Week #5 MicroAquarium™ Final Observation

Water source: The water I chose for my MicroAquarium™ was drawn from the Holston River along John Sevier Hwy under I 40 Bridge Partial shade exposure Holston River water Shed N36 00.527 W83 49.549 823 ft 10/9/2011. (McFarland, 2012)

This was our final observation week for our MicroAquariums™. Compared to the first week, there was definitely an increase in the amount of organisms in the aquarium. These organisms vary in size, from too small to identify, to very large. The organisms were mostly of the variety shown in previous blogs. There was a high increase in water molds around the plants, and around the remenants of the food pellet paced in the aquarium a few weeks ago (McFarland 2012) there was a multitude of organisms. I did not take any photos this week although I did find some diatoms that I had not previously seen, some were alive, while others were not as was indicated by their clear drum-like structure. (This clear nature represents a loss of chlorophyll in the organism.) (Pennak 1989).

This was overall a very good and successful experiment, and it was interesting to see the growth and changes of the aquarium over time.  

Bibliography: 

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

2. Pennak, R. W. (1989). Fresh-water invertebrates of the united states : protozoa to mollusca. New York.