This week saddens me greatly. It is the last time I will be writing this blog and observing my MicroAquaruim. For the last observations of my MicroAquarium, my Rotifers did not greet me with there usual energy. The majority of them seem to be either sleeping, which I am not sure if they do, or they may be starved. The way they looked was rolled into balls in the corner where the food was (which has since completely disintegrated). As they were all huddled into this corner a few were spinning around. When they were fed a couple of weeks ago they had many babies and my population in the MicroAquarium had grown by leaps and bounds. When this population boom occurred the Rotifers devoured the food and now there is none.
The water was much more cloudy and filled with algae. The moss has grown tremendously since just last week and is currently grown out of the water towards the light. In the water, for some odd reason, there is a greater amount of air bubbles. Normally there would be one or two, but this week, there were six or more.
Last week I had mentioned the possibility of eggs in the upper corner, well this week they are still there, however they are not as many as last week. The concentration of larger rotifers is dwindling, while the little rotifer concentration is booming. More and more of the larger Rotifers have the “horn”. I am beginnining to wonder if maybe that is a stage of growth that they go through, because all the Rotifers I have witnessed this growth have been about the same size.
As the last week has came to an end I realized that I never wrote anything about the moss in my aquarium, so back to the library I went to research the moss. As I mentioned before it is Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. from a natural spring in fountain City Park, Knox County, Tennnessee, USA (more information is included in blog week 1). Amblystegium is a small genus of mosses that grow in moist places, with various substrate. The name was derived from the Greek amblys, “blunt: and stege “lid”. This refers to the nature of opercula. The stems of these mosses are creeping and irregularly branched. The leaves are spreading and when they are dried out they become erect. They have perfect peristomes with the outer teeth united basally. These teeth are yellow to orange in color with the inner teeth being yellowish.
I don’t have much more to say, besides this blog has been fun. I hope after reading it you know more about rotifers and have mental pictures from the journey.
~Resources~
Bodenberg, E. T.. Mosses: A New Approach to the Identification of Common Species. Minneapolis, Burgess Publishing Co. 1954.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Week 4
The fourth week came without my normal abnormal occurrences, which saddened me greatly. The Rotifers were “inch worming” around. There were, however more of the smaller rotifers and less larger rotifers. The smaller the size of the Rotifer is the less color it seems to have and the more it seems to antagonize the larger ones. I witnessed the one with the “horn” again. It was holding on to the glass, the cilli were going around, and it was contracting in and out. Another person in the class with me has seen this on their Rotifers, too, which makes me begin to think that maybe all Rotifers have the “horn” or maybe it is a different species. I also saw some spots that looked like rolled up rotifers. I think that maybe this is some rotifer eggs.
The majority of the Rotifers were concentrated near the food, which has almost disintegrated. The water in the MicroAquarium has become cloudy and is containing much more algae. I believe this is due to the food disintegrating.
The debris at the bottom of the aquarium has strands growing out of it and the moss seems to be growing towards the top (where the light is).
As I furthered my research this week I discovered many interesting new facts about the Rotifers. The rotifera has a more highly organized internal organs system than the most advanced protozoan. Most of the Rotifers have stomachs, in a previous week I was lucky enough to get to see one work. They have extensive diets. Most of the rotifers are filter-feeders. They eat bacteria, protests, suspended organic matter and even other rotifers. The filter-feeders are able to eat particles up to about the size of a small alga. The filter feeders can filter up to 1000 times their own body volume each hour. Sadly enough there is a large group of herbivores that eat these fascinating creatures.
The life cycle of the rotifer is generally parthenogentic. This means the egg develops with fertilization into a new individual identical to the mother. The fertilized eggs are developed into thick-walled resting areas. Species that are not entirely parthenogentic produce males only during a short period at a specific time during the year. The male rotifers may not be collected if samples are not taken frequently enough.
~Rescources~
Rainis, Kenneth G., and Bruce J. Russell. Guide to Mircolife. Danbury: Franklin Watts, 1996.
Garnett, W.J.. Freshwater Microscopy. London: Constable and Company Ltd., 1953.
Bronmark, Christer, and Lars-Anders Hanson. Biology of Lakes and Ponds. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
The majority of the Rotifers were concentrated near the food, which has almost disintegrated. The water in the MicroAquarium has become cloudy and is containing much more algae. I believe this is due to the food disintegrating.
The debris at the bottom of the aquarium has strands growing out of it and the moss seems to be growing towards the top (where the light is).
