I finished observation of my microaquarium by identifying the last interesting-looking microscopic life and by finding a reference for each of the organisms previously identified.
General Observations: There is a huge number of dead organisms in the tank, and many organisms cleaning up the carcasses. In the vicinity of major deposits of dead organisms I found a large number of gastrotriches, nematoads, and boticella. The carnivorious plant had extended tendrils throughout the tank as well, it was doing just fine for itself. The bottom of the tank remains the most active region, and the most likely place to find multicelled organisms. Also, during the course of the day I observed a fast-moving paramecium run smack into a vorticella, and then the vorticella recoiled itself really quickly, it was interesting behavior.
Newly Identified Organisms:
1. Stenostomum - an exciting worm-shaped multicelled organism that has "eyes"- cilliated sensory pits, one of these brown monsters was menacing the bottom of the tank. It moved fairly quickly for its size, which is relatively massive. Citation: Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Organisms, fig 6-4, page 156
2. Centropyxis - a shelled amoeba, brown, with very distinct portrusions, sort of bearclaw-shaped, I found a of these in the tank, not necessarily doing anything interesting. Citation: Free Living Freshwater Protozoa, fig 184, page 95
Citations for Previously Identified Organisms:
in Pennack's Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States by Smith
Philodina- fig 7.3, page 132
Gastrotrich-identified as Chaetonotus- fig 6-7, page 126
Nematoad- fig 8.1, page 193
in Free Living Freshwater Protozoa by Patterson
Oscillatoria- fig 4, page 25
Diatoms-identified as navicula- fig5, page 25
Closterium- fig 10, page 26
Volvox-reclassified as Eudorina- fig 61, page 57
Euglena- fig 120, page 70
Amoeba- fig 195, page 98
Vorticella- fig 233, page 113
Bursaria- fig 317, page 143
Paramecium- fig 345, page 153
Actinosphaerium- fig 395, page 169
from Freshwater Algae by Lund
Asterionella- fig 240, page 132
Oedegonium- fig 94, page 62
Melosira- fig 251, page 139
Now, for a view of our friend, the rotifer Rotoria, via fig 8.4, page 190 of Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates by Thors and Covitch
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Observation III
Observations: There was a murky green smear on the near the bottom of the aquarium. Upon microscopial investigation, it turned out to be cyanobacterium (oscillatoria) that that have grown so densely that other organisms had trouble moving through the strands. Also, I have discovered algae about, and I assume more water has been added, since the microaquarium is almost full again, and greatly more populated by microscopic life. Most of this life seems to be near the bottom of the tank.
New organisms observed/identified:
1. Melosira - a long-stranded yellow diatom, these guys were found mostly near the bottom near the oscillatoria. I found around a dozen of them skimming the bottom tank for more interesting specimens. These didn't do much.
2. Closterium - a crescent-shaped desmid, with two compartments separated at the midsection. This is a green algae, thus it is photosythetic, and I did not observe it moving. I only found one during my observation, at the bottom of the tank, it is possible that there are more.
3. Gastrotrych - little tiny earwig-looking guys that moved fairly rapidly about, noticed these guys but didn't identify them in my previous observations. They move pretty quickly via cillia, I have observed at least a dozen in my microaquarium.
4. Oedogonium - long filamentous green algae, also found at the bottom of the tank. I noticed several strands of these, including two that had coiled together in a double helix.
I also saw most of the microscopic life I'd observed in the past, and noticed a great deal of vorticella about, which may have come from the added water.
New organisms observed/identified:
1. Melosira - a long-stranded yellow diatom, these guys were found mostly near the bottom near the oscillatoria. I found around a dozen of them skimming the bottom tank for more interesting specimens. These didn't do much.
2. Closterium - a crescent-shaped desmid, with two compartments separated at the midsection. This is a green algae, thus it is photosythetic, and I did not observe it moving. I only found one during my observation, at the bottom of the tank, it is possible that there are more.
3. Gastrotrych - little tiny earwig-looking guys that moved fairly rapidly about, noticed these guys but didn't identify them in my previous observations. They move pretty quickly via cillia, I have observed at least a dozen in my microaquarium.
4. Oedogonium - long filamentous green algae, also found at the bottom of the tank. I noticed several strands of these, including two that had coiled together in a double helix.
I also saw most of the microscopic life I'd observed in the past, and noticed a great deal of vorticella about, which may have come from the added water.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Observation II
Observations: Somehow it seemed as though there was less going on in the tank this time around. So while I saw nothing really exciting, I took the time to identify a few of the organisms that had eluded me last time:
1. Volvox - a sphere with green areas inside, they are apparently a colony of photosynthetic organisms, that move via the use of flagella. There were a few of these, and they mostly just sat around, which seems to be what photosynthetic organisms do, generally.
