GB2160406A - Microcosms - Google Patents

Abstract

A closed vessel (10) housing plant (22), animal (24) and microbiological (26) life forms and media (18, 20) for accommodating interchange of organic and inorganic matter between the life forms constitutes a dynamically balanced oxidative/reductive microcosm. In the reductive half of the cycle, the plant life forms provide oxygen and organic matter for consumption by the animal and microbiological life forms. In the oxidative half of the cycle, the latter provide inorganic materials and free nitrogen for the plant life forms. Energy to perpetuate the oxidative/reductive cycle of the microcosm is provided by visible light. The constituents must be maintained within a predetermined temperature range. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Microcosm Background of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention relates to life support systems and, more particularly, to a materially closed energetically open ecological system.

Description of the Prior Art For centuries man has attemped to create an environment of combinations of animal and plant species for raising, breeding or harvesting one or another of the species or for his own benefit or amusement. Examples of the former include raising purebred animals and creating hybrid strains.

Examples of the latter include aquariums, ant farms and zoos. Common to all of these endeavors is the need to infuse materials/energy by way of organic supplements and to remove and dispose of waste products. In no instance known to the inventor has a materially closed environment containing active organisms visible by the naked eye been heretofor created which at some point did not need introduction of organic matter and/or removal of waste products for continued or long term persistence (i.e. years).

The increasing capability of the technologies necessary for human space travel may make interplanetary travel and space colonization feasible in the not too distant future. To survive such a trip, man or other life forms will be confined within the space vehicles for extended periods of time. It therefore becomes mandatory to create within such a materially closed space vehicle a balance of the requisite life forms and inorganic materials in order to sustain the life forms for extended periods, for their normally expected life spans or, possibly, beyond. By definition, the only infusion or extraction of energy in such an environment can be by radiant energy transmitted through one or more walls of the vehicle or generated within it.Hence, such radiant energy in combination with the enclosed life forms and inorganic materials must be sufficient to permit self-sustaining operation of the reductive and oxidative reactions known to be necessary to sustain life.

The planet earth is obviously capable of sustaining life with only the infusion of radiant energy, primarily sunlight (to the best of our knowledge). Space, surrounding the planet earth, serves in the nature of a barrier or deterrent to the transmission of significant amounts of organic and inorganic matter to and from the planet earth but does not entirely prohibit such transmission, as evidenced by meteorites striking the planet earth and exploratory craft sent from the planet earth into the solar system (or beyond). Hence, the planet earth is not totally materially closed in a mechanical sense of the term.

Summary of the Invention The present invention is, in the literal sense, a microcosm. A sealed container, maintained within a predetermined temperature range and having at least a light transparent wall surface, encloses liquid and gas media. A collection of plant, animal and microbiological life forms inhabit the liquid medium while the gaseous medium serves primarily as a reservoir for the different gases produced during the reductive and oxidative reactions. In the reductive half of the cycle, light stimulates the photosynthetic (primarily plant) life forms to convert inorganic nutrients within the liquid medium into oxygen and organic matter.

In the oxidative half of the cycle, the animal and microbiological life forms convert the free oxygen and organic matter into carbon and inorganic materials. With the proper population balance of the life forms, only energy in the form of visible light need be added to sustain life for the normal life spans of the various life forms or longer.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a materially closed energetically open ecological system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a closed vessel having a combination of plant, animal and microbiological life forms interrelated to sustain one another for an indefinite period of time.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a self-regulating and self-sustaining ecological system of different life forms within a closed vessel subjected to a source of radiant energy.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide within a closed vessel different life forms capable of sustained, mutually interdependent life upon adequate irradiation of the vessel with radiant energy.