As I furthered my research this week I discovered many interesting new facts about the Rotifers. The rotifera has a more highly organized internal organs system than the most advanced protozoan. Most of the Rotifers have stomachs, in a previous week I was lucky enough to get to see one work. They have extensive diets. Most of the rotifers are filter-feeders. They eat bacteria, protests, suspended organic matter and even other rotifers. The filter-feeders are able to eat particles up to about the size of a small alga. The filter feeders can filter up to 1000 times their own body volume each hour. Sadly enough there is a large group of herbivores that eat these fascinating creatures.
The life cycle of the rotifer is generally parthenogentic. This means the egg develops with fertilization into a new individual identical to the mother. The fertilized eggs are developed into thick-walled resting areas. Species that are not entirely parthenogentic produce males only during a short period at a specific time during the year. The male rotifers may not be collected if samples are not taken frequently enough.
~Rescources~
Rainis, Kenneth G., and Bruce J. Russell. Guide to Mircolife. Danbury: Franklin Watts, 1996.
Garnett, W.J.. Freshwater Microscopy. London: Constable and Company Ltd., 1953.
Bronmark, Christer, and Lars-Anders Hanson. Biology of Lakes and Ponds. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Week 3
This week, week three, my Rotifers were acting abnormal. They were all gathered into one spot , with the exception of the food this was the only place they were concentrated. The location of the concentration was not near the edges, the debris, or the moss , it was just out there in the middle. At first when I began observing this concentration I thought that they may be eggs of the rotifers. As I continued to watch them closely I began to see movement and at different times the round Rotifer looking objects I saw began to stretch out at different times, and then roll back up. I am not sure why they were doing this. At times I saw small Rotifers, looking like they were instigating them. They would come and bump into them as if on purpose, it was really quite interesting. I plan to attempt to find a reason for this action of the Rotifers in my MicroAquarium.
Many rotifers were also concentrated around the edges and around the food. In the corner of the aquarium, they were so dense you could see a orangish color with your naked eye. Around the moss there were many of the little Rotifers. The larger Rotifers seemed to be just sitting around. They had their feet hooked to the glass and they were stretched out all the way and the cilia was going around rather quickly, however the smaller ones were just swimming around and not controlling this action.
The moss seems to be changing some, but not much. It has some small clear strands growing out of the moss, I am not sure why this is occurring or why they are clear. The Debris looks as if it has something growing out of it, I will keep a eye on it and try to determine more in further weeks.
This week in my research, I have discovered many new things about the life of the Rotifers. The Rotifers are multicelular, however they are composed of a relatively small number of cells. Rotifers are also known as “wheel animalcules”. They were first observed by Anton van Leeuvenhoek in 1675. This occurred during his observations of the microscopic inhabitations of water. The Rotifers are found in nearly every body of fresh water. This fresh water includes, but is not limited to, in tiny temporary puddles, in rivers and swamps, and in the largest lakes. They are less encountered in the sea and in marine situations. They appear (as of known in 1955) to be confined to costal regions reaching their abundance in brackish waters. A few species are parasitic, however most species of Rotifers are free-living. The Rotifers, Philodinidae, can be dried up often and even survive through long droughts. Through these long droughts they are able to keep life going at such a low rate that they can survive and resume their normal living after the drought is over. They can even regain their activity after being frozen into the ice for a long period.
~Resources~
Davis, Charles C. The Marine and Fresh-water plankton.. Michigan State University, 1955.
Morgan, Ann Haven Ph.D. Field Book of Ponds and Streams: An Introduction to the Life of Fresh Water. New York & London: G.P. Putnam’s sons The Knicherbarker press, 1930.
Many rotifers were also concentrated around the edges and around the food. In the corner of the aquarium, they were so dense you could see a orangish color with your naked eye. Around the moss there were many of the little Rotifers. The larger Rotifers seemed to be just sitting around. They had their feet hooked to the glass and they were stretched out all the way and the cilia was going around rather quickly, however the smaller ones were just swimming around and not controlling this action.
The moss seems to be changing some, but not much. It has some small clear strands growing out of the moss, I am not sure why this is occurring or why they are clear. The Debris looks as if it has something growing out of it, I will keep a eye on it and try to determine more in further weeks.
This week in my research, I have discovered many new things about the life of the Rotifers. The Rotifers are multicelular, however they are composed of a relatively small number of cells. Rotifers are also known as “wheel animalcules”. They were first observed by Anton van Leeuvenhoek in 1675. This occurred during his observations of the microscopic inhabitations of water. The Rotifers are found in nearly every body of fresh water. This fresh water includes, but is not limited to, in tiny temporary puddles, in rivers and swamps, and in the largest lakes. They are less encountered in the sea and in marine situations. They appear (as of known in 1955) to be confined to costal regions reaching their abundance in brackish waters. A few species are parasitic, however most species of Rotifers are free-living. The Rotifers, Philodinidae, can be dried up often and even survive through long droughts. Through these long droughts they are able to keep life going at such a low rate that they can survive and resume their normal living after the drought is over. They can even regain their activity after being frozen into the ice for a long period.
