Blog 3 - Post 3

Reflection On The Term's Work

A Better Understanding Of Ecology:

We now understand that in an ecosystem every organism plays an important part/role in the ecosystem, and that without one of those organisms that ecosystem would cease to exist in its current form.

Our Group As A Team:

Our group, consisting of Dylan Rowell, David Dell and Alexander Gordon, worked incredibly well and efficiently as a result of each member's hard work. The entire number of our blog's posts were done with contribution of all three members.

Our blog is an accurate reflection of our group member's hard work which resulted in a very efficient blog. The knowledge of the individual members contributed enormously to the blog as not a lot of research was needed.

Blog 3 - Post 2

Eco-Column As An Eco-System

To What Extent Is Our Eco-Column An Eco-System:

Our Eco-Column is an ecosystem as it self sustained itself and supports multiple life forms whilst we were on holiday. There were still fruit-flies when we back and our plant was still alive and there were still  paramecium swimming around in our water.

What Is An Eco-System?

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Blog 3 - Post 1

Changes In Our Eco-Column Over 3 Weeks:

Terra Zone Predictions:

We predicted that the soil would harden as a result of no water circulation and that the radish plants would grow a fair amount and then die of dehydration.

Terra Zone Actual Results:

Our predictions were right as the soil did harden although our radish plants survived. We now have two radish plants.

Before Holidays:                                  After Holidays:

Decomp Zone Predictions:

We predicted that this zone would stay in the same condition and that the apple that we put in at the of the term would decompose and there would most likely be an increase in the number of fruit flies.

Decomp Zone Actual Results:

Our predictions were right as the number of flies was much larger than when we left it. The Apple has not completely decomposed but is slowly biodegrading and adding to the original soil.

Before Holidays:                           After Holidays:

Aqua Zone Predictions:

We predicted that the Aqua Zone would become more stagnant, because it is being left for a longer period of time. We also predicted that there would be more algae in the water, because again it was left for a longer period of time therefore the algae will have more time to grow.

Aqua Zone Actual Results:

Our predictions were right; there was more algae in the water and the water had become more stagnant.

Before Holidays:                                   After Holidays:

Accuracy Of Our Predictions:

Our predictions across the board of all three zones were incredibly accurate. The Terra Zone soil hardened but the radish plants did survive. The Decomp Zone number of flies increased dramatically and the apple is almost fully decomposed. The Aqua Zone's amount of algae effectively doubled and the water became a lot more stagnant.

Reasons For What Has Happened:

The Terra Zone soil hardened as a result of no water circulation although we our still unsure of how the radish plants managed to survive. The Decomp Zone's apple decomposed as this is the process which occurs in the Decomp Zone and the number of flies increased as a result of the flies laying eggs in the Decomp Zone. I.E: eggs -> lava -> flies. The Aqua Zone's water became stagnant as a result of no movement, circulation or oxygen which resulted in then build up of algae.

Eco-Column Progression

Eco-Column Progression:

1 Week Before:

1 Week After:

<-- Terra             Decomp -->

Aqua:

Changes In Our Eco-Column:


Terra - The Basil has grown dramatically since the week before. There are 4 grown plants.The heights are as followed: 3.5 cm, 3.7 cm, 4 cm and 4.2 cm. Each plant has approximately 5 leaves and are all light green in colour. The soil is moist and fertile. The filtration system is working perfectly with no non-liquid sediment passing through.

Decomp - The banana skin, banana, apple and bark have almost completely decomposed. The fruit are thriving and the filtration system i also working perfectly.

Aqua - The water was clear but has become murky as a result of the algae and Paramecium multiplying. Now we have a large amount of living organisms in amongst the water. The algae is a form of life.


Temperature Recordings Over The Past Week:

Room Temperature:	Terra Temperature:	Decomp Temperature:	Aqua Temperature:
26°C	21°C	22°C	20°C
27°C	23°C	23°C	21°C
24°C	19°C	22°C	20°C

Position Of The Eco-Column In The Class Room:

Our Eco-Column is positioned on the right hand side of the classroom next to a window and the door. The Eco-Column receives a sufficient amount of sun from late morning onwards.

