Observation Date: October 16, 2012

Observation Date: October 16, 2012

I began setting up my MicroAquarium on October 16, 2012 with the assistance of Ms. Massana and Dr. McFarland. In setting up my MicroAquarium, my water source was from source 10 which was taken from a water pool below spring; Lynnhurst Cemetery (McFarland 2012). The cemetery is located off of Adair Drive (McFarland 2012). It is located in Knox Co; Knoxville, Tennessee (McFarland 2012). The water is exposed to partial shade (McFarland 2012). It is the Spring Feed Pond (N36 01.357 W83 55.731 958 ft.). The water was collected by Dr. McFarland on October 9, 2011 (McFarland 2012).

            Meanwhile to set up my MicroAquarium I first made the decision to choose source 10 as my water source. Then, I obtained a MicroAquarium which was basically a glass tank, a stand holder, and a lid (Cook and McFarland 2013). I color coordinated it with three dots respectively to represent my lab section which is 001 (green), my table 6 (orange),and my seat # which was 4. Next, I recorded my initials in order with one letter being placed on each of the three dots (KSM). Then, I gathered a pipet and extracted water from source 10. When gathering water, I first sucked up enough mud from the source then I gradually began to get water(from the closest to the mud to the surface of the water). I then placed a sample of the plant Amblestegium and a sample of the plant Utricularia gibba into my MicroAquarium. Amblestegium (from the moss collection) was collected from Natural spring at Carters Mill Park, Carter Mill Road, Knox Co. TN on October 9, 2011 by Dr. McFarland (McFarland 2012). It endured some partial shade exposure (McFarland 2012). Utricularia gibba is both a flowering and carnivorous plant it was also collected on October 9, 2011 by Dr. McFarland from south shore of Spain Lake (N 35o55 12.35" W088o20' 47.00), Camp Bella Air Rd. East of Sparta Tn. in White Co (McFarland 2012). However, since then it has been grown in water tanks outside of greenhouse at Hesler Biology Building. The University of Tennessee. Knox Co. Knoxville TN (McFarland 2012).

            Once I set up my MicroAquarium I then took the initiative to examine it and its contents under a microscope. I used the 4x and 10x lens, but I began by using the 4x lens to get a good focus. I did not use the 40x lens because it would have caused my MicroAquarium to break. 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 was amazed that the water didn’t come out which Dr. McFarland explained was due to surface tension. Once under the microscope, I saw moving organisms more specifically a big brown beetle shaped insect and a really small circular insect that was floating throughout the top and middle of the aquarium. Another organism that I observed on October 16, 2012 had a heart-shaped back and 4 legs with 5 extensions from each leg and appeared to float throughout the top and middle of the aquarium. There was another organism at the very bottom that looked as if it were eating on the Amblestegium plant. I only seen one of each of the organisms that I described. I am looking forward to the next obeservations of my MicroAquarium.

References (CBE Style)

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

Citation: (Cook and McFarland 2013)

McFarland K. Botany 111 Fall 2012. [Internet]. 2012. Available from : http://botany1112012.blogspot.com/

CItation: (McFarland 2012)