~Resources~
Davis, Charles C. The Marine and Fresh-water plankton.. Michigan State University, 1955.
Morgan, Ann Haven Ph.D. Field Book of Ponds and Streams: An Introduction to the Life of Fresh Water. New York & London: G.P. Putnam’s sons The Knicherbarker press, 1930.
Week 2 food
The previous week (week 2), I mentioned that I had added food for the Rotifers , and any other organism that may be living in the MicroAquarium. The Food in which I had mentioned was put into the tank on Thursday October 25, 2007. It received two pellets of “Atison’s Beta Food”. It is made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, located at 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. The ingredients in the fish food are as follows; Fish meal, wheat flower, soy meal, krill meal, minerals, vitamins and preservatives. The analysis is as follows; Crude Protein 36%; Crude fat 4.5%; Crude fiber 3.5%; Moisture 8% and Ash 15%. Sorry this was not included into week two’s entry.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Week 2
Week two of my observation began with taking a picture of my MicroAquarium. The moss in the aquarium was relatively the same. There was a few dead looking strands off the main stalk and some black at the base of some of the leaves. Throughout the aquarium the water is clear with some algae growing. I looked at it once again with a microscope and witnessed a significant loss of Rotifers (there were still many just less than the first observation). Due to the loss of Rotifers they were not fighting or running into each other and they were not concentrated in any one area. This week I fed my Rotifers with fish food, this hopefully aid in their survival.
I was lucky to be able to snap a few pictures of my Rotifers, that turned out great might I add. While taking the pictures I discovered that I had Rotifers that were in the order, Bdelleida, the family of Philodinidea, and genus of Philodina according to a 1926 thesis on Spiral Swimming in the Rotifers by Frazier Cochane, Jr. I am not sure which species I have in my MicroAquarium. While snapping the numerous pictures I witnessed them contracting and “inchworming” there way around the aquarium. I saw one rotifer that almost seemed to be “grazing” (much like a cow does to eat) on some debris on the bottom of the aquarium. I am not sure if he was eating the debris or not but he was bobbing back and forth from it a lot. I also saw a rotifers gastric glands which at the time was contracting. I wonder if the rotifers could be different ages, because some of them were different sizes. In one of the photographs I was lucky enough to be able to witness both “heads” that contain the cilia. One of the Rotifers in which I got to photograph was rather odd looking. He or she had something protruding out of the side near its’ head. You can witness this in one of the photographs. I am not sure what this may be and plan to do further research on it.
During the second week, I furthered my research on the Rotifers and I discovered that generally they have a simple excretory system, circulatory system, and respiratory systems are lacking. The sexes of rotifers are separate, with the male being a minute, degenerate creature, lacking the alimentary canal. Rotifers can alternate reproduction between sexual or asexual means, depending on class and the environment. In the absence of males , reproduction is done by parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis results in a clone of the parent, the offspring is genetically identical to the parent.
~Resources~
Cochrane, Frazier. Spiral Swimming in the Rotifers. Diss. University of TN, 1926.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotifer
I was lucky to be able to snap a few pictures of my Rotifers, that turned out great might I add. While taking the pictures I discovered that I had Rotifers that were in the order, Bdelleida, the family of Philodinidea, and genus of Philodina according to a 1926 thesis on Spiral Swimming in the Rotifers by Frazier Cochane, Jr. I am not sure which species I have in my MicroAquarium. While snapping the numerous pictures I witnessed them contracting and “inchworming” there way around the aquarium. I saw one rotifer that almost seemed to be “grazing” (much like a cow does to eat) on some debris on the bottom of the aquarium. I am not sure if he was eating the debris or not but he was bobbing back and forth from it a lot. I also saw a rotifers gastric glands which at the time was contracting. I wonder if the rotifers could be different ages, because some of them were different sizes. In one of the photographs I was lucky enough to be able to witness both “heads” that contain the cilia. One of the Rotifers in which I got to photograph was rather odd looking. He or she had something protruding out of the side near its’ head. You can witness this in one of the photographs. I am not sure what this may be and plan to do further research on it.
During the second week, I furthered my research on the Rotifers and I discovered that generally they have a simple excretory system, circulatory system, and respiratory systems are lacking. The sexes of rotifers are separate, with the male being a minute, degenerate creature, lacking the alimentary canal. Rotifers can alternate reproduction between sexual or asexual means, depending on class and the environment. In the absence of males , reproduction is done by parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis results in a clone of the parent, the offspring is genetically identical to the parent.
