Building a Compost Lab
Darius Dixon
Biology 5TH Period
6/7/10
Introduction Composting is nature’s way of recycling and is the key to healthy soil and a healthy environment. Composting is a cost- efficient way of getting rich natural soil for a very cheap price. There are numerous types of compost bins available to make; each enable the growth of lawns and gardens. A compost pile is usually made from fruit and vegetable scraps, newspaper and grass clippings, worms (that act as decomposers), and leaves.
Hypothesis
According to the concept of composting it is more than likely that rich filled nutrient soil will be produced from the worm compost bin at the end of a twenty day period. Rich soil that one buys at the
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Day 16
6/3 N/A N/A N/A 6/4 Add fertilizer to make up for lost compost. Lettuce turns black
Day 18
Aerate
6/5 50 Fresh Smell Moist More worms however they are fried from being under sunlight and add dirt.
Day 20
Finished
6/7 51 Ok looking Rough Dead worms show so mix up in compost.
Analysis and Conclusion
At the conclusion of my experiment my hypothesis was correct. The worm bin was successfully composted and the organic waste was decomposed by the worms. However as a fault of leaving the worms under direct sunlight it seems that they were burned and died. Also, as a result of moving worm bin outside due to smell, a rodent knocked it over therefore I dirt was added to refill lost soil. When one should conduct experiment again may upsize worm bit to produce more soil.
1 Worm compost saves you money by replacing store-bought soil conditioners.
2 Helps garden and house plants grow by improving the fertility of your soil.
3 Saves water by helping the soil hold moisture and reducing water runoff.
4 Benefits the environment by recycling valuable organic resources, reducing air and water pollution from refuse trucks and runoff, and extending the life of
The cycle of gut worms begin within the remains of cattle feces. Once cattle are infected, the eggs pass through the digestion system and the remains are left in the pasture. They then eat the larval stages that have migrated to the pasture. There is further development through several more larval stages in the cows gastrointestinal system before the worms become sexually mature and can start producing eggs. The development inside the cow usually takes about 3 weeks to reach the egg producing stage. The whole cycle from egg to a mature, egg producing worm takes around 5 weeks. In some cases, the development within the cow can stop and the larvae become
Compost is a dark, crumbly and earthy-smelling form of decomposed organic matter. It is composed of organic material ranging from leaves and wood chips to household refuse. When broken down, these materials become one of nature's garden fertilizers and richest mediums for potted plants. It is made up of waste material that is generally high in either carbon or
Composting is important when we look at the future wellbeing of our planet and how it will affect the upcoming generations. According to epa.gov ,benefits of composting would be to reduce waste in landfills, and to transform that waste into a natural
They play a key role in regenerating and displacing soil. Earthworm activities changes both physical and chemical characteristic of soil. They help convert organic matter to humus. Additionally, they ingest other particles (sand grains) and when it is digested and excreted, it is accessible for plants to take advantage of its minerals and nutrients. Physically, the earthworm creates tunnels for air and water to navigate the soil. () They play an essential role in fighting erosion and are vital to plant growth. Healthy soil is depended on a thriving worm population. The ability to break down organic matter and excrete nutrients makes the earthworm valuable to restoration projects. Some people have employed earthworms to prepare soil for the return of native flora. Individuals that utilized this idea have seen better results in the return of their soil ecosystem than previously used methods. The number of
Imagine you lived during the time period where poor farming techniques were created, and dust was being deposited or dropped into your lungs, forcing you to walk slowly down the steps of death. The phenomenon, the Dust Bowl, took place in the United States during the years around the 1930’s. It was an event that occurred in the United States, where the area it was taken place did not have moist soil, healthy crops, and a considerable amount of water. During this time, the soil was poor, meaning there was a small amount of nutrients in it. From this, it caused the seeds being planted to wilt, and die.. Compost helps the nutrients and moisture to stay within the soil, in order to allow the plants to not wither from being over watered or the lack of this liquid.
