Our research group intends to create a sustainable woodland ecosystem inside of a terrarium. We are focusing on the woodland biome which features a low-density forest, forming ecosystems with open sunlight and limited shade. This ecosystem will be made as lifelike as possible, using the processes of the water cycle to ensure the organisms’ survival. We are modeling our closed system after the woodlands of North Georgia. Our ecosystem will only be experiencing temperate climates, which is about 65 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The humidity levels will be similar to that of North Georgia’s during the month of May, which is, on average, 70 - 80%. We will incorporate low-growing mosses, deciduous mosses, and other small herbaceous plants, which are common plants found within a woodland biome, that can thrive in high humidity. We will also include small snails, isopods, and earthworms, which are animals or insects that are typically found within a woodland biome. Some of these organisms, in turn, digest the decaying matter of the plants and provide nutrients to the soil. By utilizing plants to produce oxygen, we will maintain high enough oxygen levels to let these organisms thrive. We will include a carnivorous plant, Drosera tokaiensis, that will consume small numbers of insects in the enclosure. This will have a balancing effect on the populations of small insects that are sure to develop. Utilizing all of these components creates a self-sustaining ecosystem.
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