User:Janaye M. Monica/Notebook/Biology 210 at AU

1/29 Lab 2 Identifying Algae and Protist

Purpose of lab: The two main divisions of all living organisms on the Earth are eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Eukaryotes have membrane bound nucleus and can be both single and multi cellular. Unicellular eukaryotes are categorized into two groups: algae and protists. The purpose of this lab is to identify microscopic and unicellular eukaryotes present in the ecosystem and niches of the Hay Infusion Culture prepared in the preceding lab.

Materials and Methods: 1. Gently move the culture to the work area. 2. Record initial observations including the smell, appearance and any possible life forms. 3. Take 3 samples from two distinct niches (meaning 6 samples) with the culture and note where these samples came from. 4. Place samples on a slide and observe under a compound microscope. 5. Determine if it is a protest or an algae, draw a picture of the organisms and describe its various characteristics with the aid of the Dichotomous key.

Data and Observations: The culture smelled like a combination of rotting vegetables and musky water. There appeared to be a thick and fuzzy film on the top of the culture. The water beneath the film was clouded and brown. Soil collected at the bottom of the jar. The first 3 samples were taken from a rotting brussel sprout. The second three samples were taken from the skin on the top of the culture. As shown in the photo below, one of the three organisms observed near the brussel sprouts could not be identified. Most of the samples taken at the surface of the culture were paramecium. The Paramecium aurelia, taken from the surface of the culture, meets all the needs of life described in the Freeman text. It feeds off of other microscopic organisms and is a P. aurelia is a unicellular protozoa. The organism can replicate in a variety of ways and its reproductive tendencies hint at the organism’s evolution.

Conclusions: Paramecium was present in both samples. Its abundant presence could be due to the organism's propensity towards watery environment, which was present in the Hay culture. If the Hay Culture was to continue to grown for the

1/26 Lab 1 Observing Evolution and an AU Niche

Purpose of lab, hypothesis and prediction The first purpose of this lab was to observe and determine if evolution moves towards increased complexity by examining three green algae members of the Volvocine Line. The second purpose was identifying biotic and abiotic components of a 20 by 20 meter transect. The purpose of the two procedures in this lab is to observe the diversity to life.

Materials and Methods Procedure I 1. Place Chlamydomonas algae on a slide and observe the organism through a compound microscope. 2. Record the number of cells, colony size, specialization of cells, mechanism of motility, and reproduction (see in Table 1). 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for Gonim and Volvox. Procedure II 1. Locate the assigned transect and bring a 50 mL conical tube to collect a sample of the soil/ground vegetation. 2. Upon arriving at the transect, collect the soil and documented the general characteristics of the transect, create an aerial view diagram of it and list abiotic and biotic components in the area. From here, create a hay infusion culture using the transect sample. 3. Place 10 to 12 grams of soil and vegetation sample into a plastic jar filled with 500 mLs of Deerpark water. 4. We added .1 gm of dried milk and gently mix the solution for 10 seconds. 5. Label the jar, remove the top and place in an area where it will be undisturbed.

Data and observations Procedure I Type of cell; number of cells; colony size (um); Specialization of cells?; Mechanisms of Motility; Isogamous or Oogamous Chlamydomonas; 70-100; 1 um; unicellular; flagella; isogomous Gonim; 20; 2 um; multicellular and held together by a gelatinous matrix; cilia; isogomous Volvox; 10; 3.5 um; multicellular; flagella; oogamous

The Volvocine line appears to move toward more evolutionary intricacies. Chlamydomonas, known as the origin of the Volvocine Line, display less complex evolutionary features by being both isogomous and unicellular. The colonial size in Chlamydomonas is smaller than that of Gonium and Volvox. Colonial forms are a genetic change evolving from single cells. Algae that demonstrate colonization are more evolutionary progressive. Additionally, Volvocine is oogamous, meaning it uses a more advance method of sexual reproduction.

Procedure II The transect was located in American University's Community Garden. Within this transect, there were four rectangle plots. Each plot held a different vegetable and was full of dark soil. Much of the plant life was dead but the brussel sprouts were in full bloom. There were irrigation tubes throughout and between the plots. There were dead bushes and sticks towards the southern end of the transect. Five abiotic components: wood, scarecrow, irrigation, woodchips, snow Five biotic components: cucumber, lettuce, brussel sprouts, spinach, bushes

Conclusion In Procedure I, evolution was observed among the three members of the Volvocine Line. The observed evolution moved towards increased complexity as shown by the characteristics of Volvox, the most evolved of the samples. For procedure II, the transect had various abiotic and biotic components. When observing the hay infusion of the Community Garden transect, I expect to see a variety of protists. These protists will be most likely be the fittest of the population since they survived an extreme environmental change (placed in water and stored in a moderate temperature).

JM

1/21 It’s always a good time for a nap. JM