We decided to make this terrarium so we have something to observe and care for. A terrarium gives a good idea of how ecosystems work and the important role of plants in maintaining the Earth's atmosphere. Terrariums are easy to plant, easy to care for and they look great.
You will need
Plastic soft drink bottle with the top cut off
Gravel
Potting soil, sand, peat moss
Small plants
A few worms if you can find them
Spoon and sticks (like chopsticks)
What to do
Remove the label from your bottle. Cut the bottle according to what size you want your terrarium to be.
Place a layer of sand or gravel in the bottom of the bottle for drainage.
Spoon the soil into the bottle and fill it until it is around 1/3 full.
Poke a hole in the soil with your finger or stick and add plants or seeds. Water the soil well at first, but rarely thereafter unless no moisture condenses on the inside of the terrarium top.
Put in a few worms and slaters.
Place the top of the bottle back on and seal with sticky tape. You can also use the top or bottom of another bottle for extra height.
What's happening?
You have made a small ecosystem. For an ecosystem to survive there must be micro-organisms in the soil and healthy plants.
A terrarium is like a small Earth and can show us how elements such as land, water, air, animals and plants interact and change together. It is a system, which is a group of elements that function together as a whole.
The survival of the plants and animals in this terrarium depends on the conditions inside the bottle. If the plants and animals can maintain their environment inside the bottle, they will be able to grow.
In a terrarium, the water cycle is easily observed. Terrariums recycle their moisture, so they rarely need to be watered, requiring almost no attention. Often, a closed terrarium can be left for a month or more between watering.
When the air in the terrarium warms, the water begins to evaporate from the soil. When the air cools, the moisture condenses on the walls and the top, and when enough water condenses and builds up, it 'rains' back down to the soil.
Plants are also part of the water cycle. Plants absorb water from the soil through their roots. This water moves up the stem to the leaves, where 90 percent is lost through the pores of the leaf. The loss of water through pores in the leaves is called transpiration.
Applications
Plants can modify their immediate environment. For example, a rainforest tree may shed leaves and bark that creates a soft, rich layer of soil underneath encouraging other plants and animal to grow that help them recycle their nutrients. How well the plants in the terrarium can modify their environment will determine how well they can inhabit their ecosystem. The climate in the terrarium is an important factor in the development of a small ecosystem.
Climate change is already having an impact on plants and may alter the structure of plant communities around the world. Species that are particularly vulnerable to climate change include those with limited growing areas and dispersal abilities.
Several plant species are already adjusting to local climate warming by shifting their ranges toward the poles or higher elevations.
Many plant species are also responding to climate change by advancing the onset of leaf burst, flowering and fruiting, and delaying leaf drop. The growing season of some plants is also lengthening.