Under The Microscope:

Water (Aqua) - Algae was found floating around in our water from our Aqua zone. We are not sure if it is algae but it is definitely a plant as there are multiple chloroplasts. Paramecium was also found in our water sample.

Soil (Terra) - A sample of soil was taken form the Terra zone; there was not much happening, as we did not see anything under the microscope.

Animals In Their Zones:

Terra - 1 earth worm (Alive). It is feeding off the nutrients in the soil.

Decomp - Fruit flies (Alive) and maggets (Alive). Both Animal groups are feeding off the decomposing matter.

Aqua - No dead or alive animals.

Research On Eco-Columns

Research:

Life Sciences.com - As one of the most encompassing levels of organization in the living world, an ecosystem is defined as a community of organisms along with their physical environment. The Eco-Column is designed to model an ecosystem on a small scale. Its components include a terrestrial habitat with a compost unit, and an aquatic habitat.

Link: http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/bottlebio/ecocol/

Life Sciences.com - What you stock your Eco-Column with involves your goals for study, the sources of your specimens — local or purchased — and your own creativity. To apply concepts from the videos, it will help you to think about including producers, consumers, and decomposers. The simplest way to stock your Eco-Column is to collect from your local environment so that you can model the ecosystem in which you live. To provide a breadth of examples, we combined local collections with purchased specimens to make our system particularly diverse.

Link: http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/bottlebio/ecocol/build.html

Why Our Eco-Column Will Be Self-Sustaining

Our Eco-Column will be self sustaining due to these reasons:

Abiotic (non-living):

> The water which has overflowed from the aqua zone will be recycled by putting it back into the Terra Zone.

> The rich nutrients in the soil will help the plant grow and provide food for the earthworms.

Biotic (living):

> The earth worms in the Terra and Decomp Zone will recycle the nutrients back into the soil.

> The plants in the Terra Zone will create their own oxygen by photosynthesizing.

> The Sun will be the only light source. No artificial light will be used.

> Insects will feed off other insects.

The Construction Of Our Eco-Column

The Construction Of Our Eco-Column:

(1) - Cut the bottles to the correct size and shape.

(2) - Place the cut bottles on top of each other on the stand.

(3) - Place small stones at the bottom of the aqua zone.

(4) - Make a hole at the top of the Aqua Zone for the overflow of the natural water.

(5) - Cut a straw to the right length for the overflow of the Aqua Zone into a separate container.

(6) - Build the filtration systems in the bottom of the Terra and Decomp Zone.

(7) - Insert the moist soil into the Terra Zone and Decomp Zone.

(8) - Place rotten apple and bark into the Decomp Zone.

 (9) - Plant germinating basil plants into the Terra Zone.

(10) - Our finished product (Basil has not grown yet).

Our Original Drawing Idea Of The Eco-Column

Our Original Drawing Idea Of The Eco-Column

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We have kept to our original plan except for the fact that we are using earth worms instead of snails and that we are using radishes in the Terra-Zone instead of a bean plant.

Terra Zone (By A.Gordon) – In this sector of the Eco-Column, we have a radish, earth worms and a rock. A filtration system allows water to filter through into the sector below know as the Decomp zone.

Decomp Zone (By D.Rowell) - In the Decomp Zone we have apples and bark which will hopefully decompose and attract fruit flies. We will also have earthworms which will help recycle the nutrients back into the soil. Water flows into it from the filtration system in the Terra zone. The Decomp Zone uses the same filtration system into the aqua zone.

Aqua Zone (By D.Dell) - In the Aqua zone there is a filtration system leading down from the Decomp zone above. There is water in this zone from a pond and some small stones; a practical habitat for any water insects.

Idea adapted from: http://www.ehow.com/how_7527146_make-eco-columns.html

Parents

We have sent our parents this link:

http://ecocolumn9-2.blogspot.com/

Our parents will now be able to access their son's blog!

Group Members

All of our group members have joined our blog! Enjoy!

Welcome!

The Life Of The Eco-column has begun!