AnaEE PLATFORMS

Brandbjerg (Climaite)

Open-air Platform

In a dry heathland on sandy soil with vegetation dominated by Calluna vulgaris and Deschampsia flexuosa, the experimental facility aims to simulate future climate change using state-of-the-art manipulation techniques combined with state-of-the-art. At Brandbjerg the ongoing research focuses particularly on two issues: Ecosystem responses to combined changes of all three climate change factors: atmospheric CO2 concentrations, temperature and water availability. Changes in temporal variation patterns including extension of the growing season, increased frequency of freeze/thaw cycles, number of frost free days, frequency of extreme weather events etc. The effects of the treatments on individual species, ecosystem structure and ecosystem functioning are investigated through targeted studies on the soil, plants, meso- and microfauna and microorganisms. The studies include changes in carbon and nutrient balances and circulation, stress tolerance and adaptation, species competition and composition and plant tissue chemistry and herbivory. The research takes advantage of novel research tools, including field scale ecosystem manipulations, stable isotope techniques, controlled herbivory and DNA techniques.

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: University of Copenhagen

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Cultivation Domes / Bily Kriz

Open-air Platform

Domes with adjustable windows (established in 1997) represent a technological approach for in situ investigation of long-term impacts of elevated CO2 on juvenile trees/forests characterized by an intense community level and canopy closure phase. Lamellar windows are constructed from UV-transparent poly-acrylic material closing from the windward side to safe CO2 consumption. The windows can automatically close during the rainy days to investigate drought effect (multi-factorial experiments). Air-conditioning device ensures to keep an ambient temperature. Fumigation with elevated CO2 (700 ppm) is provided during the vegetation season (May-October).

Country:Czech Republic
Parent institution: Global Change Research Institute

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DTU-Risø Experimental fields

Open-air Platform

FACE system in DTU-Risø FACE is designed as movable octagon scaffolds (8 x 30 m2) surrounding the study plots in an agricultural field with gas-fumigation of plants by CO2. This is used for simulating future atmospheric CO2 increment in 4 out of the 8 octagons. CO2 concentrations can be individually controlled in the 4 CO2 octagons. 4 octagons are furthermore used as control. CO2 is usually added during daytime and soil temperature treatments can be manipulated with two systems: 1) Night time warming - aluminium curtains reflect IR during the night, and 2) Diel warming - heat pump technology for increasing and decreasing temperature. This method is going to be developed in the project.

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: Technical University of Denmark

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ETRS-European Tropical Research Stations -PETRS

Open-air Platform

ETRS is the only experimental site in Europe allowing to study tropical rainforests. It is composed of two coordinated sites where long-term environmental monitoring are conducted: forest dynamics monitoring (> 30 years), eddy-flux towers and meteorological stations (>15 years). PETRS (Paracou) is a large-scale (environ 150ha), long-term (>30yr) experiment of forest disturbance (several intensity of biomass removal through logging and silvicultural improvement). NETRS (Nouragues) possess long-term (>30yr) permanent facilities allowing observational and manipulation studies in a remote site. Both sites also host a forest fertilisation experiment (starting 2016). Beyond the initial silvicultural objectives, the sites are of international importance for the study of resilience of tropical forest to global changes and more generally for a broad range of studies including ecosystem science, functional ecology, biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, genetics...).

Country:France (French Guiana)
Parent institution: CNRS, INRA, CIRAD

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ETRS-European Tropical Research Stations -NETRS

Open-air Platform

ETRS is the only experimental site in Europe allowing to study tropical rainforests. It is composed of two coordinated sites where long-term environmental monitoring are conducted: forest dynamics monitoring (> 30 years), eddy-flux towers and meteorological stations (>15 years). PETRS (Paracou) is a large-scale (environ 150ha), long-term (>30yr) experiment of forest disturbance (several intensity of biomass removal through logging and silvicultural improvement). NETRS (Nouragues) possess long-term (>30yr) permanent facilities allowing observational and manipulation studies in a remote site. Both sites also host a forest fertilisation experiment (starting 2016). Beyond the initial silvicultural objectives, the sites are of international importance for the study of resilience of tropical forest to global changes and more generally for a broad range of studies including ecosystem science, functional ecology, biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, genetics...).

