Final MicroAquarium Observation

For my last observation, I noticed that a lot of water had evaporated from my MicroAquarium and that both plants present in my aquarium looked very unhealthy due to feeding by the aquatic organisms.  The Amblestegium sp. moss appeared to be the preferred food source among the microorganisms because it looked like it was fed upon the most. With the noticeable depletion of plant material, came the apparent slowing down of life in my MicroAquarium; organisms seemed to move slower, and their relative abundance seemed to have decreased slightly.  I still saw a few Tachysoma sp., Euplotes sp., Actinosphaerium sp., Vorticella sp., and Euchlanis sp.  The midge that first appeared during my previous observation was still alive and active during my final observation as well.  Most of the activity that I noticed during this observation occurred near the soil surface where I saw a lot of diatoms, rotifers, and Euplotes sp.

Around the middle of my MicroAquarium, it looked as though the diatoms I saw during my last observation had taken on a new shape.  I saw a lot of bright green, linear, spiky, glass-like organisms arranged in a clumped fashion (Figure 1).  Through some research Dr. McFarland and I concluded that this living creature was probably an Ankistrodesmus sp. (Smith 2001).  This green algae is usually found in freshwater lakes and ponds and it is usually arranged in parallel bundles, with some bundles which rotate, giving the colony a spiked appearance (Algaebase 2011).  More information on the Ankistrodesmus sp. can be found at http://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=44102&-session=abv4:D860C4D31b20707C6ARno2C5C147.

I thought I had discovered a new species in my MicroAquarium when I saw a beetle-like organism crawing up one of the plants.  It looked as though it had legs.  When I asked Dr. McFarland about the organism, he informed me that it was a Euplotes sp., which I had already identified in my MicroAquarium two weeks ago (Figure 2).  Upon further research, I learned that the Euplotes sp. have large cilia that is tufted together to form cirri, which help it to "walk" along objects (Microbus 2010).  When I first saw these creatures, they were gliding along the water in my microaquarium, rather than "walking" on objects, so when I saw them "crawling" up the plant steams, I thought I was witnessing a different type of organism.  More pictures of these fascinating creatures can be found at http://www.microscope-microscope.org/applications/pond-critters/protozoans/ciliphora/euplotes.htm.

I also saw more Tachysoma sp. in my MicroAquarium, and they seemed to be the most abundant during this observation session.  I was able to take a better picture of this organism as well (Figure 3).

While closely inspecting my aquarium, I saw few organisms that looked like clear blobs of different shapes with little spheres moving inside of them.  I was able to identify them as Amoeba sp. (Figures 4 and 5).  Amoebas are single-celled organisms that can take in food by surrounding and engulfing it (FCPS 2011).  These bits of food and other particles are probably what I saw floating around in the amoeba's cytoplasm.  Interesting facts on amoebas can be found at http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/amoeba.htm.

Lastly, I saw a beautiful Gomphonema sp. (Figure 6).  It looked like two golden flowers which were connected by their stalks.  It also had a shape similar to the Vorticella sp.  According to Freshwater Algae: Their Microscopic World Explored, the Gomphnema sp. have a stalk, which can be branched to form a tree-like shape and that they spend most of their lives attached to a substrate.

Overall, my last MicroAquarium observation was very productive and enlightening.  I enjoyed doing my observations over the past 5 weeks, and I particularly liked learning about each of the individual microorganisms.  Each creature had its own unique features, which always sparked my interest.  Hopefully, the general public will look upon my blog as an interesting account of the secret life of microorganisms.



Figure 1 (corresponds to Figure 180 on page 265 of Fresh-Water Algae of the United States, second edition)




Figure 2 (corresponds to Figure 260 on page 124 of Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)




Figure 3 (corresponds to Figure 265 on page 125 of Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)




Figure 4 (corresponds to Figure 195 on page 98 of Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)




Figure 5 (corresponds to Figure 192 on page 98 of Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)




Figure 6 (corresponds to Figure 231 on page 129 of Freshwater Algae: Their Microscopic World Explored)



Changes to my MicroAquarium on 11/3/11

While looking at my MicroAquarium this week, I found the ecosystem appearing slightly different.  The plants did not look as healthy.  Upon further inspection, I saw that the Euchlanis sp. and Euplotes sp. populations has increased dramatically.  Around every plant stem and bladder, I could see these organisms feeding on the organic material and quickly moving from one area to the next.  These aquatic creatures seemed to favor the Amblestegium sp. moss more than the Utricularia gibba L. flowering plant.  The Amblestegium sp. moss had grown spike-like filaments that emitted from its bladders, while the Utricularia gibba L. had grown brown, hair-like filaments from its stalk.  I saw fewer Vorticella sp. this week, which led me to believe that the Euplotes sp. and Euchlanis sp. were outcompeting them. I observed a slight increase in the nematode population, but exact numbers present in my MicroAquarium were only around 3 to 5 individuals.