A further object of the present invention is to provide within a closed vessel at least one medium for a plurality of life forms and for storing matter produced by one or more of the life forms until the matter is needed by other of the life forms.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a microcosm of the planet earth.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a closed vessel for indefinitely sustaining life forms and other constituents within the vessel upon irradiation of the vessel with radiant energy in the photosynthetic wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating within a closed vessel a microcosm capable of indefinitely sustaining life.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for sustaining life within a closed vessel adequately irradiated with light energy.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure lisa pictorial representation of the oxidative/reductive cycle; Figure 2 illustrates an actual embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3a is a schematic illustrating the operation of the invention; Figure 3b is a legend for the schematic shown in Figure 3a; Fugure 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d and 4e ullustrate the process for creating the invention.

Figure 4d-a illustrates a variant of the invention and depicts insertion of an energy or photon source within the vessel; Figure 5 illustrates a first variant of the invention; and Figure 6 illustrates a second variant of the invention.

Description ofthe Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figure 1, there is shown in simplified pictorial form the basic functions performed by the three major groups of life forms which interdependently sustain themselves within the microcosm. Plants or algae, in response to light irradiation, produce, through photosynthesis, free oxygen and organic matter (growth) whilst consuming carbon dioxide and inorganic chemicals.

Animals consume oxygen and food, discharge carbon dioxide and produce organic wastes.

Microbiological life forms consume free oxygen, oxidize organic wastes and produce carbon dioxide and inorganic chemicals.

From the above description it is apparent that the three identified types of life forms are interdependent. The plant life forms produce free oxygen only in the presence of light. The source of light may be sunlight, or artificial lighting of the type available from certain fluorescent lights, provided that exposure is adequate to support the necessary level of photosynthesis yet sufficiently limited to prevent overheating of the microcosm. All of the life forms consume oxygen continuously. Hence, some means must exist for storing any excess free oxygen during periods when there is insufficient light to permit production of free oxygen. Such a medium can be either a liquid or a gas, depending primarily upon the type, population density and nature of the plant and animal life forms.Note here that photosynthetic organisms carry on both oxidation and reductive metabolisms; the reductive (photosynthetic) metabolisms occur only in the presence of light while oxidation metabolisms are continuous. When light is sufficient, the reductive metabolism overbalances the oxidative metabolism and a net surplus of oxygen is produced.

Referring to Figure 2, there is illustrated a microcosm 10 incorporating the life forms and processes schematically illustrated in Figure 1. The microcosm includes a vessel 12 having a neck 14 sealed closed at closure 16 and supported upon a stand 17. The vessel may be made from any nontoxic, chemically opaque material which will not pass liquid or gas in either direction and which is nevertheless transparent to all or most of the photosynthetic wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum (350 to 1,000 angstroms). It has also been learned that the transparency of the vessel wall(s) to the molecules or atoms should be approximately that of standard laboratory glassware. Preferably, the vessel is made of clear borosilicate glass, such as the type sold under the registered trademark PYREX.The integrity of closure 16 of the vessel must be equal to or greater than the integrity of the wall(s) of the vessel.

The fluid medium(s) within vessel 12 must be appropriate to the biota contained within the vessel.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, two fluid mediums are incorporated. Medium 18 is a liquid free of toxins and of a salinity appropriate to the biota contained within the vessel. In one embodiment of the invention, medium 18 is liquid having a salinity of approximately 11 parts per thousand (ppt), which salinity is obtained by mixing the distilled water with dehydrated sea salts or by diluting normal sea water by approximately one third.

Medium 20 is a gas which may be atmospheric air. Medium 20 acts primarily as a reservoir for storing both oxygen and carbon dioxide. The required quantity of medium 20 is a function of the integral of the metabolic rates of the biota contained within vessel 12 and the lengths and frequencies of alternating light and dark periods to which the microcosm will be subjected. Medium 20 should, at closure, consist of not less than eighty percent (80%) nitrogen and not more than twenty percent (20%) of oxygen plus (optional) nontoxictrace gases of the quantity and type normally found in the uncontaminated atmosphere of the earth. The necessity for or benefit of the trace gases is not fully known.

The primary purpose for medium 20 is that of storing oxygen and carbon dioxide as such storage may be effected for much greater quantities per unit volume in medium 20 than in medium 18.