Country:France (French Guiana)
Parent institution: CNRS, INRA, CIRAD

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Experimental station Domaninek

Open-air Platform

This facility is under operation since 2012 and is used to simulate future climate conditions, especially the effects of elevated CO2 concentration, drought stress, the influence of UV radiation, nitrogen nutrition and increased temperatures in agricultural ecosystems. The basic part of the experimental station consists of 24 chambers of hexagonal base with side length 2m and diameter of the circumscribed circle 4 m. The basic height of chamber is 2m and above this construction is build the roof with rotating lamellas that allow to control chamber ventilation and manipulate incident rainfall. The chambers are equipped with recirculation system. The number of chambers enable to study all combinations of three environmental factors (e.g. elevated CO2, drought and UV) in three replications. Inside chamber the split plots of barley/wheat and unfertilized/N fertilized are conducted. The chambers are build from two distinct plastic materials (UV transmitting and UV blocking acrylic). The operation is fully automatic based on feedback regulation using CO2 analysers, air temperature sensors inside chamber, soil moisture sensors and rain-gauge. Three outside plots are used to analyse the chamber effect. The station is equipped with a number of instruments for physiological and morhological measurements: Gas exchange systems, fluorometers, spectroradiometers, water potential, leaf area meters etc.

Country:Czech Republic
Parent institution: Global Change Research Institute CAS

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FOULUM (Biobase)

Open-air Platform

FOULUM Agro Ecosystems contains a range of permanent, long-term experiments in arable and bioenergy crop ecosystems, which provides a basis for a detailed analysis of time- and gradient-dependent changes in ecosystem functioning. This can result from different cropping system management practices, i.e. conventional vs. organic and conventional vs. new innovative management practices, including intensity of tillage in combination with residue management and cover cropping, and maximizing primary production through double cropping systems and crops with long growing seasons. This comprises three long-term replicated field experiments representing major current and future agricultural systems in Denmark. Upgrades include equipment for climate manipulation (warming and precipitation changes) and mobile instruments for automatic and continuous measurements of biogeo-chemical cycling (net primary productivity, greenhouse gas fluxes, hydrological flows and nutrient losses).

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology

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FOULUM (Cents) -Tillage and rotation experimental facility

Open-air Platform

Field experiment designed to evaluate tillage and rotation effects on crop production, N-dynamics and leaching, weed and pest development, GHG emissions and soil quality. The experiment was established in autumn 2002. The experiment is a unique long-term experiment where the effect of crop rotation, tillage, residue management and cover crop are evaluated in a systematic design. These management options are all key elements in conservation agriculture

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology

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FOULUM (Cropsys)

Open-air Platform

The experiment compares different fertility building practices in conventional and organic farming arable practices with focus on cereal production. These practices include crop rotations with and without a whole-year grass-clover, use of cover crops (with and without, and with legume-based cover crops in organic farmed plots versus non-legume cover crops in conventional treatments), and with and without manure applied as slurry. There is also a comparison of organic versus conventional management, where the conventional crops are fertilized with mineral fertilizers and the organic with pig manure applied as slurry. The experiment was started in 1997 as a replicated (2 blocks) experiment with 4-course crop rotations with all crops in the rotation represented every year. Eight different fertility building treatments combinations are compared, which makes a total of 64 plots. The measurements include crop dry matter and N yield, total above-ground biomass and N of crops and cover crops, soil nitrate concentration in soil solution using suction cups, biomass and density of weeds, phenology, soil carbon, nitrogen etc. at 4 year intervals, and in addition a number of measurements of soil and plant carbon and nitrogen stocks and flows, e.g. nitrous oxide emissions.

