Terrarium Lab
Introduction/Objective: Work with a partner to design and create a terrarium and use it to study the ecosystem that you have created. Hypothesis: The plants are going to grow by obtaining energy from the sun, and gain nutrients from soil. The worm will live in the soil and keep it nutritious, keeping plants healthy. The snail will complete the look of the terrarium and will also be fed by the plants, being consumers. We also planted vegetables and flowers that smell good to attract beneficial insects and to feed us. We are curious to find out if our flowers will be able to feed insects like earwigs, and if they will grow really big. Also, we are wondering if one of our live moss will grow too fast and take over our terrarium, or if it will become self sustaining from the earthworms and the earwigs. Materials: a glass container with diameter of 22 cm, potting soil, activated charcoal, gravel/pebbles, plant seeds (flowers and vegetables), ferns, live moss, earthworms, earwigs Methods and Procedure: First, we put down the pebbles, to have something that the water can sit in and drain through. Second, we poured the activated charcoal to absorb some of the draining water and keep the soil moist. Next, we poured the soil and wet it a little bit, for the earthworms. Finally, we planted the live plants and the seeds, and watered the completed terrarium. Results: On day one, we noticed that the plants were turning a little brown and not thriving. We added more water to sit at the bottom, to keep it moist. |
Week 1:
The plants have been planted, and are starting to grow. We watered them a lot to have some water in the bottom to evaporate slowly. We planted moss to start, to get the soil working. We also planted some flower seeds, and put some earthworms in the soil.
The plants have been planted, and are starting to grow. We watered them a lot to have some water in the bottom to evaporate slowly. We planted moss to start, to get the soil working. We also planted some flower seeds, and put some earthworms in the soil.
Week 2:
The plants have grown a small amount. Some of the worms did not survive, and the plants are a little brown. Hopefully the log will grow some moss. We also added some stones to add some contrast and color to the look of the terrarium. We have been watering every school day.
The plants have grown a small amount. Some of the worms did not survive, and the plants are a little brown. Hopefully the log will grow some moss. We also added some stones to add some contrast and color to the look of the terrarium. We have been watering every school day.
Week 3:
The log has grown some moss! After planting a little bit of moss on the log, it grew rapidly. We also added more earthworms, and the soil already looks healthier. We added more ferns to make the terrarium more complete, and to have more plant life in our environment. We watered it generously, because it was very dry after our break yesterday.
The log has grown some moss! After planting a little bit of moss on the log, it grew rapidly. We also added more earthworms, and the soil already looks healthier. We added more ferns to make the terrarium more complete, and to have more plant life in our environment. We watered it generously, because it was very dry after our break yesterday.
Week 4:
The log's moss continues to grow. Also, little sprouts are growing between the plants. The earthworms are moving through the soil, making the soil richer, and thriving. We also found a little snail underneath our log, but we aren't sure if it's there still.
The log's moss continues to grow. Also, little sprouts are growing between the plants. The earthworms are moving through the soil, making the soil richer, and thriving. We also found a little snail underneath our log, but we aren't sure if it's there still.
Week 5:
This week, the last week of having terrariums in class, we noticed that from watering the rotting log, there has been a few creatures that we have discovered. These organisms are eating and thriving the moss living on the log, and decomposing the plants to create better soil for the plants saplings that are also thriving. This cycle will make the soil richer, the plants grow more, and make it a better environment overall.
This week, the last week of having terrariums in class, we noticed that from watering the rotting log, there has been a few creatures that we have discovered. These organisms are eating and thriving the moss living on the log, and decomposing the plants to create better soil for the plants saplings that are also thriving. This cycle will make the soil richer, the plants grow more, and make it a better environment overall.
