Observation #2 10/23/12

Below is an image of my MicroAquarium that I took before I started my second Observation using my LG Beacon phone.

My second observation occurred on October 23, 2012 at approximately 5 o clock p.m. with the assistance of Dr. McFarland in room 202 of the Hesler Biology Building on The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s campus. It lasted until about 6:15 p.m. The materials that were used during this observation were a CH30 Olympus microscope, a Sony Camera (HDR-HC9), and a Dell Computer. The Sony camera was hooked up to the microscope and was used to project the images through the Dell computer screen. A corresponding remote was also used to snap images of interesting organisms that I found throughout my observation. Moreover, the microscope contained an EA 4 lense, an EA 10 lense, and a very special lense which was an exclusive Nikon Japan lense (.55LWD). To observe I removed the stand and lid from the MircroAquarium tank. Then I carefully laid the tank on the microscope stage with the open end away from me. I first observed some little organisms that had cilia hair-like organelles which Dr. McFarland later told me were only ciliates. The ciliates were moving throughout the aquarium in no specific order. The next organism that I observed was an Actinosphaerium (Hedley and Patterson 1996).   It is a multinucleated heliozoon and is related to Actinophrys (Hedley and Patterson 1996). It appeared to be floating throughout. The final organism that I observed on that day was an Oscillatoria Splendida (Forest 1954). This organism had a photosynthetic bacterial sheath around it, according to Dr. McFarland. It was sticking out from the sample of the Amblestegium (from the moss collection) plant. Under the EA 4 lense of the microscope, the worm-like cyanobacteria photosynthetic organism appeared small. Moreover, with the EA 10 lense the worm appeared skinny and very long. Once I used the exclusive Japan lense I captured a good image of it because it projected the organism the greatest and produced the best image out all three lenses. To create or perfect the images below, Dr. McFarland showed me how to use Photoshop to crop and make the images appear much better.

Finally, at the end of my observation before I placed my MicroAquarium back in its appropriate section, Dr. McFarland instructed me to replace the water that may have been lost somehow, by adding more to it with the clear water bottle that he provided. Overall, I observed more organisms last time, but the two organisms that I did observe this time were very original and new to my eyes; although there was only one of each of the two organisms besides the ciliates this time.

 

Below is an image of the Actinosphaerium that I edited under the assistance of Dr. McFarland using Photoshop.

 

Below is an image of the Oscillatoria Splendida that I edited under the assistance of Dr. McFarland using Photoshop.

 

 

References:

Cook R, McFarland K. 2013. General Botany 111 Laboratory Manual. 14th ed, Knoxville (TN).155-157 p.

Citation: (Cook and McFarland 2013)

Forest H.1954. Handbook of Algae. The University of Tennessee Press. 387 p. Figure 13.

Citation: (Forest 1954)

Hedley S and Patterson D. 1996. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa “A Colour Guide”. Corringham Road, London: Manson Publishing. 169 p. Figure 394.

Citation: (Hedley and Patterson 1996)