Mission 1 consisted of eight scientists sealed in the biosphere for two years beginning in 1991. They lived among replica ecosystems: a cloud forest, savannah grassland, a desert, ocean, and marshes. They were supposed to be totally self-sufficient, living off plants they grew and animals they reared and breathing the air recycled naturally by plants they grew. Contact with the outside world was limited to a few phone calls each week.
There was controversy when the public learned that the project had allowed an injured member to leave and return, carrying new material inside. The team claimed the only new supplies brought in were plastic bags, but others accused them of bringing food and other items. More criticism was raised when it was learned that, likewise, the project had been pumping oxygen inside, to make up for a failure in the balance of the system (due to miscalculations of the curing time for the concrete basement) that resulted in the amount of oxygen steadily declining.
At the height of the controversy, in February 1993, the 10-strong scientific advisory team hired by the projects financier, Ed Bass - a billionaire recluse - mysteriously resigned. Claims that the project lacked credibility were dismissed by officials as stemming from infighting between the scientists steering the project.
A second mission was attempted in 1994. During the transition period between missions, extensive research and system improvements had been undertaken. Concrete was sealed to prevent uptake of carbon dioxide. The second mission began on March 6, 1994, with an announced run of ten months.
On April 1, 1994 a severe dispute within the management team led to the ousting of the on-site management by federal marshals serving a restraining order, leaving management of the mission to the Bannon & Co. team from Beverly Hills, California.
At 3 am on April 5, 1994, Abigail Alling and Mark Van Thillo, members of the first crew, allegedly vandalized the project from outside, opening one double-airlock door and three single door emergency exits, leaving them open for approximately fifteen minutes. Five panes of glass were also broken. About 10% of the biosphere's air was exchanged with the outside during this time, according to Donella Meadows, who had a communication from Ms. Alling in which she explained that they wanted to give those inside the choice of continuing or leaving, as she didn't know what they had been told of the new situation. Alling went into hiding leaving her mother, Gail, to claim that she had been the victim of mind control. "The people who have all been kicked out are members of a cult,'' she claimed.
The ownership and management company Space Biospheres Ventures was officially dissolved on June 1, 1994. This left the scientific and business management of the mission to the interim turnaround team, who had been contracted by the financial partner, Decisions Investment Co.
On April 1, 1994 a severe dispute within the management team led to the ousting of the on-site management by federal marshals serving a restraining order, leaving management of the mission to the Bannon & Co. team from Beverly Hills, California.
At 3 am on April 5, 1994, Abigail Alling and Mark Van Thillo, members of the first crew, allegedly vandalized the project from outside, opening one double-airlock door and three single door emergency exits, leaving them open for approximately fifteen minutes. Five panes of glass were also broken. About 10% of the biosphere's air was exchanged with the outside during this time, according to Donella Meadows, who had a communication from Ms. Alling in which she explained that they wanted to give those inside the choice of continuing or leaving, as she didn't know what they had been told of the new situation. Alling went into hiding leaving her mother, Gail, to claim that she had been the victim of mind control. "The people who have all been kicked out are members of a cult,'' she claimed.
The ownership and management company Space Biospheres Ventures was officially dissolved on June 1, 1994. This left the scientific and business management of the mission to the interim turnaround team, who had been contracted by the financial partner, Decisions Investment Co.
Mission 2 was ended prematurely on September 6, 1994. Two Biospherians sued for back pay and a bonus of around $12,000 (£7,000), and Bass sent in federal marshals to seize the property. The original aims of the project were abandoned in 1994 and it has since become a tourist attraction.
We started our tour in the Orchard pungent with the scent of fig. Lemons and bananas, among other fruits were also grown in the Orchard.
The rainforest mesocosm, at the north end of Biosphere 2, was created to simulate several tropical rainforest habitats (figure 8). The biome can be divided into the following habitats:
Lowland Rainforest includes most of the eastern part of the biome. It is dominated by large trees with a ground layer of aroids.
The soils in the biome are synthesized from local material with textures ranging from sandy loam to clayey loam. In profile, the soils contain a top soil layer which is usually less than one meter thick and subsoil which consists of gravelly granite material.
The savanna was designed to perform several different functions within Biosphere 2. Its primary goal was to provide a hydrological transition zone between the desert and rainforest mesocosms. The objective was to learn how to balance atmospheric chemistry by varying hydrological regimes within the tropical mesocosms. The savanna was to be a scaled-down model of tropical savannas, both duplicating ecosystem processes in savannas and capturing essential features of biodiversity and aesthetics. Vegetation zones within the savanna mesocosm were created primarily from edible species, including acacias for galagos, large-seeded grasses for finches, and fruit-bearing trees for galagos and birds.
In the Fog Desert fog supplies the majority of moisture needed by animal and plant life. Examples of fog deserts in the real world include the Atacama Desert of coastal Chile and Peru, the Baja California Desert of Mexico, the Namib Desert in Namibia, and the Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert.
We started our tour in the Orchard pungent with the scent of fig. Lemons and bananas, among other fruits were also grown in the Orchard.