2. Asterionella - what I tentatively identify this starfish looking green organism that I found. I only found one, and he sat pretty still, which is why I could only classify him as such. Not entirely sure that's what it was, since the pictures in the book didn't match exactly, but until I find it again that's what I'll call him.
From my last observation:
I observed the same huge amount of oscillatoria, although they seemed less happy this time around, I found some in smaller strands that were completely inert, which might indicate that some are dead? In that same vein, I found a portion of my microaquarium chock-full of the diatoms I found in my last observation, which may indicate that they're doing quite well in this environment. I also found roughly the same amount as last time of actinosphaerium, amoeba, vorticella, paramecium, bursaria, and nematoads. The organisms I only found a few of and were relatively stationary from last time I didn't find this time, which according to science doesn't necessarily mean that they're not there, until I find bodies.
The more mobile rotifer from my last observation I have identified as a philodina.
Due to evaporation, there is a good deal less water than the first observation, which may not bode well for these microorganisms in the long run.
1. Volvox - a sphere with green areas inside, they are apparently a colony of photosynthetic organisms, that move via the use of flagella. There were a few of these, and they mostly just sat around, which seems to be what photosynthetic organisms do, generally.
2. Asterionella - what I tentatively identify this starfish looking green organism that I found. I only found one, and he sat pretty still, which is why I could only classify him as such. Not entirely sure that's what it was, since the pictures in the book didn't match exactly, but until I find it again that's what I'll call him.
From my last observation:
I observed the same huge amount of oscillatoria, although they seemed less happy this time around, I found some in smaller strands that were completely inert, which might indicate that some are dead? In that same vein, I found a portion of my microaquarium chock-full of the diatoms I found in my last observation, which may indicate that they're doing quite well in this environment. I also found roughly the same amount as last time of actinosphaerium, amoeba, vorticella, paramecium, bursaria, and nematoads. The organisms I only found a few of and were relatively stationary from last time I didn't find this time, which according to science doesn't necessarily mean that they're not there, until I find bodies.
The more mobile rotifer from my last observation I have identified as a philodina.
Due to evaporation, there is a good deal less water than the first observation, which may not bode well for these microorganisms in the long run.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Organisms observed, roughly in order of the amount of things I have to say about them:
1. Oscillatoria - colony of photosynthetic bacteria, found in long green strands, I'd say there are probably 100+ of such colonies in my microaquarium. One or two of them were coiling into themselves into knots, which was weird/exciting, and Professor McFarland said that he'd never seen them do that before. I asked if he thought this behavior was stress related, to which he responded that they seemed actually quite happy. I'm not sure how they move, they kind of swayed this way and that.
2. Actinosphaerium - protist, resembled a sea urchin, quite a few of these guys but they weren't everywhere. I only observed them floating around, but I think they were moving under their own power; the book says that they move by use of pseudopods.
3. Diatoms - eukaryotic algae, most that I could identify readily as diatoms were diamond shaped <>, but I found a rectangular one as well. There were a lot of them in my microaquarium, but they mostly just floated around at a moderate speed. I caught an amoeba absorbing one. Obviously these guys aren't the top of the food chain.
4. Amoeba - protozoan, appeared as amourphous blob with monstrous appendages. Moved using pseudopods, there are a fair number of them. I thought these guys were pretty gross, until I found one sneaking up and eating a diatom. Then my opinion of them rose drastically.
5. Vorticella - protozoan, appeared as a long stem, coiled on one end with a teacup on the other end covered in rapidly moving cillia. These stayed were they were, there were a moderate amount present, and they look like they might do something interesting, we'll see.
6. Paramecium - cilliate protozoa, colorful and fast. A lot of these guys were running into and out of frame constantly even as I observed other more interesting species. I probably won't think very highly of them until I see them eat something.
7. Euglena - protist, slow-moving and green. Presumably by their green color and lack of motion they sit around and photosynthesize. Only found a few, though there might be more that I simply passed over looking for things thatactually move.
8. Bursaria - cilliate protozoan, move pretty quickly, they look off balance with all of their organelles in three-quarters of their cytoplasm with a big empty area that the book tells me is a sort of micro-funnel. There were a moderate number of these.
9. Rotifer - an animal, long with a rotor at the end. I got a pretty good profile view of one of these and took a picture and video of it, which I'll try and email myself, probably next week. Nice action with the rotor, hopefully I'll observe them do something else. Less of these than the other rotifer.
10. Other Rotifer - also an animal, looks like an earwig. I'll have to classify this and distinguish it better, but this one was moving around rapidly and making itself a nuisance, I ran out of time to further classify it and the other rotifer. A middling amount of these.
