Siddhi Parab

<div class="wp-block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter">
 <img alt="Euglena (2)" class="wp-image-170135 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="170135" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="Euglena (2)" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_170139/Euglena-2.png"/>
 <figcaption>
 Slippery Euglena
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
</div>
<div class="wp-block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter">
 <img alt="Euglena interaction (2)" class="wp-image-170136 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="170136" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="Euglena interaction (2)" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_170139/Euglena-interaction-2.png"/>
 <figcaption>
 Interactions of Euglena
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
</div>

 Domain:  Eukaryota
 
 Phylum: Euglenophyta
 
 Class: Euglenophyceae
 
 Order:  Euglenales
 
 Family: Euglenaceae
 
 Genus: Euglena
 
 Commonly found in:  Fresh and marine water system, still water on which there is bloom
 
 Motility: Whipping motion by flagella
 
 Reproduction:  Asexual reproduction (binary fission) or mitosis


 Euglena are eukaryotic organisms which have characteristics of both plant and animal cells, photo-heterotrophic organisms. They have chloroplast which help in photosynthesis, mitochondria, plasma membrane called as pellicle which is flexible and helps in locomotion and capturing the prey, contractile vacuoles which helps in expelling the excess water in surrounding, Golgi complex, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, flagella which helps in locomotion and eyespot and a photoreceptor which helps in detection of light. They feed on unicellular organisms such as algae, bacteria. They are either in free-swimming stage (motile stage) or non-motile in cyst stage. They form cyst to protect themselves from harsh conditions. They play an important role by production of oxygen in the environment
 
 [
 
 .

<figure class="wp-block-video aligncenter">
 <video alt="Euglena1.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_170139/Euglena1.mp4">
 </video>
 <figcaption>
 Whipping motion by flagella of Euglena
 </figcaption>
</figure>

Photosynthetic Euglena

<div class="wp-block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter">
 <img alt="Chlorococcum (2)" class="wp-image-170148 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="170148" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="Chlorococcum (2)" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_170147/Chlorococcum-2.png"/>
 <figcaption>
 Circular moving Chlorococcum
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
</div>

 Domain:  Eukaryota
 
 Kingdom: Plantae
 
 Division:  Chlorophyta
 
 Class:  Chlorophyceae
 
 Order:  Chlorococcales
 
 Family:  Chlorococcaceae
 
 Genus: Chlorococcum
 
 Commonly found in:   Freshwater
 
 Reproduction:     With help of zoospores


 Chlorococcum are unicellular green algae, spherical in shape with single chloroplast. They have ability to form biofilms on wet surfaces. They move in circular manner. They help in photosynthesis and produce oxygen in ecosystem.

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="Euglena interaction (2)" class="wp-image-170136 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="170136" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="Euglena interaction (2)" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_170147/Euglena-interaction-2.png"/>
 <figcaption>
 Chlorococcum and Euglena(?)
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-video aligncenter">
 <video alt="Chlorococcum.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_170147/Chlorococcum.mp4">
 </video>
 <figcaption>
 Circular movement of Chlorococcum
 </figcaption>
</figure>

Chlorococcum

<div class="wp-block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter">
 <img alt="Oscillatoria" class="wp-image-170153 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="170153" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="Oscillatoria" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_170152/Oscillatoria.png"/>
 <figcaption>
 Filamentous Oscillatoria
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
</div>

 Domain:    Bacteria
 
 Phylum:   Cyanobacteria
 
 Class:  Cyanophyceae
 
 Order:   Oscillatoriales
 
 Family:   Oscillatoriaceae
 
 Genus:  Oscillatoria
 
 Commonly found in:   In water troughs made for drinking water to animals Reproduction:  By fragmentation


 Oscillatoria are green, unbranched filamentous green cyanobacteria. They show oscillating movement in which filaments can slide back and forth in order to orient themselves towards a light source. Even they have ability of photosynthesis.

<figure class="wp-block-video aligncenter">
 <video alt="Cyanobact-1.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_170152/Cyanobact-1.mp4">
 </video>
 <figcaption>
 Oscillations by Oscillatoria
 </figcaption>
</figure>

Oscillatoria

Date
 
 : 15th Sep 2018
 
 
 Place
 
 : Flower from a Passiflora vine near CSMT railway station, Mumbai
 
 
 Description
 
 :
 
 Passiflora incarnata is also called Krishna Kamal (Black/ dark Lotus) in the local language Marathi. I studied the flower petals, ovaries and the pollen grains. It is surprising to note that the dark coloured pigment on closer observation actually are pinkish red in colour!

