BIOSPHERE-2 AGRICULTURE - TEST-BED FOR INTENSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, NONPOLLUTING FARMING SYSTEMS

Biosphere 2, a virtually airtight facility for the study of biospheric and ecosystem processes, includes an agricultural area of about 0.2 h ectare for growing food for its eight crew members. Since the commence ment of an initial two-year closure experiment, this agricultural syst em has operated without use of toxic chemicals which might pollute the small reservoirs of air, water and soil. It has produced some 90% of the nutritional needs of the crew. Foods produced comprise a wide vari ety of crops, including grains, starches, vegetables and fruit and a l imited amount of milk, eggs, fish and meat from aquaculture and domest ic animals. Waste products from both the humans and domestic animals a re processed by means of anaerobic and aerobic microbial and plant sys tems. Inedible crop biomass and animal manure is composted. Since Bios phere 2 is designed for long-term operation and study, soil fertility must be maintained while supporting its diverse crop rotations and int ensive production. The agricultural component in Biosphere 2 allows fo r study of its impact on overall biospheric health and dynamics, inclu ding effects on CO2 fluxes, nitrogen and other element cycling, and ma intenance of good quality air and water.