Biology 1
Ecology Project
Bottle Habitat
Subject(s):

Science/Ecology
Due Date:
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Due date A is October 21, 2009
Due date B is October 20, 2009
Description: Students will construct a terr/aqua ecosystem in a two-liter
pop bottle. The TerrAqua Column provides you with a model to explore
the link between land and water. The model has four basic components:
soil, animals, water and plants. How do these components interact in a
Terr-Aqua system? (The word system indicates you are dealing with a
diversity of organisms and the interactions between them.)
Plants growing in the upper part of the TerrAqua Column take nutrients
from the surrounding soil and, with the aid of the wick, take water and
other substances from the aquatic portion below. Substances you add to the
terrestrial section will move down, or percolate, through the soil and drain
into the aquatic section.
Tape
Tape
Students will record data concerning the observations they make over a
two-week period.
Goal: Students will exercise important early scientific skills, like
observing, measuring, classifying, communicating data, inferring, and
predicting. Students will also gain a greater understanding of a biosphere
and the interconnections between land and water.
Objectives:
1. Students will construct terr/aqua habitats in pop bottles.
2. Students will create charts to record data from observations.
3. Students will observe the habitats over a period of three weeks,
and record what they see--changes in population, plant growth,
water quality, and animal growth.
4. At the end of the observation period, students will graph their data.
5. Students will write explanations for what they observe.
Soil, water, and plants: Fill the top unit of your TerrAqua Column with soil you
collect, or with potting soil from a gardening store. Fill the lower aquatic unit with
tap water, or water from a pond, lake, puddle or fish tank.
Collected soil and water will likely contain algae, phytoplankton, plant seeds and
insect larvae. Store-bought soil and tap water will include far fewer organisms
Terrestrial and aquatic plants are excellent indicators of change in your system. Fast-germinating and
fast-growing plants will most effectively register change in a short period of time.
Grasses, particularly lawn seed mixes, work well. Prairie grasses grow
more slowly but have deep roots that are interesting to observe. Radishes
and beans also work well, though you will need to soak dried beans
overnight before planting.
Variables: Variables to consider in your experiments include:


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The type and amounts of soil, water, and plants – remember,
depending on their source, the soil and water will likely contain
such life as algae, fungus, mites, Daphnia, etc.
Substances that might affect terrestrial and aquatic systems –
nutrients (fertilizers), or pollutants (salts, pesticides, acids).
Physical factors – temperature, light, sound, etc. (Try singing or screaming at your plants.)
Indicators: Indicators in a TAC are plants and animals and other system characteristics that change in
response to your experiments, giving you information regarding your hypothesis. Indicators include
terrestrial and aquatic plants and the soil and water.
Some observations you can make of a plant indicator, for example, include percentage of seeds that
germinate, plant height and weight, leaf size and shape, root structure, number of flowers, length of life
cycle and seed production. In the aquatic system, indicators include increases or decreases in
populations of algae and duckweed. These changes can show up as cloudiness in the water.
Experimentation with the TerrAqua Column is practically unlimited.
Materials
 Two 2-liter soda bottles
 Two bottle caps
 Wicking material-fabric interfacing or cotton string
 Water, soil, animals and plants
Step 1 – Remove label from the 2-liter bottle. Cut bottle 1 cm below shoulder.
Bottle #1
Step 2 – Poke or drill a 1 cm hole in bottle cap.
Step 3 – Thread a thoroughly wet wick strip through bottle top, invert top, and set into base.
Wick should reach bottom of reservoir and thread loosely through cap.
Step 4 – Fill reservoir with water, aquatic animals and plants. Add soil, terrestrial animals 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.
Step 5 – Remove label from the 2-liter bottle. Cut bottle 1 cm below shoulder.
Bottle #2
Step 6 – Place top of second bottle with cap on top and seal with tape. Then punch
several holes into the sides of the bottle for air.
Air holes
For Stocking
It’s very important that all materials introduced into the TerrAqua Column — living, dead, or nonliving
— are clean and free of anything that might be toxic to living things (e.g., oil, pesticides, etc.). The
organisms you introduce should be small and suited to the habitats you construct. The number of
organisms you introduce will depend on what they are but it is generally best to err on the side of
adding too few than too many, especially in the aquatic habitat. Bigger organisms should definitely be
limited to one or two.
Over a two week period, the students will record daily observations, looking for plant growth or
population changes. Take quantitative measurements (exactly how many? exactly what size? how
many days?) as well as qualitative (what color? what shape? slow or quick movement?).
At the end of the observation period, the students will graph the information they've obtained through
observation. At this time, they should write hypotheses to explain some of the things they've seen.
Aquatic habitat



