KOSMOS
Kiel Offshore Mesocosms for Ocean Simulations
Mesocosm design
A KOSMOS mesocosm consists of a huge translucent plastic bag connected to a flotation frame and anchored in the sea, with the only opening being well above sea level.
Size of the mesocosms
In our studies, we can decide between two differently sized mesocosm-setups, the “small” mesocosms each enclose ~8000 L of seawater, while the “big” mesocosms each hold up to 50.000 L.
Natural conditions
In both mesocosm set-ups, the enclosed water is inhabited by a natural plankton community - from algae and bacteria over little protozoans up to crustaceans and even in some cases small fish.
Future simulations
In the mesocosms, we can simulate future conditions, such as the implementation of OAE, in a plankton community under natural conditions, but safely enclosed in our bags.
A KOSMOS study usually takes place over 2-6 month to allow for enough time for the communities to react to the applied treatment and gather sufficient scientific data to interprete the results successfully.
Learn more
about our recent mesocosm studies