Task: Set up a sealed mesocosm to try to establish sustainability
Research question: Is it possible to create a sustainable terrestrial ecosystem?
What is a mesocosm?
A mesocosm is an experimental tool that is used as a model of a larger ecosystem. It can be described as a controlled manipulative experiment, as it is effectively a natural environment under controlled conditions. Mesocosms have been present in experimental ecology since the early 20th century, however have only been regarded as significant research tools - especially concerning climate change - since about 1995. They allow scientists to investigate the reaction of organisms to environmental change, including temperature, carbon dioxide or pH levels, as well as investigate cause-and-effect relationships in ecosystems. This scientific manipulation of biotic and abiotic factors allows an understanding of possible future events.
The main advantage of mesocosms is that they allow a more accurate prediction of what were previously unpredictable events. However, their major disadvantage is the possibility of inadequately representing the natural environment - usually due to over-simplification - therefore overlooking complex biological processes and generating unreliable results.
How are mesocosms useful to scientific climate change research?
As mesocosms provide a representation of biologically complex natural systems in a smaller controlled environment, scientists are able to use them to predict natural occurrences, by altering environmental factors (e.g. temperature) to an expected level, and then observing the effects of the change and recording results. Climate change involves not only rising temperatures, but also changes in biochemistry and hydrology. The biogeochemical cycle is a closed system in which nutrients are neither created nor lost, but are continually recycled and reused within the environment. A given ecosystem may have several biogeochemical cycles. For example, oxygen, carbon and sulfur are important nutrients that are recycled in ecosystems. Mesocosms contain their own biogeochemical cycles which replicate those of the natural environment. Scientists can therefore observe changes in separate aspects of one ecosystem. In today's world, constantly threatened by global warming, it is more vital than ever to predict the ecological consequences of climate change.
A mesocosm is an experimental tool that is used as a model of a larger ecosystem. It can be described as a controlled manipulative experiment, as it is effectively a natural environment under controlled conditions. Mesocosms have been present in experimental ecology since the early 20th century, however have only been regarded as significant research tools - especially concerning climate change - since about 1995. They allow scientists to investigate the reaction of organisms to environmental change, including temperature, carbon dioxide or pH levels, as well as investigate cause-and-effect relationships in ecosystems. This scientific manipulation of biotic and abiotic factors allows an understanding of possible future events.
The main advantage of mesocosms is that they allow a more accurate prediction of what were previously unpredictable events. However, their major disadvantage is the possibility of inadequately representing the natural environment - usually due to over-simplification - therefore overlooking complex biological processes and generating unreliable results.
How are mesocosms useful to scientific climate change research?
As mesocosms provide a representation of biologically complex natural systems in a smaller controlled environment, scientists are able to use them to predict natural occurrences, by altering environmental factors (e.g. temperature) to an expected level, and then observing the effects of the change and recording results. Climate change involves not only rising temperatures, but also changes in biochemistry and hydrology. The biogeochemical cycle is a closed system in which nutrients are neither created nor lost, but are continually recycled and reused within the environment. A given ecosystem may have several biogeochemical cycles. For example, oxygen, carbon and sulfur are important nutrients that are recycled in ecosystems. Mesocosms contain their own biogeochemical cycles which replicate those of the natural environment. Scientists can therefore observe changes in separate aspects of one ecosystem. In today's world, constantly threatened by global warming, it is more vital than ever to predict the ecological consequences of climate change.
How does a mesocosm establish sustainability?
'Sustainability' is the indefinite continuation of a behaviour or process. A sealed mesocosm has no access to external sources except for sunlight, which is converted to energy through the process of photosynthesis. In this way, mesocosms are entirely self-sustaining, as after they have been initially watered, they recycle their materials (e.g. oxygen, carbon dioxide, water) to be reused continually, for an indefinite amount of time. Other factors (such as plants chosen and availability of sunlight) influence the lifespan of the organisms, however if conditions are optimum, the mesocosm is able to survive independently. This system of recycling establishes sustainability by using available resources to their full potential.