An excuse that many people have involves composting, “ I would love to compost, but it will just get in the way.” When an individual or group uses a compost it is a barrel or bin. Individuals can start composting by simply getting a bin and putting it somewhere that no one can see, that way it’s not “in the way.” As a matter of fact, groups or organizations can also use composts. People simply put leaves, grass clippings, or certain food into the compost bin, and after a few days, or weeks it turns into fertilizer. Organizations can do this so they can save money on landscaping when they already have the materials for themselves. For example, churches can have a compost bin, and the food that is left over from, say their fellowship dinner they can put in there. They could put leaves that fall from their trees, or even grass clippings from mowing into the compost so they have fertilizer for their garden beds, or flowers. Composting can replenish the
Compost bins are ugly to look at although it would be possible to create a natural compost area using timber within the garden space, beneficial for grass cuttings, vegetable peelings and such like.
This topic is important because in the A-horizon of the soil which contains humus which comes from dead organisms, decaying plants and animal remains. Earthworms inhabit the A-horizon and they can alter the soil structure, the flow of water, nutrients available in the soil and the plant growth, while providing many beneficial functions. The earthworms help increase microbial activity by feeding on microorganisms and then creating casing from their waste which are the cycling of nutrients from organic material into nutrients forms that the plants can use. Earthworms excrete a caste and they can move soil down each horizon so the nutrients from the casts can reach deep down into the soil. The earthworm casts contain essential nutrients and minerals like phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfur, and potassium that are needed to help the plant grow.
Households can recycle and reduce their amount of waste by taking certain biodegradable materials and start a compost bin. It is here that the common wastes such as food scraps, coffee grounds or anything that has a high organic matter can be put together and let nature take its course. “Using composts in agriculture to minimize organic wastes and to reduce the addition of fertilizers and fungicides in crop production is highly effective”. (Stan, Virsta, Dusa, Glavan, 2009 pg 1) So the compost that is produced can be used to help fertilize the ground in which crops even flowers are grown cutting down on pesticides and fertilizers. The organic component, in materials, can be used in compost recycling to help to promote a healthy soil. By having a healthier soil this provides a healthier plant. This
To succeed in the initial stage of this project, a composter, site and strategy need to be set in place. In order for the project to be financially feasible, it is important to identify how much material is available, how many and what type of generators we are to serve, and how much material is expected to be generated by the project.
Many things that all biodegradable and up in landfills the things that take years to decompose. Such as plastic, glass, metals! etc. This problem can be solved by me, with help, using $1000. When people throw away certain things, they don't know that many of those items are organic matter that can be decomposed. When you gather these organic and biodegradable items into a band, they decompose. This is called composting. The mixture inside the bin is called compost.this compost can be used as fertilizer and can help condition land. Things like fresh grass clippings, flowers, vegetable and fruit feelings such as potatoes and orange peelings, vegetable crop residue such as potatoes and tomato plants, herbivore manure, such as horse, cow, and rabbit,
It doesn’t get any easier than this. When you stock up on pre-made bags of compost, just open the bags and instantly add them to your edible garden.
Even though previous studies have shown that earthworm abundance increased with more biomass, the environments in the previous students likely had more conditions available that allowed the earthworms to prosper. Future experiments should be done by mixing together different soil, water, and nutrient amounts to see which mixture earthworms would prefer. Additionally, there are several factors that might have affected the outcome of this research. Very few worms were used as subjects in the containers for this study. Worm density in the outside environment could have an effect on their survival. This study was also conducted in the controlled environment of an apartment room. Temperatures fluctuate and change in the outside environment. These fluctuating temperatures might present different ques in the earthworm’s daily routine of whether it’s time to move or rest. Additionally, the leaf nutrients in this research were all obtained from a random assortment of leaves gathered in the same location as the worms. There might be leaf types that earthworms prefer and increase their survival rate. Finding their preferred nutrient source can help create a fertilizer that can be used on
In the natural world there is zero waste. All the food an animal consumes and then discards of provides nutrient to the soil. When
Recycling is the process of collecting materials that are often considered trash and remanufacturing them into new products that can be resold and used again. Glass, paper, plastic, and metals such as aluminum and steel are all common recycled stuff. Based on the website http://www.environment-green.com/. Approximately 60% of our rubbish thrown away today could be recycled. But what we can see today are people throw 99% of the rubbish away without recycling. When this continues more and more rubbish will be collected and all this need years to dissolve. Most people still not aware of the seriousness of not recycling and the harm that will affect them, it is because they still leave in they comfortable zone but when the day come they will