User:Jaspergeli/Terrarium

A temperature-controlled terrarium with plants inside

A terrarium (plural: terraria or terrariums) is usually a sealable glass container containing soil and plants and can be opened for maintenance to access the plants inside. However, terraria can also be open to the atmosphere rather than being sealed. Terraria are often kept as decorative or ornamental items. Closed terraria create a unique environment for plant growth, as the transparent walls allow for both heat and light to enter the terrarium. The sealed container combined with the heat entering the terrarium allows for the creation of a small scale water cycle. This happens because moisture from both the soil and plants evaporates in the elevated temperatures inside the terrarium. This water vapor then condenses on the walls of the container and eventually falls back to the plants and soil below. This contributes to creating an ideal environment for growing plants due to the constant supply of water, thereby preventing the plants from becoming over dry. In addition to this, the light that passes through the transparent material of the terrarium allows for the plants within to photosynthesize, a very important aspect of plant growth. It is a vivarium of any size mostly having at least one transparent side in which terrestrial animals or plants are kept and displayed. Hobbyists use terrariums/terraria to keep mammals, reptiles, terrestrial invertebrates, terrestrial amphibians, and terrestrial plants. Any tank or container with terrestrial life being kept is called a terrarium. But being as simple as that, of course, it has principles, as all things have. The main thing is to keep its ecosystem balanced and the organisms inside are all doing well. The concept of the terrarium is greatly different from the aquarium, having water puddle like a mini aquarium that serves as the water source for the animals as well as plants.

History

The first terrarium was developed by botanist Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward in 1842. Ward had an interest in observing insect behavior and accidentally left one of the jars unattended. A fern spore in the jar grew, germinated into a plant, and this jar resulted in the first terrarium. The trend quickly spread in the Victorian Era amongst the English. Instead of the terrarium, it was known as the Wardian case.

According to a story, Ward hired carpenters to build his Wardian cases to export native British plants to Sydney, Australia. After months of travel, the plants arrived well and thriving. Likewise, plants from Australia were sent to London using the same method and Ward received his Australian plants in perfect condition. His experiment indicated that plants can be sealed in without ventilation and continue thriving.

Types

Because of the different conditions within, terrariums can be classified into two types: closed and open.

Closed terraria

Tropical plant varieties, such as mosses, orchids, ferns, and air plants, are generally kept within closed terraria due to the conditions being similar to the humid and sheltered environment of the tropics. Keeping the terrarium sealed allows for the circulation of water, but terraria must be opened once a week to remove excess moisture from the air and walls of the container. This is done to prevent the growth of mold which could damage the plants and discolor the sides of the terrarium. Terraria must also be watered occasionally, the absence of condensation on the walls of the terrarium or any wilting of the plants is an indicator that the terrarium requires water.

Closed terraria also require a special soil mix to ensure both good growing conditions and to reduce the risks of microbial damage. A common medium used is 'peat-lite', a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. The mixture must be sterile in order to avoid introducing potentially harmful microbes.

Open terraria

Open terraria are better suited to dry plants such as succulents. Not all plants require or are suited to the moist environment of closed terraria. For plants adapted to dry climates, open, unsealed terrariums are used to keep the air in the terrarium free from excess moisture. Open terraria also work well for plants that require more direct sunlight, as closed terraria can trap too much heat potentially killing any plants inside.

Water

Though you can place a dish that serves as a water source, you can make a "natural" water that collects at the bottom like the groundwater, but this uses a lot of soil which serves as a mechanical filter and home for different microorganisms which break down harmful chemicals which serves as a biological filter. When an animal urinates on soil, the soil filters the urine which leaves the wastes and harmful chemicals (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) which are broken down by the beneficial bacteria, if the urine goes to the puddle of water, there are still present microorganisms which break down these materials. The urine turns into pure water. The water beneath the ground acts as a groundwater.