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology

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Grassland drought experimental site Bílý Kříž

Open-air Platform

The infrastructure is focused on drought experiments combined with other factors such as UV radiation, warming or land use. The main objectives of these experiments are to investigate and compare the drought and interactions with other factors in grassland ecosystem in the point of view of future climate scenarios.

Country:Czech Republic
Parent institution: Global Change Research Institute, CAS

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SMEAR II - Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations

Open-air Platform

The station is situated in a 47-year-old (in 2009) Scots pine stand. It has several operational units to reach into and above the stand canopy: a 128 m high tower for atmospheric and flux measurements, one 18 m tower for irradiation and flux measurements, another for tree physiology measurements and 35 m walk-up tower for aerosol measurements. We perform soil and soil-water measurements on two water catchment areas. In the vicinity of the station we measure solar irradiance from 280 to 800 nm with a radio spectrometer. Some 50 to 100 people are involved in the research carried out at the stations, and they produce about 50 peer-reviewed papers annually. The station has been involved in more than 10 EU projects.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: University of Helsinki

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Kevo Subarctic Research Institute

Open-air Platform

The facility investigates long-term changes in subarctic ecosystems, including plant-herbivore interactions, climate change, air pollution, tree line dynamics, palsa mire dynamics, fluvial research, and biodiversity.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: University of Turku

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Lammi Biological Station

Open-air Platform

Lammi Biological Station (LBS) was founded in 1953, with intensive research since early 1970’s. The platform provides long-term data on aquatic ecosystems including: Lake Pääjärvi (1965-), Lake Pääjärvi catchment (inlets, outlet, 1991-), 35 lakes in Evo forest area (1978-), and Lake Valkea-Kotinen (1987-). Long-term data is also provided of terrestrial ecosystems: bird monitoring (1970's-), agricultural and forest, insects (1993-), and small mammals periodically from 1972. Ecosystem manipulations have been conducted since early 1980's. Experimental facilities (greenhouses, research hall, workshop, laboratory rooms, incubation rooms, technical assistance etc.) are available, as well as Chemistry laboratory (2 lab technicians), Meteorological station (FMI), and Hydrological monitoring stations (SYKE). Available are also automated water quality monitoring stations, outdoor insect cages, as well as outdoor insect cages.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: University of Helsinki

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LIRA (Long-term experiments Infrastructure for Research in Agriculture)

Open-air Platform

LIRA is a first core network of 7 sites running long-term experiments (Ancona, Bologna, Foggia, Padova, Perugia, Pisa, and Torino) and 3 modelling sites that was established as a network, and is now operating for the IC-FAR PRIN project (2012-2015; PRIN projects are funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research through a competitive peer-reviewed call). Each site manages one or more long-term experiments. Single LTEs were started from 1962 to 2001. All are based on a plot scale (24 to 100 m2). Experimental designs are randomized blocks, or split-plots, with 3-5 replicates. Agroecosystems are conventional (6 sites) or organic (1 site). A wide part of Italian climatic and soil variability is explored. All LTEs aim at comparing different management options of agroecosystems, at various intensification levels, to improve our knowledge on long term effects of various conservation practices on the complex interactions among soil, plant and environment. The modelling part of the platform network has a wide experience in some crop system models (DSSAT; EPIC; DNDC; ROTHC; Century; CropSyst, Daisy, LEACHM, Sucros, SALUS, CSM). They are currently working together to evaluate climate change impacts on Italian cropping systems, in relation to uncertainties due to future climate and models. Based on specific case studies, data have been organized to allow a broad model utilization. Simulation models have been fed with current climate data and with future climate projections.