Functionally, medium 20 stores excess oxygen produced by photosynthesis during periods of exposure of vessel 12 to light; secondarily, some oxygen is stored in medim 18 also. Similarly, excess carbon dioxide produced during darkness is stored primarily in medium 20 and a lesser amount is stored also in medium 18. During periods of nonillumination, the oxygen stored in mediums 18 and 20 is depleted and to some extent replaced by carbon dioxide, the latter being a product of animal, bacterial and nonphotosynthetic oxidative metabolisms.

In one successful embodiment of microcosm 10, vessel 12 was a spherical flask of one liter capacity.

Medium 18 occupied two thirds of the volume and the remainder of the volume was filled with medium 20 at sea level atmospheric pressure (approximately 14.7 psi).

To further quantitize the required volume of medium 20, it may be stated that the volume must be sufficient to store most of the oxygen produced by photosynthesis during periods of illumination and most of the carbon dioxide produced by oxidative metabolic functions during periods of non-illumination. Accordingly, the required volume of medium 20 is a function of the composite photosynthetic metabolisms, the composite nonphotosynthetic metabolisms and the length of the periods of darkness to which the microcosms will be subjected. It may be further noted that the metabolic rate of poikilothermic organisms (all species other than birds and mammals) in general may vary with temperature, time of day and time of year.

It has been learned that an imbalance will not result if the microcosm is maintained within a temperature range of 60--90"F for most of the time.

Occasional excursions above and below this temperature range for limited periods of time have had no permanent deleterious effect. A complete envelope of acceptable relationships between temperature and time is not presently available.

Such an envelope would be dependent in part upon the particular combination of species of plant, microbiological and animal life forms combined within any given sized vessel and would have to be developed by empirical processes.

For proof of the reductive/oxidative reactions present in microcosm 10, it is not unusual for tiny bubbles to be formed upon the plant life forms during exposure to light. These bubbles are bubbles of free oxygen produced by the plant life forms during reductive reactions. After a period of time without light, the bubbles disappear. The disappearance is due, in large measure, to the consumption of the excess oxygen by oxidative reactions.

The constituents responsible for the photosynthetic metabolism or reductive reaction will now be described. The plant life forms within vessel 12 have two critical biological functions: (1) photosynthetic reduction of carbon dioxide and water to oxygen; and (2) production of carbohydrates and amino acids. These are produced through photosynthetic processes which consume water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur and a variety of trace elements.

Thereby, the plant life forms produce part of the food forthe animal and microbiological life forms within vessel 12 and all of the oxygen needed for the oxidative plant metabolisms and the animal and microbiological life forms' oxidative metabolisms.

The criteria for the plant life forms which render them acceptable and workable microcosmic constituents include: (1) they must thrive and grow in salinity, light and temperature regimes compatible with the requirements of the animal and microbiological life forms within the vessel; (2) they must be nontoxic to the animal and microbiological life forms; and, (3) they must provide adequate nutrition for the animal and microbiological life forms. From these criteria it will be evident that the plant life forms may be selected species of angiosperms (higher plants), macroalgaes, microalgaes or photosynthetic bacteria.

Work to date suggests that any brackish water microalgae, many brackish water microalgae and some brackish water higher plants can be adequate photosynthetic constituents of materially closed energetically open ecological systems. Preferably, the microalgae, at the time of introduction to one liter vessel 12, should be on the order of 2 x 109 cells and macroalgae should represent a cell count at least one order of magnitude greater. Higher cell counts for macroalgae are advisable because the full surface of individual cells of macroalgae are not available for photon capture during periods of illumination and because, in general, cell division or reproduction rates of macroalgae are far lower than for microalgae.Alternatively, the quantity of macrobiological plant life forms may be measured by volume where one or more cubic centimeters of wet plant life form has produced satisfactory results.

A greater assurance of successful selection of the plant life forms is obtained if they are collected from the same or similar habitats as those from which the animal life forms are collected.

