mesocosm

[ mee-zuh-koz-uhm, mez-uh- ]

noun

, Environmental Science.

1. a relatively large, controlled outdoor experimental environment or ecosystem, as opposed to one in a laboratory: Compare microcosm ( def 3 ).

   The research facility, with 50 3,000-liter shallow freshwater mesocosms, is one of Europe's largest.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesocosm¹

First recorded in 1980–85; meso- ( def ) + -cosm ( def )

Example Sentences

“You have so little space and a limited system. In the mesocosm, you are manipulating a natural system.”

From New York Times

These mesocosm canopies looked much like a pop-up canopy tent, but with mesh screen sides.

From Salon

Best says that her mesocosm experiments are more sophisticated and realistic than lab studies, but less easy to control.

From Scientific American

Best says that her mesocosm experiments are more sophisticated and realistic than lab studies, but less easy to control.

From Nature

In each mesocosm, one plant was surrounded by a mesh penetrated by holes half a micron across.

From Economist