To my surprise, I encountered an extremely large, red creature while looking under the microscope.  I could also see this organism with my naked eye. Dr. McFarland identified this creature as a midge larvae, Chironomous sp. (Figure 1).  Using a text titled Fresh-Water Biology, we saw that this midge resembled Image number 1384 on page 915.  It had created channels in the Amblestegium sp. moss by consuming the moss's inner vascular tissue. It was so large, that when is wiggled around, it would move the entire plant.  Information gathered from www.mosquitoes.org/Midge.html indicated that midge larvae are often called blood worms and are commonly found in muddy river bottoms of large rivers, which corresponds to my water sample because it came from the French Broad River.  This midge larvae moved faster than a worm, and it also used a frontal appendage to pull itself along.

Dr. McFarland and I also identified a new inhabitant of my MicroAquarium, a Tachysoma sp. (Figure 2).  According to Dr. McFarland, this particular Tachysoma sp. was unusually large because it was about to divide.  A special feature of this genus is the well-developed, immobile dorsal bristles (Patterson 1996).

The next new organisms that I encountered were the Navicula sp., the diatoms (Figure 3).  They looked like yellow pellets that hovered over the soil surface.  Diatoms are often found in great numbers in small areas, which relates to their abundant populations in my MicroAquairum (Raven and others 2005).  Diatoms are also a major food source for many aquatic animals (Raven and others 2005).

I also encountered a puzzling mystery while viewing my MicroAquarium.  I noticed a yellow mass that was suspended above the soil surface and looked similar to the diatoms.  Upon closer observation, I could see that this mass was made up of individual organisms that were yellow with large, blue centers (Figure 4). I asked Dr. McFarland if he knew what these organisms were, and he said that he was not sure.  After doing some research, we concluded that the closest genus we could compare this organism to were the "Plasmodiums."  In the future, we will hopefully be able to more accurately identify this organism, but for now, they will remain a mystery.



Figure 1 (Corresponds to Figure 1384 on pg. 915 in Fresh-Water Biology)




Figure 2 (Corresponds to Figure 265 on pg. 125 of Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)




Figure 3 (Corresponds to Figure 237 on pg. 130 of Freshwater Algae: Their Microscopic World Explored)



Figure 4 (no citation or source because unsure of this organism's identifcation)

MicroAquarium Observations on 10/27/11

   While visiting my MicroAquarium this week, I noticed a dramatic increase in activity and movement.  My MicroAquarium was full of life; I could see small microorganisms swimming around in all different directions and at varying speeds.  I also noticed a large increase in the diversity of life that was present.  There was a reason for this substantial increase in activity in my MicroAquarium.  On October 21st, one Beta Food Pellet was added to the watery matrix.  The following is information on the Beta Food Pellet: "Atison's Betta Food" made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Ingredients: Fish meal, wheat flower, soy meal, krill meal, minerals, vitamins and preservatives. Analysis: Crude Protein 36%; Crude fat 4.5%; Crude Fiber 3.5%; Moisture 8% and Ash 15%.
   As I was looking through the microscope, I observed that there seemed to be more activity in the middle area of the MicroAquarium where the plant material is located and on the bottom layer where the soil is positioned.  Around the plant material, I saw many large animal-like organisms ingesting the leaves of the Amblestegium sp. moss.  Upon further observation, I noticed that they were the same rotifers I saw from last week, yet they had dramatically multiplied in numbers.  With the help of Dr. McFarland and the 4th edition of Pennak's Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States: Porifera to Crustacea, I was able to confirm that the organisms I was observing were indeed rotifers, Euchlanis sp. (Figure 1).  These rotifers have tail-like structures and a large mouth for consuming organic matter (Smith 2001).  More Vorticella sp. were also thriving in my MicroAquarium this week; around 20 organisms were present.  While continuing to scan my aquarium, I made an amazing discovery.  Along the edges of my aquarium, I saw a green sphere with spike-like filaments protruding from it.  According to Guide to Microlife, these creatures were Actinosphaerium sp. (Figure 2).  One of the Actinosphaerium sp. I saw was actually ingesting some foreign material using one of its large vacuoles, according to Dr. McFarland (Figure 3).



Figure 1 (Corresponds to figure 7.2 on page 131 in the 4th edition of Pennak's Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States: Porifera to Crustacaea)



Figure 2 (Corresponds to Image 21 on page 82 in Guide to Microlife)



Figure 3 (Corresponds to Image 21 on page 82 in Guide to Microlife)

   I also saw a nematode moving around in my MicroAquarium along with some more Notosolenus sp.  One organism that caught my attention was the Euplotes sp. because of the cilia that was moving in circles on the bottom of its transparent body (Figure 4).  I could see the inner workings of its body, which was absolutely fascinating.  Dr. McFarland and I were able to identify this species and another organism called a Lembadion sp. using the text Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa.  The Lembadion sp. was swimming in fast circles while moving from one area to the next in the MicroAquarium (Figure 5).  I'm very interested in seeing what new organisms I will view next week in my MicroAquarium!



