AnaEE PLATFORMS

Advantages

The Ecotron Hasselt University facility has five main assets:

1. high accuracy in climate control; 
2. high level of control of soil variables (reproducing the vertical gradients of soil temperature and water tension);
3. high degree of soil monitoring (soil suction cups and sensors for water content, soil water tension, soil electrical conductivity, and soil temperature, are all installed at 10, 20, 35, 60, and 140cm deep, and at three different positions per depth, all of these variables measured at a 10-min interval);
4. The ecotrons are linked with an ICOS ecosystem tower, which provides it with real-time data on local weather and soil conditions;
5. interdisciplinary expertise (for example, working in collaboration with climatologists and environmental economists).

Limitations

The infrastructures limitations are fourfold: 

1. it cannot accommodate plants that are taller than 2 meters; 
2. the rain simulator has low accuracy for simulating mist;
3. only half of the units are equipped with phenocams, which are very simple;
4. light cannot be controlled.

Points ii) to iv) could be partially solved by ii) upgrading the valve and nozzle system (ongoing); iii) install phenocams measuring NDVI in all 12 units; iv) install shadings that can automatically be deployed over the domes to lessen incoming radiation and powerful LED systems to simulate increased incoming radiation.