User:Zoe Love/Notebook/Biology 210 at AU

February 3rd 2016

Hay Infusion: The jar had a very strong and bad musky smell. It looked like there was mold forming around the top layer of the infusion. There were also some objects floating around in the infusion along with the blades of grass and dirt.

The first niche that was observed was from the top of the water. It was taken from an area close to a long blade of grass and on top of a dead leaf. The second niche was taken from the bottom of the water, directly above where the dirt had settled on the bottom of the jar. There were no plants in this niche. There could be some difference in the algae or protists that were observed in these two different niche's because it is possible that they would have different food sources available to them along with different amount of light or oxygen available to them. This could mean a difference in the types of algae or protists that were found in the different niches.

Niche 1:

Organism 1- Clear and 12µm at 40x magnification. The organism seemed to most closely resemble a Eudorina, but could not be confirmed as this organism. Since it did not look like it was algae it was determined that the organism did not perform photosynthesis. For the period that we observed the organism it appeared to me non-motile with no evidence of a flagella or other mechanisms of motion.

Organism 2- Clear and 3µm at 40x magnification. This organism was only observed for a very short period of time so not much could be recorded on the specifics. However, it seemed to be non-motile and did not perform photosynthesis. I was not able to see this organism, but there other members of my group were able to. This description reflects what they were able to see.

Those two were the only organisms that were found in the first niche.

Niche 2:

Organism 1: This organism was clear and about 10µm at 40x magnification. This organism seemed to be floating around in the slide showing no mechanism of movement. The organism seems to be protist in nature and does not use photosynthesis.

January 20th 2016

Transect Number One Description: The transect was a small area of land, mostly cold, hard soil with many acorn shells and sticks/branches. The small area of grass had clumps of long grass. There were a few small clover-life plants growing throughout the dirt/soil. The transect also included three bare shrubs and part of a concrete or cement walkway. The walkway also included a circular, metal grate.

Abiotic Materials: Dead leaves, trash, cement, sewer grate, and sticks

Biotic Materials: Grass (long broad), Grass (short and thin), Clovers, Shrubs/trees, Acorns

^Click on this image in order to see more details, including my drawing of the transect

• Zoe Love 11:40, 27 January 2016 (EST):