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

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.