Week 5

The number of moving organisms dropped tremendously since the last observation. Only about one fourth of the moving organisms from the last observation are still there. The majority of the moving organisms left are in the bottom only a few on the sides. There are only three or four moving organisms in the middle. The only moving organisms left are rotifers and protozoa and one seed shrimp. However many more stationary organisms have appeared. A sudden increase in the Diatoms population and they started taking up more and more space with the absents of moving organisms. Arcella's population doubled and so did they ctinosphaerian. The roots of the plants in the container increased by a lot to, and are now almost all over the tank. Only one thing was new this time and that was the seed shrimp. It is in a ball shape with big hairs that look like cat whiskers coming out of the front. It went up and down the side of the wall eating everything it could. it just moved up and back and up and back along the wall. 

For this experiment the conclusion is that the moving organisms eventually ate up all of the food and died off. While most of the stationary organisms increased because they did not eat the same thing to survive. This experiment shows that every habitat has a limiting capacity unless more food is added organisms will die off until it reaches its carrying capacity.

Identifying of the organisms came from three books which are; Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Color Guide by D.J. Patterson, Guide to Micro life by Kenneth G. Rains, and How to Know The Protozoa by Theodore Louis John and Frances F. Jahn. In every blog the descriptions and names came from one of these three books. Also in week three I incorrectly said that there where Turbellaria after looking more in depth at the books they are really Dieptus.

Rotifer

Diatoms

Arcella

Seed Shrimp

Week 4

This week in my container many more stationary organisms have increased all over the tank. Moving organisms increased around the sides, bottom, and where the plants in the middle of the container are. The moving organisms have decreased dramatically in the middle of the tank, so it is now being taken over with stationary organisms. The biggest increase this week has been in diotoms(Picture 3) that have taken up all over the place. Diotoms are stationary organisms that product photosynthesis. Also several Arcella are in different random places throughout the tank, but mainly on or around the plants in the middle of the container or the bottom.I saw maybe two moving organisms out in the middle of the container. The main moving organisms in my container are Rotifers and Protozoa. There are 3 nematodes that move in a snake like way, and they are located along the sides. There are 5 Dieptus (Picture 2) which are located at the bottom corners of the container. The Dieptus have a large middle and then two smaller ends that move like a snake. The Protozoa are along the sides, bottom, and along the green organisms in the middle of the container. In the container only non-green organisms are moving and stationary organisms are green. 

Picture 1 Arcella

Picture 2 Dieptus

Picture 3 Diatoms 

Week 3

There was a great improvement from last week in both the moving and stationary organisms. The stationary organisms where all over the place in the container but the moving organisms where only found mostly next to objects or by the sides or the top or bottom. Their where many more non green organisms but are only a few Chlorophyll green organisms. Most are clear and you can easily see through them. I saw fifteen rotifers on the green substances and on the sides. Also there were two shelled rotifers that did not move their bodies only their mouths. I have also have two Turbellaria  in the bottom of the tank at the corner, they only move the bottom half of their bodies and its a snake like movement. Nemotodes were also in the bottom and had a snake like movement as they move around. There were many pseudopodia at the bottom and toward the top, they are circle shaped objects that are stationary. An example of these is picture number 4 on the ones listed. Example number 3 is a protoza their are many Protoza in my container.  An example of Rotifiers is example number 2, and an example of Nemotodes is picture number 1.

Picture #1

Picture #2

Picture #3

Picture #4