Facilities: Reno
Frits Went Laboratory (B. Coulombe)

EcoCELL Research Publications (click on citation for more information)

1. Hui D., Luo Y., Cheng W., Coleman J.S., Johnson D.W., and Sims D.A.. (2001): Canopy radiation- and water-use efficiencies as effected by elevated [CO₂]. Global Change Biology 7(1): 75-92.
2. Cheng W., Sims D.A., Luo Y., Coleman J.S., and Johnson D.W. (2000): Photosynthesis, respiration, and net primary production of sunflower stands in ambient and elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations: An invariant NPP:GPP ratio? Global Change Biology 6(8): 931-941.
3. Cheng W., Sims D.A., Luo Y., Johnson D.W., Ball J.T., and Coleman J.S. (2000): Carbon budgeting in plant-soil mesocosms under elevated CO₂: locally missing carbon? Global Change Biology 6: 99-109.
4. Sims D.A., Cheng W., Luo Y., and Seemann J.R. (2000): Photosynthetic acclimation to elevated CO₂ in a sunflower canopy. Journal of Experimental Botany 50: 645-653.
5. Luo Y., Hui D., Cheng W., Coleman J.S., Johnson D.W., and Sims D.A. (1999): Canopy quantum yield in a mesocosm study. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 100: 35-48.
6. Griffin K.L., Ross P.D., Sims D.A., Luo Y., Seemann J.R., Fox C.A., and Ball J.T. (1996): EcoCELLs: tools for mesocosm scale measurements of gas exchange. Plant, Cell and Environment 19: 1210-1221.

Stands of sunflower plants growing in natural soil in DRI's meso-scale EcoCELL ecosystem physiology facility in atmospheres containing either (a) current ambient levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (350 µl CO2 l-1), or (b) anticipated future levels (700 µl CO2 l-1; expected by year 2100 at CO2's current global exponential rate of increase). Other than atmospheric CO2 concentration, the environmental conditions in both EcoCELLs were the same. Each EcoCELL serves as an extremely large open-flow gas exchange chamber, enabling the continuous quantification of net ecosystem CO2 (Net Ecosystem Exchange: NEE) and water vapor fluxes that facilitate the assessment of atmospheric CO2 concentration on ecosystem carbon and water budgets. The EcoCELLs are located in the Frits Went Laboratory glasshouse. Articles 1 through 5 in the publication list above present results of the experiment using the model sunflower stands.

Ecocell Specifications
EcoCELL cross sectional view
EcoCELL Research Publications

For more information on the EcoCELLs, please contact Mr. Bill Coulombe at (775) 674-7038 or via email at Bill.Coulombe@dri.edu.