Abstract
We investigate water usage and movement throughout the major reservoirs of Biosphere 2, Oracle AZ, over a period of 2 months. The data analyzed show reservoir turnover times ranging from hours to several years and the existence of three major water sub-cycles. A ‘fast pool’, or 60% of the available water used daily in Biosphere 2, is recycled within a month through the air-handler’s condensation system, as a consequence of plant and soil evapotranspiration; a ‘medium pool’, or 30% of available water, moves through the soil profile as drainage and is recycled within a year; while a ‘slow pool,’ or the remaining 10%, moves through the Biosphere 2 ocean and takes several years to turnover. We develop a simple model of the Biosphere 2 water cycle and discuss its utility in estimating global and single-biome ecosystem processes within this facility.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
