User:Ashish Bhattarai/Notebook/Biology 210 at AU

01/29/2015

Identification of Algae and Protists in the transect

Purpose: In the last experiment, we observed an environment within American University's ground and obtained sample to make a hay infusion culture. The main purpose of this particular experiment is to see all the biological lives that exist in this particular transect (Transect #5; Manicured Grassland). Using a microscope, we will be identifying protists and algae present in transect #5. We are looking where these protists and algae (near the plant materials or away from plant materials) are present.

Materials/ Methods : The "Hay Infusion Culture" that was made in the last experiment is considered an ecosystem. The 500mls of water and vegetation mixture consists of many different types of niches. Some protists and algae prefer plant materials for food whereas some tend to be away from the plant materials. For this experiment we are looking at the protists that are present in two different niches/conditions. The ecosystem (Hay Infusion Culture) is brought to the table. With a pipette we took 2 samples altogether from 2 different niches (one from near the plant materials (top of the culture) and one from away the plant materials (middle of the culture towards the side) ). We prepared 2 microscopic slides with 2 drops of mixture in each slide and added a liquid agent that slows down the protists so that they can be observed well. Without the slowing agent, protists move very fast and are difficult to track down and observe their characteristics. Using the ocular micrometer in the microscope the size of protists were measured. Also a Dichotomous key was used to identify the protists present in the sample. The characteristics of protists were used as reference to work with dichotomous key which asked questions and gave 2 options every time thus leading to the final observation that led to identification of protists.

Observation: As the "Hay Infusion Culture" is brought to the table, the first observation we made was the smell. The culture had a very strong smell. It almost had a rotten smell. The smell was like that of a sewer or human wasteland. The top of the culture had cell membrane like gelatinous texture up on the top. It was like the layer of fat in a boiled fatty milk. The overall appearance of the appearance was brownish. The middle part of the ecosystem is clearer than the top and the very bottom. The top of the culture had grass on the top and looked like as if they are growing on the top (they are bunched up all together). The grass bunch was green in color. The top has some dirt and wood chips present in it. The middle is almost clear but does have some grass and plant material floating towards the center of the jar. The bottom contains soil and plant matters such as leaves and chunks of wood and mulch.

The organisms/protists present nearby the plant matters and nearby just the water source are more likely to differ from each other. It is so because, the ones in just water obtain their nutrients from water because of which the way they feed is most likely to differ from the ones that feed on plants and plant materials. Water, with increase in temperature will most likely evaporate. The evaporation of water in the next two months mean that the protists that rely solely on the water for their habitat and feeding will have lower area to live. With the decrease in area to leave the carrying capacity of this particular niche will decrease thus causing the lower number of protists present solely in water. The decrease of such organisms is most likely due to the lack of food source.

01/25/2015

Observing a Niche at American University and seeing the biological lives that live in certain American University Niche

Purpose: The main purpose of this experiment is to observe a certain environment within American University and see all the biological lives that exist in this community. This experiment also goes along with looking at the dependence of certain living organisms as small as bacteria, protists to insects, bugs and squirrels. We are also looking at how certain disturbances such as human interactions and natural disasters are responsible for some changes in the niche.

Hypothesis: There is a great diversity of protists and bacteria in this transect.

Prediction: If there are protists and bacteria present in this transect, the hay infusion culture followed by observing the sample of the culture under microscope should show presence of protists and bacteria.

Materials/ Methods: A 20 X 20 transect is marked with popsicle sticks. There are 5 transects with in American University. The transects vary on their characterization. There are transects which is manicured grassland and other which is a marshland and three others. Our group was assigned with the manicured grassland. As the transects were also labeled with number, the transect that we were assigned is transect #5. This particular experiment required us to do nothing more than inspect and observe the niche we were assigned to. We identified our niche and started looking at everything present within the 20 X 20 transect. We also collected sample of everything that was in the transect. The sample we collected was a mini version of the transect itself. A sterile 50ml conical tube is used to obtain the sample. Other materials that were needed to conduct this experiment were popsicle sticks (four) and the transect itself.

The observation of the transect and collection of the sample of the transect was followed by a Hay Infusion Culture. For the Hay Infusion culture we used 10 to 12 grams of the vegetation we collected in the 50ml conical tube and mixed it together with 500mls of deerpark water in a jar. To the mixture of vegetation and water, 0.1 grams of dried milt was added. We gently mixed the mixture of those substances for 10 seconds and the jar was stored with its top off.

Data/ Observation: The location of this transect is around the Eric A Friedham Quadrangle seating area in the main quad of American University. The transect is looking at Batelle with back towards Hurst building. To the right of transect is Kay Spiritual Center. The transect includes a small part of the seating area itself. When looking at Batelle with back towards Hurst, the transect is to the right of the middle of the seating area that is lead by a path. The transect is to the right. The transect incorporates dead bushes and shrubs with wilted leaves lying on the grassy manicured land. The shrubs are growing on the mulch which is one of the features of the transect itself. The mulch area looks fertile and promises a lot of microbes and bacteria.There are two different kinds of bushes.

The biotic (living) factors of the transect are as follows: 1: Grass (Manicured grassland) 2: Shrubs/Bushes : There are two kinds of shrubs and one kind is prickly as it is covered with thorns all along its stem. 3: Leaves : (More likely that they fell down from tree that is nearby 'the tree does not fall inside the transect assigned'. The leaves are all wilted) 4: Squirrels : (Not there at the time of observation because it is winter now but I have seen many squirrels running around in that area during fall) 5: Insects / Bugs

There are some abiotic factors in the transect and they are as follows: 1: Mulch (There are some wood pellets.) 2: Soil (The soil looks fertile and promises home for some of the living organisms and a good source of nutrients for the shrubs planted in it) 3: Snow and water (Being winter, there is some snow on the ground) 4: Stone benches (act as one of the possible disturbance to the natural environment of the transect) 5: Air (Air is everywhere, but it also includes air coming from the human breath from the people who walk along the area going to and fro classes and of those who sit on the benches for getting some fresh air)

Some other features of the transect are the already built seating area. There was also some wastes lying on the area of transect. There was a fork lying down on the ground. Not only that, there were some human footsteps/ prints which means that people and other animals are walking by it. It promises for disturbances caused by the interaction of human to the environment.

Conclusion: Looking at the biotic factors such as leaves and bushes along with abiotic factors such as mulch, soil and air it can be concluded that there are a lot of living microbes such as protists and bacteria in this transect.

AB

01/21/2015

Can't wait to dissect rats.

AB