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A microcosm is a small, self-contained environment that replicates the characteristics and dynamics of a larger ecosystem. It allows for detailed study and analysis of ecological processes in a controlled setting.
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5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
- Microcosms are often used in experiments to simulate natural ecosystems under controlled conditions.
- They help scientists understand complex interactions between organisms and their environment on a smaller scale.
- Microcosms can include both abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) components of an ecosystem.
- They are valuable for testing ecological hypotheses without the ethical or logistical constraints of manipulating real-world ecosystems.
- Microcosms can vary greatly in size but still maintain the essential properties of the ecosystems they represent.
Review Questions
- What are the primary components included in a microcosm?
- How do microcosms assist scientists in studying ecological processes?
- Why might researchers choose to use a microcosm instead of a real-world ecosystem?
Related terms
Ecosystem : A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
The living components that affect the population of organisms within an ecosystem.
Abiotic Factors : The non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms.
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- pp 3523–3527
- Cite this reference work entry
- A. Fahy 2 &
- B. McKew 2
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Microcosms are widely used in microbiological research, and assume many forms. In this section, we evaluate the advantages and limitations of microcosms, and discuss which answers can be drawn from microcosm-based research.
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Introduction: Mesocosms and Microcosms
Introduction: Field and In Situ Studies
Coefficient of Assessment for the Microcosm System
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Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
A. Fahy & B. McKew
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Environmental Microbiology Laboratory, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
Kenneth N. Timmis ( Professor ) ( Professor )
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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Fahy, A., McKew, B. (2010). Microcosms. In: Timmis, K.N. (eds) Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_275
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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_275
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