Week Three Observations

This week a Atison's Betta Food made by Ocean Nutrition (http://botany1112012.blogspot.com/) was added to the aquarium on Friday October the 26. The addition of the food pellet caused an explosion of smaller organisms. In addition some of the larger organisms have grown large enough to see with the naked eye, for a example a midge larva and one of the Cyclopes. The larger of the Cyclops spent most of its time in the middle and upper layers of the tank. The midge, on the other hand, spent the majority of its time near the bottom layer of tank. As of this week no dead organisms have accumulated near the bottom of the tank .


Beta Pellet information- from ( http://botany1112012.blogspot.com/)

• "Atison's Betta Food" made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Ingredients: Fish meal, wheat flower, soy meal, krill meal, minerals, vitamins and preservatives. Analysis: Crude Protein 36%; Crude fat 4.5%; Crude Fiber 3.5%; Moisture 8% and Ash 15%.

Week Two Observations

On Friday October 26 I observed two new types of organisms. Both organisms were found primarily in the bottom and middle sections of the micro-aquarium and had relatively small populations. Due to an underestimation of the amount of time required to find and photograph these organisms, and a time conflict with another class, pictures  and names of these two new organisms are unavailable until Tuesday October 30th. As of this week, no accumulation of dead organisms have occurred.

Bibliography

Updated as more sources are used.

Cook, Rebecca and Kenneth McFarland. 2013. General Botany 111 Laboratory Manual. 14^th ed.

http://botany1112012.blogspot.com/. Created by Kenneth McFarland. 

Observations: Week One

After several very long seconds of looking, I found several unknown very small circular organisms. As of now  I am unaware of the names for these organisms. As such I have decided to nickname them "Swanson". Swanson moves in a characteristic spiral pattern and is located near the top of the micro-aquarium. While I was observing the groups of "Swanson" a large elliptical creature darted across the viewing area. Although pursuit was initiated I was unable to locate "Nessie" again.

Set-up

To begin the project water was collected from Tommy Schumpert Pond, Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge, Kelly Lane , Knox Co. Tennessee. Partial shade exposure Sheet runoff around sink hole.At coordinates N35 57.256 W83 41.503 947 ft 10/9/2012. Sediment was collected to form the bottom layer of the micro aquarium, the middle layer of water is composed of water directly above the the sediment layer. The top and final layer of water was collected from the top of the source. After the water was collected two different plants were added to the aquarium. The first plant Amblestegium sp. Moss. Collected from: Natural spring at Carters Mill Park, Carter Mill Road, Knox Co. TN. Partial shade exposure. At coordinates N36 01.168 W83 42.832. 10/9/2011. The second plant Utricularia gibba L. Flowering plant.A carnivous plant. Original material from south shore of Spain Lake (N 35o55 12.35" W088o20' 47.00), Camp Bella Air Rd. East of Sparta Tn. in White Co. and grown in water tanks outside of greenhouse at Hesler Biology Building. The University of Tennessee. Knox Co. Knoxville TN (http://botany1112012.blogspot.com/).