Subject: Lab Ideas

From: George Mueller <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 1995 08:12:02 -0800 (PST)

Hi,

Observational labs are easiest.

A possible "idea" lab might be on nitogen fixation.  With observations on 
Rhizobium, actinorhiza, cyanophycophilous lichens, Anabaena in Azolla, 
bluegreen symbionts, in Gunnera ect.  Simple hand sections of the lichens 
and of azolia are easy for most students.

more organism directed labs might be

Monocystis a gregarine parasite of earthworm seminal vesicles.  Reqires 
live Lumbricus terrestris altho most earthworms have related parasites. A 
simple liquid mount of the seminal fluid gives several life stages.  All 
students can be successful at making this mount.

The flagellates of termites, while slightly harder to prepare than the 
one above is a good example of mutalists.  Again a simple mount of the 
gut contents which all students can do with a little help is all that is 
required.  These flagellates are generally exciting to students.

Septobasididiales,  scale insects and the host plant perhaps this lab is 
a demostration of this unusual tripartite association.  I think that this 
should be available in your area.

Experimental labs are harder.

If grass endophytes and the right insects are available at the time that 
you have the lab, a lab might be designed showing feeding preferences.  

Endomycorrhizae and its effects on plant growth could also be used which 
plants depends on what you have available.  This lab would run over 
several weeks.

George Mueller
Dept. of Botany
Univ. of Washington