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.