The rainforest mesocosm, at the north end of Biosphere 2, was created to simulate several tropical rainforest habitats (figure 8). The biome can be divided into the following habitats:
Lowland Rainforest includes most of the eastern part of the biome. It is dominated by large trees with a ground layer of aroids.
- Terraces surround the east, west and north sides of the central “mountain.” Small trees, including papaya, coffee, and palms are in these areas.
- Ginger belts contain fast-growing large monocots such as banana, gingers, and bird-of-paradise to reduce lateral radiation from outside.
- Bamboo belt of dense bamboo species was intended to screen the biome from airborne salt that might be entrained from the ocean biome.
- Varzea, intended to simulate an Amazonian seasonal floodplain, is located in the southwest corner of the biome.
- Tepui (Cloud forest) was designed to simulate a highland cloud forest. Due to high temperatures, vegetation evolved into a marsh dominated by umbrella sedge.
The soils in the biome are synthesized from local material with textures ranging from sandy loam to clayey loam. In profile, the soils contain a top soil layer which is usually less than one meter thick and subsoil which consists of gravelly granite material.
The ocean biome at Biosphere 2 is a 676,000 gallon saltwater tank that was originally designed as a coral reef. The goal of the Ocean biome today is to transition it to be more representative of the Sea of Cortez in the Gulf of California.
The savanna was designed to perform several different functions within Biosphere 2. Its primary goal was to provide a hydrological transition zone between the desert and rainforest mesocosms. The objective was to learn how to balance atmospheric chemistry by varying hydrological regimes within the tropical mesocosms. The savanna was to be a scaled-down model of tropical savannas, both duplicating ecosystem processes in savannas and capturing essential features of biodiversity and aesthetics. Vegetation zones within the savanna mesocosm were created primarily from edible species, including acacias for galagos, large-seeded grasses for finches, and fruit-bearing trees for galagos and birds.
In the Fog Desert fog supplies the majority of moisture needed by animal and plant life. Examples of fog deserts in the real world include the Atacama Desert of coastal Chile and Peru, the Baja California Desert of Mexico, the Namib Desert in Namibia, and the Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert.
It was designed to simulate an arid desert scrub ecosystem in a coastal climate with erratic winter rainfall mostly via fog and summer drought. Excessive rain and relatively low evapotranspiration during the initial two-year closure resulted in a dense scrub invaded by grasses. Conversion to a Mediterranean scrub woodland was initiated in 1994, but subsequently climate parameters were changed to simulate more arid conditions. Current management practices are intended to favor arid-adapted species and discourage grasses with C4 photosynthetic pathways.
Soils were constructed to simulate those found in arid places ranging from immature dune sand to profiles with clay, carbonate, and salt accumulations. Mini-rhizotron viewing tubes were installed in the dune, to allow periodic observation of root growth and mesofauna. A playa was designed to simulate seasonally flooded areas where salt accumulates. This area has been almost completely overgrown by saltbushes (Atriplex cinerea). A simulated tinaja of artificial rock supports freshwater organisms that can withstand periodic desiccation.
Plant species diversity has declined since assembly, as might be expected. The substantial changes in management goals and climate, together with the loss of pollinating insects, have undoubtedly influenced extinction rates.
The guts (and lungs) of the Biosphere resides in the basement, where 26 “air-handler units” chilled or heated recycled and naturally manufactured water into vents to keep the biomes at prescribed temperatures.
During the day, the heat from the sun caused the air inside to expand and during the night it cooled and contracted. To avoid having to deal with the huge forces that maintaining a constant volume would create, the structure had large diaphragms kept in domes called "lungs" that prevented Biosphere 2 from exploding or imploding. We walked down the South Lung tunnel into the South Lung.
The photos below are of the inside of the large geodesic dome lungs. The lungs would rise and fall as needed.
This is the outside view of the South Lung.
Electrical power was supplied into Biosphere 2 from an onsite energy center shown below.
Soils were constructed to simulate those found in arid places ranging from immature dune sand to profiles with clay, carbonate, and salt accumulations. Mini-rhizotron viewing tubes were installed in the dune, to allow periodic observation of root growth and mesofauna. A playa was designed to simulate seasonally flooded areas where salt accumulates. This area has been almost completely overgrown by saltbushes (Atriplex cinerea). A simulated tinaja of artificial rock supports freshwater organisms that can withstand periodic desiccation.
Plant species diversity has declined since assembly, as might be expected. The substantial changes in management goals and climate, together with the loss of pollinating insects, have undoubtedly influenced extinction rates.
The guts (and lungs) of the Biosphere resides in the basement, where 26 “air-handler units” chilled or heated recycled and naturally manufactured water into vents to keep the biomes at prescribed temperatures.
During the day, the heat from the sun caused the air inside to expand and during the night it cooled and contracted. To avoid having to deal with the huge forces that maintaining a constant volume would create, the structure had large diaphragms kept in domes called "lungs" that prevented Biosphere 2 from exploding or imploding. We walked down the South Lung tunnel into the South Lung.
The photos below are of the inside of the large geodesic dome lungs. The lungs would rise and fall as needed.
This is the outside view of the South Lung.
Electrical power was supplied into Biosphere 2 from an onsite energy center shown below.
No comments:
Post a Comment