User:Maria Esposito/Notebook/Biology 210 at AU

Biological Life at AU: Observations of a Transect-January 14, 2015

• Purpose:

At American University, I am observing Transect 3 (Tall brushes) to understand and identify the organisms that inhabit that area and the abiotic and biotic factors that affect that niche. My hypothesis is that the transect will be more abundant with protists than bacteria. We cannot tell which is more abundant in our transect, an Hay Infusion culture will be made to test this and observations with a microscope need to be made.

• Materials and Methods:

-Slides of Chlamydomonas, Gonium, and Volvox

-Scientific Microscope

-Sample of my transect

-Protoslo

-50 mL conical tube

-0.1 gm of dried milk

-Plastic Jar

-500 mLs of deerpark water

-Graduated cylinder

1. I observed and drew a picture of the area of my transect and recorded the abiotic and biotic properties of my transect.

2. I used a 50 mL conical tube to take a soil/vegetation sample of my transect.

3. Back in the lab, my group and I measured 500 mLs of deerpark water with a graduated cylinder. And placed it in the plastic jar.

4. Then, my group and I placed 12 grams of the transect sample and 0.1 gm of dried milk in the plastic jar.

5. We mixed the contents of our Hay Infusion Culture for 10 seconds and removed the lid of the jar.

• Data and Observations:

Description of Transect-

The abiotic factors:

• snow
• dirt
• water
• metal post
• concrete

The biotic factors:

• leaves
• bushes
• grass

Location: inbetween Bender Arena and the Amphitheater

Topography: near steep area

Figure 1-[[Image:

Lab 1-Bio lab 210-Transect Drawing <a href="http://t.co/dCcu56WcFA">pic.twitter.com/dCcu56WcFA</a>

— Maria Esposito (@me3126a) <a href="https://twitter.com/me3126a/status/559933498383818752">January 27, 2015</a>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>]]

Figure 2-[[Image:

Lab 1-Bio 210-Google image aerial view <a href="http://t.co/LaENO5c7Bk">pic.twitter.com/LaENO5c7Bk</a>

— Maria Esposito (@me3126a) <a href="https://twitter.com/me3126a/status/561005359402590208">January 30, 2015</a>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>]]

Figure 3-[[Image:

Lab 1-Bio 210-Side view of Transect <a href="http://t.co/EsMs9H01RU">pic.twitter.com/EsMs9H01RU</a>

— Maria Esposito (@me3126a) <a href="https://twitter.com/me3126a/status/561008037125967872">January 30, 2015</a>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> ]]

Figure 4-[[Image:

Lab 1-Bio 210-Above view of Transect <a href="http://t.co/bxLUvfUUMz">pic.twitter.com/bxLUvfUUMz</a>

— Maria Esposito (@me3126a) <a href="https://twitter.com/me3126a/status/561008724106813440">January 30, 2015</a>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> ]]

Figure 1.This is an drawing of our transect (tall brushes) from an aerial view and is labeled with abiotic and biotic factors.

Figure 2.This is a Google image of an aerial view of our transect.

Figure 3.This is an side view of our Hay Infusion culture.

Figure 4.This is an above view of our Hay Infusion culture.

• Conclusions and Future Directions:

This data from transect does not support or disprove my hypothesis, I am unsure about what specific organism are in my transect. Next lab period, further examination of the incubated Hay Infusion culture will be done.

M.E.

• Citations:Bentley, M., Walters-Conte, K., and Nancy K. Zeller. 2015. A Laboratory Manual to Accompany: General Biology II. Department of Biology, American University: Washington D.C.