Length measurement and analysis of

Paramecium

 We will use a microscope to measure the relative

size of two species of Paramecium bactaria: P.
caudatum and P. bursaria, which differ in shape.

 One is short and fat, the other is long and skinny.

The data obtained will be analyzed by constructing
histograms and using simple statistics (mean,
median and mode).

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Methods:
 Ocular micrometer: a “ruler” in the eyepiece of the microscope.

 Ocular Units (O.U.): the actual size of ocular units depends on the
magnification used.

 The larger the magnification the smaller the actual O.U. size (why?)

 To know the exact length of each O.U. in m, the ocular micrometer would
need to be calibrated using a stage micrometer (a ruler on a microscope
slide).

 We will record the length of each Paramecium in O.U. (without calibration).

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

  Work in groups of two. Each group will use one
microscope and make measurements on both
species.

 Measure thirty cells on each slide (why?).

 Each member of the group must measure several
cells (why?).

 Record the measurement of each cell in Table 1.6.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

Procedure:

 1. Use 4x objective to locate the cells on the slide; then

switch to 10x objective -> adjust focus with the fine
adjustment knob.

 Look for a group of paramecia that are separated and not

clumped together. Select the first cell you are going to
measure, and move it to the center of the slide.

 Switch to the 40x objective to measure the length of the

cell. (or you can choose to stay with the 10x objective instead)

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

  Rotate the ocular micrometer. The “ruler” must
coincide with the long axis of the cell.

 We must use the same orientation to measure all

cells (why?)

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

  Move back to 10x to locate the next cell and move
it to the center of the field. Then move to 40x for
measurements (unless to decided to measure
using the 10x magnification).

 All thirty cells should be measured at the same

magnification (and the same orientation).

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

Table 1.6 Raw data on Paramecium length
Label on your slide: Magnification:
No. O.U. No. O.U. No. O.U. No. O.U. No. O.U. No. O.U.

1 6 11 16 21 26

2 7 12 17 22 27

3 8 13 18 23 28

4 9 14 19 24 29

5 10 15 20 25 30

Label on your slide: Magnification:

No. O.U. No. O.U. No. O.U. No. O.U. No. O.U. No. O.U.

1 6 11 16 21 26

2 7 12 17 22 27

3 8 13 18 23 28

4 9 14 19 24 29

5 10 15 20 25 30

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

Table 1.7 Arranged data (from Table 1.6)
Label on your slide:
Label on your slide:

No. of specimens
O.U. Range No. of specimens

Total = Total =

Use 6-8 bins (categories) to construct a frequency

distribution of each species (see example on P.12)
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Plot histograms for each species using Table 1.7

P. caudatum

P. bursaria

Recommended: use the same axes limits for both histograms

(this will make it easier to compare the two strains).
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Intermediate are Small values are Two separate ranges
more frequent than more frequent than of frequent values
extreme values very large values
(asymmetrical)

Calculate the Mean, Median and Mode for each species

(you can use your histograms for Median and Mode
calculations).

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Fast plants experiment
(Mendelian genetics)

We will use the Wisconsin fast growing

plants to perform a dihybrid cross
experiment

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

Fast plants preparation

Parental (P) generation

Genotype Phenotype Genotype Phenotype
YGR/YGR Green leaves ygr/ygr Yellow leaves
ANL/ANL Purple stems X anl/anl Green stems

Homozygous dominant Homozygous recessive

First filial (F1) generation

Today we will plant the F1 seeds

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 What will be the phenotype and the genotype of the F1
generation (the plants that will grow from the seeds)?

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.