User:Danielle R. Gordon/Notebook/Biology 210 at AU

3/22/15: Lab 6: Zebrafish Embryology

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11b-MggbZ9l7O0jcUENlqQdndh6BBTPQrtJCnY51xdtI/edit?usp=sharing

2/28/14: Lab 5: Invertebrates

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c_hoToidTA7qCr6QFT8GTBsBHjjhOm5RCj_O3R8vV-Y/edit?usp=sharing

2/28/14: Lab 4: Plants

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UvfyktOnBwEoMZ7nmPoTkLZ--IDytTafzIRoK0g6EXI/edit?usp=sharing
plant photos: https://docs.google.com/a/student.american.edu/document/d/1DcrlFtdHl8nQ5lsN6cWgrbbJ9kI0UCDG-rLwQL3juwA/edit

2/26/14: Transect Sequencing Results

The sample we sequenced was taken from the Tetracycline treated dish diluted to 10-3. The bacteria colonies were orange, circular, and convex. The DNA was sequenced, and the NCBI Blast program described our sequence as being from a Chryseobacterium. Chryseobacteria are characterized as orange, circular, and convex colonies. Therefore, we can conclude that our sample consists of Chryseobacterium.
from google images: http://www.bacteriainphotos.com/photo%20gallery/chryseobacterium%20indologenes%20and%20actinomycete.jpg

2/16/14: Lab 3: Hay Infusion Cultures and PCR Prep

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x3hvRkGqHba-6fxVl_lBxe8h760jXsZF8ovF3iE2-zs/edit?usp=sharing

2/7/14: Lab 2: Hay Infusion Observations

Intro:
In lab 1, we created a hay infusion using the sample we gathered from our transect. We then allowed it to settle for a week, and took samples from different layers of the jar. We expected to find different microbes depending on the location from which the samples were gathered. We also created serial dilutions using different concentrations of bacteria from the hay infusion plated in petri dishes either with or without Tetracycline.

Procedure:
Hay Infusion:
- observe appearance, smell, anything significant about hay infusion
- create a wet mount using three samples from three areas of the hay infusion
- classify two organisms found using the dichotomous key

Serial dilution:
- dilute 100 microleters of sample from hay infusion to 10^-2, 10^-4, and 10^-6, and 10^-8
- plate each sample into a petri dish, three with only nutrient agar and three with tetracycline
- invert plates and store until next week

Raw Data:
Hay infusion smelled like sewage, water was murky, white "stringy" substance was suspended in water. Samples from each layer are detailed in photos.

Conclusion
We are able to conclude from our observations that even within an "ecosystem" as small as our hay infusion, different "niches" appear. This is demonstrated by the discovery of different microbes specific to areas of the jar.

Photos and Classification of Microbes
https://docs.google.com/a/student.american.edu/document/d/1Bp6yuha7K8sKnC4rXHMpDjbJOyiWqjgX4yP9iTPldG4/edit?usp=sharing

D.G.

TA Notes

Great job!!

Some notes: -Make sure you include pics from lab 1 and lab 2 by Sunday.

-Make sure you sign each entry at the end with your initials.

-Date each entry. Have date at the top. So say "_Date_: Lab 1: Volvocine Line and Transect"

-Start working on building a map of your transect to detail your land and where your samples are taken from. We will talk about this more Wednesday. Good work!

AP

1/31/14: Lab 1: Volvocine Line and Transect

Intro:
In this lab, we observed how the Volvocine line has evolved and increased in complexity over millions of years. By observing three organisms and noting features which changed, we were able to see steps of the evolution of the Volvocine line. We were also introduced to our transects, our mini "ecosystems" which we will be observing throughout the semester. In order to observe the microbial features of our transect in future labs, we created a hay infusion culture.

Procedure:
Observing the Volvocine line:
- Prepare wet mounts of Chlamydomona, Gonium, and Volvox
- Observe cells through microscope
- Record relevant information (size, shape, color, flagella, etc.)

Transects:
- Observe transect (20x20 plot of land on AU Campus)
- Gather a 50ml sample representative of the transect (soil, leaves, etc.)

Hay Infusion Culture:
- Mass out 10-12 grams of transect sample
- Mix transect sample with 500ml of deerpark water in jar
- Add 0.1 grams of dried milk
- Mix gently for 10 seconds
- Label jar with group initials
- Leave jar open in a safe place in the lab

Raw Data:
Volvocine Line Observations:
Chlamydomonas- 35 cells in field of view, no colonies, size = 7.5um, very motile, isogamy
Gonium- 1 cell in field of view, size = 15um, very motile, isogamy
Volvox- 7 daughter cells/1 colony in field of view, size = 400um, very motile and flagellum present, oogamy

Transect Description:
20x20 staked off piece of land in community garden, on a hill, contains 6 isolated "pods" used to grow herbs, vegetables, and plants
biotic components: weeds, grass, worms, microbes, vegetation, mold, animals
abiotic components: water, air, soil, wood surrounding pods, rocks, sunlight, possibly pesticides

Conclusions and Future Plans:
In this lab we observed organisms in the Volvicine line, which demonstrated an increase in complexity as evolution took place. We also observed and sampled our transects, which will be continually observed throughout the semester. Next week, we will use our hay infusion cultures to observe the microbial components in our transects.

D.G.