Ecosystem in a bottle-what should I put in it?

Question

Any suggestions on what to put in an aquatic or terrestrial ecosystem? It will be contained in a plastic 2-liter bottle, most likely.

Answer 1

You need both plants and animals. Start with the plants, then the animals. Small animals, like insects. If you are doing an aquatic ecosystem the same thing goes. Use aquatic plants and a few brine shrimp.

You need plants to generate oxygen; you need animals to generate the carbon dioxide the plants need.

BIOLOGY TEACHER

Answer 2

Decide on the ecosystem you would like to replicate

Then research it to find out what it's environment is like, if possible collect samples of that environment.
Also add organisms native to that enviroment.

For example if you wanted to do the ecosystem of a lake, you could go to a nearby (natural) lake and create layers proportional to the lakes layers, i.e. put the mud from the bottom of the lake at the bottom of your bottle. Then add some algae or whatever covers the mud. Then put some insects or maybe a tadpole. Finally fill it with water from the lake.

Also make sure to keep your eco system at the same temperature as the lakes environment. and maybe provide aeration and oxygenation by blowing gently into the bottle with a straw.

Good luck.

I once had to create an environment conducive to fly breedng (different from your ecosystem project). I put rotten meat in a jar and covered the jar with a piece of cloth. Flies couldn't get inside but they laid their eggs on the fabric which allowed flies to grow and maggots to survive inside the jar. It was interesting but gross :)

Answer 3

Search using the term "bottle biology" for lots of ideas. Here's one idea:

http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/bottle.html

Answer 4

sand,ants,bugs,flies,other insects,etc.