The science behind the soils

The Carbon Cycle and Bioactive Terraria 0

Carbon Cycle and Bioactive Terraria

Written by: Joshua Halter and Reece Buck

Every form of life on the planet Earth is comprised of some configuration of carbon atoms. Carbon is the essential building block for all life forms and is the most abundant element on Earth. Carbon is so vital to our existence that any fluctuation in concentration transmogrifies the atmospheric temperature as well as defines life down to the biological and physiological level. In this article we will explain the very complex carbon cycle and its importance in a Bio Dude bioactive terrarium and the impacts in has during the life of your terrarium.

The carbon cycle is both a geological and biological process. Geological, which takes millions of years to complete, while biological occurs more quickly. On a biological level of the carbon cycle, this occurs during the time of an organism’s lifespan. The key players in the biological carbon cycle are flora and to some extent fauna. The Flora of our planet are the oxygen scrubbers that intake the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and transform oxygen for the Fauna to help them maintain basic homeostasis. The atmospheric carbon dioxide is broken down into oxygen molecules and carbon molecules. In the terrarium the carbon is sequestered in the root systems and deposited into the surrounding soil in nutrient pools. The other component of the biological process deals with decomposition of total biomass. Biomass is the measurement of a biological entity’s total mass. Great examples of biomass are your essential biodegradeables utilized in your Bio Dude terrariums. As flora or fauna decay, it is being broken down by the microscopic entities of the decomposition process. The bioavailable carbon is disposed of in the soil. Microorganisms within the soil, such as mycorrhizal, cleave to the root systems of flora and allow them to process the carbon expelled from flora, but also sequester carbon close to the roots. Carbon is a basic building block for many chemical and molecular bonds needed for all functions of both flora and fauna. In the terrarium this cycle is renewed every time an individual expires, or when the soil releases some of its cached carbon. When this cached carbon is released more carbon dioxide raises atmospheric temperatures. While this happens in the terrarium, excess carbon will not raise the temperature of the terrarium significantly or enough to impact your overall heating requirements of your pet.

In a bioactive setup the same cycle occurs on a smaller scale. Every aspect of a Bio Dude bioactive enclosure contains carbon in some form. The soil used contains bound up carbon molecules, the plants ascertain carbon from the atmosphere; in conjunction with the Bio Dude Grow&Glow LED to promote photosynthesis, creating photosynthetic carbon that is excreted into the soil. If you have an omnivorous reptile then a portion of that photosynthetic carbon is consumed and metabolized within the animal. This carbon is then used in DNA synthesis or for other molecular synthesizing processes. Another aspect of the cycle in the terrarium is the never-ending respiration of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the enclosure of your reptile or amphibian. This respiration process is what fuels the carbon absorption of the flora present. Utilizing the Bio Dude’s BioShot, and to some extent the clean up crews such as Earwigs, Springtails, Isopods can help sequester loose carbon within the soil matrix by cleaving it to the root systems. That is solely the job of the Mycorrhizal and mycelium colonies that establish within your biome. The clean up crews are the garbagemen which aid in breaking down waste matter into base elements of: Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorous along with smaller trace elements that are readily utilized by your plants and Bio Dude substrate.

If one is using a non-bioactive enclosure there are elements of carbon present. However, they are more than likely inorganic materials. Part of the carbon cycle will still occur in a non-bioactive setup, but without all the components, carbon is wasted. Without plants and soil microbes the soil is unable to cache excess carbon, as a result it is just released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, which is not utilized by your plants or soil on a large enough level for success. Another drawback is that your omnivorous reptiles is when they are fed veggies that has been plucked from the ground, shipped and placed inside an artificially lit warehouse. The energy available within these specimens is far less than flora that is self-maintaining within the biome. Less energy available means the energy expounded to acquire nutrients is completely lost and not completely replenished. Synthetic substrates such as repticarpet are indeed carbon-based, but they are also created of a plastic polymer. Polymers are tougher and take more energy to breakdown into the base components. Most microbes are unable to break down plastics due to their impervious molecular structure bonds. This is yet another reason why plastic pollution in our forests and beaches has become such a huge issue.

The carbon cycle is the most essential biological process necessary for all life on Earth. Without this cycle, we could not function and life would not exist without the carbon cycle, most creatures existing on planet earth would rely on methane or sulfur, which as we know can be very toxic in larger doses and can make habitats inhospitable. It is our duty as harbingers of good husbandry to recreate the natural world as best as possible and this includes natural biological and chemical processes. This is the beauty of bioactivity, that these natural cycles will replicate themselves on a smaller scale within our created biomes. The carbon cycle, while complex is vital to all living organism. As reptile and amphibian keepers it is our responsibility to provide the best care, rather than the basic care using research driven practices and techniques for some of the most unique and diverse animals on the planet.

References

The carbon cycle. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/ecology/biogeochemical-cycles/a/the-carbon-cycle

Gougoulias, C., Clark, J. M., & Shaw, L. J. (2014). The role of soil microbes in the global carbon cycle: tracking the below-ground microbial processing of plant-derived carbon for manipulating carbon dynamics in agricultural systems. Journal of the science of food and agriculture, 94(12), 2362-71.

Nov 28, 2018
Josh Halter

The Nitrogen Cycle and Bioactive Terraria 0

Bioactive Terraria and the Nitrogen Cycle

Written by: Reece Buck and Joshua Halter

On planet Earth, there are several chemical cycles that occur naturally and are essential for all life on Earth. One of those cycles is the nitrogen cycle. Both flora and fauna are integral cogs with this process. In this article we will discuss how this process works within your Bio Dude bioactive enclosures, as well as touch base on how certain aspects of the cycle are disrupted in a non-bioactive enclosure.

