Observations October 28

I observed my MicroAquarium for the second time October 28th.

Changes and Observations:

The water level in the MicroAquarium was lower, a result of evaporation. I added distilled water to replenish it. Additionally I spotted a small round solid in the center of the tank, a food pellet Dr. McFarland added to each aquarium this week.

Under a microscope, I observed a greater number of different microorganisms. The aquarium is much more active this week, than last. I noted many organisms not only in the top of the substrate and along the plant samples, but throughout the water.

Most prevalent were paramecia, nematodes, and annelids- an increased population of the species I observed last week. I also saw a greater frequency of cyclops in the water.

Species observed both last week and this week:

Stenostonum sp. 
- a flatworm
- found this week both in substrate and surrounding plant materials

Heterophrys sp.

Aelosoma sp.
-annelid found throughout the aquarium this week

Epalxis sp.
-Whereas these microorganisms were scarce last week, many more were observed near the substrate material.

Cyclops

Observations: Week of October 17

Observations made on October 21

I observed my MicroAquarium October 21 in the lab, using a compound light microscope. Many organisms were found in the water sample, both in open water and near the small samples of Amblestegium and Utricularia gibba. 
I observed some larger organisms. One was identified as Cyclops. 
Most organisms, however, were very small. These included:

• Stenostomum sp. - a species of flatworm
• Several of these flatworms were found in the upper layer of the soil substrate of the Mircoaquarium. They are quick moving, and can move in and out of the soil at will. 
• Heterophrys sp. - a freeliving freshwater protozoa
• These were found in the open water, moving at a mild rate. 
• Heterophrys was relatively abundant in the sample.
• Aelosoma sp. - a member of the class Annelida
• These annelids were found, as the flatworm, in the substrate and the water suspended directly above it. They are a motile species.
• Fewer Aelosoma were found than Stenostomum. 
• Epalxis sp. 
• These microorganisms were found just above the substrate. They are motile, and move rapidly via long tendrils or cilia. 
• Only a couple Epalxis were found in the MircoAquarium.

and some other species of paramecium. 

Photographs of these organisms have yet to be processed, but will be properly identified and labeled in the coming week. 

Many other small, moving organisms were present in the Mircoaquarium, as well as some more stationary organisms. 

Additionally, I added distilled water to the sample to replace the water that had evaporated from the tank. 

Exploring microorganism diversity from various water sources.

I assembled my MicroAquarium in three parts. I slid my sealed two-pane glass aquarium into a glass base, and loosely plastered on a top, to prevent evaporation.

My aquarium is filled with water from Tommy Schumpert Pond, Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge located on Kelly Lane in Knox Co. Tennessee. This pond is exposed to partial shade, and is filled by runoff into a sinkhole which lies below. Microorganism diversity in this pond has been shown to be relatively high. 
I filled my MicroAquarium with sediment, lower level water, mid-level water, and surface water from the Tommy Schumpert Pond sample. Additionally, I added small sections of both Amblestegium, collected from a Natural Spring in Carters Mill Park, Knox Co. Tennessee, and Utricularia gibba from Spain Lake in Sparta, White Co. Tennessee.


Initially, under a microscope, I observed movement of microorganisms in the water sample. Detailed observations of microorganism diversity to be taken next week.