What is Terrarium Ecosystem?

Terrarium is a sealed transparent container in which plants are grown. Being a closed environment, it can illustrate how an ecosystem works.

During the night, where there is no daylight, the green plants will take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide. However, in the day, when the green plants inside the terrarium received sunlight, they will photosynthesize to make food and produce oxygen .

At the same time, the plants will transpire, which is releasing of water vapour through their stomata. Water in the soil will also evaporate into water vapour. When these water vapour touches the cooler surface of the inner side of the terrarium, it will lose heat and condense to form water droplets, which will then 'rain' back into the soil due to gravity and the water droplets will be absorbed by the the roots of the plants. Via the water-carrying tube, xylem, the water is transported up to the leaves.

Simultaneously, the plants will absorb the carbon dioxide they released in the night and with the presence of sunlight, they photosynthesize and this cycle repeats again and again.

By building a terrarium, we are apparently bringing Mother Nature back into our home and our work space, which somehow has a calming effects especially for many who work in windowless offices and own homes that have little or not greens. So why not build one now?