termite observation

When we first put the termites into thier jar thier was 120 grams of silica sand and 19 mls of water.  the water was mainly pooled in the center.  We also put a block of dougles fur wood and 50-100 termites.  After the first check the water had dispersed into the silica sand and the termites had created a network of tunneles. The termites were very active and the wood showed no sighns of being eaten.  During the next check the termites had continued to work on thier tunneles and the wood had prown flakes around it.  The next check we found the termite colony had been devistated by some kid shaking the jar but the termites were able to recover and rebuild thier tunnele systyem. After sevral more shakes the termite colony was eventually killed.

Termite feeding and the protozoa

symbiosis is a close and often long term relation ship between two biologicly different spiceis that benifits bolth species.  The termites have a symbiotic relation ship with the protozoa in ther guts.. in this relation ship the termites get acitate which they use to make energy out of deal and in return the termites eat wood wich contains cellulose.  the protozoa then digest the cellulose and turn it into acitate and other waste products.  only the acitate is used by ther termite and the rest is expelled via the anus.  In our lab we tore the guts out of living termites and then examind them under a microscope to observe the protozoa.  Although im not sure what the objective was besides recongignizing the different protozoins.  Personally i found the lab a good way to reniforce what the worksheets had presented to us.  the actual ripping out of the termite guts was rather difficult due to thier minscule size.  all in all it was a enjoyable lab that was very informative

here is max ripping apart a termite.
this picture was taken by max's group
and i do not ry and claim credit

this is what the protozoa look like under the microscope.  this picture was also taken by max's group and i donot claim credit

The super sweet plankton net

The plankton net is a super sweet tool used to collect samples of water and measure how much plankton is in the water.


how to use a plankton net




1 uncap sample vial and place in throat




2 untie rope


3ready your net


4 aproach the water


5 find sample location.


6 throw net into water


7 haul back to shore
.8 remove and cap your sample


9 stow materials