Lab Report Assistant
This document is not meant to be a substitute for a formal laboratory report. The Lab Report Assistant is simply a summary of the experiment's questions, diagrams if needed, and data tables that should be addressed in a formal lab report. The intent is to facilitate students' writing of lab reports by providing this information in an editable file which can be sent to an instructor.
Exercise 1: Observing Microorganisms
Data Table 1. Life History Descriptions of Bacteria, Daphnia, and Hydra.
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Bacteria
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Daphnia
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Hydra
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Habitat
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Feeding
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Mobility
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Reproduction
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Questions
A. Do the Hydra and Daphnia have the same organs for motility? Use the information collected in Data Table 1 to support your answer.
B. Create a food chain for the Hydra, Daphnia, and bacteria. List the highest predator first.
C. What habitat do the organisms of Exercise 1 share?
D. Daphnia are considered to be a microcrustacean. Explain the terms "micro" and "crustacean". Give an argument as to why a Daphnia might also be considered a macroorganism.
E. Are Hydra considered a microorganism? Explain your answer.
Exercise 2: Investigating Microcosms
Data Table 2. Microcosm Observations.
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Light Microcosm
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Dark Microcosm
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Observations
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Photograph
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Data Table 3.Microbial Observations.
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Light microcosm
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Dark microcosm
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Observations
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Data Table 4.Initial Observations and Photograph.
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Initial Observations of the Aquatic Setup
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Observations
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Photograph
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Data Table 5.Final Observations and Photograph.
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Final Observations of the Aquatic Setup
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Observations
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Photograph
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Data Table 6.Microscopic Community of Aquatic Setup.
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Aquatic Community
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Observations with Hand-lens
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Observations with Microscope
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Slide Photograph
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Questions
A. How did light availability affect the community that you observed in the bean microcosms? Use your observations to support your answer.
B. In the aquatic setup, did you observe any differences in the initial versus final setup? Describe any reproduction or colonization you observed. (For example, algae may have grown and reproduced in your setup or algae from the atmosphere may have colonized your setup.)
C. Compare and contrast the bean microcosm and the aquatic setup. List the major similarities and differences between the two.