Bibliography

Canter-Lund, Hilda, and John WG Lund. Freshwater Algae. 1995. 198. Print.

Patterson, DJ. Freeliving Freshwater Protozoa. fig. 408. 1996. 174. Print.

Silva Forest, Herman. Handbook of Algae. fig. 628. Knoxville, TN: University of
 dddddddTennessee Press, 1954. 399. Print.

Week 3: MicroAquarium observations

• In my observations this week I noticed much growth of cyanobacteria, especially lining the right side of the tank. The algae in the mud at the bottom of the tank have also become an even darker shade of green. 
• Many analids have become prevalent in the tank now; they are mostly found in the cyanobacteria. The analid species prevalent in the tank are called Aeolosoma sp. 
• The cell splitting last week has been identified as a blue-green algae cell, also called Chroococus sp. which is a type of cyanophyte (Hilda Canter-Lund & John WG Lund 1995). 
• A small ciliate was observed in the mid-region of the tank, in the open water
• A plasmodial organism containing yellow and purple pigments within and tentacle-like appendages has been identified as a Chrysamoeba sp. This organism was identified by Mr. McFarland.
• There are many tiny, wiggling bacteria all over the tank; they are especially noticeable in the mid-region open water of the tank. It appears to be an amoeba-like farm.
• A Peranema sp. has been observed in the mid-region of the tank. It could be identified because of the extremely long flagella guiding it in front of the organism.
• A Turbellarian flatworm was observed pulling on a region of cyanobacteria. The flatworm's two eyeholes were easily distinguishable. 
• The cyclops (copepods) were not seen this week. There is a possibility that all of the cyclops have died. 
• The Cybanella sp. diatoms were observed again. They have clear, oval shaped bodies with yellow pigments inside of them.

Week 2: MicroAquarium observations

• In my observations this week I saw an adult cyclops (copepods) and two nymph/juvenile cyclops organisms. The life cycle of these organisms is at least 4 weeks. These creatures moved around much but were relatively easy to follow with the microscope. I was able to identify these cyclops through the use of the textbook "Pennak's Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States" by Douglas Grant Smith, page 490 where the book gives a detailed description of them. 
• Cyanobacteria has begun to colonize in the mid-region of the tank where there is open water. These cyanobacteria appear in thin, light green lines and are visible without the aid of a microscope; the microscope, however, is necessary to view the movement of this bacteria and the cells which form it. This cyanobacteria is probably of the oscillatoria variety, made known to be by Mr. McFarland. I also viewed a spirillum form of the cyanobacteria. 
• More algae has formed in the mud as well which is darker and more globular than what existed before. 
• The nematodes and ciliate viewed last week have not been seen this week. The nematodes will probably spend the hefty majority or their entire time in the mud at the bottom of the tank unseen.
• I viewed a tear-shaped organism with a single, extremely long flagellum aiding it in its movement. I also saw an organism which was circular with many cilia on it. The habitat preference for these creatures is in water where the new algae and the cyanobacteria is growing (near the middle of the tank).
• I observed an analid worm moving in the cyanobacteria and also observed an organism dividing in half which means it's an egg/embryo of some sort unknown presently. The organism could potentially be another cyclops. 
• My final observation included many diatoms, clear in color and oval shaped with a yellow inside. Mr. McFarland helped me identify these diatoms. 

Bibliography

Cook, Rebecca, and McFarland Kenneth. General Botany 111 Laboratory Manual. 14th edition. Print.

McFarland, Kenneth. Botany 111 Fal1 2012. N.p., n. d. Web. Web. 24 Oct. 2012.          Bbbbbbbbbb  b    <http://botany1112012.blogspot.com>.

Week 1: MicroAquarium observations

• The water source I used in setting up my MicroAquarium was number 9, from the pond at Sterchi Hills Greenway Trail. The address for the trail and pond is: Rife Range Road, Knox Co., Knoxville, TN where there is full sun exposure and sheet runoff from N36 02.687 W83 57.159. The elevation is at 1,065 ft and the sample was collected on 10/9/2011. Besides the water and mud I added from the pond at Sterchi Hills Greenway Trail, I added two plants: Amblestegium and Utricularia gibba L. Amblestegium is a moss which was collected from the Natural spring at Carters Mill Park located on Carter Mill Road in Knox Co. TN where there is partial shade exposure at N36 01.168 W83 42.832 which was collected on 10/9/2011. The Utricularia gibba L. is a flowering and also carnivorous plant. The original material was from the south shore of Spaint Lake on Camp Bella Air Road east of Sparta, TN in White Co. and grown in water tanks outside of the greenhouse of Hesler Biology Building at the University of Tennessee- Knoxville.
• On 10/16/2012, only two organism were observed moving: two nematodes (roundworms). These nematodes were moving frantically in 'S' curves and were about 0.2-10 mm in size. One other organism observed was a ciliate suctoria colep on the Amblestegium plant. The ciliate suctoria colep had sticky tentacles on it. The mud at the bottom of the tank already contains algae which will grow and provide a potential food source for some of the organisms in the tank. The nematodes must have a habitat preference in the mud at the bottom of the tank because the only time that they were seen was when the tank was first filled with water and mud. The nematodes are multicellular whereas the ciliate is single-celled.