MtA_BIOL2201_2026 Mud and Soil
Mar 16, 2026 • 4:13 PM UTC
Canada
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Microorganisms
Alexandra Bjurstrom-Evans
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Image 1
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Using the FoldScope 2.0 for both of these images, I looked at the content of mud (image 1) and soil (image 2).
There is incredible diversity within the first sample, both in microbes and colour. From what I could identify, ciliates, microalgae, and possible amoebas thrived within this sample! Additionally, there is an array of colours, from orange and blues to greens. Microalgae were identified by their green pigment. It's not entirely clear what the orange and blue specimens were, but my leading hypothesis is that fabric pieces fell into the mud.
Image 2
There is incredible diversity within the first sample, both in microbes and colour. From what I could identify, ciliates, microalgae, and possible amoebas thrived within this sample! Additionally, there is an array of colours, from orange and blues to greens. Microalgae were identified by their green pigment. It's not entirely clear what the orange and blue specimens were, but my leading hypothesis is that fabric pieces fell into the mud.
Image 2
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Compared to the mud, the soil was much less diverse and had a much more obvious brown colour. To my surprise, there was what looked to be a spider in this sample! Although all 8 legs aren't attached, it's possible that the appendages at the top of the photo are it's other legs, as they match in both width and length. I may have accidentally torn them off while mixing the water droplet into the soil. Sadly, I don't have any observations on the spider's movement as I didn't recognize it as a spider until after the photo was captured. It was still extremely cool to see!
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