Post 3

     Observed on November 4, 2014

     I observed a much larger variety of different organisms this week that have yet to appear in my microaquarium, perhaps due to multiple pairs of eyes looking through the microscope this time. I observed Cyclops, Difflugia, Vorticella, Midge, and some other creatures I was unable to identify.  I was unable to capture a photo of the Midge.  I captured some nice photos this time around that turned out very clear.  

     The first photo below is of a juvenile Cyclops.  This organism's usual life cycle consists of the egg, six nauplius stages, five to seven copepodid stages, and the adult stage as well.  In some species this cycle is abbreviated with only four or five nauplius stages (Pennak, 1953).  These organisms accumulate calcium in the cortex.  They are scavengers feeding on dead and dying organisms (Patterson, 2003).

     The second creature I stumbled upon was Difflugia.  Difflugia is a shelled amoeba.  This common organism is shaped by pieces of 'grit'.  The body is round with a circularapical aperture and occasionally the posterior end is drawn out as a point (Patterson, 2003).

     The final creature that you see in the bottom photo is a Vorticella.  This organism is a a common peritrich ciliate.  The cilia that are active are wreaths of feeding cilia made of an upper band that corresponds to a membranelle and creates currents of water for food purposes.  There is also a lower band that corresponds to the undulating membrane.  These creatures can be vulnerable to predators, howver some protection is provided by stalk contractibility (Patterson, 2003).

     

     

Bibliography

Patterson, D.J. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa. Washington DC: Wolfe, 2003. Print.

Pennak, Robert W. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States. New York: Ronald, 1953. Print.

Post 2

Observation on Thursday October 30, 2014

I observed my microaquarium this week and was able to notice an immediate difference.  Organisms were much larger after the food pellet was added, and there was much more activity.  I observed different organisms and was able to capture photos of some. I captured two organisms with the camera this week in my microaquarium.  I found Turbellaia Zooids and Euplots.

 I found this Zooid in my microaquarium.  This was in a chain of zooids in rhabdocoels.  These zooids are in chains in Turbellaria and pinch off into individual zooids.  All fresh-water American Turbellaria are hermaphrodotic, and the organ systems are very complex.  There are various types of reproductive systems for this organism (Patterson, D.J.)

I found this Euplot in my microaquarium.  The adoral zone of membranelles forms a collar a collar that goes around the front of the cell.  There is also a lapel that leads to the cytostome.  To the right of the mouth of the cell, there is the undulating membarne.  There are locomotor cilia are found in many clusters, but the most obvious is the line of transverse cirri.  There are also frontoventrals and caudal cirri.  There is also a contractile vacuole present (Patterson, 1953).

Bibliography

Patterson, D.J. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa. Washington DC: Wolfe, 2003. Print.

Pennak, Robert W. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States. New York: Ronald, 1953. Print.

Microaquarium: Post 1

10/14/14

In lab we created a microaquarium.  The materials we used include the following: pipette, gap blue stick, disectory needle, tweezers, sticky colored dots, and the microaquarium.  I used a double wide microscope slide obtained from Mr. McFarland.  A base and lid to the microaquarium were provided to prevent water from going out.  I then added water and plants to my microaquarium.  

I filled my microaquarium with water from Meads Quarry, Island Home Ave, Knox Co. Tennessee Partial shade exposure Rock Quarry N35 57.162 W83 51.960 880 10/12/2014 (McFarland, 2014)

I added the following organisms to my microaquarium:

Amblestegium varium (Hedwig) Lindberg. Moss.
Collection from: Natural spring. at Carters Mill Park, Carter Mill Road, Knox Co. TN. Partial shade exposure. N36 01.168 W83 42.832. 10/12/2014 (McFarland, 2014)

Utricularia gibba L. Flowering plant. A
carnivorous plant. Original material from south shore of Spain Lake (N 35o55 12.35" W088o20' 47.00), Camp Bella Air Rd. East of Sparta Tn. in White Co. and grown in water tanks outside of greenhouse at Hesler
Biology Building. The University of Tennessee. Knox Co. Knoxville TN.
10/12/2014 (McFarland, 2014)

I observed the aquarium via microscope, however there wasn't much activity.  I am hoping for more next week.  

Bibliography

 McFarland, Kenneth [Internet] Botany 111 Fall 2014. [11/3/2014]. Available fromhttp://botany1112014.blogspot.com/