Fall 2015 Week 3

This week in lab I took pictures of possible endophytes in the leaves of silver leaved nightshade using a video equipped light microscope. I am attempting to compile some form of photo identification library for endophytes but am wondering if this is too large a scope for this project. Either way I need photos of my fungi in their native habitat so I will continue this for awhile.

One thing I've been struggling with while making my wet mount slides is the density of the leaves I'm looking through. They are so thick not much light is able to shine through making the photos dark and the structures indistinct. Also at very high magnifications small bumps and waves on the thick surface of the leaves translate to huge changes in elevations under the microscope. This means that to see the structure of a three dimensional object, such as a fungus inside a trichome, I have to adjust the fine focus of the microscope to get an idea of the structure. While this may be just a feature of using a microscope, I want to see what kinds of solutions I can come up with to make it easier for me to take 2 dimensional photos of 3 dimensional things. I am soaking a leaf in acetone to clear it and see if it makes it easier to see through the leaves.

Fall 2015 Week 2

This week in lab has been focused on introspection. Despite long hours contemplating, and many more hours at the bench learning techniques for it, I'm not entirely satisfied with my project. I'm finding it hard to stay motivated studying fungi when my mind so readily wanders to insects instead.

I want to change the topic of my project but I've already invested heavily in my current project. However I'm not entirely sure what a good, viable insect based project would look like. Thus I would be spending a large chunk of my time floundering around looking for a topic and learning completely new techniques before being able to really start a new project. The semester is already getting old...

A compromise would be to have a small side project, such as building an insect terrarium, to keep me occupied while I finish out my project. My endophytes are a great project with so much potential for growth, both personal and within the project. I'm just so uncertain.

I also moved my lab cabinet so I can access my supplies even when there's class. Here's a photo of all my lab supplies:

Fall Week 1

How time flies! School has been in session for nearly three weeks, all my classes are now in full swing and I'm finally getting back into the rhythm of things.
Most of this week has been spent catching up with all the lab people and getting to know some new faces. Other than that I've been using the light microscope to try and find endophytes in silver leaved night shade leaves before sterilizing and plating them. It hasn't been as easy as during the summer because the health status of the individuals I'm taking samples from keeps changing. First I thought they were all completely dried out and dead but, now my brother has started to water the front lawn, where these plants grow, there are tons of healthy, unstressed plants without endophytes. I feel like I need to control their growing conditions more stringently.

Here is a photo of Silver leaved nightshade or Solanum elaeagnifolium: