Organisms in Microcommunities

Definitions:
    Motile-organisms that are moving around
    Sessile-organisms that are stationary
    Producer-organism that is able to make its own "food" by using solar energy
    Consumer-organism that relies on other organisms for its energy
    Autotroph-organism that  captures energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to produce "food"
    Heterotroph-organism that obtains food by consuming other living things

Question: What kinds of organisms would you find in microcommunities?

Procedure: First, we set up our station with a microscope. Then we got a slide of pond water with a coverslip on top and put it underneath the microscope. We then looked through the microscope to see what microorganisms we could see. We found three different organisms: volvox, paramecium, and an amoeba.We then picked three other organisms we would like to learn about.

Materials: Microscope, pond water, slide, coverslip, and lab sheet.

Organisms:

Euglena: They can be both heterotrophs and autotrophs but they are mostly autotrophs. That means they are also mostly producers. They are motile.

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Volvox: They are producers and autotrophs. They are also motile.

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Paramecium: They are consumers and heterotrophic. They are also motile.

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Vorticella: They are consumers so they are heterotrophic. They are also sessile.

 

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Zygnema: They are producers and autotrophic. They are sessile.

 

 

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Amoeba: They are producers and autotrophic. They are motile.

 

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Conclusion:

     

      1. The role of microorganisms in a freshwater community would be to regulate the water. They might keep it clean and keep it at the right temperature. They might also take in nutrients in the water and cycle them through back into the water.

     2. The process of preparing a wet mount is to place the sample on the slide. Then use an eyedropper to put a drop of water on top of the sample. Then place one end of the coverslip on the side and slowly lower down the other side to try not to trap any air bubbles.

     3. The difference between a microorganism and a micro-community is that a microorganism is a microscopic organism that you can only see through a microscope. A micro-community is a small group of microorganisms of all different types of species together in one area.