User:Lila Glansberg/Notebook/Biology 210 at AU
Lab 2: Observing and Identifying Algae and Protists--January, 28, 2015
Purpose
The purpose of this lab is to discover and identify any protists living in the transect. This is necessary to further the understanding of ecosystems in the natural world. Students must learn and understand common methods of identifying organisms, such as the use of a dichotomous key. Another purpose of the lab is to prepare for the next class:students will also dilute and plate bacteria that is found in the Hay Infusion Culture.
Materials and Methods
The materials needed for this lab are: -light microscope -dichotomous key -known organism -Hay Infusion Culture (made last class) -micropippetor -four nutrient agar plates -four nutrient agar plus tetracycline plates
Procedure 1: Observe wet mount of a known organism with a microscope. Focus on one organism and describe it and record its size. Use a dichotomous key to determine what the organism is.
Procedure 2: Note the smell and appearance of the culture after bringing it to your desk. Draw samples from two different niches, including some plant matter, and note exactly where in the culture you took the samples from. Observe wet mounts of the samples taken under a microscope, and using the dichotomous key, identify what protists and algae are present. Diagram the organisms observed and measure their size.
Procedure 3: Label four tubes of 10 mL sterile broth with 10^-2, 10^-4, 10^-6, and 10^-8. Set a micropippetor to 100 microliters. Obtain four of each kind of agar plate--label all of the tetracycline plates with "tet." Label each of plate with their respective numbers, and add your lab group's info on the plate. Swirl the Hay Infusion Culture--with the lid on-- to mix up the contents. Add 100 microliters from the culture to the tube labeled 10^-2. Mix the tube thoroughly.
Lab 1: A Study of Evolution and Ecosystems at AU--January 25, 2015
Purpose
The purpose of this lab is to begin to understand the different types of life that exist on Earth. It is necessary to understand the basics of evolution before one studies diversity, as all life forms evolved from a common ancestor. By examining a transect of an ecosystem close to home, students can understand the high diversity of life that exists even in small areas.
Materials and Methods
Materials needed for this lab are: -samples of Chlamydomonas, Gonium, and Volvox -light microscope -soil/vegetation sample from transect -water -dried milk
Procedure 1: Prepare wet slides of and observe the three types of algae under a microscope. Note the number of cells contained by each specimen, the colony size, any cell specialization, and motility mechanisms. Note if the organism is isogamous or oogamous. Draw a picture of the organism under the microscope, and note the magnifying power.
Procedure 2: Examine the assigned transect and make a map of the area. Make a list of five biotic and five abiotic specimens within the transect. Take a soil/vegetation sample in a tube to bring back to the lab. This should be what you believe is the most accurate representation of your transect. Back at the lab, prepare a Hay Infusion Culture: Put 10-12 grams of the transect sample in a plastic jar with 500 mL of purified water. Add 0.1 gm of dried milk, place the lid on the jar and mix gently for 10 seconds. Remove the lid and store the jar in a safe place in the lab. Label the jar with your name and transect number.
Data and Observations
The transect assigned to me was farmland in the form of the AU community garden.
Five biotic elements: Cucumber Lettuce Brussel Sprouts Spinach Bushes
Five abiotic elements: Scarecrow Planting box Irrigation system (rubber hosing) Soil Snow
Transect Map:
Conclusion
My transect has many plants growing there, and so I would predict the soil to be full of specimen that make it fertile. I would also expect to see organisms that feed off of plant material. The protists and bacteria I would expect to see would be ones that could survive in the varying temperatures and weather of DC, as well as survive off of the plant material (or fecal matter) that is present in the transect.
LG
January 21, 2015
Photosynthesis is the process of capturing light energy and packaging it as potential energy in the chemical bonds of glucose molecules.
LG
