Growing plants in closed ecosystems. How to create an eternal florarium (closed ecosystem) with your own hands
Experiments on the creation of closed ecological systems for the purpose of human life support (for work in space or in extreme climatic conditions on Earth, or, say, rescue in the event of a sharp deterioration in living conditions on the planet) were and are being conducted in different countries, including ours. Probably the most spectacular and illustrative of them was held in 1991-94 in Arizona and was the first large-scale attempt to model the processes occurring in the natural ecosystems of the Earth. On an area of one and a half hectares, a hermetic complex was built of several buildings and greenhouses, inside which, in addition to residential and technical premises, 5 biomes were simplified: rainforest, ocean reef, desert, savannah and mangrove estuary, as well as agrocenosis for growing food and livestock. All this together was supposed to work as a completely closed ecosystem (outside, only an influx of energy was provided, but it also comes from the outside for terrestrial ecosystems - from the Sun), ensuring the autonomous existence of 8 people for several years.
2)
Photos from the construction of "Biosphere-2" are not illusory reminiscent of the footage of the creation of the planet from the film "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
In total, about 3,000 species of animals and plants were enclosed in a giant greenhouse, the species composition of which was selected so that the best way imitate the biospheric circulation of substances, including the production and decomposition of organic matter, including the natural decomposition of human waste.
To compensate for pressure drops in the complex with changes in daily temperature, a device was installed in a separate dome, nicknamed "lungs" - a huge rising and falling aluminum disk connected to the walls by a flexible rubber membrane. The compensator not only prevented the destruction of structures at a critical pressure difference, but minimized the gas exchange of Biosphere-2 with the Earth's atmosphere through microcracks in the structure - it is almost impossible to ideally seal such a huge room, and losses (or inflow) increase with an increase in the pressure gradient between the external and internal environment. The total volume of the atmosphere of the complex was about 204,000 cubic meters, the exchange with the earth's atmosphere per unit time was - specially measured - 30 times less than the air leak from the Space Shuttle in space.
On September 26, 1991, volunteer researchers - four men and four women - closed the hermetic doors behind them and the experiment began. Communication with the outside world was provided only through the Internet and by phone, and, well, with glances through the glass walls.
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The last frame is modern, so CRT monitors are interspersed with LCD ones. But it was made in the same dome that is visible on the KDPV.
The very first weeks of the experiment showed that recreating the natural balance is not such a simple matter. Oxygen levels began to drop by about 0.5% each month. And it turned out not that the experimenters had incorrectly calculated the number of "colonists", having overpopulated the station, but in the unforeseen reproduction of microorganisms - they literally flooded the crops, savannah and forest, destroying seedlings and changing the ecosystem for themselves, regardless of human plans. By the way, mankind has already faced the problem of microbes in space, for example, on the ISS, where small bastards actively breeding in hard-to-reach nooks and crannies even harm mechanisms, damaging polymers and organics, contributing to metal corrosion, the formation of biofilms and "blood clots" in pipelines and water regeneration systems.
The second problem was macro-organisms. Because food chains artificial ecosystems"Biospheres-2" turned out to be incomplete, truncated, insects and other invertebrates also began to behave not as planned, but as they please. For some reason, pollinators began to die out, and the number of other creatures, in the absence of natural enemies, began to grow uncontrollably, turning them from helpers into pests. At the same time, unexpected side effects were discovered - cockroaches, for example, took on the role of pollinators, but this did not help much: they also tried to devour the crop produced with their help, also consuming precious oxygen in the process.
The situation was complicated by the fact that pesticides could not be used in the experiment - not for ethical reasons, but because the processes of self-purification in such small, and even closed ecosystems are very slow, which means that the poisoning of all inhabitants, including people, by chemicals , would be inevitable.
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Water hyacinths were also used to purify water (in the foreground)
As a result, the "colonists" (although a couple of weeks after the start of the experiment there were already 7 of them - one of the participants left the project due to an injury) faced not only a lack of air, but also food. I had to increase the seeding density of cereals, and additionally plant mangoes and papaya in the rainforest. For fear of pests outside world 40 geckos and 50 toads were delivered.
The addition of mangoes and toads, in principle, did not contradict the conditions of the experiment - it was, so to speak, a correction of the initial calculations. But when the oxygen content dropped from 21% to 15% - as at an altitude of 4 km - the organizers of the experiment, secretly from the public, went on a direct "cheat": they began to pump oxygen into the complex. Geckos also did not save the situation: every day I had to spend a lot of time manually collecting pests, but even he did not help to cope with the food crisis, and then to oxygen "with mainland"products were added (these facts were hidden and were subsequently exposed).
