In this lab we started off with a review of food webs in general. We looked at the flow of energy and the different trophic levels. We also reviewed the energy pyramid, the # of organisms period, and the biomass pyramid. Then we were introduced to the intricacies of the soil food web and its cast of characters. We also watched a short video on protozoans and the searched for our own amoeba, paramecium, flagellates, and cilia in our own compost tea and worm bins. Lastly, we ended the day by constructing Berlese Funnels so that we can measure the health and variety of microorganisms of soil samples culled from six different locations. It was great!
Here is the video we watched in class, enjoy!
For further study: Dr Elaine Ingham.
and Jeff Lowenfels...