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Fine grained aquarium gravel (provides
“bedrock”)
Sand or topsoil (provides bottom
sediment)
Untreated tap water or distilled water
(provides aquatic habitat)
“Boulders,” “sunken logs,” and other
miniature objects typical of a pond
bottom
Aquatic plants and animals
Fish food (if you include a fish)
Terrestrial habitat
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Fine grained aquarium gravel (provides
“bedrock”)
Topsoil (provides soil substrate)
Leaf litter (provides decaying material)
Terrestrial plants and animals
“Boulders,” “dead trees,” and other
miniature objects typical of a forest
habitat
Food for animals as needed
Exact Procedure:
Aquatic habitat
1.
2.
3.
4.
Add a layer of sand or topsoil (2-3 cm) to the deep base.
Add a layer of gravel (1-2 cm) on top of the sand or topsoil.
Add water to a level about 1 cm below the cap of the inverted deep funnel.
Plant aquatic plants in the bottom sediment. A chopstick or skewer will help you push the stems
or roots into the ground.
5. Arrange “boulders” and other objects on the bottom sediment.
6. Add floating aquatic plants.
7. Add aquatic animals.
Terrestrial habitat
1. Add a layer (1-2 cm) of gravel to the deep funnel.
2. Mix equal parts of leaf litter and topsoil together, moisten, and add a layer (6-8cm) over the
gravel.
3. Add terrestrial animals that burrow to the soil (e.g., worms).
4. Plant terrestrial plants in the soil.
5. Arrange “dead trees” and other objects on the soil.
6. Add terrestrial animals.
7. Establish a “water connection” between the aquatic and terrestrial habitats by holding the
terrarium over the aquarium at a slight angle and slowly pouring water down the side of the
terrarium until it drips from the “wick” into the aquarium. This is essential to ensure “wicking”
action.
Maintenance Instructions
Provide a light source, preferably indirect window light. A small desk lamp or plant light will work,
too. For artificial lights, provide 12 –14 hours of light daily. If you place your project outside, make
sure it is in a covered area , so that it does get light, but it is protected from too much of the elements
(rain, sun, and other animals).
Assessment:
Are the aquaria appropriately stocked? Have they been well-maintained? Are observations recorded at
regular intervals? Are graphs drawn correctly? Are hypotheses based in fact?
You must turn in the following for evaluation:
 Bottle Habitat with plants, animals, soil and water.
 Typed written purpose, hypothesis, materials, list of types of plants, animals, soil and water that
were used for your project., data table (dates, growth measurements of each
organism, and other observations), graph of data, conclusion
 Daily observations of your habitat, including dates and specific information.
 Students will observe the habitats over a period of two weeks, and record what they see-changes in population, plant growth, water quality, and animal growth.
 At the end of the observation period, students will graph their data.
Ecology Biosphere Project Rubric
4
3
2
1
Purpose/Problem
Purpose of the
project is well
stated, clear
and accurate
Purpose of the
project is
somewhat
stated, and
accurate
Purpose of the
project is
vague, unclear
and/or
inaccurate
Purpose of the
project is
missing
Hypothesis
Hypothesis is
stated, clear
and well
developed
Hypothesis is
stated and
somewhat
developed
Hypothesis is
stated and
unclear
Hypothesis is
not stated
Experiment
All Terrestrial
and Aquatic
organisms are
listed accurately
and all food
sources and
environmental
needs are
substantially
addressed
Terrestrial and
Aquatic
organisms are
listed
accurately, but
food sources
and
environmental
needs are
somewhat
substantially
addressed
Terrestrial and
Aquatic
organisms are
listed
inaccurately
and no food
sources and/or
environmental
needs
addressed
Terrestrial and
Aquatic
organisms are
not listed
Design and
Development
All steps in the
procedure were
followed
accurately and
the design is
neat and clean
Most steps in
the procedure
were accurately
followed and
the design is
neat and clean
Few steps in
the procedure
were followed
and the design
is unkempt and
dirty
Steps in the
procedure
were not
followed and
design is
unkempt and
dirty
CATEGORY
Data: Observations
Data was
collected over
the entire two
weeks on a
daily basis. It
clearly
describes what
was observed in
complete
sentences.
Data was
collected for
more than one
weeks. It clearly
describes what
was observed in
complete
sentences.
Data was
collected a few
times.
Observations
were not clear
and/or
incomplete.
Data was not
collected
Conclusion/Summary Student
provided a
detailed
conclusion
clearly based
on the data and
related to
research
findings and the
hypothesis
statement(s).
Student
provided a
somewhat
detailed
conclusion
clearly based
on the data and
related to the
hypothesis
statement(s).
Student
provided a
conclusion with
some reference
to the data and
the hypothesis
statement(s).
No conclusion
was apparent
OR important
details were
overlooked.