~Resources~
Cochrane, Frazier. Spiral Swimming in the Rotifers. Diss. University of TN, 1926.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotifer
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Week 1
In my botany class I began a project called MicroAquarium. On 18 October, 2007 I placed some water from a unknown source and a unknown moss into the MicroAquarium. I labeled it so that I could distinguish it from other classmates MicroAquariums. The water source was collected equally from the bottom , middle, and top of the container. While I collected the water sample from each layer I moved around the container to capture water from different areas. My label was concluded of top dot dark blue, middle dot light blue, and bottom dot red.
The instructor later informed us, through a internet blog, that the water, in which I selected was from a plastic bird bath pool located 0.9 mile from Fountain City Pond on Fountain Rd. (Knox County, Knoxville, TN USA) with GPS coordinates of N 35o02.249’ W083o55.999’ 1121 ft. The sample was located with partial shade exposure and was collected on October 3rd, 2007.
In the same form the instructor informed us that the moss in which I had chosen to include in my MircoAquarium was Amblystegium carium (Hedw.) Lindb. It was collected from a natural spring in Fountain City Park west of Broadway at Hotel Ave. (Knox County, Knoxville, TN USA) with GPS coordinates at N 36o02’ 15.18” W083o55’ 59.95” at 988 ft. on the 15th of October 2007. The moss was exposed to partial shade.
On the same day I added the ingredients to the MicroAquarium I observed it through a microscope. Through the microscope I could see some of the debris. The debris is unknown at this time and will be further researched at a later date. In my MicroAquarium I observed numerous microscopic organisms which my instructor called Rotifers.
I researched the Rotifers further and discovered that they make up a phylum of microscopic and near microscopic pseudocoelomate animals. These animals were first discovered by John Harris in 1696. Most rotifers are around 0.1-0.5 mm long, and are common in freshwater throughout the world with a few saltwater species. Some are free swimming and truly platonic while others move by “inchworming”. The species that is inside my MicroAquarium seems thus far to be free swimming and truly planktonic.
The Rotifers I observed were slightly clear orange in color. They wiggled around the container and at times would roll into a ball as if scared (like a wooly bear). Some of the Rotifers were getting caught in the debris, but would usually wiggle out of it. They swam around the entirety of the container, however they concentrated themselves into the bottom. At times they would bump into one another and then jump away as if playing or fighting.
I am looking forward in the coming weeks to continue watching the changes that will occur in my MicroAquarium. I will keep this blog up to date, as to the changes in which I witness and will further my research on what I have witnessed, thus far.
~ The information I stated about the rotifers was concluded from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotifer.
The instructor later informed us, through a internet blog, that the water, in which I selected was from a plastic bird bath pool located 0.9 mile from Fountain City Pond on Fountain Rd. (Knox County, Knoxville, TN USA) with GPS coordinates of N 35o02.249’ W083o55.999’ 1121 ft. The sample was located with partial shade exposure and was collected on October 3rd, 2007.
In the same form the instructor informed us that the moss in which I had chosen to include in my MircoAquarium was Amblystegium carium (Hedw.) Lindb. It was collected from a natural spring in Fountain City Park west of Broadway at Hotel Ave. (Knox County, Knoxville, TN USA) with GPS coordinates at N 36o02’ 15.18” W083o55’ 59.95” at 988 ft. on the 15th of October 2007. The moss was exposed to partial shade.
On the same day I added the ingredients to the MicroAquarium I observed it through a microscope. Through the microscope I could see some of the debris. The debris is unknown at this time and will be further researched at a later date. In my MicroAquarium I observed numerous microscopic organisms which my instructor called Rotifers.
I researched the Rotifers further and discovered that they make up a phylum of microscopic and near microscopic pseudocoelomate animals. These animals were first discovered by John Harris in 1696. Most rotifers are around 0.1-0.5 mm long, and are common in freshwater throughout the world with a few saltwater species. Some are free swimming and truly platonic while others move by “inchworming”. The species that is inside my MicroAquarium seems thus far to be free swimming and truly planktonic.
The Rotifers I observed were slightly clear orange in color. They wiggled around the container and at times would roll into a ball as if scared (like a wooly bear). Some of the Rotifers were getting caught in the debris, but would usually wiggle out of it. They swam around the entirety of the container, however they concentrated themselves into the bottom. At times they would bump into one another and then jump away as if playing or fighting.
I am looking forward in the coming weeks to continue watching the changes that will occur in my MicroAquarium. I will keep this blog up to date, as to the changes in which I witness and will further my research on what I have witnessed, thus far.
~ The information I stated about the rotifers was concluded from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotifer.
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