MicroAquarium Overview, Initial Setup, Water Source, and First Observations

Throughout the rest of the semester, I will be observing a MicroAquarium that I constructed in Biology 111 (Botany) with the help of lab director, Dr. Kenneth McFarland.  The purpose of these observations is to explore an area that is not always apparent to us, the microscopic world.  This realm is full of interesting organisms which serve different and unique roles in our environment.  I have the opportunity to investigate the inhabitants of my MicroAquarium and conduct research on their unique features, habitats, and activities.

In order to set up the MicroAquarium, I had to label one side of the aquarium glass with 3 colored dots for future identification. I applied putty to the lid of my MicroAquarium, so that the lid could be securely placed on the aquarium in order to prevent water evaporation.  I had the opportunity of selecting water samples from 13 different water sources.  I choose to put a sample from the French Broad River water shed at Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge from Kelly Lane, Knox County, Tennessee in my MicroAquarium.  This water was exposed to partial shade and contained the Cladophora sp. alga in the family Cladophoraceae.  I also added Amblestegium sp. moss collected from a natural spring at Carters Mill Park on Carter Mill Road in Knox County, Tennessee along with Utricularia gibba L., a flowering carnivorous plant found on Camp Bella Air Rd. in White County into my MicroAquarium.  The Utricularia gibba L. plant sample was grown in water tanks outside of  a greenhouse located by the Hesler Biology Building at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Our lab class was also required to obtain soil from our water sample bowls to be placed as a thin layer in our MicroAquariums, so that we could see potential microorganisms living in the soil.

After my MicroAquarium was correctly assembled, I placed it under a microscope in order to view its contents.  While looking at the Utricularia gibba L. plant,  I noticed something moving around in one of its "bladders."  There was a small, round organism bouncing around against the walls of the bladder.  It looked as though it was trying to excape from the bladder.  After viewing this amazing discovery, I asked Nick Buckley, a graduate student, about what was occurring.  He said that this microorganism was able to enter the bladder's membrane, but that it couldn't get out due to the membrane's cell structure.  I also saw a larger organism with wings and cilia crawling up the Amblestegium sp. moss.  Hopefully during future observations, I will be able to identify these interesting creatures and discover many more.