Analysis/Conclusion:
Our terrarium had many limiting factors, both biotic (living organisms) and abiotic (non-living organisms). The main biotic factors in our terrarium are the worms, the plants, and the insects. The worms make the soil richer, and improve the quality. The plants thrive in this better soil. The insects that come and go as they please eat the plants and keep them under control. The important abiotic factors in our terrarium are the sunlight, temperature, soil, watering, and the log without moss on it. The sunlight and the temperature must be stable and consistent enough to keep the plants on a daily routine. We put the terrarium close to the window to allow it to get maximum sunlight and a good high temperature. It is important for plants to stay warm to have maximum growth of the moss and other plants. We also watered it about once every other day to ensure that it stays damp, but not drowning the plants and the worms. With a water bottle, we sprayed the log to water the moss and keep it damp, but not wet it too much. The water in the soil helped by enriching the soil's oxygen supply, which is helpful for the earthworms, and keeps them from drying out.
Many nutrient cycles also took place in our terrarium. The first cycle that occurred was the water cycle. Every other day, when we watered the environment, it would slowly evaporate over the next day and a half. This made it so that the water did not evaporate all at once. Instead, the water would sit at the bottom and slowly evaporate back into the soil and out the top. Also, when the plants absorb the water, they expel the water using transpiration. The next cycle that occurred in our terrarium was the carbon cycle. First, the plants used photosynthesis to absorb energy from the sun. Then, the plants produce oxygen that the earthworms breathe, and they add some oxygen to the atmosphere of the classroom. The plants also produce glucose, or energy, that when the other organisms eat, gain that energy. Then, the organisms and the plants die, enriching the geosphere with energy, transferring the energy to the earthworms. This cycle is continuous until something thrives or dies unpredictably. The final cycle that occurs in our terrarium is the nitrogen cycle. When the plants absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere, the plants expel ammonia. In our terrarium, without us putting them in, there are already little bacteria (denitrifying bacteria) that convert ammonia to nitrates, which is nitrogen fixation. The bacteria absorb the ammonia, which is bad for animals. The ammonia disappears and nitrates thrive, which produce proteins. Other proteins produce nitrogen in the atmosphere, called denitrification.
Our terrarium had many limiting factors, both biotic (living organisms) and abiotic (non-living organisms). The main biotic factors in our terrarium are the worms, the plants, and the insects. The worms make the soil richer, and improve the quality. The plants thrive in this better soil. The insects that come and go as they please eat the plants and keep them under control. The important abiotic factors in our terrarium are the sunlight, temperature, soil, watering, and the log without moss on it. The sunlight and the temperature must be stable and consistent enough to keep the plants on a daily routine. We put the terrarium close to the window to allow it to get maximum sunlight and a good high temperature. It is important for plants to stay warm to have maximum growth of the moss and other plants. We also watered it about once every other day to ensure that it stays damp, but not drowning the plants and the worms. With a water bottle, we sprayed the log to water the moss and keep it damp, but not wet it too much. The water in the soil helped by enriching the soil's oxygen supply, which is helpful for the earthworms, and keeps them from drying out.
Many nutrient cycles also took place in our terrarium. The first cycle that occurred was the water cycle. Every other day, when we watered the environment, it would slowly evaporate over the next day and a half. This made it so that the water did not evaporate all at once. Instead, the water would sit at the bottom and slowly evaporate back into the soil and out the top. Also, when the plants absorb the water, they expel the water using transpiration. The next cycle that occurred in our terrarium was the carbon cycle. First, the plants used photosynthesis to absorb energy from the sun. Then, the plants produce oxygen that the earthworms breathe, and they add some oxygen to the atmosphere of the classroom. The plants also produce glucose, or energy, that when the other organisms eat, gain that energy. Then, the organisms and the plants die, enriching the geosphere with energy, transferring the energy to the earthworms. This cycle is continuous until something thrives or dies unpredictably. The final cycle that occurs in our terrarium is the nitrogen cycle. When the plants absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere, the plants expel ammonia. In our terrarium, without us putting them in, there are already little bacteria (denitrifying bacteria) that convert ammonia to nitrates, which is nitrogen fixation. The bacteria absorb the ammonia, which is bad for animals. The ammonia disappears and nitrates thrive, which produce proteins. Other proteins produce nitrogen in the atmosphere, called denitrification.