INTRODUCTION
The lab was a novel one, as it gave us a chance to experiment and adjust over an extended period of time—6 weeks. It was enlightening to be able to examine ecosystems of various kinds and how biotic and abiotic factors interact even in a minute model that we created. The three columns composed of plastic each represented chambers. The uppermost portion was the terrestrial level, made of humus and turnip seeds. Gravel and sand were used as means of gravity filtration. The turnip seeds were the main biotic factor, while water, light, and soil were some of the main abiotic factors. The middle section was the decomposition chamber, which was composed of food waste brought from our homes, leaves, sand, and humus. Some biotic factors were the fruit flies and fungi that formed during the experiment, as well as the decomposers or bacteria that broke down food waste. The abiotic factors were water emanating from the upper the layer, humidity, and soil. The lowermost section was the aquatic chamber, composed of gravel, approximately 80 mL of water where the fish lived. The abiotic factors were the gravel, rocks, and dissolved oxygen, while the biotic factors were the fish, duckweed, and fish. Through the creation of the eco-column, we wanted to figure out the interconnection between three seemingly unrelated aspects of ecosystems involving terrestrial, decomposition, and aquatic elements. By the end of the eco-column project, we believed that all the organisms in the three sections would be alive and the abiotic factors would be intact.