Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 5

Ecosystem in a bottle project

In order for any ecosystem to continue a balance between three main components must be
maintained. Nutrients must be converted into a usable form for the organisms in the
ecosystem. This process starts through photosynthesis which uses light to take raw
materials and convert them into carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are then taken in by
other organisms in the ecosystem and used for energy, growth and tissue repair. The
final step is that wastes must be converted back into raw material in order for the cycle to
start again. A failure in any one of these stages will cause a catastrophic failure of the
eStudent Planning Worksheet for 2-liter Bottle Ecosystem

Decomposition Column
Materials

• Three 2-liter soda bottles


• one bottle cap
• tool box

Step 1 – Remove labels from all three 2-liter bottles.

Step 2 – Cut the top off bottle #1 2-3 cm below shoulder so that cylinder has straight sides.

Bottle 1

1|Page
Step 3 – Cut top off of Bottle #2 2-3cm above shoulder. Cut bottom off 2-3 cm below hip
so the resulting cylinder has two tapered ends.

Bottle 2

Step 4 – Cut bottom off Bottle #3 1-2 cm above hip, so cylinder has a straight end.

Bottle 3

Step 5 – Invert "C" and stack into base "D." Stack "B" and tape middle seam
securely. Poke air holes. Add top "A" with a piece of tape for a hinge to the
bottle column.

Step 6 – Poke air holes in column. Optional: Poke holes in the cap.

If you want to modify this construction go to BB Building Blocks.

Build a TerrAqua Investigation Column

Materials

• One 2-liter soda bottle


• One bottle cap
• Tool Box
• Wicking material-fabric interfacing or cotton string
• Water, soil and plants

Step 1 – Remove label from the 2-liter bottle. On bottle #1, cut 2 cm below shoulder to
produce component "A," a shallow funnel top and "C" a deep reservoir.

2|Page
Step 2 – Poke or drill a 1 cm hole in bottle cap.

Step 3 – Cut Bottle #2, 1 cm below hip to produce component "B" a deep
funnel unit with hip taper.

Step 4 – Fill reservoir with water. Add soil and plants to top chamber. To be
effective, the wick should run up into soil, not be plastered along a side of the
bottle. For better drainage, place a layer of gravel, sand or vermiculite in the
bottom of the soil unit.

Before you start you must discuss and answer these questions with your
partner.

Step 1: What variable are you considering changing in the experimental ecosystem?

3|Page
Step 2: What materials will your group need?

Step 2: What hypothesis do you have as to how your ecosystem will react to the changes
you make?

Step 3: Describe the procedures for setting up your ecosystem:

Step 4: Describe the procedure for the test you wish to make:

Step 5: How will you alter the environment?

Step 6: a. How will you record data will you collect?

b. How do you plan on gathering that data? (how often, by whom, where?)

4|Page
Step 7: How will you analyze your results?

Step 8: Have your teacher check this paper and you may begin.

Step 9: Don't forget your conclusions!

5|Page

Вам также может понравиться