Fytoscopes

Growth chamber facility, Brno

Overview

Enclosed Ecosystem Platform

Parent institution: Global Change Research Centre AS CR v.v.i.
Active since 2013
Active through all year

Co-located with

  • ICOS
  • Emphasis

Fields of study

  • Climatology, Climate Change

Contact Information

No contact information at the moment.

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).

The Location

Country: Czech Republic

Latitude: 49.186986

Longitude: 16.592514

Nearest town: Brno

Distance from neaerst town: 0 km

Relevant Research Questions

The site includes investigation of interactive effects between elevated CO2 concentration, VPD, Light intensity and quality and drought stress on the stomatal responses and impact on plant productivity. Down regulation of photosynthesis under elevated CO2 concentration is also investigated.

Advantages

The experimental facility of growth chambers is focused on the study of global change impacts on plants, particularly the effects of elevated CO2 in combination with other environmental drivers, such as temperature (heat, cold), drought stress, spectral composition of light, VPD etc.

Limitations

In summer time, the technical and scientific staff are more busy with in-natura experiments, ie. support could be limited.

Experimental Capabilities

Experimental Facilities

System of modulated UV-A and UV-B lamps

Experiments duration: Months, Weeks;

Experimental Aerea

Total area: 10 m²

Available area: 10 m²

Availability in time, usually the experiments take several week or months

Experimental Unit Size

unit size: 1 m²

Replicates

Replicates number: 12

Two of them are of smaller size

Temporary storage

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

Available Instruments

  • of them of smaller size
  • Fluorometer PAM 2500
  • Spectroradiometer FieldSpec 4 HiRes
  • UV screening Dualex 4 Flav
  • Leaf area meter ADC AM 350
  • Fluorometer FluorPen FP100
  • Portable spectroradiometer SpectraPen
  • Psychrometric water and osmotic potential Wescor
  • Fluorescence imaging system FluorCam
  • Fluorescence imaging system FluorCam
Electricity

Electricity available on site.

Distance from Laboratory facilities

Climate

Years measured:

Temperature

Mean Temperature: °C

February Mean Temperature: °C

July Mean Temperature: °C

Wind

Mean Annual Speed: m/s

Max. Annual Speed: m/s

Dominant Direction:

Precipitation

Total annual precipitation: mm

Mean snow cover duration: 0 days


State Variables

Continuously Measured

  • Air humidity
  • Air temperature
  • Incident PAR

Spot Measured

  • Canopy temperature
  • Fluorescence
  • Soil temperature
  • Soil water content

Environmental Pressures

Variable Ecosystem Status
CO2 Forest Active
Warming Forest Active
Precip Forest Active
UV Forest Active
Airpoll Forest Planned
Pests Forest Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Forest Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Forest Active
Management - pesticides (or other non-nutrient chemicals) Agrosystem Active
CO2 Agrosystem Active
Warming Agrosystem Active
Precip Agrosystem Active
UV Agrosystem Active
Airpoll Agrosystem Planned
Pests Agrosystem Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Agrosystem Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Agrosystem Active
CO2 Grassland Active
Warming Grassland Active
Precip Grassland Active
UV Agrosystem Active
Airpoll Grassland Planned
Pests Grassland Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Grassland Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Grassland Active
CO2 Shrubland Active
Warming Shrubland Active
Precip Shrubland Active
UV Shrubland Active
Airpoll Shrubland Planned
Pests Shrubland Active
Management - Nutrients (levels or nutrient type) Shrubland Active
Management - species and/or ecotype combinations Shrubland Active

On site Staff and Accomodation

Peak season staff

Up to 4 people

Off season staff

Up to 4 people

Visiting personnel

No visitors allowed.


Bedrooms available

Up to 5 beds

Showers on site

Showers on site

Laundry on site

Laundry on site