Microscopic observation archives

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Revision as of 15:52, 28 April 2021 by Thesoftprotestdigest (talk | contribs) (Trowel sampling: 16 small 10cm deep samples)
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Diagrams sourced from The biomass distribution on Earth, Yinon M. Bar-On, Rob Phillips, Ron Milo.

By considering the biomass[1] and lifespan superiority of some microscopic beings in comparison to us human beings, we can look outside of our mammals’ bubble for a moment. Thus, we reach the bubble of decomposers, beings who make life on this planet possible, out of our sight. Without them, our world is rotten forever, since they recycle everything that was, once, alive. As well as pollinators allow plants to reproduce, decomposers transform organic matter in mineral food for plants, the basic trophic level of most ecosystems.

They are everywhere, and we domesticated some of them to produce our own food, from cheese to bread and wine. However, as apex predators, we exist only because they sustain themselves since millions of years.

Characteristics of the microscope used for this exploration:

Microscope used for our researches.
  • Type: Biological-/ Stereo-type microscope
  • Model: BRESSER BioDiscover
  • Year of production: 2007
  • Magnification table:
Eypiece Objective Magnification with Barlow lens
5x 4x 20x 40x
5x 10x 50x 100x
5x 40x 200x 400x
16x 4x 64x 128x
16x 10x 160x 320x
16x 40x 640x 1280x

November 2020 | Blue Ardenne collect

The Soft Protest Digest followed this path to explore a glimpse of the Blue Ardenne.
Context of collect Date of collect Date of observation Items observed
Hike in the Blue Ardenne 16th of November 2020 January 2021 Fungi[2] and small animals crawling in samples.

Observations made while hiking

Amanita muscaria Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina Fomes fomentarius old Fomes fomentarius young Polyporaceae corda Meruliaceae Hypoxylaceae

Fungi (mycelium organ) grown on mushroom

Macroscopic view of the observed sample.
Hypoxylacae conidium Hypoxylacae and Penicillium conidiums Tyrophagus putrescentiae Tenebrionidae family Beetle wing Fungi on beetle

Lichen [3]

Macroscopic view of the observed sample.
Evernia genus lichen Evernia genus lichen Mushroom alveolar gills

April 2021 | Hoeve de Koeberg soil analysis

Context of collect Date of collect Date of observation Items observed
Soil analysis of milk providers: 1 hectare grassland next to the farm's main barn 19th of April 2021 April 2021 Microscopic fungi and animals, macroscopic insects [2] crawling in samples.

Trowel sampling: 16 small 10cm deep samples

Template:Plainlist

  • 20.04 — 20g extracted and mixed with 100g demineralised water:
    • First look right to left at 64x: no movement but lots of worm shaped things.
    • Too much organic matter to get clear views: try with lower concentration.
  • 26.04 — 10g extracted for 110g demineralised water:
    • First (yellow) look right to left at 64x and 160x: no movement but good texture of organic matter.
    • Second (pink) look random at 200x: lots of fungi bits and good bacterial aggregates.

Pitfall trap: one medium jar in the middle of the pasture

  1. — Dig a hole of the jar's size.
  2. Put in that hole an opened jar/container filed at 1/3 with water + drop of alcool.
  3. Assemble 4 wood nails with a flat plastic container lid to elevate it when lying on the floor.
  4. Cover the trap with this “roof” (to prevent vertebrates to fall in) which nails will be stick in the ground.
  5. Wait for 2 nights.
  6. — Get the jar filed with macrofauna and store it in the fridge (6 days).
  7. — Results:
    • 26 unidentified small coleopteras all alive (3mm, oblong shape, black)

Notes

  1. See the article The biomass distribution on Earth, Yinon M. Bar-On, Rob Phillips, Ron Milo. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Jun 2018, 115 (25) 6506-6511; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1711842115. source: https://www.pnas.org/content/115/25/6506
  2. 2.0 2.1 Identified when possible with the help of internet ressources (Wikipedia and The Mushroom Observer or others).
  3. Composite organism made of algae/cyanobacteria living among filaments of fungi.