Composting in the classroom: scientific inquiry for high school students

✍ Scribed by Trautmann, Nancy M.; Krasny, Marianne E

• Publisher: Kendall/Hunt Pub
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 126
• Category: Library

✦ Table of Contents

Cover Page & Front Matter......Page 1
Title Page......Page 2
About the Authors......Page 3
Acknowledgments......Page 4
Table of Contents......Page 5
Preface......Page 7
Introduction......Page 9
Composting Health and Safety......Page 10
Wastes or Resources?......Page 11
1 The Science of Composting......Page 12
Figure 1–1. The Three Phases of Thermophilic Composting......Page 13
Figure 1–2. The Effects of Turning on Compost Temperature.......Page 15
Compost Chemistry......Page 16
Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratio......Page 17
Oxygen......Page 18
Figure 1–4. Change in pH during Thermophilic Composting......Page 19
Figure 1–5. Three Mechanisms of Heat Loss from a Thermophilic Compost Pile......Page 20
Aeration......Page 21
Particle Size......Page 22
Size of Compost System......Page 23
Figure 1–6. Functional Groups of Organisms in a Compost Food Web......Page 24
Microorganisms......Page 25
Figure 1–8. Temperature Ranges for Compost Microorganisms......Page 26
Fungi......Page 27
Figure 1–9. Classification of Compost Organisms According to Body Width......Page 28
Figure 1–10. Phylogenic Classifications of Common Compost Organisms......Page 29
Insects......Page 30
Nematodes......Page 31
Mollusks......Page 32
Earthworm Feeding and Decomposition......Page 33
Earthworms and Water......Page 35
Lumbricidae......Page 36
2 Bioreactors & Bins......Page 38
Construction......Page 39
Figure 2–1. A Typical Temperature Profile for Two-Can Composting with Continuous Loading......Page 40
Construction......Page 42
Figure 2–2. A Typical Temperature Profile for Soda Bottle Composting......Page 44
Materials......Page 46
Construction......Page 47
Maintenance......Page 48
Troubleshooting......Page 49
Harvesting the Worms......Page 50
Using Vermicompost......Page 51
Holding Units......Page 52
Enclosed Bins......Page 53
Table 3–1. Moisture Content of Common Compost Ingredients......Page 54
Measuring Compost Moisture......Page 55
Table 3–3. C:N Ratios of Common Tree Leaves......Page 56
Other Considerations......Page 57
Moisture......Page 58
Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratio......Page 60
Table 4–1. Troubleshooting Compost Problems......Page 62
Temperature......Page 63
Odor......Page 64
Electronic Meter......Page 65
Procedure......Page 66
Procedure......Page 68
Procedure......Page 71
Procedure......Page 73
Method......Page 75
Analysis......Page 76
Invertebrates......Page 77
Procediure......Page 78
Procedure......Page 79
Procedure......Page 80
Table 5–1. Tests of Compost Properties......Page 82
Jar Test......Page 84
Self-Heating Test......Page 85
Respiration Test......Page 86
Phytotoxicity Bioassay......Page 90
Porosity......Page 94
Water Holding Capacity......Page 96
Organic Matter Content......Page 98
Buffering Capacity......Page 100
6 Compost & Plant Growth Experiments......Page 102
Plant Growth Experiments......Page 104
7 Composting Research......Page 108
Exploration and Controlled Experiments......Page 109
Figure 7–1. Model for Conducting Research......Page 110
Narrowing Down a Research Question......Page 111
Example Research Projects......Page 112
Interpreting Results......Page 113
Final Words......Page 114
Glossary......Page 115
Composting for Waste Management......Page 121
Invertebrates......Page 122
Current Composting Research......Page 123
Index......Page 124
Back Cover Page......Page 126