Ecosystem
in a Bottle
ACTIVITY
What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem includes all of the living things in a
given area that interact with each other and with
their environment. In an ecosystem each element
has its own role to play. A change in one part of
the environment can have effects one the rest of
the living components within that ecosystem.
With "Ecosystem in a Bottle," you will create
a TerrAqua Column, a model that allows you to
explore the relationships between elements that
live or relate to both land habitats and aquatic
habitats. This model has three basic components:
soil, water, and plants. Once you've established the
basic ecosystem, you'll find there are endless ways
to experiment and learn from variations!
What you’ll need to get started:
• Two 2-liter bottles with caps
• Soil
• Seeds (fast-growing seeds are ideal)
• Two candle wicks
• Water
• Ruler or measuring tape
• Box cutter (only with an adult's help)
• Scissors
• Drill (only with an adult's help)
• Locking pliers (also known as a vice grip)
• Safety glasses
• Marker
• A helpful adult
Directions:
1. With the marker, draw
a line around one of the
bottles about 2 inches
(5 cm) below the curve.
2. Put on your safety
glasses.
3. Ask an adult to use the
box cutter to create a slit
along the line that your
scissors can fit into.
Directions:
4. Use the scissors to
cut the rest of the way
around the line. The
bottom part of the bottle
will be the lower section
of your ecosystem, the
“reservoir” for your
water. The top of the
bottle, with the cap on,
will be the lid for your
planter.
Directions:
5. On the second bottle, draw a line
about 2 inches (5 cm) from
the bottom.
6. With the help of an adult, cut the
along the line as you did with the
first bottle. The top portion of the
bottle will be the planter.
Directions:
7. With the help of an
adult, place the other
bottle cap in the vice
grip. Then drill a hole
through the center of
the cap large enough
for two wicks.
8. Soak the two wicks
in water and thread
through the hole in
the cap.
Directions:
9. Screw the cap onto
the planter bottle.
10. Fill 1/3 of the reservoir
bottle with water. Then
place the planter bottle
inside the reservoir
bottle with the cap-
side pointed down,
making sure the wicks
reach the bottom of
the water.
Directions:
11. Add soil* to the
planter making sure
that the top halves of
the wicks are buried
in the soil and not
stuck to the side of
the planter.
*For better drainage, you can add a layer of
gravel or sand in the bottom of the soil unit.
Directions:
12. Plant seeds* in the
soil at the appropriate
depth and spacing for
the type of seed.
13. Put the lid bottle on
top of the ecosystem
and place in a warm
spot for the seeds to
germinate.
*Grasses, particularly lawn seed mixes,
work well. Beans and peas, or other fast-
growing edible plants, can also work.
Now...Observe and Learn
Over the next few weeks, you will see changes
in the environment you have created. Take lots
of notes and make drawings of your observations.
• When did you see the seeds germinate?
• What do the leaves look like?
• How much water is being absorbed?
Then...Add a Variable
Once you have established your ecosystem, you
can explore how a single variable can affect the
whole system.
If you do an Internet search for "TerrAqua Column,"
you will find many ideas for variables to experiment
with. For example: How does salt affect the growth
of plants? How does adding fertilizer to the soil
affect algal growth in the water chamber? What
happens when you add an animal, such as
an earthworm or tadpole, to the ecosystem?
Keep it Simple
Keep your investigations very simple by changing
only one variable of the system at a time. OR...you
can create another ecosystem with different materials
to compare with the first one. For example, use pond
water or soil from a different location. If you do create
more than one ecosystem, be sure to label each one
clearly with a marker.
Continue to journal your observations, including dates,
measurements, and colorful descriptions. And, most of
all, have fun learning about science at home!
