Daphnia Discovery Laboratory Today, July 14, we did an experiment, working with Daphnias or water flees. We looked at them under a microscope. Believe it or not, but the skin is actually thin and see through. We could see the heart pumping, the gills working, and the eye muscles moving, trying to detect light and get away from it. Then we took an eyedrop of alchol and dropped it onto the daphnia. The heart immediately slowed down and we were able to see the affect of alchol on them, it's just the same as a human. Then the heart came to a complete stop. So "the lifesaver" Mr. Koritnik put some Epinephrine on the daphnia. The heart began to start beating once again. (They actually use this stuff in hopitals.) Then we wanted to see what the affect of Nicotine could do to it, so we took Nicotine from a cigarette and put it onto the daphnia. Because of this the daphnia began to speed up and start to shake. Once again Mr. Koritnik put Epinephrine on it. The little daphnia returned to normal, but almost died in the process. We learned what the affect from alchol and Nicotine can do to a
human.