LAB 1 OBJECTIVES

1) Know the standard practices of basic microbiology laboratory safety. Become familiar with them and abide by them! Be sure to have a general understanding of how a microbiology laboratory is assigned to one of the four biosafety levels (BSL). Know what precautions and what type of facility is required for each level.

2) Know how to properly maintain and store a compound light microscope. Learn the basic procedures of microscope operation when viewing objects at different magnifications. Be sure you know the names and functions of the major parts of a microscope.

3) Know how to prepare and examine wet mount slides.

4) Locate and identify representative microbes belonging to each of the major microbial groups typically found in pond water. These groups include the Kingdom Protista (protozoa and algae), the Kingdom Prokaryotae (cyanobacteria), and the Kingdom Animalia (microscopic invertebrates). Compare and contrast how these groups differ from one another and what features they may posses or share.