Wiktionary
n. Any system larger than a microcosm but smaller than a macrocosm
Wikipedia
A mesocosm (meso- or 'medium' and -cosm 'world') is any outdoor experimental system that examines the natural environment under controlled conditions. In this way mesocosm studies provide a link between field surveys and highly controlled laboratory experiments.
Mesocosms also tend to be medium-sized to large (e.g., aquatic mesocosm range: 1 to > 10,000 L) and contain multiple trophic levels of interacting organisms.
In contrast to laboratory experiments, mesocosm studies are normally conducted outdoors in order to incorporate natural variation (e.g., diel cycles). Mesocosm studies may be conducted in either an enclosure that is small enough that key variables can be brought under control or by field-collecting key components of the natural environment for further experimentation.
Extensive mesocosm studies have been conducted to evaluate how organisms or communities might react to environmental change, through deliberate manipulation of environmental variables, such as increased temperature, carbon dioxide or pH levels.
Usage examples of "mesocosm".
As soon as the tenting of Nirgal Vallis was done, Separation de L’Atmosphere set up some of their largest mesocosm aerators, and soon the tent was filled with 500 millibars of a nitrogen-oxygen-argon mix that had been pulled and filtered out of the ambient air, now at 240 millibars.
Now there were hundreds of people in those two linked canyons, outfitting the aerators and working up soils, and seeding and planting the nascent biosphere of the canyons’ mesocosm.
As soon as the tenting of Nirgal Vallis was done, Separation de L'Atmosphere set up some of their largest mesocosm aerators, and soon the tent was filled with 500 millibars of a nitrogen-oxygen-argon mix that had been pulled and filtered out of the ambient air, now at 240 millibars.
Now there were hundreds of people in those two linked canyons, outfitting the aerators and working up soils, and seeding and planting the nascent biosphere of the canyons' mesocosm.
Tenting technology had reached the point where they could enclose vast mesocosms, and Sax had heard that one of the trans-nats was going to cover Hebes Chasma, a project that Ann had once suggested as an alternative to terraforming-a suggestion that Sax himself had scoffed at.
Tenting technology had reached the point where they could enclose vast mesocosms, and Sax had heard that one of the trans-nats was going to cover Hebes Chasma, a project that Ann had once suggested as an alternative to terraforming—a suggestion that Sax himself had scoffed at.
Tenting technology had reached the point where they could enclose vast mesocosms, and Sax had heard that one of the transnats was going to cover Hebes Chasma, a project that Ann had once suggested as an alternative to terraforming—a suggestion that Sax himself had scoffed at.