First, let us look at the overall cycle and break it down into its four major parts. The nitrogen cycle is initiated with nitrogen, which is available in mass quantity within the atmosphere. Bacteria intake this free-flowing atmospheric nitrogen through a process called nitrogen fixation. Once nitrogen goes through fixation it becomes ammonia, this is utilized by plants and animals. Once consumed the ammonia is broken down. From there it can be either metabolized by the organism, or excreted in the form of urate within urine. Urates are the white clump of waste material excreted by your reptile, commonly attached to feces. That concentrated ammonia, or organic nitrogen, is then broken down further by different bacterias. The final step is being released back into the atmosphere or environment as gaseous nitrogen.

The abovementioned process is what happens on a global scale. When we create a bioactive enclosure for our reptiles and amphibians, we are creating this same cycle on a micro-biological scale. Most, if not all of the nitrogen cycle occurs at the microscopic and atomic level via decomposers. Within the BioDude’s bioactive terraria our decomposers come in the form of the BioShot. The BioShot contains both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. Ecosystems depend on these metabolically adaptable aerobic bacteria and fungi for regulation and recycling of nutrients to maintain homeostasis within the biome. The nitrifying bacteria cleave to aspects of the flora, such as the elements within the vascular bundle. During the process of cellular respiration these bacteria aid flora in the creation of complex molecules such as ammonia. Denitrifying bacteria cleave to the root system of flora and account for 10-15% of the bacterial population within the soil. These denitrifying bacteria are responsible for consuming any urate left within your enclosure, breaking the organic nitrogen or ammonia back into nitrogen via a process called hydrolysis. These denitrifying bacteria also decompose the biodegradables such as leaf litter, sphagnum moss, palm bark, cork bark, woods, and other organic matter. One of the key players of biodegradable decomposition is arbuscular mycorrhiza, which aid in host nutrient uptake of key nutrients such as nitrogen. Since nitrogen is a limiting nutrient, there is not much produced within natural nitrogen process of flora. These bacteria allow for nutrient caching which promotes growth of flora and to some extent fauna.

Within a bioactive setup, all biological and chemical elements are present for these processes to occur. Unfortunately, in a non-bioactive setup key elements of the process are missing, namely the bacteria and flora that are responsible for transmogrifying nitrogen. Since these elements are missing human intervention is necessary to maintain fauna health. In a non-bioactive enclosure there are no bacteria to breakdown feces and urate. While utilizing small clean up crews are very beneficial, they do not always provide everything your enclosure needs to thrive. As a result, allowing build up in a soil matrix of ammonia within the urate will leech out due to humidity levels within the soil. Without proper soil aeration anaerobic bacteria arise. Without the presence of flora, you do not have a processor of atmospheric nitrogen to convert it into organic consumable nitrogen usually, in the form of ammonia. Squamates cannot survive in an environment saturated with ammonia. Issues such as respiratory infections, fungal infections, eye infections, shedding issues, death and other issues can arise due to a toxic buildup of ammonia.

Providing your terraria the ability to function and thrive is a key component for successful husbandry practices of keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets. The nitrogen cycle, while complex, is vital to all living organisms. As reptile enthusiasts it is our responsibility to provide the best care, rather than the basic care using research driven practices and techniques for some of the most unique and diverse animals on the planet.

References

Casella, S., & Payne, W. J. (1996). Potential of denitrifiers for soil environment protection. FEMS Microbiology Letters,104, 1-8.

Gui, H., Hyde, K., Xu, J., & Mortimer, P. (2017). Arbuscular mycorrhiza enhance the rate of litter decomposition while inhibiting soil microbial community development. Scientific Reports,1-10.

Nov 12, 2018
Josh Halter
Tags: nitrogen cycle

The Basics of the BioShot 0

We here at The BioDude are excited to introduce the latest addition to our line of bioactive products, the BioShot. Here we will go over what is is, what it does, and the longstanding problems that we hope to solve.

Apr 03, 2017
Sean Barnett

The Science of Terra Sahara 0

Arid enclosures can be difficult to make bioactive, simply because the soil type and lack of available moisture makes it hard for a high population of decomposing microbes and microfauna to establish themselves. The soil also must be able to support the burrowing behavior most desert animals use to prevent dehydration.
Our Terra Sahara makes this usually troublesome task easy for even the most novice reptile keeper, allowing you to create a beautiful, self-cleaning desert landscape for your reptile to call its own.

Jan 07, 2017
Sean Barnett

The Science of Terra Firma 0

Our Terra Firma is designed to replicate the silty soil that many reptile and amphibian species dig burrows in, while still providing a suitable substrate for springtails and isopods. This soil type occurs in a wide variety of habitats, from seasonal savannas and semiarid regions to coastal rainforests and along riverbanks. As such, it is suitable for use in a wide range of vivarium types, although it works best in enclosures with a humidity range of 50-75%, kept dry on the surface and moist underneath.
Species that will make the most of this substrate include many snakes, large lizards such as monitors or tegus, and any other reptiles or amphibians that dig burrows.

Jan 07, 2017
Sean Barnett

The Science of Terra Fauna 0

Terra Fauna is designed to replicate the conditions found in the tropical rainforests encircling the Earth's equator. Like our Terra Flora, it is designed to retain moisture and keep the humidity in your vivarium quite high, but unlike the Terra Flora, it is designed for slightly less waterlogged conditions.
Commonly used for species such as Crested Geckos and Day Geckos, Terra Fauna makes it easy to create a high-humidity environment that keeps itself clean. Especially with high-strung, delicate species like Day Geckos, not having to clean the cage will reduce stress levels for the animal and keeper alike!