047 TULLGREN FUNNEL TO STUDY SOIL MICRO-ARTHROPODA

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047 TULLGREN FUNNEL TO STUDY SOIL
MICRO-ARTHROPODA
Small arthropods do a lot of work in soil litter,
breaking the litter and assisting in composting
process. You can see micro-arthropods through
this experiment.
MATERIAL REQUIRED
Empty water bottle, empty film container, a table
lamp, magnifying glass, and freshly collected
garden litter.
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Cut the water bottle about 1/3 from above in such
a way the upper portion of the bottle serves as a
funnel and the lower portion as a container. Keep
the empty film container with water inside the
lower end of bottle and place the upper portion
funnel in such a way that it fits into the film
container. You may use some paper at the base to
lift the film container, if necessary.
3
Introduce litter into the funnel and set the lamp
so that the heat and light is focused onto the
litter. After 24 to 36 hours, dismantle, and
take the film container out.
litter
water
4
Empty the contents of the container in a
petri-plate and observe the micro-arthropods with
the hand lens or magnifying glass.
Use a microscope if you have one to see these
magnificent organisms. You may see several
collembolans, mites and pseudoscorpions. These
are harmless invertebrates.