Objective: To build a self sustaining ecosystem using a variety of plants and animals
Hypothesis: If we build our ecosystem using both aquatic and dry land organisms, it will be self sustainig and promote healthy growth.
Materials: 10 gallon fish tank, 4 cherry shrimp, water, pebbles to fill bottom of the tank, potting soil, vase, activated charcoal, 3 dry land plants, 3 aquatic plants, and algae wafers.
Procedure: We will use both dry land and aquatic organisms to create a self sustaning ecosystem we will have an inner and outer layer of the terrarium (ecosystem.) Outer being aquatic with shrimp and under water plants, and the inner layer being a habitat for mosses and ferns, with worms (decomposers.) The shrimp will produce nitrogen rich water, which we could use to water the dry land plants which will promote growth. Overall, it will be be a self sustaining ecosystem.
Day 0 Results: We haven't fully built it yet but we have the dry land portion finished. So far the plants are thriving and healthy.
Day 5: We have fully built our terraium with our tank and dry land vase. So far, we have added the correct water treatment for the upcoming shrimp we will have. We also added our plants which include wisteria and to other fern/leaf plants. Our terrarium is now home to six plants, and some worms as decomposers.
Day 7: Nothing much has changed since my last entry, except the fact that our plants are thriving more than before. The wheather has been colder than before, but I don't think it's
affecting anything. We are still working on getting our shrimp.
Overall Analysis: We have now realized that shrimp wouldnt be a suitable option for our terrarium due to my partner and I's busy scheduals. But really, we havent seen many changes. One of our moss plants died and two acuatic plants died very quickly due to their poor care from petco.
There were some limiting factors to the growth and productiveness of our terrarium. Both biotic and abiotic. For example we didnt water the terrarium as much as we should have. We should have done it consistently instead intermidantly. We also should have used a more controlled watering system instead of pouring the water on to the plant and letting it evaporate instead of get to the roots. The plants might have done better if they were outside. Since the terrarium was inside, it might not have gotten as much light, air, moisture,vitamins, etc, limiting its growth potential.
In our terrarium, the plants get water from us watering them. The water then evaporates, and we have to water the plants again. For the part of the nutrient cycle that includes carbon, the plants use carbon from the soil and and the atmosphere for energy. Carbon starts in our terrarium through photosynthesis. Then from there it can be consumed by animals, but because our terrarium has no consumers that does not happen. The carbon can also go into the soil through decomposition and back into the air through respiration. Another cycle that you can see is the nitrogen cycle, Nitrogen starts in our terrarium by being taken by producers. The nitrogen is then reused by consumers. From the consumers it is put into the ground through decomposition. But because our terrarium has no consumers the nitrogen goes into the plants and then into the ground through decomposition.