Final Observation

 

 

   This was the last time observing the micro-aquarium. The water level was low again so I added more distilled water. I placed the aquarium under the microscope and began observing. The aquarium compared to the beginning of the project was teeming with life. There were various organisms everywhere, ones that had been previously identified and a few new ones. The amount of dead organisms floating in the open water above the plants was also surprising. Various pieces of Diatoms could be found throughout the aquarium, as well as other pieces of organic matter, some dead and some alive. The plants seem to be growing well, an the Lindberg sp. moss, (Mcfarland, 2013) has acquired new growth near the tips and seems to be establishing itself well.

   I noticed an organism that I had not seen before, it was amoeba shaped with two flagella at the end of it's body. It moved about at a steady pace and made flipping motions like a coin sinking underwater, in random directions. Professor McFarland identified it as Euchlanis Rotifer sp. (Patterson, 1996).

   I also noticed another organism with two flagellated disk like appendages at the end of it's body. The disks seemed to be spinning rapidly and cycled water and small pieces of organic matter into the organism. This appeared to be a way of catching food. McFarland identified the organism as Philodina Rotifer sp. (Patterson, 1996). I have a picture of this organism earlier in the blog posts.

 

  Overall, the aquarium has changed drastically over the course of a month. The amount of heterotrophic and autotrophic life has increased dramatically. It truly looks like a mini world within itself, and everything is in there for it to function as an independent ecosystem. The aquarium seems stable, and the water sample used definitely contained a wide array of life forms.