In 1960, David Latimer planted a sprout of spiderweed in a large glass bottle, added a quarter liter of water, and then closed the bottle. He opened the bottle 12 years later in 1972 to add some water and then closed it completely. The self-sufficient ecosystem has evolved over more than 60 years. The garden is a perfectly balanced and self-sufficient ecosystem. Bacteria in the compost eat dead plants and break down the oxygen released by the plants into carbon dioxide, which is necessary for photosynthesis. The bottle is actually a microcosm of the Earth.
:o)
But photosynthesis is bad because it requires CO2 and we all know CO2 is bad - the TV says so.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this done with aquariums as well. The flora and fauna are added to the tank, and then the tank is sealed with glass glued to the top. Cool experiment!
ReplyDeletePlease don't be offended by this correction, but Mr. Latimer used spiderwort, not spiderweed. I know it's the article got it wrong, but I wanted to let prospective terrarium gardeners know this.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Now I have to look up what the differences are! :o)
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