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Using a Closed Ecological System to Study Earth's Biosphere Author(S): Mark Nelson, Tony L

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Using a Closed Ecological System to Study Earth's Biosphere Author(S): Mark Nelson, Tony L Using a Closed Ecological System to Study Earth's Biosphere Author(s): Mark Nelson, Tony L. Burgess, Abigail Alling, Norberto Alvarez-Romo, William F. Dempster, Roy L. Walford, John P. Allen Source: BioScience, Vol. 43, No. 4 (Apr., 1993), pp. 225-236 Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1312123 . Accessed: 13/08/2011 02:01 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. University of California Press and American Institute of Biological Sciences are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to BioScience. http://www.jstor.org Using a Closed EcologicalSystem to Study Earth's Biosphere Initial results from Biosphere 2 Mark Nelson, Tony L. Burgess,Abigail Ailing, Norberto Alvarez-Romo,William F. Dempster, Roy L. Walford, and John P. Allen T he idea of creatingmaterially ber 1991. Initial results indicate that closed microbiospheres, in- the ecosystems in Biosphere 2 are cludinghumans, to study eco- Syntheticbiospheres maturing rapidly and functioning to logical processeshad its roots in sev- open the prospectfor maintain most introduced species. The eral branches of research. One was humans are healthy and producing the sealed microcosmsand open, but nearly all their nutritional require- mesocosms that comparativebiospherics II i ments from the boundary-defined, I~~~~~i i ~i ~ ~~~~~iii i . i i i i i i iiiiiiiiii agricultural area. The ecologists developedto study ecosys- cycling of nutrients such as carbon tem processes. Another source was interest in the study of the vital bal- dioxide through the vegetation is op- the experimentallife-support systems ances that keep our biosphere opera- erating with shorter periods and designedfor use in spacecraftand as tional. Therefore, future efforts to greater fluxes than in the global envi- prototypesfor space habitations. construct a life-support system by ronment, atmospheric oxygen has During the 1960s, H. T. Odum miniaturizing the biosphere and de- shown an unanticipated decline, and beganadvocating life-support research termining the minimum ecosystem for some shifts in community dominance in sealed greenhousesthat would rely man is a goal that is as important for of the ecosystems are occurring. on the ecologicalself-organizing prop- the quality of human life on Earth as ertiesof the enclosed soils, plants, and it is for the successful exploration of Previousresearch in closed animals(Odum 1963). In 1971, Den- the planets" (Cooke 1971). nis Cooke wrote, "The fact that we Biosphere 2 (so named to ecological systems are empha- not now able to engineera com- size that previously we have had only The science of closed laboratory materially pletely ecosystem that would Earth's biosphere, "Biosphere 1," to closed ecosystems with the work be reliable for a existence in began long study) was designed by Space Bio- of Clair Folsome at the University of space...is striking evidence of our ig- spheres Ventures (SBV),a private com- Hawaii. Folsome closed 1-5 norance and materially of, contemptfor, lack of pany started in 1984 to study pro- liter flasks filled with ocean water, cesses and and air. These MarkNelson is chairmanof the ecosystem dynamics sand, microbes, algae, Institute to those of the bio- flasks have to be viable for of Ecotechnics,London, UK, and direc- analogous global proved tor of environmental sphere (Allen 1991). Biosphere 2 also prolonged periods if they contain suf- applications,Space was BiospheresVentures (SBV), Oracle, AZ planned to be an entrepreneurial ficient metabolic diversity at closure 85623.Tony L. Burgessis programcoor- venture to market closed life-system and are provided with an adequate dinatorof the DesertLaboratory, Uni- facilities, data management systems, energy flow (Folsome and Hanson versityof Arizona,Tucson, AZ 85621. and spin-off products such as air puri- 1986). Some, closed as long ago as AbigailAiling is directorof researchand fiers. Visitors and educational materi- 1968, are still functional today. Other marineecosystems, Biosphere 2, SBV. als also generate income. early researchers of materially closed NorbertoAlvarez-Romo is directorof Biosphere 2 differs from previous include Frieda Mission SBV. William F. systems (ecospheres) Center, laboratory microcosms and meso- Taub of the University of Washing- Dempsteris directorof systemsengineer- cosms in of SBV. L. Walfordis chief of size, diversity ecosystems, ton, Joe Hanson of the Jet Propulsion ing, Roy and of material closure. It is medicaloperations, Biosphere 2, SBV. degree Laboratory in Pasadena, California, John P. Allen is vice presidentof bio- virtually materially sealed (currently and Basset Maguire of the University spheric development, SBV. Nelson, less than 10% air exchange per year) of Texas (Hanson 1982). Alling,and Walford are also crew mem- and open to energy of sunlight, elec- Previous closed ecological system bers insideBiosphere 2 for the initial tricity, heat transfer, and information facilities developed for space applica- closureexperiment, 1991-1993. ? 