The Science of Terra Fauna

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From the desk of The Dude:

Natural bioactivity occurs in almost every climate on earth, from the lush jungles of the Congo to bone-dry Australian deserts. These ecosystems contain unique processes to manage the buildup of organic waste. Cleaning organisms and chemical processes break down matter, and nutrients return to the soil to support new life. Through these processes, the ecosystem is kept clean and healthy.

Our specially-designed substrates were developed to support the natural drivers of bioactivity. In supporting their natural functions, we can bring authentic bioactive environments to the home vivarium. Here, we will focus on our Terra Fauna substrate and the humid, less-soggy conditions replicates.

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, like those found in less dense rainforests where everything is still just as humid, but a good deal of sunlight penetrates to the forest floor and prevents surfaces from remaining constantly wet. These environments are home to more reptilian species, which rely on the humidity to avoid dehydration as the amphibians do, but also need access to UVB lighting via direct sunlight and can have issues with skin infections if their environment is constantly wet, and thus require more ventilation and fresh air flow.
A terrarium with Terra Fauna will rely small arthropods, called springtails and isopods, to carry out the process of decomposition and form your cleaner crew. These arthropods, collectively referred to as microfauna, will often take refuge deep in the moist soil during the day, only coming out at night to consume the organic wastes that make up their diet.

Terra Fauna is designed to drain well, just like the Terra Flora, but holds more moisture and has fewer air pockets to prevent the soil and the air from drying out too much, due to the warmer temperatures and increased ventilation that these vivariums often have. These environments are still wet enough to require a drainage layer of our HydroGrow to allow any excess water to drain out of the soil and prevent anaerobic bacterial growth or root rot in your plants, but unlike a setup with Terra Flora, the excess water will rarely, if ever, need to be removed as it builds up, since there should not be as much of it. The HydroGrow will also help wick water up into the Terra Fauna if it begins to dry out too much, ensuring that the soil stays wet enough to maintain the vivarium's humidity and give the microfauna enough water to avoid drying out. Misting the cage once or twice a day will still be necessary to provide the animals with water droplets to drink from and keep the soil sufficiently moist.