Observation 1

Water Source used: #5 Meads Quarry, Island Home Ave

5. Meads Quarry, Island Home Ave, Knox Co. Tennessee Partial shade exposure Rock Quarry N35 57.162 W83 51.960 880 10/12/2014

Lab section:blue
Table: red
seat number: blue

Procedure:

On 10/15/14 the process of setting up and starting the micro aquarium experiment began by first setting up the micro aquarium itself. This was done by adding a base to hold up the aquarian and then a lid to seal the water in. After this, each student was given a 3 sticker color combination to clarify each aquarian from another. My micro aquarium specifically had a blue, red, and another blue sticker on the left side and each sticker was labeled with my initials (PA) to make it more distinct from the other lab students aquariums. After this, each student chose their own water sample and applied a sample into the aquarium. My water example came from water source 5 otherwise known as the Meads Quarry. In order to put a diverse water sample into the aquarium, water was extracted from the dirt and mud at the bottom of the Meads Quarry water source, off of the leaf extracts in the water and then just off of the surface of the water. All these samples were dripped into the micro aquarium. After that, two water weeds were added to the micro aquarium to oxygenate the water. After all these aspects from the water source were added to micro aquarium we then observed our samples under a microscope to begin to understand was is in our micro aquariums.

Observations: 

When observing my micro aquarium, there seemed to be multiple unidentified one celled organisms swimming around. They were a dark brown color and would move around very quickly and seemed to be swimming around the water mosses and were hidden behind the mosses at certain points. While observing their actions, these organisms seemed like they were eating/collecting substances from the water as it looked like they would vacuum these substances into them. 

Information on the plants used in the Micro Aquarium:

Amblestegium varium (Hedwig) Lindberg. Moss.
Collection from: Natural spring. at Carters Mill Park, Carter Mill Road, Knox Co. TN. Partial shade exposure. N36 01.168 W83 42.832. 10/12/2014


Utricularia gibba L. Flowering plant. A
carnivorous plant. Original material from south shore of Spain Lake (N 35o55 12.35" W088o20' 47.00), Camp Bella Air Rd. East of Sparta Tn. in White Co. and grown in water tanks outside of greenhouse at Hesler
Biology Building. The University of Tennessee. Knox Co. Knoxville TN.
10/12/2014