Country:ltaly
Parent institution: Università di Bologna, Padova, Perugia, Pisa, Politecnica delle Marche, Torino; CREA; Università di Firenze, Sassari and Udine

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LUKE Northern and Arctic Agrosystem monitoring sites

Open-air Platform

The research platform at Siikajoki is designed for monitoring of GHG emissions and nutrient flow in subsurface drainage waters and in surface runoff waters when organic soils are farmed using alternative crop rotations and cultivation techniques.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

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LUKE Northern and Arctic Agrosystem monitoring sites - satellite Maaninka

Open-air Platform

Country:Finland
Parent institution: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

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O3HP (Oak Observatory at the OHP)

Open-air Platform

The site is equipped with an automated environmental sensing network air, canopy soil, accessible through a dedicated database. Canopy access for the shade and sun crown of dominant trees. Automated soil CO2 efflux system. Participation to SAPFLUXNET. High-end infrastructure for electricity, ethernet, climatised-lab conditions, and field laboratory. Scientific engineer and engineer assistant permanently affiliated to the site. Infrastructure for accommodation, restauration, conferences, mechanic and electronic workshops. Close vicinity to RI ICOS, ACTRIS, NDACC. Running > 10 years in well-protected environment.

Country:France
Parent institution: CNRS

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Oulanka research station

Open-air Platform

Having been established in 1966 to promote research and teaching in biological and geosciences, Oulanka Research Station also functions as a multidisciplinary unit with responsibility to coordinate the university's activities in northeastern Finland. Its modern research and educational facilities provide an inspiring environment not only for researchers and teachers, but also for the organisers of courses, seminars and conferences. There are both an official FMI weather station and an EMEP station which are automated and produce data on many variables. The station is easily accessible around the year (road connection, Kuusamo Airport). Oulanka can accommodate large research groups (72 people) and has an auditorium for max 70 people plus several smaller spaces for group work. The research station has a very recently renovated research laboratory and a student laboratory, also completely renovated very recently. In addition to basic laboratory equipment, there are facilities for DNA extraction, a spectrophotometer, FIA-analyzer, microcentrifuge and sampling equipment for terrestrial and aquatic fieldwork. A carbon analysis system will be installed in 2019, yielding e.g. DOC analysis capabilities. For background material, researchers have access to the long-term monitoring data of surveys carried out at the station. These surveys are very, very numerous and go back several decades. They are also active, so more data accumulates continuously. The student laboratory has advanced optical microscope systems. Zeiss Stereo Discovery.V12 and Axio Scope.A1 microscopes have cameras and can be used with a computer, projecting the live image onto a screen. Computer control makes it possible to use advanced techniques like Z-stacking.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: University of Oulu

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PLEN Agro Ecosystems

Open-air Platform

The PLEN Agro-Ecosystems at UCPH consists of a lysimeter (rain-out shelter and 18 underground growth containers) and two long term experiments (Crucial and Nutrient Depletion Trial) in a fixed design with the same crops and treatments being maintained over several decades. The research uses locally measured weather data (since 1961), high resolution spatial and temporal field measurements of greenhouse gases emissions using automatic chambers and advanced greenhouse gas analysers.

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: University of Copenhagen, Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences

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Puéchabon

Open-air Platform

The site comprises three distincts experimental set-ups: (1) a long-term (>15 years) partial throughfall exclusion experiment replicated three times and crossed with a thinning (-30% basal area) experiment aimed at simulating long-term precipitation decrease in accordance with climate change scenario for the Mediterranean area (-30% of precipitation), (2) a total rainfall exclusion experiment using a mobile roof has been set up to simulate extreme drought events and modify precipitation seasonality, and (3) an eddy-covariance flux tower running continuously since 2001 to measure seasonal variations in ecosystem functioning and year-to-year flux responses to drought and climate.

Country:France
Parent institution: CNRS

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LAUTARET

Open-air Platform

For more than one century, since 1899, the site is a unique infrastructure for short and long-term experimental observation and manipulation of temperate mountain ecosystems from the subalpine to nival belts. It provides facilities and expertise to scientists working at various levels. It includes all infrastructures for carrying out experimental research in high mountain ecosystems under controlled conditions or in the field. This includes buildings for accommodation (hosting capacity of 30 persons, two laboratories (45 and 60 sq. meters) that offers possibilities for samples storages, preliminary treatments and analysis and conferences room (80 p.). Located close to the natural experimental area, the alpine experimental garden and the nursery are devoted for plants germinations (nursery) and growing plant studies in mesocosms and with partially controlled environmental parameters as UV, water supply, soil quality etc. In Grenoble, an alpine green house is devoted to mimic alpine conditions.

