Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The end
So i went back the following wednesday in the hopes that my MicroAquarium would still be entact but my hopes where in vain. The microaquarium was dry. I wonder where the water went. I'm sorry destroyed and ultimately creat the shipwreck that has become my MicroAquarium. Luckily, I have observed and gathered enough data to create an accurate "Lab report". There is no need to fear seeing how I made the best use of my time and took enough pictures and classified enough organisms to create an accurate lab report.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
4th Observation
11/07/08
Returned in search for the giant worm (Midge). Sweeped the entire MicroAquirium with the microscope and the naked eye and spotted its head once poking out of the soil on the bottom but after watchin it for a couple of minutes it decided to go back under and didn't come out again for the entire time I was in there observing. Spotted a Copepod, very exciting because I realized that in a previous post I mistakingly classified an organism as a Rotifer when in fact it is indeed a Copepod. I'll have to hopefully find and take a picture of the Rotifer so that I may compare the two organisms. No dead Ostracods or other dead organisms but plently of life and activity. Spotted several Ostracods with the naked eye just floating around, observed them feeding on one of the plants and burrowing in the soil at the bottom of the MicroAquirium. On an interesting side note my MicroAquirium has for as long as I can remember had a minor crack running from the side to about a third of the way in and I may now know how it got there. The reason being that today I added to that crack by foolishly searching for protista and zooming to close and have as a resuly successfuly doubled its size. I freaked out for a second, Im not going to lie and thought for a bit that I had just gotten a zero for my mistake but the MicroAquirium is still in one piece and though it did leak a little bit of water it has completely stopped leaking and it seems that itll stay intact. I cautiously observed the MicroAquirium afterwards and observed that life seemed to still be going as usual except for the slight loss of water. It was not all bad however and did find one of my preys, the protista which Dr. MacFarland has helped my identify as TACHYSOMA. Found it in the book, "Free-living Freshwater Protozoa/A color Guide, on p. 125 Figure 265. Author is D.J. Patterson S. Hedley. Will go in at least twice more next week in an attempt to photograph both the Midge and the Protozoa. Hopefully there will still be something to observe next week.
Returned in search for the giant worm (Midge). Sweeped the entire MicroAquirium with the microscope and the naked eye and spotted its head once poking out of the soil on the bottom but after watchin it for a couple of minutes it decided to go back under and didn't come out again for the entire time I was in there observing. Spotted a Copepod, very exciting because I realized that in a previous post I mistakingly classified an organism as a Rotifer when in fact it is indeed a Copepod. I'll have to hopefully find and take a picture of the Rotifer so that I may compare the two organisms. No dead Ostracods or other dead organisms but plently of life and activity. Spotted several Ostracods with the naked eye just floating around, observed them feeding on one of the plants and burrowing in the soil at the bottom of the MicroAquirium. On an interesting side note my MicroAquirium has for as long as I can remember had a minor crack running from the side to about a third of the way in and I may now know how it got there. The reason being that today I added to that crack by foolishly searching for protista and zooming to close and have as a resuly successfuly doubled its size. I freaked out for a second, Im not going to lie and thought for a bit that I had just gotten a zero for my mistake but the MicroAquirium is still in one piece and though it did leak a little bit of water it has completely stopped leaking and it seems that itll stay intact. I cautiously observed the MicroAquirium afterwards and observed that life seemed to still be going as usual except for the slight loss of water. It was not all bad however and did find one of my preys, the protista which Dr. MacFarland has helped my identify as TACHYSOMA. Found it in the book, "Free-living Freshwater Protozoa/A color Guide, on p. 125 Figure 265. Author is D.J. Patterson S. Hedley. Will go in at least twice more next week in an attempt to photograph both the Midge and the Protozoa. Hopefully there will still be something to observe next week.
Monday, November 3, 2008
3rd Observation
10/31/08
1:00 P.M.
There seems to be a decrease of water since the initial start. There is about 1/2 inch area from the top of the container to where the water now touches that is open air The topes of the plants are now exposed to air. There also seems to be a renewal of life, if you will, and havealready spotted at least 5 Ostrocads with the first glance and upon further observation at least 17 different Ostrocads swimming around at once. They all seem to be healthy and a bunch of them appear to be feeding on the left plant. There also seems to be alot of air bubbles everwhere just disperesed and I havent seen a single dead Ostracod body as of yet. Completely the opposite from last week. Also there seems to be less amoeba things and also les debris floating in the water. Activity seems to be pretty disperesed from top to bottom and left to right. The bottom layer of dirt is full with dark objects. When I hold the MicroAquirium up all the Ostracods flee to the bottom and burrow in the dirt. Cant seem to spot any Rotifers this time but not too worried since last time I only spotted two. I have decided to classify the little round thins Raramecium aurelia though they may be chilomonos. The right plant seems to have settled with half red/half green while the left plant seems to be fading its green and has more hints of yellow green now. Gigantic worm thing just shot out from the dirt, swam half way up and floated back down. Moves like an inch worm and biggest organism that I have seen within the MicroAquirium. Seems to have a tiny arm near its head and its tail closes up behind it when it moves. Have classified is as a midge. Failed to take a picture but only because it when back and burried itself again and need to leave for math. I shall come earlier next time and get pictures.
1:00 P.M.
