MAP OF BIOSPHERE 2 Biosphere 2 houses several biomes under one roof, each contributing to overall function. One of the challenges faced by designers was how to include a variety of biomes in the close quarters of the 1.2 hectare Biosphere 2 structure. For example, in nature, a tropical rainforest would not be next to an arid desert. To deal with this, an ocean was placed between the desert and rainforest to serve as a temperature buffer.