Overall Design
Location:
The optimal location for this biosphere
would be the most calm and controlled area thus limited external environmental
variables. A likely candidate would be the in central North America because
this region experiences mild weather: it does not have droughts due to
its distance from the equator (thereby straining the delicate water balance),
but retains enough distance from the arctic as to avoid blizzards, and
also avoids the problematic weather at coastal regions such as hurricanes
and tropical storms.
Structure:
The massive dome that encompasses
the entire biosphere would be made of space glass; hardened plastics that
are tested for the rigors of space would hold up to any kind of external
erosion.
Feasibility:
Other than the enormous amounts of
money associated with any biosphere project, this project is wholly within
the technical ability of our engineers to create, given enough capital.
Connectiveness:
Each biome is carefully engineered
as to provide a gradual gradient and to prevent mixing of unique plant
and animal life. For example, although only somewhat apparent on the front
page diagram the swamp will plateau of into the rain forest thereby separating
plant and animal life as well providing the catalyst for the precipitation
as clouds hit the rain forest (which itself is on a gradual slope). Similarly
there is a gradual slop between the agricultural area and the wetlands
ensuring no mixture and only one way flow.
Biomes
Biodiversity:
As aforementioned in the individual
biome descriptions, they will be all models of the actual biomes except
in rare cases in humans step in to fulfill the role of a missing niche
(such as the freshwater fishes' lack of natural predators).
Sustaining Biodiversity:
No outside measures need be taken
except for carefully regulating human intercourse with the biomes (such
as preventing over fishing) because the sheer size of each biome, 10 square
miles, ensures self regulation for at least fifty years.
Cycling of Energy
Because every man-made biosphere relies on the basic photosynthesizing producer to maintain the integrity of all the biomes' food chains, this biosphere uses solar cells to draw energy in times of need. But the basic design itself it essential self regulating with only human luxuries and lung operation requiring a constant input of energy.
Cycling of Matter
All of the important cycles, including
water, carbon dioxide and the oxygen cycle have been incorporated into
Earth 2010 with the lungs and the rain
forests regulating the items respectively.
Air Flow and Quality:
This will be one of the primary functions
of the lungs, through its use of controlling the
amount of fresh water, humidity, temperature, and air patterns.
Water Quality:
The water will stay uncontaminated
as the human waste treatment process paired with the ability of the wetlands
to remove toxins will ensure any water entering the lake from the surrounding
areas are adequately cleansed.
Waste Disposal:
As aforementioned in the human
habitat page, almost all of organic wastes will disposed via fertilizer.
The small excesses, once dehydrated and treated for disease, are safe deposited
for decomposition in the wetlands. There will be no inorganic wastes because
the two hundred people will be living without modern luxuries.
Human Population
Health:
Disease will be contained by strict
waste disposal methods, and ill inhabitants can be quarantined within the
Habitat's many rooms.
Controlling Population Size:
Because of our precautions population
size should not diminish greatly but increase as new generations are born.
A communally agreed upon family scheme will be adopted in order to hinder
overpopulation.
Diet:
The diet will consist of mainly vegetables
harvested from the agriculture zone that
can be kept in the subterranean freezer for maximum life, but can include
fish when desired (if not over fished) and roots
of the many edible rain forest herbs if in dire need.
Standard of Living:
The inhabitants will live uncomfortably
by modern standards but quite on par with what out ancient brethren had
to deal with when we first inhabited the caves; it will be mostly a subsistence
living.
Niche:
For the most part humans will remain
relatively unconnected to the various food chains within the biomes save
for being the only predator of fish and the regulator of climatic conditions
via the lung.