Mesocosms are large tubes (1.5 m high x 15.24 cm in diameter) used to grow maize, or rice under long-term conditions (4-6 weeks). The roots have plenty of room to grow downward. Custom media mixes are used, and parameters such as drought, high/low Nitrogen and high/low Phosphorus availability are evaluated.
Maize experiment growing in mesocosms
Dr. Qun Wang measuring maize leaves
PhD student Jennifer Yang and visiting scholar Baoru Sun using the Li-Cor 6400 to obtain photosynthesis measurements
Carrying a mesocosm tube to washing station
Michael Williams shown removing plastic liner and plant from mesocosm tube
A typical 4-week old maize root system
Jenn Yang, rotating student Olivia (Sihui) Gao and Baoru Sun sampling maize root system PB030251.jpg
Removing a sample from maize root system
Inserting root segment into root respiration chamber
While obtaining respiration measurements, the root sample is kept at constant temperature in a water bath.
Xiyu Yang, graduate student, readies Li-Cor 6400 to obtain root respiration measurements