In some embodiments of the microcosms, visible plant life forms initially deposited therein have disappeared and yet the visible animal life forms continue to thrive. In these particular systems, there occurred a natural selection process which resulted in the replacement of the visible algal forms by forms too small to be visible by the naked eye. This conclusion has been confirmed by the success of materially closed microcosms which were established using only single celled algal forms too small to be visible to the naked eye. However, the stimuli for and exact mechanisms of such natural selection processes are obscure at this time.

The animal life forms introduced within vessel 12 may be any single species or combination of species having certain general characteristics which permit them to survive for several years in closed containers and which display the additional chracteristics of: (a) absence of intra-species aggression and/or cannibalism; (b) if more than two species are introduced, absence of interspecies aggression and/or cannibalism; (c) reproductive characteristics which permit continuity of a balanced oxidation/reduction metabolic cycle within the vessel; (d) absence of metabolic by-products which are toxic to any of the contained life forms; (e) absence of postmortem decomposition products which are toxic to the contained life forms; (f) immunity to deleterious infection by microorganisms which are actually or potentially endemic to the environment within the vessel which environment is otherwise conducive to the survival of such microorganisms; and (g) absence of characteristics which would result in the sequestering of critical system resources in a single species and thereby cause such resources to become unavailable to other organisms or groups of organisms within the materially closed microcosm.

In one embodiment of microcosm 10, the animal life form used is the ayteid shrimp, Halocaridina rubra (Holthuis). This crustacean achieves a maximum length of approximately 14 millimeters.

To assure a high probability of achieving a successful oxidation/reduction balance within microcosm 10, a ratio of not more than six shrimp per liter of internal volume of vessel 12 should be introduced. However, successful balances have occasionally been achieved with higher ratios.

Although the environment described with respect to Figure 2 indicates medium 18 to be a liquid, the animal life forms may in some embodiments be terrestrial as well as aquatic.

The important functions of the microbiological life forms in the microcosms are: (1) to oxidize organic wastes to carbon dioxide and other inorganic constituents containing carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur and trace nutrients of plant forms; and (2) to provide nutrition for some or all zoological constituents of the microcosm. To the extent known at this time, it is believed that the microbiological life forms must be primarily aerobic rather than anaerobic.

The microbiological life forms reproduce rapidly and, following closure of the vessel, will quickly adjust their number and species compositions so as to successfully perform their functions within the microcosm. Experimentation and analysis indicates that controls need not be imposed to regulate the microbiological population. This suggests that, for these life forms, natural selection processes work well within this environment.

Analysis of microbiological life form samples taken from established microcosms 10 indicates that a predominant number are found on substrates within medium 18 rather than suspended within the medium itself. Hence, it is believed that ingestion of microbiological life forms by macrobiological life forms occurs both directly by grazing and through ingestion of the plant life forms.

Sufficient knowledge or understanding in the fields of algology and bacteriology is not available to precisely determine the composition and quantity of plant life forms and microbiological life forms to be supplied to a given number of a particular species of animal life form. However, certain guidelines have been developed as recited above. If these guidelines are satisfied and the external environmental conditions recited are present, life will be sustained for a period of years within the microcosm.

In these life sustaining microcosms, the quantity of any or all of the plant, microbiological and animal life forms will, arvarious timesfollowing closure of the vessel, vary from the initial conditions. Such variance clearly indicates that a biological adjustment continues at least until a metabolic balance is achieved between the reductive and oxidative classes of reactions under the particular external conditions imposed. It is believed that this process of metabolic adjustment and natural selection are the final and paramount criteria which permits life to be sustained for the natural life spans of the various life forms within the microcosm.

From time to time, a part of the plant life forms may die. The dead plant life forms will be decomposed by the microbiological life forms.

Similarly, during the establishment of a balance within the microcosm, one or more individuals of the animal life forms may die. They may also, of course, die from other natural causes. The dead animal life forms may or may not be eaten by the remaining animal life forms, depending upon their proclivity for such food. Any unconsumed dead animal life forms inevitably will be decomposed by the microbiological life forms more or less rapidly, depending upon the type, nature and composition of the microbiological life forms. In either event, the dead animal life forms will be decomposed and the inorganic matter resulting will be recycled and redistributed to the remaining life forms.

