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Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2. Photo Courtesy Biosphere 2 Center. Quick Overview of Biosphere 2. Rain Forest. Ocean Savannah Marsh. A 3.15 acre greenhouse - model of our Biosphere ~2,000 species of plants & animals 5 separate biome types Agricultural area/space for residents

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Biosphere 2

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  1. Biosphere 2 Photo Courtesy Biosphere 2 Center

  2. Quick Overview of Biosphere 2 Rain Forest Ocean Savannah Marsh • A 3.15 acre greenhouse - model of our Biosphere • ~2,000 species of plants & animals • 5 separate biome types • Agricultural area/space for residents • Designed as a “closed” system - model for space travel • Now - research & education for Columbia Univ. Desert Agriculture, Research Residential “Lungs”

  3. What is a Biosphere? Photo Courtesy Biosphere 2000, by Kaufman & Franz

  4. Photo courtesy Carolina Biological

  5. Overview of Project Image Courtesy Biosphere 2 Center

  6. Rain Forest

  7. Ocean, Marsh, Savanna

  8. Photo courtesy Biosphere 2 Center Desert

  9. Photo Courtesy Biosphere 2 Center Agricultural Areas

  10. Now Used For Research

  11. Human Habitat • Apartment space for 8 people • Kitchen and common area • Library & computer facility Image courtesy Biosphere 2 Center

  12. “Lungs”

  13. Photo Courtesy Biosphere 2 Center Inside the West Lung

  14. Water filtration Reverse Osmosis Sprinkler system Electricity for computers, sensors machinery, etc. Not really a closed system (energy inputs from the sun and AZ Electric Power Corp.) “Technosphere”

  15. Photo courtesy Biosphere 2 Center Mid 1980’s – Land Purchased by Space Biosphere Ventures 1989 – Test module constructed and inhabited for 21 days. Biosphere 2 built at a cost of $150 million Many questions to consider (such as?) Brief History

  16. Sept. 1991 - Sept. 1993 2 – year sealed study Mar.-Sept. 1994 6 month sealed study Low Oxygen Levels – Oxygen was added 1 person was medically evacuated for 1 day No one has inhabited it permanently since 1994 Brief History, continued

  17. Brief History • 1996 – “Bio-Dome” starring Pauly Shore is released in theaters. • Jan 1, 1996 Columbia University takes over the management of the Biosphere 2 Center Photo Courtesy MGM/UA and Amazon.com

  18. Climate Change Research • Cottonwood Plants that are Clones of Each Other • Held at 400 ppm, 800 ppm and 1200 ppm CO2 • Examine photosynthesis rates to determine whether plants can take up additional CO2

  19. Impact of Climate Change on Coral Reef Systems Uptake of CO2 by coral decreases by 40% under elevated concentrations of carbonates

  20. Similar Studies in Other Ecosystem Types • Rainforest • Desert • Other habitats difficult to isolate • Computer simulation modeling Image courtesy Biosphere 2 Center

  21. Problems • Ants (Paratrechina longicornis) have become abundant. • Quarantine Issues • Costs a lot to operate. • One of a kind.

  22. How Should This Facility be Used? • Model for Space Travel • Climate Change Research • Undergraduate & Graduate Education • Public Outreach and Education • Other Uses?

  23. Advantages/Disadvantagesas a Research Facility

  24. Conducted at a large scale (more realistic) Controlled conditions (can manipulate CO2 to exact concentrations) Possible to run several replicates at one time Possible to repeat experiments over time Not a precise model of native ecosystems Expensive to build and operate One of a kind (not perfectly applicable to a particular system) Others? Advantages Disadvantages

  25. How is New Scientific Knowledge Obtained?

  26. Scientific Method • Observation • Hypothesis (must be testable) • Experiment (ideally has a control group and is replicated) • Analyze Results (rely on prior research) • Conclusion

  27. How Well Does Biosphere 2 Achieve This?

  28. For more information visit www.bio2.edu The End

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