Terrarium Paper
Sealed Terrarium
Ecology
John Moises G. Relles
BS Biology III
Silliman University
Introduction
Ecology is the study of the relationship between biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem. It is the study of the interaction between them. This project was designed to see if the students enrolled in the subject are capable of maintaining the relationship between these components. A sealed terrarium was chosen as a representative ecosystem where the students were given the freedom to decide on what and how many organisms are to be contained within. Factors that will sustain the system for an extended period of time were also considered in making it. Water for the plants will be taken from the ample amount of water added before sealing the terrarium. Light is capable of passing through the transparent container. CO2 needed by the plant will be provided by a layer of activated charcoal right below the soil layer.
Methodology
In making the sealed terrarium, the first step taken was to decide on which organism/plant to use. Sinaw-sinaw plant was chosen because it is capable of surviving an environment where no direct human attention is needed. The actual terrarium was made inside a 6-gallon mineral water container. The container was cleaned and the sticker outside was removed for a better view of the inside. The bottom layer was made of stones about 8 cm3 in size. This will provide the sewage system of the terrarium. A filtering layer, made of vines, was placed on top of the stones. This will help in filtering the water from the soil dissolved in it. Activated charcoal was added next. This will be the plant’s source of CO2. It will also get rid of the foul smell produced by dead organic matter inside the closed system. Soil, where the plants and organisms will be living, is added on top of the charcoal. About 50% of the terrarium was soil. Loam soil type was chosen as to provide the plant with the best soil it can grow into. Finally, the
Ecology
John Moises G. Relles
BS Biology III
Silliman University
Introduction
Ecology is the study of the relationship between biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem. It is the study of the interaction between them. This project was designed to see if the students enrolled in the subject are capable of maintaining the relationship between these components. A sealed terrarium was chosen as a representative ecosystem where the students were given the freedom to decide on what and how many organisms are to be contained within. Factors that will sustain the system for an extended period of time were also considered in making it. Water for the plants will be taken from the ample amount of water added before sealing the terrarium. Light is capable of passing through the transparent container. CO2 needed by the plant will be provided by a layer of activated charcoal right below the soil layer.
Methodology
In making the sealed terrarium, the first step taken was to decide on which organism/plant to use. Sinaw-sinaw plant was chosen because it is capable of surviving an environment where no direct human attention is needed. The actual terrarium was made inside a 6-gallon mineral water container. The container was cleaned and the sticker outside was removed for a better view of the inside. The bottom layer was made of stones about 8 cm3 in size. This will provide the sewage system of the terrarium. A filtering layer, made of vines, was placed on top of the stones. This will help in filtering the water from the soil dissolved in it. Activated charcoal was added next. This will be the plant’s source of CO2. It will also get rid of the foul smell produced by dead organic matter inside the closed system. Soil, where the plants and organisms will be living, is added on top of the charcoal. About 50% of the terrarium was soil. Loam soil type was chosen as to provide the plant with the best soil it can grow into. Finally, the