Phytotron Operations: 2000-2004

杜克大学人工气候室是一家对植物进行受控环境研究的国家机构，成立于1968年，资金来自国家科学基金会(NSF)和杜克大学。人工气候室拥有48个人工照明的受控环境(CE)生长室、6个研究温室、办公室和实验室，用于环境植物生物学的高级研究。这些生长设施允许精确控制环境条件，例如空气温度、光照强度和日长、营养物质、二氧化碳等，这使研究人员能够更好地了解植物与环境之间的复杂相互作用。人工气候室的使命是为来自美国各地的研究人员提供高质量的CE研究空间、进行CE研究的专业知识以及对实验植物的日常护理。三分之一的项目是由研究生完成的，作为他们论文研究的一部分。博士后研究人员占所有项目的29%。人工气候室在校园内和整个地区对从小学到大学年龄的群体进行教育旅行。平均每年有500名来访的科学家、学生和教师参观该设施。对人工气候室的持续支持增加了NSF在生态研究方面的投资，并将使人工气候室继续并扩大其作为国家受控环境研究和教育机构的作用。

The Duke University Phytotron - a national facility for controlled environment research on plants - was established in 1968 with funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Duke University. The Phytotron houses 48 artificially lighted controlled-environment (CE) growth chambers, six research glasshouses, offices, and laboratories for advanced research in environmental plant biology. These growth facilities permit precise control over environmental conditions, e.g., air temperature, light intensity and day length, nutrients, carbon dioxide, etc., which enables researchers to gain increased understanding of the complex interactions between plants and their environment. The mission of the Phytotron is to provide high-quality CE research space, expertise in performing CE research, and routine care of experimental plants to researchers from all over the United States.The Phytotron is also an important education resource to the scientific community. One-third of all of projects are performed by graduate students as part of their thesis research. Postdoctoral researchers account for 29% of all projects. The Phytotron conducts educational tours to groups from grade school to college age from both on campus and across the region. On average, 500 visiting scientists, students, and teachers tour the facility annually. Continued support for the Phytotron enhances NSF's investment in ecological research and will allow the Phytotron to continue and expand its role as a national facility for controlled-environment research and education.