Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

mesocosm

noun

/ˈmɛz.əˌkɒz.əm/

Definition

A mesocosm is a controlled outdoor experiment that examines the natural environment under controlled conditions.

Examples

The researchers set up a mesocosm to study the impact of pollution on aquatic life.
In environmental studies, mesocosms help scientists understand the interactions among species in a controlled setting.

Meaning

It refers to a model ecosystem that represents real-life ecological processes but is smaller in scale and often used for research and educational purposes.