Country:France
Parent institution: Université Grenoble Alpes

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Vestskoven

Open-air Platform

At Vestskoven, two chronosequences of afforestation (one in oak (planted 2009, 1993, 1988, 1979, 1977, 1976, 1970, before 1800) and one in Norway spruce (planted 1997, 1990, 1988, 1976, 1973, 1970, 1969) planted on former cropland (i.e. representing land-use change) have been followed for >10 years. Grassland sites are included in measurements on soil and arable land is represented by one cropland field and a major agricultural research station (within 1 km) run by another Copenhagen University institute. All sites are situated on a flat homogeneous plain within a c.1-2 km radius. The influence of land-use change on water quantity and quality, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions and ground vegetation has been followed. In 2011 the chronosequence was resampled to validate the trends predicted by the chronosequence approach. Within each forest stand three replicate measurement plots (radius 10 m) were established. A total of 45 circular plots have been established with soil properties addressed in all while e.g. hydrological budgets and non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions were studied in a subset of plots. Additional plots and gradients have been established for short term investigations. One oak stand (planted 1970) is monitored continuously in three replicates (ICP Forests level II plot, see http://icp-forests.net/page/level-ii).

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: University of Copenhagen

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Viikki Agricultural Production Laboratory (VAPL)

Open-air Platform

UH plans to establish Viikki Agricultural Production Laboratory (VAPL) in 2017–23 to expand the process-orientated research carried out on other land use forms of existing ANAEE-Finland infrastructures to agricultural ecosystems. The farm scale infrastructure includes the measurement facilities for field (Station for Arable Field and Environment, SMEAR Agri). Infrastructure of SMEAR Agri is planned to cover soil (water, air, redox potential), weather, gas (gas emission (automated samplers), 3−5 m eddy towers), and crop (photosynthesis, canopy height (ultrasonic sensor), leaf chlorophyll in canopy, LAI, minirhizotron) measurement facilities on cereal and/or grass fields for integrated agro-environmental research. As an option also runoff and water quality measurements from field are planned to determined.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: University of Helsinki, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry

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Antwerp Meso-scale Ecotron

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Country:Belgium
Parent institution: University of Antwerp

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Biosphere laboratory (dasotrons) Joensuu

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The root laboratory is a unique facility in the European scale. It consists of four large chambers with 24 large root containers. Air and soil conditions can be controlled independently. The annual cycle of trees or herbaceous plants can be speed up, e.g. 2.5 cycles of boreal trees in one calendar year. Environmental conditions and root and shoot responses can be monitored continuously and/or at intervals. This allows detailed studies on the dynamics of root and shoot responses, carbon sequestration and its allocation between organs in response to changing environmental factors.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

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Ecotron Européen Montpellier, Macrocosms platform

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The Macrocosms platform of the Montpellier European Ecotron is a 100 m long building housing 12 identical and independent controlled environment experimental units. It is composed of 14 large transparent domes on the roof of the building (2 serving to eliminate the border effect).

Country:France
Parent institution: CNRS, Institute of Ecology and Environment

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Ecotron Européen Montpellier, Mesocosms platform

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The Mesocosms platform is a versatile experimental facility that can address a wide range of challenging questions in the fields of ecology, climate change, organisms, population, community biology, biodiversity, agronomy and geosciences.

Country:France
Parent institution: CNRS, Institute of Ecology and Environment

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Ecotron Européen Montpellier, Microcosms platform

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The Microcosms platform consists of 12 identical and independent controlled environment growth chambers. These growth chambers can host a variety of microcosms (cages with insects, plants in pots, incubation vials, petri dishes, etc.)

Country:France
Parent institution: CNRS, Institute of Ecology and Environment

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Ecotron Hasselt University

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The ecotron facility is an infrastructure where 12 4.5m3 macrocosms can be separately exposed to various environmental conditions, while their response is being monitored. The platform has been operational since early 2018, then entered a testing phase until end of 2019, and experiments started early 2020.

