Overview The marine microorganisms and algae research was not really a project, it was more like a few days we received to do lots of research on the microorganisms of the ocean. We began with researching prokaryotic single celled organisms, bacteria and archaea. After that, we learned about single celled organisms which are part of the eukarya domain, meaning they have the membrane bound nucleus which prokaryotes lack. We focused on these protozoans for while and then moved on to researching algae.
Research and Sketches
Research Condensed/Content Diatoms: A single celled alga with a cell wall (frustule) made of silica, eukaryotic. Cyanobacteria: Microorganisms found naturally in freshwater and saltwater. They produce their food through photosynthesis and are prokaryotes. Radiolarian: A single celled, animal like, microorganism with a spherical body and a cell wall made of silica. They are eukaryotic. Bacteria: A large group of unicellular and prokaryotic microorganisms that constitute their own domain. They have cell walls but lack organelles and nuclei. Foriminiferans: Single celled planktonic animals with chalky shells through which slender protrusions of protoplasm extend. Most species are marine. Dinoflagellates: Protists constituting the phylum Dinoflagellata. They have two flagella and are usually considered algae. Phaetophyta/Brown Algae: A phylum of macroalgae in which green chlorophyll pigments are masked by the pigment fucoxanthin. Rhodophyta/Red Algae: One of the oldest groups of algae. The coralline algae secretes calcium carbonate and assists coral growth.\ Chlorophyta: The third major phylum of macroalgae, does not have any excess pigments like phaetophyta does.
Reflection Although this wasn't really a project, there are still some aspects of this experience that I did well on and could improve on next time. The first thing I think I did well on was absorbing the information and gaining the knowledge. I listened and read well when researching these microbes, which will give me an advantage on the test. Another thing I think I did well on was Organizing my information. When taking notes on the subject I made sure to classify each microbe by domain and whether they were heterotrophic or autotrophic. One thing I didn't do well on during this experience was staying on top of the assignments. My teacher assigns work at a relatively quick pace, and I couldn't seem to fully finish anything the day it was due because I was working on something due the day before in his class. Another thing I could improve on was time management. Next time, I could try to do more of his classwork at home to be caught up.