After a while we haven´t noticed many more changes. But now we can appreciate how this tiny ecosystem has developed showing us the different organisms that cohabit inside the bottle.
Firstly, it´s evident that there is something going on in the upper part because of the turbidity of the water. This is due to the presence of microalgae and cyanobacteria living in there.
In the surface of the mud we can find multicellular algae which have been growing and spreading where they can find oxygen and light, that is the surface on the enlightened side. Next to them, heterotrophic bacteria have stablishes thanks to the availability of nutrients provided by th photosynthetic algae.
We can also observe as we move to the bottom or the dark side that colouration varies greatly. This is an effect of the lack of light and the increasing concentration of sulfides. This allows chimiotrophic bacteria to grow. There is a huge variety, ranging from purple sulfure bacteria, oxidizing bacteria, sulfate reducing bacteria... All these use redox reactions to fuel their metabolism.
Apart from all, this, as a personal experiment, we inserted some yeast extract. What we expect ir a growth of the heterotrophic organisms which will consume all new organic matter until there is no more.
Group 7B, Biotechnology, UCA, Spain
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