How to keep protists alive during a long winter?

[Microbia]

Maybe someone knows how to keep a diversity of protists for a long time in a jar?
It's getting cold in Russia, and soon it will be freezing. For 6 months at least! It is very dissapointing for me.
So I've made stocks of pond water from different ponds. There is no free place left on my all 3 windowsills already
But the problem is that the diversity of protists rapidly decreases with time. Predators usually dissappear after a week or two. There's no problem to keep alive Coleps, Paramecium or Stylonichia. But all others are not very tough to die.
I will appreciate all advice and opinions!

[JimT]

What I do with my jars is punch a small hole in the lid to ensure a continuous supply of new air. Then once every few weeks I toss in some salad greens or other organic mater; tuber skins, house plant trimmings, etc. Does cause a lot of bacteria to grow so caution is necessary when handling the jar. I use alcohol to clean each slide when finished observing.

When Spring arrives the population has changed but there are still protists to observe and enjoy.

Good luck.

[Francisco]

It is difficult to maintain a culture of protozoa for a long time.
Some authors recommend "feeding" them with small pieces of hard cheese (soft cheese does not serve) and make water changes (picking up the same place) every 3-4 weeks. From my experience, only the "strongest" protozoa survive.
In the latitudes where I live the problem is the opposite, very hot. I usually keep them in a small wine cooler with temperature regulation at 20º - 22º Centigrade.

[zzffnn]

I doubt you can do much about the diversity drop. I read a research web page or paper, which says that diversity will drop significantly after the first 2 days, once you remove the water sample from its natural environment.

Top predators ALWAYS disappear quickly. It is a law of nature and the same way in the full-sized animal kingdom.

And I agree with Francisco. An environment that is either too hot or too cold won't have great diversity. At least that was what I found, observing my area.

[billbillt]

Hi,

I know that you live where it gets unbelievably cold in the winter, but there may be some living things to observe even then.. Here is an article about collecting under snow and ice... You may have similar results..

http://www.microbehunter.com/wp/wp-cont ... ter_55.pdf

BillT

[Microbia]

once every few weeks I toss in some salad greens or other organic mater; tuber skins, house plant trimmings, etc. Does cause a lot of bacteria to grow so caution is necessary when handling the jar..

Thanks, JimT. I guess organic matter should be added in very little quantities to prevent water going bad

Some authors recommend "feeding" them with small pieces of hard cheese (soft cheese does not serve) and make water changes (picking up the same place) every 3-4 weeks.

Thank you. I'll try this.

In the latitudes where I live the problem is the opposite, very hot.

Lucky you

I doubt you can do much about the diversity drop. I read a research web page or paper, which says that diversity will drop significantly after the first 2 days, once you remove the water sample from its natural environment.

That's very sad..

Here is an article about collecting under snow and ice... You may have similar results..

Great article, thanks a lot!