Trevor and J.E.D.
1/6/12
Eco Column Lab
Background
Purpose- The purpose of this lab is to create a sustainable eco system in out 3 layered
plastic bottles using 3 chambers for a plant, decomposers, and an aquatic animal and
plant.
Hypothesis- I think if we model the life processes in nature then we will be able to have
a sustainable eco system because it will work the same way as nature which nature’s
system has been tested and proved.
Research- For our lab we wanted to find out what plants and animals we used exactly so
we did some research. The plant we used was a Chlorophytum comosum, or more
commonly known as a spider plant. This plant is said to be easy to grow and grows best
at the convenient temperatures of 65 °F to 90 °F. We decided since this plant grew in our
back yard and that it seemed easy enough to use we might as well give it a shot. We also
used a turbo snail. These snails are sensitive to changes in water quality. They are
ditritivores, meaning they are decomposers. We also knew from previous science classes
that worms would be ideal in the decomposition chamber. Worms eat about anything and
will be great since the environment is moist yet not wet and has plenty of food in it.
Variables- Independent: The day the measurements were taken.
Dependent: Number of plants and animals
Materials- 3 clear 2 liter plastic bottles, 1 Spider Grass plant, 5 worms, one
decomposition snail, 15 ml of gravel, 1700 ml of dirt, 5 dead leaves, 20 ml of sand, 700
ml of pond water, 1 aquatic plant.
Procedures:
1 Take your three plastic bottles and stand them up. Take one bottle and cut down 5 in
from the cap and cut in a full circle so the cap section will come off. Take the caps of two
bottles and make 11 nails holes to allow water to trickle down.
2 Take the next two bottles and cut the bottoms off. Take a knife and cut 7 in from the
bottom on both to cut the bottoms off.
3 Take the bottom bottle and put it on a level surface. Add 20 ml of sand to the bottom
along with 15 ml of gravel. Put 550 ml of pond water in and place the snail and aquatic
plant in.
4 Then take the second bottle and fit it into the first bottle by putting it in cap first. This
will be the decomposition layer so it will have 1000ml of dirt in it along with the three
worms and the dead leaves which need to be crumbled in and mixed with the dirt.
5 Take the last bottle and fit it in cap first with the second layer this will be the terrestrial
layer. This will have 700 ml of dirt and the spider grass.
6 Use the 250 ml of pond water and pour it on the plant and that it will drain down to the
lower levels.
Results- Plant and Animal survival
Date
Terrestrial
Plant: Spider
Worms: 5 Earth Aquatic
worms
Creature: Turbo
Snail
Aquatic Plant:
12/12/11
Browning
Alive
Alive
Alive
1/4/12
Green and
healthy
Alive
Alive
Alive
1/16
Browning
Alive
Alive
Alive
1/23
Browning
Alive
Alive
Alive
1/30
Browning
Alive
Alive
Alive
2/6
Browning
Alive
Alive
Dead
2/13
Sustained
Brown
Alive
Alive
Dead
2/27
Sustained
Brown
Alive
Alive
Dead
3/5
Sustained
Brown
7 Alive
Dead
Dead
3/19
Sustained
Brown
8 Alive
Dead
Dead
Water weed.
Date
Terrestrial
Plant: Spider
Worms: 5 Earth Aquatic
worms
Creature: Turbo
Snail
Aquatic Plant:
3/26
Sustained
Brown
10 Alive
Dead
Dead
4/16
Sustained
Brown
10 Alive
Dead
Dead
Water weed.
pH for Aquatic section
Date
pH in Aquatic section
12/12/11
7
1/4/12
7
1/16
7
1/23
7
1/30
7
2/6
6
2/13
6
2/27
6
3/5
6
3/19
7
3/26
7
4/16
7
Conclusion- After attempting to create a self-sustained eco-column(with of course
our interference in making/causing it to rain and test the pH and other things) we have
found one way of not doing it correctly. I think that nature by itself we always do what it
does better than our own bottle but I think we needed to plan more for each creature and
makes sure that each column was actually aiding in the other columns survival. I think we
focused to much on the worms. They really took a liking to the environment and actually
doubled in population, where the plants really suffered and needed more water and
attention. If we were to do this again I would probably make some adjustments to the
actual setup of the bottle. I would probably try to water the plant in the terrestrial section
at least once every other day. Some things were added to the plant like 50 cm of fresh dirt
and one new aquatic plant.