Compost is the controlled decomposition of organic matter using microorganisms.

Vermicomposting is the use of worms in lieu of microorganisms to decompose organic matter. The purpose of the vermicomposting lab was to research vermicomposting, start and maintain a compost bin, and understand the decomposition of organic matter. The lab was set up by filling the bin first with grit, then adding enough moist shredded newspaper to fill up the majority of the bin. Next, the worms, 1562 of them, were added to the bin. After that, the food scraps were addedeggshells, coffee grounds, apple cores, celery stems, leftover strawberries, cauliflower parts, potato slices, pear cores, and some broccoli. Finally, the lid, with 10-20 holes in it, was placed on top. We collected quantitative data on the pH, temperature, and number of worms, though the latter being counted at the beginning and at the end. We collected this data as it indicated the conditions of the worm bin, and told us if we needed to make adjustments. The pH measurements numbered 5, 6,7,7,7, and 7, for the days 1/16, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/13, and 2/21, respectively. The temperature measurements also varied 23.2, 24, 23.2, 22.2, 23.7, and 18.7 in degrees Celsius for those days, respectively. The change in data over the trials was due to the changes in environment and time; the pH rose probably because of the decomposition. The temperature fluctuated probably due to humidity and other factors, though the last one being low was due to the bin being open all day long. Other change in data over multiple trials includes the final worm countdue to the worms being handled seven times over the day, many died or hid as the day progressed, changing the count between periods. There were many things I liked about the experiment, but there were also a few I didnt quite like. The whole setup of the bin was fascinating, especially grabbing the worms out of the old compost and moving them into the new bin. Shredding the newspaper was also fun, though a little difficult if the paper was awkwardly cut. There were some parts I didnt quite like, though. The whole 1562+, 1562++ affair was somewhat unsettling, as having concrete figures would be nice. Since counting the worms would be difficult, I would suggest that someone somehow build a worm-counting machine to automatically count the worms. Another thing that I would suggest is counting the total weight of the compost after we finish the lab, as knowing how much these worms produce could tell us how much flowerbed we can fertilize. Composting is a positive human impact because it reduces use of artificial fertilizers, which are bad for the environment. Composting also reduces the amount of garbage, and reduces the amount of food waste. Also, natural compost helps the soil retain moisture and reduce watering needs. There are also a few things I learned from this lab that can be applied in real life. Vermicomposting is fairly easy; its success is dependent only on the worms and the food you put into it. The stuff I learned from the lab also has some applications in real life. I learned how to set up a compost bin, and how it works, so in the future, I could set one up if need be. Other applications of what I learned from vermicomposting are the basics of how micro-organisms decompose food. This has uses in food preservation, food science, and other fields relating to food.