MicroAquarium Week 1

 I found four different organisms. They were a Large Dero vagus (Pennak, 1989), a smaller Dero vagus (Pennak, 1989), Coleps (Patterson, 1992), and Nematoda (Patterson, 1992).

(Pennak, 1989) p. 301, Fig. 11 Dero vagus

The large Dero vagus was in a sort of tube and he was eating off the bottom. You could see the food moving through his body until he defecated. Aside from eating and bowel movements he did not move. He was at the very bottom and is a multi-cellular organism without chlorophyll.

(Pennak, 1989) p. 301, Fig. 11 Dero vagus

 There were several of the smaller Dero vagus and they were found all along the bottom of the tank eating. They moved from place to place in a very twisted/jerkish manner and have no Chlorophyll. 

(Patterson, 1992) p.163 Fig. 377 Coleps

The Coleps moved very quickly and sporadically. Most of them were found either around a small food source or out in the open parts of the Aquarium. They are multicellular organisms and do not have cholorophyll.                                    

(Patterson, 1992) Fig. 1 p. 228 & 229. Nemitode

There were few Nemitodes. They were found around the middle the middle of the tank out in the open. They squirmed around the tank a bit like and inch worm. They are multicellular and have no chlorophyll.                                                           

Bibliography:

1. Patterson, DJ. 1992. Free-living Freshwater Protozoa: A color guide. London (UK): Manson Publishing           Ltd. 163 p. Fig. 377.
2. Pennak, Robert W. 1989. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States: Protozoa to Mollusca. 3rd ed. United States:John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 228, 229, & 301 p.

My Aquarium

       I used water source number two in my aquarium. This is the water from French Broad River, Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge, Kelly Lane , Knox Co. Tennessee. Partial shade exposure French Broad River Water Shed N35 56.742 W83 41.628 841 ft 10/13/2013 Cladophora sp. alga in family Cladophoraceae. (McFarland, 2013) I took water from the very bottom of the bowl so I could get the dirt down there so it would settle into the bottom of my aquarium. Then I took some water from the middle and then the very top to get a variety of organisms. Lastly, I placed two plants in my aquarium. The first was Amblestegium varium (Hedwig). This is a form of moss that grows in a natural spring in Carters Mill Park under partial shade exposure. The second plant was Utricularia gibba, a flowering and carnivorous plant. This is originally from Spain lake east of Sparta Tennessee and is grown in water tanks outside the Hesler biology building greenhouse. I found one organism that I have identified yet. It was very ant-like and ate around the Amblestegium varium.

Bibliography.

McFarland, Kenneth [Internet] Botany 111 Fall 2013. [23 October 2013]. Available from http://botany1112013.blogspot.com/