Trevor and J.E.D.
1/6/12
Eco Column Lab
Abstract- In the attempt to create a self-sustaining ecosystem we used Four 2 litter soda
bottles and other resources from the world, such as plants and animals to make an eco column.
This attempt was not successful but it provided us with ideas of how to improve in what to do if
we tried again. We tried to model our bottle off of nature and copy what we see already works.
This is obviously, incredibly hard and nearly impossible. As a result of not watering it when it
was needed and a couple of other mistakes our bottle was unsuccessful. Our snail died and our
plant did not improve although it did stay steady. These results were relatively decent and even
though we were not altogether successful, it was not an utter failure.
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.
("Spider Plants (Chlorophytum)." About.com Houseplants. Web. 03 June 2012.
<http://houseplants.about.com/od/foliageplants/p/SpiderPlant.htm>.)
("Houseplant Care Tips." Spider Plant Care -. Web. 03 June 2012. <http://houseplantscare.blogspot.com/2006/08/spider-plant-care.html>.)
Variables- Independent: The day the measurements were taken.
Dependent: Number of plants and animals.
Materials- 4 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, litmus paper, ruler, area with sunshine, knife, nail,
hammer, and camera.
Procedures:
1 Take your three plastic bottles and stand them up. Take one bottle and cut down 5in
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.
7 Then take another bottle and cut off the bottom and the top and place it between the
bottom and second layer of the eco column. This extension will help you be able to have
a large aquatic plant since it is growing.
8 To monitor the plant growth look at the color and general length of the spider plant.
Our plant did not grow enough to be worth recording. We tried to monitor it every
Monday.
9 From the bottom layer take a sample of water and put in litmus paper and compare the
litmus paper to the color key to find the pH.
10 Place the eco column in a well sunlit area. We put ours on a window sill where it
received 5-7 hrs of non direct sunlight.
11 Take pictures of the eco column to mark the progress of the bottle.
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
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.
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
pH Graph
7.2
7
6.8
pH
6.6
6.4
6.2
6
5.8
5.6
5.4
12/12/2011
1/12/2012
2/12/2012
3/12/2012
4/12/2012
Date
Conclusion- After attempting to create a self-sustained eco-column we have to report
that we have fail. We were not able to make it totally self sustaining and not all of our
living creatures both flora and fauna lived. Our snail died and then we had to replace our
aquatic plant. The needed replacement of the aquatic plant may have been a direct result
of the snails death since the ecosystem is so heavily intertwined. We think we needed to
plan more for each creature and make sure that each column was actually aiding in the
other columns survival. We think we focused too 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 we would
probably make some adjustments to the actual setup of the bottle. We 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 as mentioned above.