Noah N. Ecosystems Report

 

Ecosystems Report

Aim: To design and create a self-sustainable balanced ecosystem using recycled materials that can survive for a week without added air or water. The ecosystem will show the flow of energy, role of abiotic elements and how balanced systems work.

Materials and equipment         

Plastic bottle pieces	Potting mix	Pebbles/rocks	Fallen leaves and branches (with dirt)
Purple flower plant	Water	Succulent plants	Peat moss/sphagnum moss

 

Results

The ecosystem survived for two weeks under good light conditions. It will most likely survive until the water runs out. The purple flower that was just a bulb in the beginning had begun to grow and took the place of the old one. The succulent plants changed its colour into a deep, rich green. This was caused by the difference in light levels between the outside and the inside of a classroom. Succulents do not require excessive sunlight. Weeds had begun to germinate from receiving water and shade. Water that had reached its dew point was seen on the walls of the bottle.

Relationships/interactions experienced within this ecosystem:

Producer-consumer relationships

The insect pests and decomposers rely on the purple flower plant and the succulent plants (producers) to survive.

Predator-prey relationships

Animals must eat food (plants or other animals) to live. The one that eats the food is called the predator and the one that is eaten is called the prey. In this ecosystem, the insect pests eat the leaves of the purple flower plant and absorb liquids from the succulent plants.

Consumer-consumer relationships

The insect pests and plants compete with each other for the same food, resources (light & water) and living space.

Photosynthesis is affected by the amount of light, temperature and water available and the air contained in the bottle is formed by the oxygen released by the plants (and respiration)

The plants create shade with its leaves which influences the abiotic factors of the ecosystem

The plants give the pests a place to live and the soil provides the microorganisms a place to survive

Abiotic elements influence the biotic elements and the biotic elementsinfluence theabiotic elements through their existence

There are countless interactions that take place between different and similar organisms

The purple flower plant and the succulent plants produce all the energy required by the various elements of the ecosystem. They create chemical energy of organic materials from light energy through photosynthesis. This energy is used by the purple flower plant and the succulent plants themselves to respire and is also passed on through the food chain to support the life of the consumers. In a broader view, the energy is continuously released as heat to anything unrelated to the food chain. The energy absorbed by the decomposers (fungi and bacteria) from the dead bodies and wastes is also used by themselves to respire and ends up being released as heat.Energy flows through the ecosystem but does not circulate like carbon and nitrogen does. This flowing energy originates from the energy of the sun and is able to be used because the producers make it usable. However the producers are only able to change 1～4% of the sun’s light energy into chemical energy that can be used by the ecosystem. Consumers only use 5～20% of the energy that is usable and passed onto them. The energy efficiency is quite low for most ecosystems. This makes energy important. All organisms rely on producers and the sun for their survival. Without the sun’s energy, no organisms would be able to exist. Moving around and thinking would be impossible. Energy is the starting point of everything. The sun provides near unlimited energy to the producers. Without the second and third-order consumers, the plants would end up with excess energy that the decomposers would not need. More energy allows more different types of organisms to exist. It is an essential part of all life on Earth.

The abiotic elements of any ecosystem are crucial to the survival of the biotic elements. The main abiotic elements in my ecosystem are climate factors (light, temperature, atmosphere or air, water etc.) and soil factors (the size of soil particles, inorganic materials also known as mineralsor nutrients included in the soil, pH, water retention of soil, breathability of soil,). Photosynthesis is influenced by abiotic elements such as light, temperature, carbon dioxide, water and nutrients. It is influenced by biotic elements such as insect pests that eat leaves and other competitors that use light and water.

Light is needed as the primary energy source for most plants to create organic materials from inorganic materials. The purple flower was living under bright sunlight and therefore requires extended periods of strong light. If it does not receive enough light energy it will not be able to produce enough oxygen. It breathes quickly and therefore cannot live in shaded areas.

Temperature affects the speed of photosynthesis. At the same amount of light, the speed of photosynthesis will increase if the temperature is high. My ecosystem would have more oxygen in the air if the temperature is high.

Air includes oxygen, carbon dioxide, pollutants and wind. Oxygen is needed by all the organisms of my ecosystem for respiration. Carbon dioxide levels must not become low as it affects the speed of photosynthesis. If the temperature is high and it is windy, the water stored inside the plants will quickly transpire and cause the plants to die.

Water allows the plant to sustain its shape. It is required for photosynthesis. It allows the roots to absorb minerals. It allows water to move through the plant continuously. How much rainfall occurs and how much water is stored inside the soil affects the plants. In a completely sealed container, a mini water cycle will be able to take place. Water evaporates from dirt and leaves and reaches its saturated state whereby it becomes water droplets and is absorbed by the soil. The roots of the plant absorb this water again. A constant humidity is obtained.

The soil affects the plants that grow in it. It is a complex mixture of weathered rocks and volcanic ash (minerals), organic material from dead plants and organic material created by organisms living in the soil. The hydrogen ion concentration,size of soil particles, water retention of soil and breathability of soil are all factors that determine how the plant grows and whether plants are able to grow.The pH of the soil in which plants grow affects plant nutrient availability. The size of soil particles should be varied, as different sized particles determine different characteristics of the soil. The water retention of the soil is important in keeping the plants alive. The minerals contained in the soil are important for plants to grow properly. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, molybdenum, boron, copper, manganese, zinc, iron and chlorine are all vital for a plant to grow without problems. These minerals are mostly recycled by decomposers.

My ecosystem works by having the producers which are the purple flower plant and the succulent plants. Nothing would be able to survive without it. The insect pests and the decomposers exist because the producers exist. The light energy received from the sun is transformed into chemical energy and this energy flows through the food chain. The insect pests eat and suck liquids from the leaves. Part of the original amount of energy is transferred to the insect pests. The insect pests and the plants die, and are broken down into simple materials by the decomposers. The cycle is repeated over and over again.

My ecosystem is a representation of a balanced system as it has resilience and can return to its original state after being disturbed. The amount of change in my ecosystem is minimal. My ecosystem does not have a huge variety of species and therefore it is not exactly easy to maintain its balance. Large food webs are the most balanced. The amount of plants does not exceed the capacity of the ecosystem. The soil is sufficient for the plants to survive. The insect pests cannot completely devour the leaves of the plants as they grow quickly. If the insect pests multiplied in numbers and consumed most of the plants, they would die out and the plants would recover. As long as all the organisms in my ecosystem survive, the ecosystem would pretty much be balanced.

Conclusion

My ecosystem survived for a week without added water and the proof is the plant growth and the drop in water level of the soil.

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