, near the Utricularia gibba were two of the same unidentifiable organisms that had the rounded body with a hooked anterior lined with cilia like Colpidium, but the Colpidium did not have the large vacuole towards the posterior that these two organisms did (Patterson 1996). The picture above was determined as unknown by looking through multiple species and pictures (Patterson 1996).While the two organisms had the large posterior vacuole of Loxophyllum, they did not have the same slender body shape nor the external beads as the Loxophyllum (Patterson 1996). A picture of the unidentifiable organism is at the top of the page. Within the soil was a feeding annelid and then another annelid was seen completely outside of the soil moving to a new location before resettling in the soil again. Down towards the bottom of the microaquarium near the soil were hundreds of bacteria seeming to be feeding on dead matter.

Evans L. 2003 [cited 2010 Nov 4].Vorticella. [Internet]. US: Microbus. Available from: http://www.microscope-microscope.org/applications/pond-critters/protozoans/ciliphora/vorticella.htm.

Patterson D. 1996. Free- Living Freshwater Protozoa. London: Manson Publishing Ltd. Fig. 338.

Patterson D. 1996. Free- Living Freshwater Protozoa. London: Manson Publishing Ltd. Fig. 282.

Last Observation

            

There was definitely a noticeable decrease in the amount and diversity of microorganisms observed this last observation. The decrease has been gradual since the consumption of the beta food pellet. Throughout my microaquarium there were multiple rotifers, amoeba, and the rectangular segmented diatoms, but mostly such microorganisms were gathered in close proximity to the Utricularia gibba. The observations became more interesting towards the soil. As has been observed the past couple of weeks, there were thousands of bacteria, but unlike past weeks I came across some kind of “track” of an unknown organism, Mr. McFarland and I determined it matched neither an insect larvae or amoeba. Determined from the feathery-appendaged tracks, the organism was moving left. The picture to the left above shows the tracks.  Also towards the soil I ran across multiple Centropyxis, which are amoeba-related microorganisms that are a member of the genus Flugia and have a brown round body with a aperture near the anterior and a finger like appendage that is retractable (Patterson 1996). The Centropyxis is shown above in the picture to the right (Patterson 1996). Also towards the soil there were dead microorganisms, a Cosmarium desmid and rotifer being fed upon by bacteria.

Citation:

Patterson D. 1996. Free- Living Freshwater Protozoa. London: Manson Publishing Ltd. Fig. 184.

3rd Observation

On Friday October 22^nd, one beta food pellet was added into each microaquarium. Further information on beta food pellet: "Atison's Betta Food" made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Ingredients: Fishmeal, 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 2010). I ran across a multitude of organisms gathered and feeding on this food pellet. I spotted several Rotifers feeding upon the beta pellet and the Utricularia gibba that was nearby. Also surrounding the beta food pellet moving about were three green Paramecium Bursaria (Wilso 2003). Thousands of extremely small bacteria filled the water surrounding the beta pellet as well as Halteria, what look to be little jumping beans. Near the Utricularia gibba, there were two Actinophyrys, which are circular single cell organisms with a visible nucleus and vacuole and then several arms protruding (Patterson 1996). The picture Actinophyrys is above (Patterson 1996). Down towards the soil, I ran across three seed shrimp, tiny crustacean with five legs, a pair of antennae, and a pronged tail, digging and feeding (Mikel 2009). A nematode, a multicellular worm that is described as a “tube within a tube” for it is transparent with an interior brown canal running from the mouth to the anus, was also seen digging through the soil (Wallins 2008). Throughout the microaquarium I spotted several amoebas moving slowly about.

Mikel G. 2009 [cited 2010 Oct 28]. Gina Mikel Illustrations. [Internet]. Minnesota: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Available from: http://www.scientificillustrator.com/illustration/fish/seed-shrimp.html.

Patterson D. 1996. Free- Living Freshwater Protozoa. London: Manson Publishing Ltd. Fig. 397.

Wallins C. 2008 [cited 2010 Oct 28]. What are Nematodes? [Internet]. Nebraska: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Nematology. Available from: http://nematode.unl.edu/Wormgen.htm.

McFarland, K. 2010 Oct. 22. [cited 2010 Oct. 28]. Beta Food Pellet. [Internet]. Available from: Botany1112010.blogspot.com/.
Wilson E. 2003 [cited 2010 Nov 6]. Paramecium bursaria. [Internet]. UK: Encyclopedia of Life. Available from: http://www.eol.org/pages/484360.