Country:Belgium
Parent institution: Hasselt University

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Ecotron IleDeFrance - aquatic microcosms platform

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Experimentation on ecosystems is a prominent scientific challenge that requires mastering the dynamics of complex adaptive systems as well as to control and measure various physical, chemical and biological parameters.

Country:France
Parent institution: Centre national de la recherche scientifique et Ecole normale supérieure de Paris

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Ecotron IleDeFrance - Ecolab platform

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Experimentation on ecosystems is a prominent scientific challenge that requires mastering the dynamics of complex adaptive systems as well as to control and measure various physical, chemical and biological parameters. An Ecotron is defined as an experimental system made of replicated units that allow simultaneously the conditioning of the environment of natural or artificial ecosystems and the measurement of key processes generated by living organisms in these ecosystems, including the flow of matter and energy. The basic principle of an Ecotron is to confine ecosystems inside chambers wholly or partially sealed and capable to generate a range of physical and chemical conditions relevant of land or water, continental or marine environments. This confinement allows to measure accurately the exchange of molecules between the ecosystem compartments and thus to provide information on ecosystem processes. The Ecotron IIeDefrance is located in Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours at the CEntre Experimental Research in Ecology and Predictive (CEREEP) and coordinated in partnership with Ecole normale supérieure. It consists of a research building of 1000 m2, a platform of 15 climate chambers (called Ecolab platform) and a platform of aquatic microcosms. Equipment's allow the detailed simulation of climatic environments in artificial conditions for ecological and evolutionary studies on small terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Country:France
Parent institution: Centre national de la recherche scientifique and Ecole normale supérieure

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PLANAQUA - aquatic mesocosms platform

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The research infrastructure provides the scientific community with access to a set of experimental equipment with a high level of instrumentation: (1) Mesocosms with a volume of several cubic meters to several tens of cubic meters, with a high degree of control over thermal gradients and water mixing; mesocosms equipped with beaters to generate waves, making it possible to generate the physical structure of a column of water linked to the mixing of the medium. These facilities, adapted from systems used in fluid mechanics, are the only such facilities anywhere in the world; (2) Instrumentation including sensors to do measurement of the physical and biological properties of water bodies, probes to conduct non-automated, spot measurements of environmental data, and analytical techniques implemented in the laboratory.

Country:France
Parent institution: Ecole normale supérieure and Centre national de la recherche scientifique

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PLANAQUA - artificial lakes platform

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The research infrastructure provides the scientific community with access to a set of experimental equipment with a high level of instrumentation: (1) Sixteen artificial lakes with a volume of several hundreds of cubic meters, connected to each other and equipped with a extensive instrumentation. These systems are innovative in that they integrate littoral, benthic and pelagic zones and that they are large. They should facilitate studies of the functioning of complex communities with particular spatial distributions. (2) Instrumentation including sensors to do continuous time measurement of the physical and biological properties of water bodies, passive integrated transponders antenna networks to continuously monitor fish populations, probes to conduct non-automated, spot measurements of environmental data, and analytical techniques implemented in the laboratory.

Country:France
Parent institution: Ecole normale supérieure and Centre national de la recherche scientifique

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Ecotron TERRA Uliège

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Country:Belgium
Parent institution: University of Liège, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech

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Natural Resources Institute Finland, Suonenjoki Unit