1993 flow. The first closure experiment, of tion focused on providing human life AmericanInstitute of BiologicalSciences. two years' duration, began in Septem- support and included either algae or April 1993 225 Inside Biosphere 2. (Clockwise from upper left) Ocean biome. Photo: C. Allan Morgan. Lower thornscrub eco- tone of savannah biome. Photo: Gill Kenny. Rainforest biome. Photo: Tom Lamb. Desert biome. Photo: C. Allan Morgan. Photos taken before closure. bacteria and sometimes agricultural Russian work on algae-basedsys- plantsin the closed systemsthat could crops as well. Researchefforts in the tems proceeded at IBMPin Moscow produce grains and vegetables for 1950s and 1960s focused on systems and at the Institute of Biophysics, human nutrition (Galston 1992). based on green algae (Chlorella Krasnoyarsk,Siberia, culminating in This step was taken at the Institute vulgaris).In 1961, Yevgeny Shepelev human closures of 15 and 30 days in of Biophysics in the Bios-3 experi- at the Institute of Biomedical Prob- the late 1960s and early 1970s. In the ment.The test facilityhad a volumeof lems (IBMP)in Moscow became the United States, early NASA-fundedre- more than 300 cubic meters divided first human to survive one day in a search conducted by scientists with among a chamber for algae tanks, a bioregenerativelife-support system, Boeing Corporation also achieved hydroponiccropping area, and a hu- which included some 30 liters of human-occupied closures. But the man living area that included food Chlorellathat supplied all of his re- early hopes of a completelyregenera- processing, medical, and control quiredair and water (Shepelev1972). tive systemusing only one companion rooms, kitchen and dining areas, and Jack Myersat the Universityof Texas species to support humans began to separateapartments for the threecrew was among earlyUS experimentersto fade when it became apparent that members. The research, first led by develop systems coupling mice with Chlorellawas not palatable as a hu- Boris Kovrov, and, after Kovrov's Chlorella (Eley and Myers 1964, man food. It became clear that the death, by Josef Gitelson, used lettuce, Myers 1963). next step would be to include higher wheat, potatoes, radishes, and beets 226 BioScience Vol. 43 No. 4 grown hydroponically under artificial scaling up from previous research pro- eventually can be incorporated into lighting to provide approximately half totypes to include the integration of systems for long-term habitation on the nutrition for crews of two or three food production, water recycling, and the moon, Mars, and other space bases. people. Experiments lasted as long as atmospheric gas control in its biomass The design of Biosphere 2 employs six months. Almost all air was regen- production chamber. Support labora- the tendency of biological systems to erated, although catalytic burnerswere tories are investigating associated self-organize: "the process by which needed to oxidize trace gas buildups. questions of waste recycling, food ecosystems develop structure and pro- More than 90% of water was re- preparation, and overall data man- cesses from available energies... [to] cycled, the main mechanism being agement. From this first phase it is improve the system's adaptation to purification by plant transpiration and anticipated that designs for further external changes and variations" then condensation to provide drink- ground-based and ultimately space (Odum 1983). and water. Human will ing irrigation systems emerge (Knott 1990). In the costs aside from a of the and appraising potential wastes, portion Japanese European programs of closed one has urine, were not inside the in closed for life system design processed ecological systems the alternative of for a facility, but were exported; some food, support, although smaller, also are paying complex with self including dried meat for needed pro- under way. The Japanese efforts, un- ecosystem was health of der the of Nitta of the maintenance, respiration and
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