2nd Observation

In today’s observations I spotted at least 5 Rotifers, transparent soft-bodied microscopic animals with a short flagella, feeding on the plant bladders of Utricularia gibba around the very top and middle of the microaquarium (Baqai 2001). Inside of the plant bladders were hundreds of tiny organisms, Paramecium, feeding. Also towards the top of the aquarium I ran across a Phacus, a unicellular Euglenoid with a short flagella and red eyespot. Down in the soil, I ran across a Cyclops, a tiny crustacean that looks to have bullhorns and a split tail, digging through and feeding on nutrients in the soil (Van Egmond 2001). Annelids, transparent segmented worms, were also seen pushing through the soil and feeding (Ward 1981). The picture of the Annelid is above (Ward 1981). In the very bottom of the aquarium within the channels dug by the Annelids, Nematodes, roundworms, could be found. Along with a multitude of microorganism sightings, I ran across a few different types of algae. There were several pen-shaped Diatoms, unicellular organisms that have a yellow- brown chloroplast, towards the bottom of the microaquarium in the soil (Van Egmond 2010). Three Closteriums, a type of Desmid green algae, were scattered throughout the soil as well as at least one volvox, a unicellular colonial green algae (Van Egmond 2000; Jones 1997). Other than green algae, I came across two Nitzschia, pollution algae.

Citations:

Baqai A & Guruswamy V. 2001 [cited 2010 Nov 21]. Rotifera. [Internet]. Berkeley: UCMP. Available from: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/phyla/rotifera/aurotifera.html.

Van Egmond W. 2010 [cited 2010 Nov 21]. Diatoms. [Internet]. UK: Microscopy-uk.org. Available from: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/wimsmall/diadr.html.

Van Egmond W. 2001 [cited 2010 Nov 21]. A Virtual Pond Dip. [Internet]. UK: Microscopy-uk.org. Available from: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/ponddip/cyclops.html.

Ward H, Whipple G. 1981. Fresh-Water Biology. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc. Fig. 981.


Van Egmond W. 2000 [cited 2010 Nov 6]. Desmids. [Internet]. UK: Microscopy-Uk.org. Available from: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/wimsmall/algdr.html.


Jones K & Smith M. 2010 [cited 2010 Nov 6]. Volvox. [Internet]. UK:Microscopy-uk.org. Available from: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art97b/volvoxms.html.

Today in lab we created our MicroAquarium tanks by filling our small glass containers with the soil and water from our choice of a variety of water bodies in the Knoxville area. We used pipettes to add a thin layer of soil and to add the water coming from both the surface and middle range of the water sample.  I filled my MicroAquarium with water sample 9, which is water from the pond at Sterchi Hills Greenway Trail. Here is some brief information on the pond at Sterchi Hills Greenway Trail: Rife Range Rd. Knox Co. Knoxville TN Full sun exposure Sheet runoff N36 02.687 W83 57.159 1065 ft (McFarland 2010). Small segments of two different plants, to the left of the aquarium the Fontinalis which is a moss collected from a natural spring at Carters Mill Park with partial shade exposure and then to the right the Utricularia gibba which is a flowering carnivous plant which original material was from the south shore of Spain and was then grown in water tanks outside of greenhouse at Hesler Biology Building at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, were added to provide something for microorganisms to latch onto (McFarland 2010). 

During today’s observations, under the 10X objective on the microscope, I spotted multiple clusters of organisms attached to Utricularia gibba by tails with bell-shaped heads that looked to be gather nutrients with cilia. Also crowded around Utricularia gibba, were medium- sized, bean-shaped organisms that were quickly being propelled by cilia and seemed to be feeding off the surface of Utricularia gibba. Down towards the soil were needle-shaped free-moving organisms as well as a couple of large green spore-looking organisms that showed no movement. Towards the top of the aquarium, away from the plants, I found only one bean-shaped organism that was very small and green that seemed to be moving by a spiraling motion.

Citation:
McFarland. 2010 [cited 2010 Oct. 12]. Botany 111 2010. [Internet]. Knoxville, Tennessee: University of Tennessee Botany. Available from: http://botany1112010.blogspot.com/.