10. Nematoads - clear wormlike animals also called roundworms, lots and lots of these worming their way around. I did not observe them doing anything interesting to make up for their ugliness.
11. A lot of other organisms - no time to I.D. all of them, I tried to get the most interesting. There's always next week.
Water Source:
10 Water pool below spring. Fountain City Park west of Broadway at Hotel Ave. Knox Co. Knoxville TN. . Full shade exposure Spring Feed Pond N36 02.253 W83 55.986 990 ft 10/13/2008
Plants:
A. Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. Moss. Collection from: Natural spring. Fountain City Park west of Broadway at Hotel Ave. Knox Co. Knoxville TN. Partial shade exposure. N 36o02' 15.18" W083o55' 59.95"988 ft. 10/13/2008
B. Utricularia vulgaris L. Flowering Plant. A carnivous plant. Collection from: Greenhouse in White Ave Biology Annex. The University of Tennessee. 1400 White Ave. Knox Co. Knoxville TN.Partial shade exposure N 35o57' 33.45" W083o55' 42.01". 932 ft 10/13/2008
1. Oscillatoria - colony of photosynthetic bacteria, found in long green strands, I'd say there are probably 100+ of such colonies in my microaquarium. One or two of them were coiling into themselves into knots, which was weird/exciting, and Professor McFarland said that he'd never seen them do that before. I asked if he thought this behavior was stress related, to which he responded that they seemed actually quite happy. I'm not sure how they move, they kind of swayed this way and that.
2. Actinosphaerium - protist, resembled a sea urchin, quite a few of these guys but they weren't everywhere. I only observed them floating around, but I think they were moving under their own power; the book says that they move by use of pseudopods.
3. Diatoms - eukaryotic algae, most that I could identify readily as diatoms were diamond shaped <>, but I found a rectangular one as well. There were a lot of them in my microaquarium, but they mostly just floated around at a moderate speed. I caught an amoeba absorbing one. Obviously these guys aren't the top of the food chain.
4. Amoeba - protozoan, appeared as amourphous blob with monstrous appendages. Moved using pseudopods, there are a fair number of them. I thought these guys were pretty gross, until I found one sneaking up and eating a diatom. Then my opinion of them rose drastically.
5. Vorticella - protozoan, appeared as a long stem, coiled on one end with a teacup on the other end covered in rapidly moving cillia. These stayed were they were, there were a moderate amount present, and they look like they might do something interesting, we'll see.
6. Paramecium - cilliate protozoa, colorful and fast. A lot of these guys were running into and out of frame constantly even as I observed other more interesting species. I probably won't think very highly of them until I see them eat something.
7. Euglena - protist, slow-moving and green. Presumably by their green color and lack of motion they sit around and photosynthesize. Only found a few, though there might be more that I simply passed over looking for things thatactually move.
8. Bursaria - cilliate protozoan, move pretty quickly, they look off balance with all of their organelles in three-quarters of their cytoplasm with a big empty area that the book tells me is a sort of micro-funnel. There were a moderate number of these.
9. Rotifer - an animal, long with a rotor at the end. I got a pretty good profile view of one of these and took a picture and video of it, which I'll try and email myself, probably next week. Nice action with the rotor, hopefully I'll observe them do something else. Less of these than the other rotifer.
10. Other Rotifer - also an animal, looks like an earwig. I'll have to classify this and distinguish it better, but this one was moving around rapidly and making itself a nuisance, I ran out of time to further classify it and the other rotifer. A middling amount of these.
10. Nematoads - clear wormlike animals also called roundworms, lots and lots of these worming their way around. I did not observe them doing anything interesting to make up for their ugliness.
11. A lot of other organisms - no time to I.D. all of them, I tried to get the most interesting. There's always next week.
Water Source:
10 Water pool below spring. Fountain City Park west of Broadway at Hotel Ave. Knox Co. Knoxville TN. . Full shade exposure Spring Feed Pond N36 02.253 W83 55.986 990 ft 10/13/2008
Plants:
A. Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. Moss. Collection from: Natural spring. Fountain City Park west of Broadway at Hotel Ave. Knox Co. Knoxville TN. Partial shade exposure. N 36o02' 15.18" W083o55' 59.95"988 ft. 10/13/2008
B. Utricularia vulgaris L. Flowering Plant. A carnivous plant. Collection from: Greenhouse in White Ave Biology Annex. The University of Tennessee. 1400 White Ave. Knox Co. Knoxville TN.Partial shade exposure N 35o57' 33.45" W083o55' 42.01". 932 ft 10/13/2008
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