A Self-Sustained Enclosed Ecosystem in a Jar Lab Report

A Self-Sustained Enclosed Ecosystem in a Jar - Lab Report Example An ecosystem can be describe as the dynamic biological environment that consist of living things in a specific region, abiotic , and environment physical components that interact with the organisms such as sunlight, air (oxygen and carbon dioxide), water, and soil (Hutchinson, 2005). Every ecosystem requires the three basic components that include producers, consumers, and decomposers. The three categories of ecosystem include freshwater, terrestrial, and oceanic ecosystems (Adams, 2001, pp. 33-44). Generally, the ecosystems are divided into main categories that are aquatic (freshwater and ocean) and terrestrial. However, the report focuses on the aquatic ecosystem. The system that the project created was an aquatic ecosystem (freshwater) that was supposed to meet the specific environmental factors to support the living organisms internally (self-sustaining and supporting). Aquatic ecosystems are defined as the ecosystems that are dependent on fresh water, which include rivers, estuaries, wetlands, and streams (Barbee, n.d.). According to Ecology Society of America, the aquatic systems shelter various organisms that are dependent on them. Aquatic systems factors are categorized into abiotic factors and biotic factors. Abiotic factors refer to the non-living components in an ecosystem that have a direct influence on the living organisms community. On the other hand, biotic factors refer to the diversified species that occupy an ecosystem where every specie action can affect the lives of other species in the region. In the aquatic system, the interactions of organisms are based on aquatic environment (Baron & Poff, 2010, p. 7). Consequently, the understanding of aquatic component such as the balance of oxygen in the water, pH, and light contributes to the creation of a successful self-sustained aquatic system. Shrimps in aquatic systems have a substantial effect on other living organisms in a similar ecosystem. The pH of about 6.5-8.0 and balanced oxygen is suitable for maintaining freshwater ecosystem (Bunn & Arthington, 2002, pp. 492--507). Remarkably, a main manner that living organisms affect each other is consumption. As a result, a food web develops among living organisms living in a same aquatic ecosystem (Sala, 2000). Aims and hypothesi s Aims The aim of the experiment was to create a self-sustaining freshwater ecosyste m. The experiment was focused in introducing the student on how to utilize the available resources in correct amounts to create a