Microcosms In Ecological Research

Ecological Microcosms is a seminal work which reviews the expanding field of enclosed ecosystem research, and relates the results and models of microcosm studies to general concepts in ecology. Microcosms are miniaturized pieces of our biosphere, ranging from streams and lakes to terraria, agroecosystems, and waste systems. The study of these simplified ecosystems is providing provocative insights into ecological principles as well as issues of environmental management and global stability. The authors have used the well-known thermodynamic approach of H.T. Odum and numerous computer simulations. The book also includes an evaluation of alternative mesocosm approaches for the support of humans in space, as well as appendices to aid in the teaching of environmental concepts using student-created microcosms. Ecological Microcosms will be of interest to ecologists, environmental engineers, policy makers and environmental managers, space scientists, and educators. Robert J. Beyers is a Professor of Biology at the University of South Alabama. Howard T. Odum is Graduate Research Professor of Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida, and was awarded, with Eugene Odum, the 1987 Crafoord Prize in the Biosciences.

In this book, the authors discuss the ecology, biological implications and environmental impact of microcosms. Topics include using microcosms to investigate aspects of plant-bacterial interactions and bacterial evolution; multifactorial microcosm experiments to predict how plant species and assemblages respond to changes in the availability and spatio-temporal heterogeneity of resources like water, light and nutrients; development and optimisation of an aquatic laboratory microcosm for ecotoxicological risk assessment; assessment on transformation of organic pollutants in microcosms; bacterial evolution in simple microcosms; ecology and environmental side-effects of pesticides in tropical microcosms; floating dish microcosms to study the developments of biofilm communities; the role of semiosis and cohesion and sustainability inside microcosms; and soil microcosms and biogeographical research.

This book offers a comprehensive guide to microcosms (N-systems) in multiple-species testing and aquatic ecosystem risk assessment. It provides standardized methods for creating the microbial ecosystem, and proposes a standardized microcosm system for environmental impact risk assessments. The book will be of interest to students and educators, researchers, government authorities, developers and manufacturers engaged in ecosystem preservation, water quality management personnel at sewage treatment or industrial effluent treatment facilities, and anyone involved in education, management and analysis evaluation for environmental standards and waste water quality standards.