During the experiment, other unforeseen circumstances were discovered. Some are simply interesting: for example, it rained in the greenhouses in the mornings: moisture condensed on the glass roof and fell down in the morning, as a result, some time after the start of the experiment, the "desert" became the second "savannah".
Of the unexpected problems, it is worth noting the lack of wind: it turns out that for normal development, trees need regular swaying, without it, the mechanical tissues of wood are not sufficiently developed - trees also need training! Without wind, the trunks and branches of the Biosphere-2 trees became brittle and broke under their own weight.
Unlike the wind, the creators provided for the wave factor for the full functioning of the "ocean" and "estuary" - a special mechanism created the movement of water. Corals during the experiment gave 85 daughter colonies. However, many other inhabitants of the "ocean" and other biomes have died out or decreased in number.
Pretty fast in full height got a problem psychological compatibility. As a result, the team of people constantly locked in each other's company in a closed room broke up into two opposing groups. Details were not disclosed, but, they write, former members experiment avoid meeting with members of the "opposite camp" to this day. The factor is well-known, a lot of reality shows are built on it, but this greatly hindered the conduct of an experiment devoted to a completely different topic. And all this happened in conditions of constant communication with the outside world, the possibility of the help of a psychologist, etc. - and what forms the unexpectedly arising antagonism in a small collective in a completely autonomous colony can take, most of us can only guess.
As a result, on September 26, 1993, the experiment had to be interrupted. In 1994, a second attempt was made, as a result of which the sponsors abandoned the project, admitting that the experiment did not bring the expected results, and transferred the complex to Columbia University. In 1996, they also decided to stop the experiment and remove people from the building, because they could not solve the problem of nutrition and maintaining the composition of the air unchanged. Research into the artificial biosphere continued, but without human test subjects and without a strict autonomous regime. Some biomes have become accessible to sightseers, and photographs from such excursions show the sad state of the artificial biosphere today:
In 2005, "Biosphere-2" was put up for sale, and as far as I understand, it is still being sold.
This experiment can be called a failure, but not without results. Undoubtedly, in the course of its implementation and subsequent work, a lot of data was obtained that will be useful (and are already useful) in further studies of this kind. In general, it can be said that the path to the creation of fully autonomous and successfully regulated ecosystems that can ensure the existence of, say, colonists on another planet is still a long way off. However, to hell with them, with the colonists - "Biosphere-2" is one of clear examples when investing in space technology research ultimately helps improve life here on Earth.
And the second, "reverse" conclusion from this fascinating story: we will not be able to conquer space until we learn how to preserve, restore and regulate the habitat on Earth. We cannot yet establish long-term autonomous settlements in orbit and other planets, and it is by no means a matter of funding and engine power: we do not yet have necessary knowledge and experience to create a life support environment. And "saving in space from an ecological catastrophe" is generally an oxymoron, like a round square.
Hello Habr!
I recently stumbled across the internet interesting article, in terms of horticulture, about an Englishman who 53 years ago planted Tradescantia in a jar. He corked the bottle and, after watering 40 years ago, never opened it again. Ideas came to him out of curiosity. And to this day, the plant lives, grows and absorbs oxygen. Tradescantia formed an ecosystem: during photosynthesis, oxygen is formed, the air inside the vessel is humidified and moisture falls out, fallen leaves rot, releasing CO 2. But light is also needed for photosynthesis, so the bottle must be constantly pushed to the window and unfolded so that the leaves grow evenly. I added some houseplant electronics and this is what came out of it.
Stage One
As already mentioned, in the process of photosynthesis, the most important thing is light. But not any!For plants, the most important are blue-green and yellow-red. The wavelengths are respectively from 440 to 550 nm and from 600 to 650 nm. I went to the store and bought 4 red, 2 blue and 2 green LEDs (read on "Radio Cat"). Next, I placed them under the lid of the jar, fixed them on a cardboard, and connected them in parallel (for 2 reds, 1 blue and 1 green).
Because LEDs different colors Glows have a different supply voltage, put resistors. 
I made a hole in the lid for the wires and reinforced the cardboard with LEDs under the lid, after inserting the wires into the hole. For greater isolation from the outside world, the hole can be sealed. 
Revision of the lighting module from 07/01/13.
