It's been awhile since the debut post, but I've got a good excuse. We've been hard at work studying a new topic; termites. In our most recent lab, we had the opportunity to get up close and personal...and I mean REALLY up close.
The main objective of this lab was to study the symbiotic relationship between the tiny termites and the infinitely tinier creatures known as protozoa. Symbiosis is the association of two dissimilar organisisms in a mutually benificial relationship. In other words, two different creatures help each other in some way. In this case, the termites help protozoa (miniscule creatures living in their gut) by providing shelter and food for them, and the protozoa help the termites by releasing acetate, which becomes the termites' energy source.
To study protozoa, you have to have an exposed termite digestive track. And unfortunately, that means some termites have to bite the dust in the name of science. Sad (or not) but necessary. Anyway, to get the protozoa out of the termite's abdomen, you have to do some intense tweezer work. Steady hands are essential for the gentle squeezing and pulling involved in pulling out a termite's intestines intact.
It was slow work, but several squished insects later we managed to get a good specimin on the microscope slide.
It was amazing. The second we put our eye to the scope, an entire new microscopic world unfolded itself before us. Countless protozoa darted around, munching on the tiny wood particles that drifted in the cytoplasm. There were big ones, little ones, and ones in between. Here's a pic that was taken by a student from another study group; CJ. The only problem with this pic is that you can't see the movement.
Overall, it was a great lab. We all learned about termites, protozoa, and symbiotic relationships. If this is just the start of the year, I'm looking forward to what we'll be studying later on.