Referring jointly to Figures 3a and 3b, further details of the function of a microcosm 10 will be described. The microcosm, which is a bioregenerative system, reduced to the simplest possible expression, is a dynamically balanced oxidation reduction network driven by light. Figure 3a portrays the basics of such a network.

Photosynthetic organisms, that is, higher plant life forms and/or algae life forms and/or photosynthetic bacterial life forms, reduce carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates and oxygen in the reaction: light energy + 6CO2 + 6H2O < C,H12O6 + 602. Thus, organic material is produced and free oxygen is released into mediums 18 and 20 within vessel 12.

Respiration is the oxidative counter-reaction to photosynthesis. This counter-reaction is: CsH1202 + 602 z heat + 6CO2 + 6H2O. When the animal life forms oxidize their food and when the microbiological life forms oxidize organic residues to inorganic matter, the foregoing fundamental oxidative reaction is at work.

It is to be kept in mind that the actual network of chemical reactions or metabolic pathways in a materially closed microcosm is many orders of magnitude more complex and involves many more chemical elements than the simple basic reactions described above and illustrated in Figure 3a.

Nevertheiess, in the final analysis, reductive production of carbohydrates and oxygen must equal oxidative production of water and carbon dioxideforthe bioregenerative system to attain a state of dynamic balance.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a vessel 12 having an internally located energy source 28. Such energy source may be employed in a vessel 12 when the vessel is placed in an environment incapable of providing an external source of energy or where such external source of energy is impractical or less preferred. The source of power for energy source 28 may be from an external source, as suggested by electrical conductors 30 extending from the vessel.

Alternatively, as depicted in Figure 6, energy source 28 disposed within vessel 12 may have included its own source of power 32. The source of power may be an atomic reactor or other type of power unit capable of long life while providing sufficient power to maintain energy source 28 energized. Means, such as mounting 34 may be employed to secure energy source 28 and its power supply 32 to a wall of vessel 12. Other mounting or locating means are also contemplated.

Referring jointly to Figures 4a through 4e, the process for constructing microcosm 10 will be described. A vessel 12, preferably in the range of 1 to 2 liters, is half to three-fourths filled with liquid medium 18. The liquid medium preferably constitutes distilled water having disolved therein a composition of sea salts to produce a salinity of approximately 11 ppt. These salts may be obtained by evaporating uncontaminated free-flowing sea water. Plant life forms such as microalgae, macroalgae or higher order plants 22, each of which is indigenous to brackish water may be deposited within the vessel. If microalgae is deposited, the initial quantity should be on the order of 2 x 109 cells and if macroalgae is deposited, the cell count should be at least one order of magnitude greater; or, approximately 3 to 6 grams wet weight.The latter criteria are also applicable to higher order plant life forms. Alternatively, the quantity of plant life forms may be measured by volume; one cubic centimeter of gently compressed wet plant life form has produced satisfactory results.

The animal life forms deposited must meet the seven criteria recited above. If ayteid shrimp 24 are deposited, six or less shrimp per liter volume of vessel 12 may be deposited. The deposit of the microbiological life forms 26 may be made coincidentally with the introduction or deposit of the plant life forms and the animal life forms.

While filling vessel 12 with medium 18, the minerals (salts), the plant life forms and the animal life forms, some precaution must be taken to ensure that medium 20 remains uncontaminated air to that a specific uncontaminated mixture of gases, as set forth above, is introduced.

Closing 16 in neck 14 of vessel 12 is preferably performed by localized flame heating using standard glass blowing methodology. The technique employed is critical to ensure rapid closure and thereby to avoid overheating the microcosm or possible glass fracturing due to the large thermal cold mass of the contained fluids. As pointed out above, the integrity of closure 16 must be equivalent to the integrity of the walls of the vessel.

Figure 4d-a illustrates insertion of an energy source 28 within vessel 12 prior to closure of the vessel. Such insertion of an energy source, whether self-contained or powered from an external power source, the latter depicted by wires 30, may be inserted within the vessel for environments not capable of providing an external energy source or where such external energy source is impractical.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in an illustrative embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, elements, materials, and components, used in the practice of the invention which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operating requirements without departing from the principles set forth herein.