The module was specially coated with a thick layer of Zaponlak to prevent corrosion of the element leads and copper on the board.
Stage Two
I have already done the main, i.e., backlighting, so I’m moving on to useful additions.1. To make the light burn only when the plant is in the shade, you need to add a photocell.
Wiring diagram:
To make the pot really smart, connect an Arduino to it. Analog InPut on the diagram - any analog input from the Arduino. We will hang LEDs on the PWM (or PWM) output, the brightness of which will change depending on the illumination of the photoresistor. But first, let's find out what values the voltage divider will produce.
The code
int sensor=0; // Connect Divisor To Arduino Analog Input A0 void setup() ( Serial.begin(9600); ) void loop() ( Serial.println(analogRead(sensor)); delay(1000); // Send Divisor Values Every Time give me a sec )
In my circuit, I used a photoresistor from ZNATOK's electronic kit. It has a shadow resistance of 120 kOhm. Resistor R1 is calculated using the formula: R 1 =V in *R 2:V out -R 2 ; V in on the diagram is +5V, V out is “to the Arduino analog input” (I hope everyone remembers the procedure well: first the operations of the first degree are multiplication and division, and then the second one is addition and subtraction). Also, it should be remembered that the resistance of the photoresistor can vary non-linear.
The minimum value of lighting from my divider is about 100 (let's call them conventional units), the maximum is about 755 USD.
Knowing these values, you can write a program for the Arduino controller.
The code
int sensor = 0; // Potentiometer to A0 int ledPin = 9; //LEDs to pin 9 void setup () ( analogReference(DEFAULT); pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT); //Serial.begin(9600); Uncomment this line to display the current //lightness in USD in the Port Monitor. ) void loop() ( int val = analogRead(sensor); val = constrain(val, 130, 755); //Set illumination values. //If< 130, то превращаем в 130, если >755, then set to 755. int ledLevel = map(val, 130, 755, 0, 255); //Turn the values of illumination and c.u. //to 8-bit values for PWM. analogWrite(ledPin, ledLevel); // Serial.println(analogRead(ledLevel)); Uncomment this line to display the current //illuminance in c.u. in the Port Monitor. )
Also, note that the maximum current through the digital I/O of the Arduino should not exceed 40mA.
2.
Instead of a digital method for determining the level of illumination, you can use an analog one. By adding a zener diode and a transistor to the divider, we get everything the same as with the processor, only in a smaller volume. Scheme: 
Zener diode D1 - any power at 3.6 V. Transistor T1 - any NPN.
P.S. It would look much better if the wires were not sticking out. The design itself will be more technologically advanced if you put a coil on the bottom of the can and power the backlight without wires (following the example of wireless charging for phones).
The photo below shows the first experimental jar. The plant was planted in it on 06/01/13. 
Subsequently, it was decided to abandon this bank, because. the plant did not have enough room for growth in it (also, the steel cover, with a high degree of probability, will rust over 40 years of use :)). 
Instead of a small liter jar, the plants were planted in large 3 liter jars. The lid was also replaced with a plastic one.
P.S.S. Landing date: 06/30/2013 (07/01/13 a jar was opened to replace the lighting module).
Photo 1: 07/10/13 
Photo 2: 07/17/13. The photo below shows how vegetation began to appear on the walls. This indicates that the simplest plant species also feel good in the system. 
Photo 3: 02.09.13 
Also, for the experiment, in a jar of money tree a mandarin seed was planted (not previously kept in wet gauze, etc.). As you can see in the photo above, now it has sprouted.
As experimental data accumulate, information will be posted here.
Many of you have houses houseplants, which are pleasing to the eye, serve as decorations for the interior and supply you with oxygen. There is incredible a large number of species of similar plants and also many ways of growing and maintaining them.
Today we will construct a self-sufficient ecosystem that does not require self-care and will good decoration for your interior or an original gift.
florarium, plant terrarium- a special closed container made of glass or other transparent materials and intended for the maintenance and cultivation of plants. A certain air humidity and temperature are created inside, which contributes to the creation of an environment for the normal development and existence of plants. Florariums appeared in the middle of the 19th century. The first plants that began to be used in florariums were various types of ferns.
As follows from the description, we need a closed glass container. You can use glass jars, medical flasks, bottles, in general, any vessel that closes hermetically without problems. By typing in the search query "closed ecosystem", I found interesting option, which uses ordinary light bulb incandescent, and a bunch of material how, without damaging the glass, to disassemble it and plant plants there. This option seemed to me quite interesting and easy to assemble, so I decided to try it.
