How silly to obstruct the sun. Just look up do you see any thing when outside of the building that you are in, Dah... also I wonder what the proportions of land to water and air were inside the dome as compared to Earth's real area cubed.

What a shame that they didn't take their science a little more seriously. Harold, remember that article about a machine that can scrub CO2 from the air? What's wrong with combining natural plants and a CO2 filter to regulate how much CO2 is in the air? Surely when people go to Mars they will use both.

I do remember that we were dreaming up the concepts of how to make something of this work. I was thinking of condensing it to a liquid form and then using electrolisys to seperate the elements much like water is done. The domes did have Plants of many varieties. Having the food cycle interupted by bad weather outside of the dome means you need more than one dome to make use of better locations that would allow for better plant growth and for oxygen regenration. This also meant that there were to many people inside the dome for the amount of available resources as well.

Remember those days, long ago, when in kindergarten individuals planted Marigold seeds in the styrofoam cups--how few of them survived.
What the 'teachers' didn't know or inform their students was that styrofoam produces a toxic gas from the interaction of H20, plus small amounts of peroxides in the soil mixture--yet some of the Marigolds did grow and survive the bus ride home to the garden.
Oh Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow? Well, from those days, hopefully individuals have grown in wisdom and knowledge--
Anyway, The utilization of 'CO2 scrubbers' probably did not occur because of the technology available during the Biosphere project. So even though the simulated biosphere encountered this issue, it wasn't a complete failure. Often, individuals have to learn from the failures before they succeed. How many times have I watched one of my great nephews or nieces in their 'attempt' at walking--to see them fall flat on their face--yet in time, they are runing and climbing.
The Biosphere Project, recreated ecological niches and biomes for a variety of life forms. Some plants and animals became 'extinct' during the project. Even though this 'extinction event' occurred, due to the higher CO2 levels and other factors, this too showed success. A question could be asked on the true biosphere--what would occur if CO2 levels continued to rise on the Earth? personals.galaxyinternet.net/tunga/Venus.htm provides some interesting thoughts.
If Terraforming were to happen in the future, an excellent analogy of that potential society--"Total Recall"; where mining operations create vast networks of tunnels in the Valley. Glass enclosures providing access to the 'outside' landscape, ventilation systems, and access to underground caverns of flowing or frozen water.
The Martian soil is saline, like that around the Salton Sea, Death Valley, Dead Sea or Aral Sea. Yet, in geological areas, it may consists of phosphates (fertilizers) of volcanic origin and other mineral ash deposits.
Terrestial volcanic ash produces some of the finest soils--but the ash must first be broken down by micro-organisms and bacterial forms of life; before higher plant growth occurs. Referencing the productivity from volcanic islands; such as sugarcane or pineapples from tropical islands of the Pacific, for this analogy.
If terraforming were to occur, Mars unfortunately would not be a tropical island extension of human population. Plant species that are extremely hardy, micro-organisms from the polar regions of the Earth or Andean/Napal highlands would have to be selected. Potentially modified through genetic engineering with saline tolerant species of plants from the areas mentioned above. Which probably would be the first attempts of plant life outside the protective enclosures.
Still, while there is much already known and learned, will those 'Marigolds' grow and live or will they too shrivel up and die like those of youth?
While Biosphere 2, seemily was a utopian failure--some successful results occurred. The cockroaches outlived the Dinosaurs...maybe humanity is next in the rearview mirror of the cockroaches existance. (Something to think about.)

You are right about the biosphere not being a total failure and that much can be learned from success or from failure. They project was stopped so in and of itself we failed more than it did. You are also right with assuming that hearty plant, animal and water creatures will need to be selected if teraforming is to be effective. Not only must they survive the the initial transplanting on Mars but they must also endure the travel time in near 0Gs as well.

Thank you Harold, as you concur with supporting ideas.
Consider the traveling time in zero-g. Bio-diversity seed banks exists where the genotypes are currently stored. Crops of genetic viable foods are occasionally grown to ensure the genetic qualities of these spieces of plants continue to exist. The 'pure' strains perserved, and occassionally modification with the regular store variety for consumption. Any transportation of plants would occur with containers of seeds. Thus, a 9 month travel, is actually less than the current storage time for these particular seeds.
There have been documentated circumstances, of researches digging into the permfrosted regions and discovering seeds of plants while exposing Mammoth or European Wooly Rhino remains--to find that the plant seeds (some) are still viable.
Harold, you might want to follow up on Biotechnology and Seed Banks, thus apprieciating the current seed-containment procedures available. Providing a reference source of this understanding.

I had forgotten to mention the Biotechnology and Seed Banks they were in my memory banks but needed refreshing from days of old in the 4H and boy scouts. Also as part of the journey those plants that could make the transistion from growing in 0G's to Mars gravitaional strenghts would make a good starting crop for transplanting, this also would be a good Idea. Allowing for the seeds to get started before eating the first Mars patially grown crops. This would give practice in aiding crops to survive the new conditions and experience for the crew or colonists.