Dynamics of Aquatic Ecosystems
Facilities
Published 13 June 2006
IBED WATER Experimental facilities
Phytoplankton continuous culture vessel
Artificial streams to incubate soft sediments under a natural flow of water
BENTHATRON - Sediment incubation facilities
BENTHATRON -a facility currently under construction- follows the general approach of established ‘cosm’ studies to analyze processes operating in larger natural systems, but is distinguished by the following specific aims:
- to elucidate the interaction between (natural) chemical and physical conditions of soft sediments and benthic biota,
- to compare the response of single species of benthic biota and (synthetic) multi-species communities
- to analyze the role of sediment nutritional value and toxicants sequestered in sediments in structuring benthic community composition
BENTHATRON support the following research lines:
- Life strategies of benthic invertebrate species in contaminated and disturbed sediments
- Structure and function of multi-species associations of attached micro-algae
- Spatial ecology of soft-bottom communities
A list of completed and running contracts indicates the perspective for a BENTHATRON in commissioned research. A demand for benthic studies is likely since the management of polluted sediments in The Netherlands and abroad is a major issue, especially under the new EU regulations. The availability of BENTHATRON is also likely to strengthen the growing network with fundamental science via the Centre for Wetland Ecology
Source: IBED WATER webmaster