There seems to be a decrease of water since the initial start. There is about 1/2 inch area from the top of the container to where the water now touches that is open air The topes of the plants are now exposed to air. There also seems to be a renewal of life, if you will, and havealready spotted at least 5 Ostrocads with the first glance and upon further observation at least 17 different Ostrocads swimming around at once. They all seem to be healthy and a bunch of them appear to be feeding on the left plant. There also seems to be alot of air bubbles everwhere just disperesed and I havent seen a single dead Ostracod body as of yet. Completely the opposite from last week. Also there seems to be less amoeba things and also les debris floating in the water. Activity seems to be pretty disperesed from top to bottom and left to right. The bottom layer of dirt is full with dark objects. When I hold the MicroAquirium up all the Ostracods flee to the bottom and burrow in the dirt. Cant seem to spot any Rotifers this time but not too worried since last time I only spotted two. I have decided to classify the little round thins Raramecium aurelia though they may be chilomonos. The right plant seems to have settled with half red/half green while the left plant seems to be fading its green and has more hints of yellow green now. Gigantic worm thing just shot out from the dirt, swam half way up and floated back down. Moves like an inch worm and biggest organism that I have seen within the MicroAquirium. Seems to have a tiny arm near its head and its tail closes up behind it when it moves. Have classified is as a midge. Failed to take a picture but only because it when back and burried itself again and need to leave for math. I shall come earlier next time and get pictures.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Second Official Observation-10/24/08
Second Observation, 10 days after initial set-up and alot has already happened. Alot of broken up debris seems to be floating around everywhere with heavy concentration toward the middle. There are alot of ameoba like things zipping around everywhere and even with the highest focus of the microscope cannot distinctly make out what they are. All that I know is that they are most likely some form of decomposers seeming how they are found heavily in dead Ostracods. Which brings up the second most interesting change, most of the Ostracods that where originally everywhere are now gone. I found three living ones floating around and several dead ones lying on the bottom being decomposed by the little green ameobas. There also seems to be alot of floating Fimamenous. Also have found two different Rotifers and believe that there may be a couple more floating around. One particluar Ostracod is slowly stopping and seems to be dieing. It has stopped spinnins and mostly moves its legs frantically but doesnt go anywhere. Even its legs are slowly stopping. Most of the activity seems to be toward teh bottom with thedeath adn decomposition of the Ostracods. It would seem that the MicrAquarium is falling into decay and one of the two plants also seems to be slowly withering away. In parts it is turning red/brown from its original green. Also observed a small "healthy" Ostracod feeding on what appears to be mossy green things. It was right next to hollowed shell of a huge (by comparison) carcass of a dead Ostracod. Rotifers seem to feed on left leafy pland, Also seems to be alot of decayed Filamentom. The top area seems to be mostly empty of anything except slight debris and round spheres that I am told are air bubbles.
-One of the many green things floating around.
-Copepod
-Young Ostracod feeding
-Dead organisms lying at the bottom
-unknown
-Air Bubble
Second Observation, 10 days after initial set-up and alot has already happened. Alot of broken up debris seems to be floating around everywhere with heavy concentration toward the middle. There are alot of ameoba like things zipping around everywhere and even with the highest focus of the microscope cannot distinctly make out what they are. All that I know is that they are most likely some form of decomposers seeming how they are found heavily in dead Ostracods. Which brings up the second most interesting change, most of the Ostracods that where originally everywhere are now gone. I found three living ones floating around and several dead ones lying on the bottom being decomposed by the little green ameobas. There also seems to be alot of floating Fimamenous. Also have found two different Rotifers and believe that there may be a couple more floating around. One particluar Ostracod is slowly stopping and seems to be dieing. It has stopped spinnins and mostly moves its legs frantically but doesnt go anywhere. Even its legs are slowly stopping. Most of the activity seems to be toward teh bottom with thedeath adn decomposition of the Ostracods. It would seem that the MicrAquarium is falling into decay and one of the two plants also seems to be slowly withering away. In parts it is turning red/brown from its original green. Also observed a small "healthy" Ostracod feeding on what appears to be mossy green things. It was right next to hollowed shell of a huge (by comparison) carcass of a dead Ostracod. Rotifers seem to feed on left leafy pland, Also seems to be alot of decayed Filamentom. The top area seems to be mostly empty of anything except slight debris and round spheres that I am told are air bubbles.
-One of the many green things floating around.
-Copepod
-Young Ostracod feeding
-Dead organisms lying at the bottom
-unknown
-Air Bubble
Brave New World
Term Project-10/15/08
Started the Term Project this week by setting up the MicroAquariums in Lab. I used the water from #8 and put plants A and B on each side of the Aquirium with dirt on the botton and water everywhere else. With the first observation found many many little flea type creatures swimming everywhere in loops. Upon further scrutinizing have classifies them as being Ostracods. Have counted at least 5 different Ostracods being within the MicroAquariums and believe there to be many more but cannot pin down the number above 5 because of how quick they are and how often they zip around. It is important to note that they can be visible with the naked eye. There seem to be other smaller organisms floating mostly within the bottom to middle range but cannot make out what exactly they are with the microspcope. Most life that I have observed, however, does seem to be ranging from the dirt bottom to the middle. Very little activity at the top compared to the bottom.
Started the Term Project this week by setting up the MicroAquariums in Lab. I used the water from #8 and put plants A and B on each side of the Aquirium with dirt on the botton and water everywhere else. With the first observation found many many little flea type creatures swimming everywhere in loops. Upon further scrutinizing have classifies them as being Ostracods. Have counted at least 5 different Ostracods being within the MicroAquariums and believe there to be many more but cannot pin down the number above 5 because of how quick they are and how often they zip around. It is important to note that they can be visible with the naked eye. There seem to be other smaller organisms floating mostly within the bottom to middle range but cannot make out what exactly they are with the microspcope. Most life that I have observed, however, does seem to be ranging from the dirt bottom to the middle. Very little activity at the top compared to the bottom.
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