observation #5

Todays observation was so many times more productive than last weeks. The beta food pellet added last week on 11/14/13 has caused the entire micro aquarium to come back to life. The micro aquarium was very similar to what I saw in observation #3(11/4/13). I assume that this is due to the addition of beta food pellets after observation #2(pellet added on10/25/13) and observation #4(pellet added on 11/14/13) which caused a huge increase in the amount of living and mobile microorganisms both times. Many of the organisms I have previously seen and taken note of, are located in the same general locations that I had previously seen them.

 above: unknown

 above: unknown diatom(McFarland, 2013)

Professor McFarland was certain this is a diatom but he wasn't able to specify what type of diatom it is.  

above: Unknown

above: unknown

above: Ftagellaria (Russel, Rainis 1996)

Located in the same areas in water and near plants as when seen before in observation 3 with about the same distribution and total number as seen before.

above: Cyclidium (Patterson 1996)

Bibliography, 

Rainis, Kenneth G., and Bruce J. Russell. Guide to Microlife. Danbury Conn.: New York, 1996. Print.
Patterson, D. J. Free-living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Manson, 1996. Print.
McFarland, Kenneth [Internet] Botany 111 Fall 2013. [cited ADD DATE]. Available from http://botany1112013.blogspot.com/

observation #4

My observation this week was a little disappointing due to the fact that almost all of the life I have been observing in my micro aquarium has ceased, or at least seems to be nonexistant. I found most of the organisms I observed in my 2nd and 3rd observations but there were far fewer and most seemed to be either dead or extremely inactive. Professor McFarland instructed my lab partner and I to add another beta food pellet to our micro aquariums after we were finished with our observations so that we will have more to observe next week.

 above: Anabaena (Russel, Rainis 1996)

above: unknown

above: unknown

Bibliography,
Rainis, Kenneth G., and Bruce J. Russell. Guide to Microlife. Danbury Conn.: New York, 1996. Print.
Patterson, D. J. Free-living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Manson, 1996. Print.

observation #3

After observation #2 professor McFarland has added beta food pellets to our micro aquariums.These pellets have caused a drastic increase in lifeforms present the aquarium. Today professor McFarland and myself located and photographed about 12 different species. Then we tried to identify all of them but only managed to identify about half. Life was distributed throughout the aquarium but was by far the most prolific near the beta food pellets that were added last week. here are some of the organisms we photographed(i wasn't able to crop all of them so i couldn't upload all 12)

above: Tachysoma(Patterson 1996)

Located near the beta food pellet

above: Anisonema(Patterson 1996)

Located near the beta food pellet 

 

above: Unknown

above: unknown

above: Ftagellaria(Russel, Rainis 1996)

Located in the vegetation suspended in the water

above: Epalaxis sp (Patterson 1996)

Located near the beta food pellet

above: Litonotus sp (Patterson 1996)

Located near the beta food pellet

above: Litonotus sp (Patterson 1996)

This is only a second picture of the organism pictured above it. i just thought it was really neat

above:  Pleuronema sp (Patterson 1996)

Located throughout the entire micro aquarium

Bibliography,
Rainis, Kenneth G., and Bruce J. Russell. Guide to Microlife. Danbury Conn.: New York, 1996. Print.
Patterson, D. J. Free-living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Manson, 1996. Print.