And so, what we need to create our miniature ecosystem:
1) Small stones for drainage and stones for composition
2) Sand
3) Fertile soil
4) Different kinds moss
5) Bark, small branches for composition
6) Stone or driftwood for the platform
7) Incandescent light bulb
8) Two-component adhesive or hot melt adhesive
9) Pliers
10) Flat screwdriver
11) Tweezers
12) Syringe
13) Water
14) Paper
After a short walk through the forest and the outskirts of the city, I found all the material I needed without any problems.
Let's start assembling. The first thing to do is to prepare our light bulb. With the help of pliers and some force, carefully break the black ceramic insulation, being careful not to bend the base of the bulb and break the glass.
You should have a hole like the photo below.
Next, using a flat screwdriver, you need to break and squeeze out the glass rod on which the filament is attached and remove it from the light bulb. Try to make the most big hole, this will facilitate your future planting process. After all the excess has been removed, I recommend rinsing the light bulb with water in order to avoid contact with small glass particles.
Next, we need to give our light bulb some stability. You can glue legs from something to it, you can glue the light bulb itself to a beautiful snag or, in my case, a stone. To securely bond the glass to the stone, you can use a two-component adhesive or hot melt adhesive. I used Poxipol two part glue.
Now we need to do drainage system. Drainage is a system for removing water through the roots and soil, which allows plant roots to breathe when the soil contains a lot of moisture.
Drainage is very easy to do. In our case, we place a small amount of small stones on the bottom. For convenience, I made a tube out of paper, which will also facilitate the process of filling the light bulb with sand and soil, as well as save the walls from pollution.
Then we fill our light bulb with a fertile layer of earth. Do not be afraid if other plant roots or humus get into the soil - this will only play into your hands, as it will provide your system with useful organic substances.
The next stage is creative. Here you need to show all your artistic abilities to the maximum and beautifully place the components collected in the forest. To facilitate the task of planting plants in a light bulb, I used tweezers and a rod from ballpoint pen. As a result, I got this composition.
The final step in creating an ecosystem will be the addition of a few drops of water. To do this, you can use a medical syringe. It is not necessary to water the plants abundantly, excess moisture will lead to their death. After we have watered, it is necessary to seal the bulb hermetically. There are some special rules no, you can use anything: an acorn, a cork from a wine bottle, plastic cover, wooden stick etc., the main thing is that air does not enter the structure. I used ordinary black buttons, having previously sealed the holes for attaching them to the material.
After some time, condensation from water drops will begin to form on the walls of the light bulb, you should not be afraid of this, which means that the process of the birth of life is proceeding as it should. These drops will periodically appear and then settle in the soil, simulating rain.
Excess water will go into the drain at the bottom of the light bulb, provided that you organize it correctly. If you suddenly realize that you have poured too much water into your florarium, simply open the hole and leave it open for several hours so that the excess moisture evaporates, then seal the light bulb again.
A day after the construction of my florarium, I decided that the composition needed to be supplemented and attached another light bulb to my platform stone, but this time it was bigger. This is how the final version of my ecosystem now began to look.
By the same principle, the English David Latimer grows tradescantia in a bottle (a genus of perennial evergreen herbaceous plants Commelinaceae family), which has been in a closed space for more than 40 years and has never been watered.
In one of my diaries, I mentioned a closed ecosystem. Some microcosm. which exists on its own.
So, a closed ecosystem is a system that does not involve the exchange of substances with the outside world.
It's kind of like Earth. Only in reduced form.
On the picture - open system. It takes everything necessary for its existence from the environment.
A closed ecosystem is completely cut off from the outside world. Moreover, such a system does not require any maintenance. 
David Latimer put Tradescantia in a bottle and didn't open it for 40 years. During this time, the plant not only did not die, but formed its own ecosystem. Foodscantia was fed from its own humus. And the growth of a plant is due to the oxygen it produces. Irrigation was absent. Since humidification was carried out by condensate. 
I decided to make some closed ecosystems. Just do it! Not to buy. Oh yes, such ecosystems can also be bought.
There is enough information on the Internet about how such a "miracle" of nature can be made. I'll tell you how I did it.
First, landing requires a resealable container.
Of course GLASS. I took a regular jar. Or in stores you can buy cool rounded glass containers.