Claims (54)

1. A dynamically balanced oxidative/reductive, bioregenerative microcosm capable of adjusting the rates and interdependencies of its metabolic pathways so as to achieve and maintain said dynamic balance by maximizing its utilization of the photosynthetic wavelength energy available to it, said microcosm comprising in combination:: (a) a vessel for defining the boundary of said microcosm; (b) a closure for sealing said vessel; (c) photosynthetic life forms disposed within said vessel for providing oxygen and organic matter in the reductive half of the cycle; (d) non-photosynthetic life forms disposed within said vessel for consuming oxygen, producing carbon dioxide and for providing nitrogen and other inorganic materials for said photosynthetic life forms in the oxidative half of the cycles; (e) means for accommodating interchange of organic and inorganic matter between said photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic life forms; and (f) means for infusing radiant energy into, or generating radiant energy within, said vessel to perpetuate the oxidative/reductive cycle; whereby, said microcosm is a materially closed energetically open ecological system.

2. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said accommodating means comprises a first medium primarily inhabited by said photosynthetic life forms and said non-photosynthetic life forms and a second medium primarily serving as a reservoir for oxygen and carbon dioxide.

3. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said first medium in a saline liquid solution and wherein said second medium is a gaseous mixture of primarily oxygen, and nitrogen.

4. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said second medium is a mixture of at least 80% nitrogen, not more than 20% of oxygen and nontoxic trace gases.

5. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said saline solution includes dehydrated sea salts and distilled water so as to achieve approximately 11 ppt salinity.

6. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said photosynthetic life forms comprise any of photosynthetic bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae and/or angiosperms capable of photosynthetic reduction of carbon dioxide, inorganic nutrients and water to oxygen and of production of carbohydrates and amino acids.

7. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said non-photosynthetic life forms include microbiological life forms and further including animal life forms, said animal life forms being animal life forms disposed within said vessel for consuming organic matter and oxygen produced by said photosynthetic life forms and for producing organic waste and carbon dioxide: the carbon dioxide for consumption by said photosynthetic life forms and the organic wastes for consumption by the microbiological life forms in the remaining part of the oxidative half of the cycle.

8. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said accommodating means comprises a first medium primarily inhabited by said photosynthetic life forms and non-photosynthetic life forms and a second medium primarily serving as a reservoirfor oxygen and carbon dioxide.

9. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 8 wherein said first medium is a saline liquid solution and wherein said second medium is a gaseous mixture of primarily oxygen and nitrogen.

10. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 9 wherein said second medium is a mixture of approximately 80% nitrogen and 20% of oxygen and non-toxic trace gases.

11. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 9 wherein said saline solution includes sea salts and distilled water mixed so as to achieve 11 ppt salinity.

12. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said photosynthetic life forms comprise any of photosynthetic bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae and angiosperms capable of photosynthetic reduction of carbon dioxide and water to oxygen and of production of carbohydrates and amino acids.

13. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 12 wherein said animal life forms comprises aquatic life forms.

14. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 13 wherein said animal life forms comprise ayteid shrimp.

15. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 14 wherein said ayteid shrimp comprise Halocaridina rubra.

16. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said animal life forms comprise a single species having the characteristics of: absence of intraspecies aggression and cannibalism; reproductive characteristics which permit continuity of a balanced oxidation/reduction metabolic cycle within said vessel; absence of metabolic byproducts toxic to any of the life forms; absence of post mortem decomposition products toxic to any of the life forms; immunity to deleterious infection by microorganisms which are actually or potentially endemic to the environment within said vessel which environment is otherwise conductive to the survival of such microorganisms; and, absence of charactistics which would result in the seauestering of critical system resources in a single species and thereby cause such resources to become unavailable to other organisms or groups of organisms within said microcosm.

17. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 16 wherein said animal life forms are ayteid shrimp.

18. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 17 wherein said ayteid shrimp comprise Halocaridina rubra.

19. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said animal life forms have the characteristic of an absence of aggression and cannibalism directed to the same and any other species of said animal life forms contained within said vessel.

20. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said animal life forms have the characteristic of an absence of metabolic by-products toxic to any of said life forms.

21. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said animal life forms have the characteristic of an absence of post mortem decomposition products toxic to any of said life forms.

22. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said infusing means comprises a wall transparent to photosynthetic wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.

23. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said infusing means comprises a wall transparent to photosynthetic wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.

23. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said infusing means is internal to said vessel.

24. A dynamically balanced oxidative/reductive microcosm for sustaining life therein for a period of years in response to irradiation of electromagnetic energy adequate to perpetuate the oxidativel reductive cycle capable of adjusting the rates and interdependencies of its metabolic pathways so as to achieve and maintain said dynamic balance by maximizing its utilization of the photosynthetic wavelength energy available to it, said microcosm comprising in combination: (a) means for defining the boundary of said microcosm, said defining means being chemically opaque to fluids; (b) biota including: 1) biotic photosynthetic means for utilizing carbon dioxide and organic materials to produce oxygen and organic matter in response to irradiation by electromagnetic energy; and 2) biotic means for consuming oxygen and organic matter to produce carbon dioxide and inorganic materials; and (c) means for interchanging the organic and inorganic materials between said biota.

25. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 24 wherein said biotic photosynthesizing means comprises any of photosynthetic bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae and angiosperms capable of photosynthetic reduction of carbon dioxide and water to oxygen and of production of carbohydrates and amino acids.

26. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 24 wherein said consuming biotic means comprises microbiological life forms and animal life forms.

27. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 26 wherein said animal life forms have the characteristics of an absence of aggression and cannibalism directed to the same and any other species of said animal life forms contained within said vessel.

28. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 26 wherein said animal life forms have the characteristic of an absence of metabolic byproducts toxic to any of said biota.

29. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 26 wherein said animal life forms have the characteristic of an absence of post mortem decomposition products toxic to any of said biota.

30. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 26 wherein said defining means comprises a wall transparent to photosynthetic wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.

31. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 24 wherein said defining means comprises a wall enclosing a source of the electromagnetic energy.

32. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 31 wherein said source of electromagnetic energy includes a source of power therefor enclosed within said wall.

33. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 24 wherein said interchanging means comprises a first medium primarily inhabited by said biota and a second medium primarily serving as a reservoir for excess oxygen and nitrogen.

34. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 33 wherein said first medium is a saline liquid solution and wherein said second medium is a gaseous mixture of primarily oxygen and nitrogen.

35. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 34 wherein said second medium is a mixture of at least 80% nitrogen, not more than 20% oxygen and nontoxic trace gases.

36. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 35 wherein said biotic photosynthesizing means comprises any of photosynthetic bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae and angiosperms capable of photosynthetic reduction of carbon dioxide and water to oxygen and of production of carbohydrates and amino acids and wherein said consuming biotic means comprises microbiological life forms and animal life forms.

37. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 36 wherein said animal life forms comprise ayteid shrimp.

38. The microcosm as set forth in Claim 37 wherein said ayteid shrimp comprise Halocaridina rubra.

39. A method for constructing a materially closed energetically open ecological system capable of indefinitely sustaining life upon adequate irradiation of electromagnetic radiation and capable of adjusting the rates and interdependencies of its metabolic pathways so as to achieve and maintain a dynamic balance by maximizing its utilization of the photosynthetic wavelength energy available to it to perpetuate the oxidative/reductive cycle, said method comprising the steps of:: (a) selecting a vessel having its wall of sufficient integrity to be chemically opaque to liquids and gases; (b) depositing a quantity of live and healthy photosynthetic life forms within the vessel; (c) inserting a quantity of live and healthy nonphotosynthetic life forms within the vessel; (d) introducing media within the vessel to accommodate an interchange of organic matter and inorganic materials between the photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic life forms and permit dynamic balancing of the oxidative/reductive cycle; and (f) sealing the vessel with a closure having an integrity at least equal to the integrity of the wall of the vessel.