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Our facility consists of a research nursery for forest tree species, a three-department glass house, six growth chambers, open compounds, well-equipped seed and molecular biology laboratories and rodent pest research facility. The research nursery produces a total of 1 million tree seedlings for research and commercial purposes yearly. The nursery was founded in 1968 and it is renovated (last renovations 2014), containing a greenhouse equipped with diverse sensors and a computer programming system, a modern sowing line and a short-day treatment facility. The traditional greenhouses, open compounds for storing the seedlings and field areas where the field performance of the seedlings can be tested enable versatile research of whole cultivation chain of different plant species in a realistic environment. The glasshouse consists of three individually controlled (air temperature and humidity, CO2 concentration) departments, each containing six greenhouse tables that are individually controlled for light intensity and duration and for table irrigation and fertilization. The tables can be isolated for generating diverse light conditions within a department. The new six growth chambers can be controlled for temperature and air humidity. The light intensity and wavelength combinations can be continuously adjusted by using new LED technique. This enables state-of-the-art research in the field of photobiology. Our four air-cooled testing chambers enable accurate studies on plant responses to low air temperatures.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: Natural Resources Institute Finland

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Fytoscopes - Growth chamber facility, Brno

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The facility started its operations in 2013 and consist of 10 large (step-in) and 2 small growth chambers. All the chambers allow regulation of the relative air humidity, temperature and intensity of PAR. In addition, 6 of growth chambers enable to control CO2 concentration and light quality (R,G,B, FR, UV).

Country:Czech Republic
Parent institution: Global Change Research Centre AS CR v.v.i.

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Antwerp FATI

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Country:Belgium
Parent institution: University of Antwerp

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Kainuu fisheries research station

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Kainuu fish hatchery, founded in 1935 by Varisjoki River flowing into Lake Oulujärvi was modernized in the 1990s and 2000s including not only a state-of-the-art aquaculture facility but also an outstanding selection of aquariums, pools and stream channels for experimentation. The research facility, covering an area of about 7 hectares, has been fully dedicated to experimental research purposes since 2005. The station enables extensive possibilities to carry out aquatic ecological, environmental or management-related research in laboratory and semi natural scale experimental arenas. Production scale fish farming experiments are also possible. The research facilities include both indoor and outdoor set-ups of streams (12 + 6), indoor tanks (144), outdoor pools (50) and combined stream-pool systems (40). Video arrays and PIT-telemetry devices are available for observing and monitoring purposes. Water (max 750 l/s) for the streams and pools is taken from Lake Kivesjärvi (surface area 27 km2, mean water pH 6.7, oxygen 9.2 mgl-1, total P 17.0 ygl-1 and conductivity 3.5 mSm-1). All the devices are used throughout the year. Ice cover season in nearby lakes lasts from early November until mid-May. Combination of the above experimental devices and arenas with new technology monitoring systems and with production scales experimental fish farming possibilities makes the station unique for experimental aquatic ecology research in Europe. The strength of the research lies in close co-operation with other aquatic research facilities and fish farms of Natural Resources Institute Finland and in extensive co-operation with leading research teams in aquatic ecology in the Finnish universities of Eastern Finland, Oulu, Helsinki and Jyväskylä.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: Senate properties

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PLEN Phytotron

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The facilities include of state-of-the-art automated greenhouses, climate chambers and semi-field experiments, where all growth parameters can be managed (Incl. CO2). The ongoing research at the facilities have a particular focus on the effects of climate gradients and extremes on the physiology and growth of crop plants, as well as basic research investigating the interactions between plants, insects and microorgansims (Ecosystems approaches). The present plant growth facilities in Taastrup include: • 1200 m2 greenhouse, divided into 10 units of 50 m2 and 2 units of 36 m2 (2014) • 1250 m2 greenhouse, divided into 4 growth units of 250 m2 (1994) • 300 m2 greenhouse, divided into 10 growth units of 25 m2 (1985) • 6 walk-in growth chambers, each with 3 m2 growth area (1962, continuously updated) • 4 reach-in growth chambers, each with 1 m2 growth area (1985) • 3 rooms for vernalisation of plants, with a total of 55 m2 (2002) • 1 growth chamber with freezing temperatures, 3 m2 (1995)

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: University of Copenhagen, Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences

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Risø Environmenral Risk Assesment Facility (RERAF)

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

RERAF is a unique plant growth facility belonging to a new generation of phytotrons. Plant and microbial populations, communities, and model ecosystems can be studied under climate conditions ranging from subarctic to tropical. RERAF is built to support 6 large chambers, each 75 m3, that individually can be controlled with respect to temperature, Relative humidity, light (Max 400 micromol photons m-2 s-1), CO2 concentration in air (ambient to 990 ppm) and ozone (up to 199 ppb).