Secondly, the earth. I took regular soil. No freezes there. For drainage, I use ordinary sand with stones.
Third, plants. The most common! From experience I can say that closed systems it is best to take moisture-loving. In my case, moss. You can take any plants. Main criterion plant compatibility. It can be a fern, chlorophytum, etc.
Fourth - decor. You understand that it is not mandatory and is done at will. On the Internet they write that the main thing in choosing a decor is that it does not rot. I think it would be cool if it still rots. This emphasizes the naturalness of such a system.
Pour drainage, earth into the jar. We form a relief. Next we plant the plants. For decor, I took an angel figurine (it is planned that moss spores will begin to grow on it) and a stone. We put everything as you like, water and cork.
It is important not to clog the container too much at first. Since there can be an extremely large amount of water in plants, they will simply begin to rot. On the first day, it is recommended not to clog the container. For excess moisture to evaporate. In my case, I just plugged everything as is.
In the first week, a large amount of condensate was observed in the bank. And I had to open the container to let the water evaporate a little. The plants have taken root. The moss has grown a little.
At the end of the second week, "extraterrestrial" life was noticed in the bank - two large mosquitoes appeared. who died three days later.
Today, on the angel figurine, moss growth is observed in some places. Alas, I can’t take a photo - there is a lot of condensate on the walls of the can during the day.
My second system can be either open or closed.
Shrimps feed on algae, which, in turn, use the waste products of shrimp as food. Water for the project is best taken from a pond or river, as it contains ample algae and other beneficial microorganisms. The ecosystem will function better with a vent. This will ensure gas exchange with external environment. With proper ventilation, an ecosystem can function for ten years or more!
Step 1. Gathering the necessary materials.
Glass jar with anti-corrosion cover;
- pebbles or sand for the aquarium;
- fresh water from the pond;
- Plants for breeding and hiding shrimp.
shrimp and/or snails, good choice species such as Ghost Shrimp, Cherry Shrimp and Japanese Algae-eater will become.
Advice. If pond water is not available, regular tap water can be used instead, but the jar of water should be prepared at least a day in advance for the water to self-purify. Shrimp need either algae from pond water or a special algae base to feed before the plants produce it themselves.
Step 2: Drill a hole in the lid of the jar for better ventilation
You have to be careful, drilling glass can be very dangerous. Use special drill for glass and goggles for eye protection.
Step 3. Washing the jar
Step 4. Bottom of the jar
Pour 5 cm of pebbles, sand or gravel into the bottom of the jar. The thickness of the soil layer should be sufficient to plant plants in it.
Step 5. Filling the jar with water
Collect fresh water from a pond or river.
Step 6. Water in a jar
Fill the jar halfway with water.
Advice. If water from a pond or river is not available, then use filtered water or plain tap water. However, in this case, put 1 or 2 special "pads" of algae base, which can be purchased at any pet store, on the bottom of the jar. The number of bases depends on the size of the jar. Keep the jar open for 24 hours to allow all the chlorine to evaporate.
Step 7. Immerse the bag of shrimp and/or snails in a jar for 15-30 minutes
This will balance the temperature in the bag with the temperature of the water in the jar, minimizing the strain on the shrimp associated with sudden temperature changes.
Step 8. Planting plants in the ground
Step 9: Putting the Shrimp in the Jar
Using a net, remove the shrimp from the bag and carefully place them in the jar.
Step 10 Filling the jar with water
Fill the jar with water from the pond, without adding about 2 cm to the top.
Don't leave too much air space in the jar as this will cause white deposits to form on the inside of the jar.
Step 11 Enjoy the Ecosystem!
Keep a jar at home room temperature and the ecosystem will exist for several years.
Advice. Avoid exposing the jar to direct sunlight, which can lead to excessive growth of algae. Shrimps do not need to be fed at all, as they feed on algae. If you do not allow direct sunlight to enter the jar, then you will not have to add water to it.
In case of excessive algae growth, add another shrimp or snail to the jar. Over time, the ecosystem will come to a balanced state, in which the waste of one organism will be used as food for another. This is a great way to show kids how a large ecosystem recycles nutrients. Plants recycle carbon dioxide, which we exhale into oxygen, and bacteria turn waste into nutrient soil for plants. Humans and animals, in turn, breathe in oxygen and eat plants, and these nutrients are absorbed into tissues.
For those who do not have enough jars, we suggest starting an aquarium, and the more, the better. It will allow you to do amazing art, the beauty of which simply takes your breath away.