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The Earthtron facility for below‐ground manipulation study
Author(s) -
Kamitani Takafumi,
Kaneko Nobuhiro
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1007/s11284-005-0139-5
Subject(s) - microcosm , environmental science , soil water , ecosystem , atmospheric sciences , terrestrial ecosystem , ecology , nutrient , soil science , biology , geology
A controlled environmental facility is necessary for investigation of the interaction between above‐ground and below‐ground components in microcosm experiments. The Earthtron is a simple computer‐controlled chamber simulating natural environments: diurnal light/dark cycles, and separately controlled soil and air temperature, humidity and CO 2 concentration. In soil core incubation experiments, the Earthtron was able to simulate the dynamics of soil temperature field conditions. Environmental control also affects the dynamics of soil water and distribution patterns of nutrients in the microcosm, linking to the distribution of plant roots and soil biota. The Earthtron can not only reproduce field conditions but also predict the effects of global climatic change on terrestrial ecosystems.