Microcosms

The Microcosms platform includes 13 identical and independent growth chambers hosting the microcosms. These chambers, tailor-made to meet the needs of the Ecotron, have a volume of 2 m³ and a working area of 1 m². An external light compartment allows the installation of plasma lamps or LED lamps with an adjustable spectrum. The climatic conditions (T°C, RH%, atmospheric, CO₂ concentration ranging from pre-industrial to several times the ambient) are finely regulated. A ¹³C labelling is possible in each chamber.

Each chamber is used to climatically condition a variety of microcosms often tailored to the experiment to be conducted. They can be large planted containers, potted plants, jars with incubating soil, cages with insects, closed earth analogues …  Automated process measurements can be done at the level of some microcosms, for example with automatic photosynthesis/respiration chambers inserted in the growth chambers, gas exchange circuit connect to plant root compartments with isotopes measurements. Gas exchange and isotopes fractionation measurements (in open or closed mode) are also possible at the whole chamber level.