Figure 4 (Corresponds to Figure 259 on page 124 in Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa)




Figure 5 (Corresponds to Figure 319 on page 144 in Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa)



10/18/11 MicroAquarium Observations and Discoveries

For my first week of observations, I witnessed a thriving ecosystem in my MicroAquarium.  It was amazing to see the diversity of life that was already present in my MicroAquarium.  While looking through the microscope, I noticed subtle movements around the plant and soil material.  By increasing the magnification, I saw an organism that moved in a wave-like fashion around the surface of the soil; it looked as though it was consuming the soil and swimming in circles.  Upon closer observation, I could see that it had a split tail and a large mouth.  I asked Dr. McFarland what I was seeing, and he said that this creature was a rotifer, and they tend to be hard to photograph.  According to the University of California Museum of Paleontology's website found at www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/phyla/rotifera/rotifera.html, rotifers are microscopic animals that are often found in freshwater and feed on organic matter.  I also had the opportunity to see various ciliates present in my MicroAquarium.
 Around the middle section of my aquarium, I also saw quite a few flagellates present.  These organisms tend to move in either a whip-like fashion with their flagella or they use their flagella to pull themselves along in their environment.  The flagellate I saw had one long, straight flagella and a shorter flagella that was more curved in its shape (See Figure 1). The smaller flagella is hard to see in the photograph, but through the microscope, it was perfectly visible.  These flagellates were huddled around a certain area in the MicroAquarium (Figure 2).   With the help of Dr. McFarland and the book Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide, we were able to identify the flagellate as a member of the Notosolenus genus; a similar picture was present in this book as Image #79.  We suspected it was a Notosolenus sp. because it was able to pull itself along with its flagella after mating with another flagellate.  Its second, smaller flagella was stationary through this movement.  A closer view of the main body of the Notosolenus sp. is available for viewing in Figure 3.

Lastly, I saw a beautiful organism called a Vorticella (Figure 4).  We were also able to identify this organism using the text mentioned earlier; a picture of a Vorticella was found as Image #232 in this text.  This organism resembles a blooming aquatic flower.  I discovered a useful website called Buzzle.com located at http://www.buzzle.com/articles/vorticella-facts.html,  that explained some interesting facts about the Vorticella. Vorticella are attached to a substrate by a stalk that can contract in order to capture food that is passing by it (BILW 2011).  It is amazingly quick, and is able to detach itself from its substrate whenever environmental conditions are unfavorable (BILW 2011).  Hopefully, I'll be able to view even more organisms in my MicroAquarium next week and check on the possible changes that have occurred in the organisms I have already discovered!




Figure 1 (Corresponds to Image #79 in Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)

 


Figure 2 (Corresponds to Image # 79 in Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)

 


Figure 3 (Corresponds to Image # 79 in Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)

 


Figure 4 (Corresponds to Image # 232 in Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide)

 

MicroAquarium Overview, Initial Setup, Water Source, and First Observations

Throughout the rest of the semester, I will be observing a MicroAquarium that I constructed in Biology 111 (Botany) with the help of lab director, Dr. Kenneth McFarland.  The purpose of these observations is to explore an area that is not always apparent to us, the microscopic world.  This realm is full of interesting organisms which serve different and unique roles in our environment.  I have the opportunity to investigate the inhabitants of my MicroAquarium and conduct research on their unique features, habitats, and activities.

In order to set up the MicroAquarium, I had to label one side of the aquarium glass with 3 colored dots for future identification. I applied putty to the lid of my MicroAquarium, so that the lid could be securely placed on the aquarium in order to prevent water evaporation.  I had the opportunity of selecting water samples from 13 different water sources.  I choose to put a sample from the French Broad River water shed at Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge from Kelly Lane, Knox County, Tennessee in my MicroAquarium.  This water was exposed to partial shade and contained the Cladophora sp. alga in the family Cladophoraceae.  I also added Amblestegium sp. moss collected from a natural spring at Carters Mill Park on Carter Mill Road in Knox County, Tennessee along with Utricularia gibba L., a flowering carnivorous plant found on Camp Bella Air Rd. in White County into my MicroAquarium.  The Utricularia gibba L. plant sample was grown in water tanks outside of  a greenhouse located by the Hesler Biology Building at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Our lab class was also required to obtain soil from our water sample bowls to be placed as a thin layer in our MicroAquariums, so that we could see potential microorganisms living in the soil.

After my MicroAquarium was correctly assembled, I placed it under a microscope in order to view its contents.  While looking at the Utricularia gibba L. plant,  I noticed something moving around in one of its "bladders."  There was a small, round organism bouncing around against the walls of the bladder.  It looked as though it was trying to excape from the bladder.  After viewing this amazing discovery, I asked Nick Buckley, a graduate student, about what was occurring.  He said that this microorganism was able to enter the bladder's membrane, but that it couldn't get out due to the membrane's cell structure.  I also saw a larger organism with wings and cilia crawling up the Amblestegium sp. moss.  Hopefully during future observations, I will be able to identify these interesting creatures and discover many more.