40. The method as set forth in Claim 39 wherein said step of introducing includes the step of mixing a solution of sea salts and water.

41. The method as set forth in Claim 40 wherein said step of mixing includes the step of mixing distilled water with sea salts to obtain a salinity of 11 ppt.

42. The method as set forth in Claim 41 wherein said step of introducing includes the step of establishing a first medium within the vessel primarily for habitation by the photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic life forms and a second medium primarily serving as a reservoir for oxygen and carbon dioxide.

43. The method as set forth in Claim 39 wherein said step of inserting includes the step of selecting an aquatic animal life form.

44. The method as set forth in Claim 43 wherein said step of selecting includes the step of selecting ayteid shrimp.

45. The method as set forth in Claim 44 wherein said step of selecting includes the step of selecting the species Halocaridina rubra.

46. The method as set forth in Claim 39 wherein said step of depositing includes the step of selecting any of photosynthetic bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae and angiosperms capable of photosynthetic reduction of carbon dioxide and water to oxygen and of production of carbohydrates and amino acids.

47. The method as set forth in Claim 39 wherein said step of depositing includes the step of selecting plant life indigenous to brackish water.

48. A method for creating a microcosm of life forms maintainable live for a period of years within a materially closed energetically open ecological system capable of adjusting the rates and interdependencies of its metabolic pathways so as to achieve and maintain a dynamic balance by maximizing its utilization of the photosynthetic wavelength energy available to it, said method comprising the steps of:: (a) selecting a vessel having walls of sufficient integrity to be chemically opaque to fluids; (b) placing within the vessel media for accommodating interchange of organic and inorganic matter between the life forms; (c) depositing within the vessel life forms which will photosynthetically reduce carbon dioxide, inorganic matter and water to oxygen, carbohydrates and amino acids; (d) locating within the vessel photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic life forms having nucleated cells and having at least the characteristics of: an absence of intraspecies aggression and cannibalism; an absence of metabolic by-products and post mortem decomposition products which are toxic to any of the contained life forms; and, an absence of characteristics which would result in the sequestering of critical system resources in a single species; (e) introducing into the vessel photosynthetic microbiological life forms as well as nonphotosynthetic microbiological life forms, the latter having the functions of oxidizing organic wastes to carbon dioxide and inorganic constituents and providing nutrition for at least some zoological constituents of the vessel; (f) sealing the vessel with a closure having an integrity at least equal to the integrity of the walls of the vessel; and (g) subjecting the biota within the vessel to irradiation by photosynthetic wavelengths adequate to support the necessary level of photosynthesis.

49. The method as set forth in Claim 48 wherein said step of placing includes the steps of placing a first medium primarily inhabited by photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic life forms and a second medium primarily serving as a reservoir for oxygen and carbon dioxide.

50. The method as set forth in Claim 49 wherein said step of locating includes the step of selecting aquatic animal life forms.

51. The method as set forth in Claim 50 wherein said step of selecting includes the step of selecting ayteid shrimp.

52. The method as set forth in Claim 51 wherein said step of selecting includes the step of selecting the species Halocaridina rubra.

53. The method as set forth in Claim 48 wherein said step of locating includes the step of selecting animal life forms having the further characteristic of an absence of interspecies aggression and cannibalism with respect to other animal species contained within the vessel.

54. Apparatus defining a life-supporting environment for human beings or other nonphotosynthetic, non-microbiological life forms, the apparatus including a vessel defining the boundary of the environment, the vessel including closure means for closing the vessel to the atmosphere, the vessel constructed so as to admit photosynthetic wavelength energy and/or incorporating means for generating such energy, photosynthetic life forms disposed in the vessel for providing oxygen and organic matter, non-photosynthetic microbiological life forms in the vessel, and means for accommodating interchange of organic and inorganic matter between the photosynthetic life forms and the microbiological and human beings or other non-microbiological non-photosynthetic life forms, so as to define a dynamically balanced biogregenerative microcosm.