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| Biosphere 2 sits on a sprawling 40-acre (16-hectare) science campus that is open to the public. |
Closed Ecological Systems are ecosystems that do not rely on matter exchange with any part outside the system. The term is most often used to describe small manmade ecosystems. Such systems are scientifically interesting and can potentially serve as a life support system during space flights, in space stations or space habitats. In a closed ecological system, any waste products produced by one species must be used by at least one other species. If the purpose is to maintain a life form, such as a mouse or a human, waste products such as carbon dioxide, feces and urine must eventually be converted into oxygen,food, and water.
A closed ecological system must contain at least one autotrophic organism. While both chemotrophic and phototrophic organisms are plausible, almost all closed ecological systems to date are based on a phototroph such as green algae.
Closed Ecological Systems for Life Support:--
A life support system that approaches complete internal sustainability and which is biologically-based is termed a closed ecological system, meaning that it is essentially materially closed, energetically and informationally open, and recycling its major elements and nutrients. Both the CELSS and Closed Ecological Systems have generally included just a few species of plants and/or algae as their biological component, in addition to the crew compartments and associated mechanical/computer operational technologies. Energetically, such a system must be open or it would decline due to increasing entropy. The light needed for photosynthesis is supplied by artificial lights or by sunlight, direct or delivered through light pipes. A heat sink on the outside receives surplus heat from the system. Usually, it is safer to house the energy-generating unit outside the sealed life support zone. This will also lessen the amount of air-scrubbing that is required if the energy production method produces pollutants. But, while the definition of a closed ecological life support system does not require energy production within its sealed boundary, it is certainly true that lessening energetic requirements and the accomplishment of energy generation in space via solar arrays, nuclear energy, use of extra-terrestrial energy resources, etc.) are important considerations in reducing logistical dependence on resupply from Earth.
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