Ecotron IleDeFrance

Ecolab platform

Overview

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Parent institution: Centre national de la recherche scientifique and Ecole normale supérieure
Active since 2016
Active through all year

Fields of study

  • Climatology, Climate Change
  • Environmental sciences, Pollution
  • Geology, Sedimentology
  • Geophysics
  • Soil science
  • Marine biology
  • Terrestrial biology, Ecology
  • Limnology

Contact Information

Abiven, Samuel
email: ecotron@bio.ens.psl.eu

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email:

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.

The Location

Country: France

Latitude: 48.28735556

Longitude: 2.676289

Nearest town: Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours

Distance from neaerst town: 3 km

Relevant Research Questions

Our mission is to provide experimental tools to understand the functioning of ecosystems, organisms and biodiversity in response to environmental changes including:

  • climate change (air temperature and rainfall simulations in real time, air CO2 concentrations) including climate trends and extreme events
  • air pollution (ozone manipulation) and water pollution
  • biodiversity changes including soil and water communities of micro-organisms, soil and water macrofauna, plants, native and invasive species

Advantages

Ecotron IleDeFrance belongs to a new generation after that of London Ecotron in Silwood Park and that of the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada. It is characterised by a larger number of experimental units (at least 12 per platform) and is better equipped and instrumented, which allows to study interactions between environmental factors in a robust statistical framework in controlled conditions - a necessity since these interactions are at the heart of ecosystem functioning.

The Ecotron IleDeFrance simulates a range of environments much larger than what was done in previous infrastructure including low temperatures, low oxygen partial pressure, specific spectral composition of light, as well as fast and slow changes. This offers the possibility to study new types of ecosystems and to test original hypotheses. These environmental conditions, including extremes, will stimulate the interest of biologists, including those interested in the genetics and physiology of complex traits. The Ecotron IleDeFrance also proposes a capacity of online measurement of ecosystem processes, including soil and water temperature, soil humidity, soil CO2 gas concentration, and flexible in situ sampling protocols (e.g. for soil liquid samples). This will allow a deeper understanding to develop predictive models of ecosystem functioning.

Limitations

The Ecotron IleDeFrance has now 15 climate chambers (out of 18 slots) and a fully operational set of aquatic microcosms. The staff of technicians and engineers has been expanded (currently, 4 of the 5 staff have a permanent contract). Improvement of database management and quality procedures is still in progress.

Experimental Capabilities

Experimental Facilities

Greenhouse, laboratory growth rooms, cabinets

Experiments duration: Months, Weeks;

Experimental Aerea

Total area: 2000 m²

Available area: 0 m²

Experimental Unit Size

unit size: 5 m²

Replicates

Replicates number: 13

Temporary storage

  • Dark room
  • Drying oven
  • Freeze drier
  • Freezer
  • Liquid N
  • Refrigerator
  • Other

Available Instruments

  • Continuous segmented flow analyzer for dissolved nutrients analysis (Seal Analytical)
  • Flow cytometer for microbial communities analysis (BD Biosciences)
  • Picarro G2101 CDRS for isotopic CO2 in ambient air
  • Total alkalinity titrator (Metrhom)
  • Optical Oxygen meter (Pyrosciences)
  • Shimadzu TOC analyser
  • Picarro G2401 CDRS and combustion module for isotopic CO2 in solid samples
  • Picarro G2101 CDRS for isotopic CO2 in ambient air
Electricity

Electricity available on site.

Distance from Laboratory facilities

Climate

Years measured:

Temperature

Mean Temperature: 11.2 °C

February Mean Temperature: 1 °C

July Mean Temperature: 13.5 °C

Wind

Mean Annual Speed: m/s

Max. Annual Speed: m/s

Dominant Direction:

Precipitation

Precipitation type: Rain;

Total annual precipitation: 633 mm

Mean snow cover duration: 0 days

State Variables

Continuously Measured

  • (aquatic) pH
  • (aquatic) Water temperature
  • Air humidity
  • Air temperature
  • Atmospheric pressure
  • Incident PAR
  • Incident shortwave radiation
  • Soil temperature
  • Soil water content

Spot Measured

  • (aquatic) Chlorophyl
  • (aquatic) Conductivity
  • (aquatic) Nutrient levels
  • (aquatic) Oxygen content
  • (aquatic) Turbidity
  • Canopy temperature
  • Phenology
  • Population densities
  • Species richness

Environmental Pressures

Variable Ecosystem Status
CO2 Forest Active
Warming Forest Active
Precip Forest Active
UV Forest Active
Soileutroph Forest Active
Airpoll Forest Active
Soilerosion Forest Active
Desert Forest Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Forest Active
Management - pesticides (or other non-nutrient chemicals) Forest Active
Management - conventional vs. organic or other eco-friendly practice Forest Active
Management - rotation practice Forest Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Forest Active
Management - traditional (or native) vs. new (or non-native) species Forest Active
Biodiversity Forest Active
CO2 Agrosystem Active
Warming Agrosystem Active
Precip Agrosystem Active
UV Agrosystem Active
Soileutroph Agrosystem Active
Airpoll Agrosystem Active
Soilerosion Agrosystem Active
Desert Agrosystem Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Agrosystem Active
Management - tilling or other physical manipulation Agrosystem Active
Management - pesticides (or other non-nutrient chemicals) Agrosystem Active
Management - conventional vs. organic or other eco-friendly practice Agrosystem Active
Management - rotation practice Agrosystem Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Agrosystem Active
Management - traditional (or native) vs. new (or non-native) species Agrosystem Active
GMO Agrosystem Active
Biodiversity Agrosystem Active
CO2 Grassland Active
Warming Grassland Active
Precip Grassland Active
UV Grassland Active
Soileutroph Grassland Active
Airpoll Grassland Active
Soilerosion Grassland Active
Desert Grassland Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Grassland Active
Management - pesticides (or other non-nutrient chemicals) Grassland Active
Management - conventional vs. organic or other eco-friendly practice Grassland Active
Management - rotation practice Grassland Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Grassland Active
Management - traditional (or native) vs. new (or non-native) species Grassland Active
GMO Grassland Active
Biodiversity Grassland Active
CO2 Shrubland Active
Warming Shrubland Active
Precip Shrubland Active
UV Shrubland Active
Soileutroph Shrubland Active
Airpoll Shrubland Active
Soilerosion Shrubland Active
Desert Shrubland Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Shrubland Active
Management - pesticides (or other non-nutrient chemicals) Shrubland Active
Management - conventional vs. organic or other eco-friendly practice Shrubland Active
Management - rotation practice Shrubland Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Shrubland Active
Management - traditional (or native) vs. new (or non-native) species Shrubland Active
GMO Shrubland Active
Biodiversity Shrubland Active
CO2 Lake Active
Warming Lake Active
Precip Lake Active
UV Lake Active
Soileutroph Lake Active
Airpoll Lake Active
Soilerosion Lake Active
Desert Lake Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Lake Active
Management - pesticides (or other non-nutrient chemicals) Lake Active
Management - conventional vs. organic or other eco-friendly practice Lake Active
Management - rotation practice Lake Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Lake Active
Management - traditional (or native) vs. new (or non-native) species Lake Active
Biodiversity Lake Active

On site Staff and Accomodation

Peak season staff

Up to 15 people

Off season staff

Up to 15 people

Visiting personnel

Up to 15 visitors

Bedrooms available

Up to 36 beds

Showers on site

Showers on site

Laundry on site

Laundry on site