<ul class="wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped" data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/microcosmos.foldscope.com\/?p=171124"}'>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="Plasiflora flower" class="wp-image-171133 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171133" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171133" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535381184","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"40","shutter_speed":"0.0042735042735043","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="Plasiflora flower" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171133" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/Plasiflora-flower.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora incarnata flower
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="Pigment (1)" class="wp-image-171130 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171130" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171130" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535062257","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.058823529411765","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="Pigment (1)" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171130" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/Pigment-1.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora petal
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="Pigment 3 section" class="wp-image-171131 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171131" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171131" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535062128","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"1250","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="Pigment 3 section" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171131" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/Pigment-3-section.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora petal
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="Pigment present in petal 1" class="wp-image-171132 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171132" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171132" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535119971","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.03030303030303","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="Pigment present in petal 1" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171132" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/Pigment-present-in-petal-1.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora petal: pigment bundle
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="p1" class="wp-image-171129 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171129" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171129" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535062239","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"500","shutter_speed":"0.083333333333333","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="p1" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171129" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/p1.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora petal: individual pigmented cells
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="Ovary 3" class="wp-image-171128 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171128" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171128" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535121297","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.03030303030303","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="Ovary 3" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171128" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/Ovary-3.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora ovaries
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="Ovaray 1" class="wp-image-171126 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171126" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171126" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535121396","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"80","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="Ovaray 1" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171126" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/Ovaray-1.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora ovaries
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="Ovaray 2" class="wp-image-171127 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171127" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171127" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535121310","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"80","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="Ovaray 2" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171127" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/Ovaray-2.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora ovary
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="O1" class="wp-image-171125 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171125" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171125" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535121310","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"80","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="O1" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171125" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/O1.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora ovary – zoomed
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="Pollen grains" class="wp-image-171134 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="171134" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="171134" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.9","credit":"","camera":"SM-C900F","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1535120908","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.6","iso":"64","shutter_speed":"0.03030303030303","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="Pollen grains" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=171134" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_171124/Pollen-grains.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Passiflora pollen grains
 </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </li>
</ul>

Passiflora incarnata

STEP #1: FOLDSCOPE ASSEMBLY


 Jennifer Tellis, Savannah Baptist, Siddhi Parab,Maya Murdeshwar and Sujata Deshpande
 
 St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Mumbai


 “Endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful, have been and are being evolved”   ~ Charles Darwin.


 To our group of 5 bio-explorers, the above quote holds deep significance. The diversity we see around us, leaves us in complete awe of nature’s creations. But there is a world out there that is not visible to the human eye without superior optical aids. It is – the Microscopic World! The diversity in this world of miniature life forms is much more profound. While several microscopic life forms have been identified and studied, innumerable ones remain hidden, waiting to be discovered. Discoveries in natural environments are especially left wanting as the tool of discovery – the compound light microscope – is a bulky, expensive piece of laboratory equipment difficult to lug around. Further, it necessitates the samples to be brought into the lab, away from their natural context.


 And so,when we heard about ‘FOLDSCOPE’, we sat up straight and took note. A portable microscopemade out of paper was unheard of, an innovation that seemed to be just what the doctor ordered! A project was hurriedly written up and submitted, followed by an anxious year-long wait for the results. Great jubilation did the rounds when we were finally awarded the DBT-Foldscope Research Grant.


 The objective of our research project is to explore the microscopic biodiversity in various ecological niches with the help of FOLDSCOPE. Each microhabitat harbours a unique set of microflora and microfauna. Given that FOLDSCOPE is a great tool in terms of on-site field study, our group aims to investigate the natural ‘micro-biodiversity’ that is so abundant, yet unknown to us. The possibilities are immense and exciting!


 Performing origami to study science was a first-time experience for us. Assembling the 10 FOLDSCOPES took us about 2 hours…
 <img alt="1" class="wp-image-43983 aligncenter gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="43983" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="1" data-recalc-dims="1" height="219" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_43950/1-1.png" width="388"/>
 …and was indeed a lot of fun!


 <img alt="2" class="wp-image-43984 aligncenter gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="43984" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="2" data-recalc-dims="1" height="221" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_43950/2.png" width="393"/>
 All smiles with our FOLDSCOPES
 
 (L-R: Dr. Maya M., Dr. Sujata D., Jennifer T., Siddhi P., Savannah B.)


 We are now eager to start exploring the microscopic diversity around us, using our freshly-folded FOLDSCOPES, and getting down to some exciting and interesting research!


 Calvin sums up our emotions pretty well:


 <img alt="3" class="wp-image-43985 aligncenter gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="43985" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="3" data-recalc-dims="1" height="281" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_43950/3.png" width="397"/>

Siddhi Parab

Earth

Posts

Chlorococcum

Oscillatoria

Passiflora incarnata

MAPPING MICROSCOPIC BIODIVERSITY IN SELECT ECOLOGICAL NICHES

Photosynthetic Euglena

Chlorococcum

Oscillatoria

Passiflora incarnata

MAPPING MICROSCOPIC BIODIVERSITY IN SELECT ECOLOGICAL NICHES

Photosynthetic Euglena

Chlorococcum

Oscillatoria

Passiflora incarnata

MAPPING MICROSCOPIC BIODIVERSITY IN SELECT ECOLOGICAL NICHES

Locations

Statistics

Type of Sample

Foldscope Lens Magnification