Don't swallow the (pond) water!!

Well I don't know about anyone else but I was excited to submit my abstract proposal last Friday, for the upcoming student conference at Estrella Mountain College.  Maybe its because I didn't have enough data for the ASU conference but I'm ready now!!! 

I try to take pictures of my microbes twice a week.  I want to leave a bit of time in between photos in order for new communities to grow and mature and I can't see the growth if I see it everyday.   Kinda like how your grandma always think you look bigger when you visit....So now, every time I see my jar I see a lot more algae/green slim covering the inside of my jar.  Here is a little visual comparison for you of about a month.

Feb. 14, 2013

March 25, 2013

                                   
                       
This week I had so much going on that I was able to take just under 100 photos and I still have a photo day tomorrow.  With some help from Matt (sending me morphology links), I am able to classify a lot of my microbes down to the species, which is totally awesome seeing as my specimens are microscopic.

 As every week passes, the detail, size and variety of what I see expands.  Then I realized something the other day, in talking to Matt my realization it was confirmed.  Soon there will be a plateau or a peak, depending on how you look at it with my results.  My experiment is in a big 'ol pickle jar and the only thing that gets added to it is DI water, so if I have nothing to contaminate it, I can never have more complex species then what I'm seeing now.   In nature, flies lay eggs and larva is introduced, pollution and smog can kill, harm and alter what you find in a pond or lake.  A large dust storm can bring contaminants from miles away and deposit them in the pond.  All of these factors can change the ecosystem that is in any pond. 

Its not like I really need to add a variable to my project just yet, I'm still keeping very busy with what I have going on in my jar.  Here are some of my favorite pictures from early on this week.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. 

P.S. I'm thinking of blowing up some of the photos to print and hang them up at home.  Would you consider that to be abstract or abnormal???

Microbe party

Anabaena (green spiral) and Navicula (oval shape), Protococcus (green circles)

Pediastrum

Merismopedia, Anabaena, Protococcus, Navicula

Closterium

Scenedesmus, Synedra, Rotifer (big guy in the upper right)

 Really makes me think back to all the pond water I swallowed as  a kid!!!