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Temperature gradient chambers for research on global environment change. I. Portable chambers for research on short‐stature vegetation
Author(s) -
RAWSON H. M.,
GIFFORD R. M.,
CONDON B. N.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.1995.tb00616.x
Subject(s) - row , doors , modular design , temperature gradient , acceleration , air stream , environmental science , meteorology , mechanical engineering , computer science , physics , engineering , classical mechanics , database , environmental engineering , operating system
Field temperature gradient chambers designed for experiments on short‐stature plants such as wheat are deseribed. The chambers are portable, easily erected and dismantled, and are self‐contained for control and measuring equipment. The design is modular, the modules being bolted together longitudinally although separated by slotted transparent septa which divide the chamber into zones of different temperature. Fresh air, which is blown in horizontally into one end of the chamber by two fans and extracted by a fan mounted vertically at the other end, passes sequentially through the modules. The air stream progressively heats when the sun is shining. Fans are automatically speed‐controlled in 100 steps between 20 and 100% of full output to keep the end‐to‐end temperature difference to within 5°C. During darkness, when the fans are running at minimum speed, heaters mounted in the outlet module are turned on. The chambers in the configuration described enclose 6 × 8m rows of crop, are l‐25m high and have side walls which are entirely composed of rigid, vertically sliding doors for crop access.