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: Technical university of Denmark

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Silkeborg lake experimental facility

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

A unique long-term (with 11 years so far the world’s longest running) flow-through mesocosm experiment addressing climate-change effects on lakes under contrasting nutrient levels and water clarity. This results in two alternative states typical of shallow lakes: a clear-water, macrophyte-dominated state with small zooplanktivorous fish populations versus a turbid, phytoplankton-dominated state with relatively large zooplanktivorous fish populations. Twenty-four cylindrical outdoor mesocosms, each 2.8 m3 in volume are used. Ground water is pumped into the mesocosms just above the sediment and drained through an outlet at the water surface. The theoretical water retention time is 2.5 months. The water in the mesocosms is continuously mixed by paddles and heated by electrical elements. Three temperature regimes are run: ambient temperature and two elevated temperatures according to the IPPC climate scenarios A2 and A2 + 50 %, down-scaled to local 25 × 25 km grid cells. The modelled temperature difference for the A2 scenario is generally higher in August to January (max. 4.4 °C in September) than during the rest of the year (min. 2.5 °C in June). Individual mesocosms of each temperature regime are run at either low or high nutrient concentrations. The latter are obtained by weekly dosing of N and P. There are four replicates of each treatment. Samples of macrophytes, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and ciliates are regularly sampled, currently at monthly intervals. Occasional bacterioplankton and flagellate samples are also collected. Whole-system gross primary production and respiration are continuously determined by measuring diel concentration changes of oxygen and pH with permanently installed probes in all mesocosms.

Country:Denmark
Parent institution: Dep. of Bioscience, Aarhus University

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Station d'Ecologie théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis -Facility Metatron

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

This facility is located on the Commune of Caumont in Ariège (France) and has been operational since 2011. It comprises 48 habitats enclosed with insect-proof nets, each with a surface of 100-m² and a height of 2-m in which we can monitor and manipulate climatic conditions (temperature, humidity or solar radiation) thanks to shutters and sprinklers and manipulate species movements among units with corridors. Each enclosure acts as a mini ecosystem, with natural vegetation and insect communities and a relatively wide variety of thermal microhabitats (shaded, dense, and diverse vegetation, sun-battered rocks and logs, and ponds). Diversity within these enclosed habitats is relatively high, with more than 140 plant species (~50 species per enclosure) and 123 invertebrate families (~40 invertebrate families per enclosure) are found within the enclosures, compared to 134 plant species and 106 invertebrate families found in the nearby outside habitat. Enclosures can be connected by corridors which allow species to freely disperse from one unit to another.

Country:France
Parent institution: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS-Université Paul Sabatier

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Country:France
Parent institution: CNRS

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Mesodrome

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The facility includes 1000 m² greenhouse, equipped with natural light and climate monitoring. There is also 16 ponds, 2 m in diameter, with 1.3 m water height. The facility provides 4 raceways, 5 m x 0.50 m, with 60 cm water height. These include adjustable flow rate (0 – 1.5 m/s), controlled temperature, and are equipped for respirometry, freshwater and marine systems. Aquaculture facility (2 x 3.7 m³) provides multiple available sensors. Mesodrome facility has been operational since end of 2016.

Country:Belgium
Parent institution: University of Antwerp

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Algolab

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

The aim is to get ecologically and also bio-economically relevant information on performance of microalgae in relation to different environmental drivers and on their omics as well as high value metabolites. After getting a large scale growth facility, the lab has been fully operational since summer 2018.

Country:Finland
Parent institution: University of Helsinki, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

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FO3X

Open-air Platform

FO3X (Free-air O3 eXposure) started its activity in June 2015. It is a multidisciplinary study to assess the effects of increasing tropospheric ozone and other stress factors on vegetation under ambient conditions.

Country:Italy
Parent institution: CNR

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