Mesoscale Ecotrons

The scientific community is asked to provide clarity on the impacts of climate change (including climate extremes) on ecosystem services such as food production, water provisioning and CO2 storage, and to suggest pathways towards adaptation. To do that, scientists need cutting-edge infrastructure specifically built for this purpose, such as the so-called "Ecotron". Ecotrons are enclosed automatically climate-controlled systems that allow for continuous sampling of the various trace gas and stable isotopic fluxes between the ecosystem and the atmosphere, in addition to other ecosystem parameters in soil and water. With their complex conditioning systems, they enable simultaneous manipulation of multiple abiotic drivers: elevated CO2, controlled changes in air temperature and air humidity, and varying rainfall (irrigation). Each ecotron unit consists of a lower compartment that contains a lysimeter (container with soil and plants that is weighed at high precision) and an upper compartment (transparent dome) that simulates the atmosphere. By sampling inlet and outlet air, trace gas fluxes (CO2, H2O) are continuously determined, also allowing to control their concentration. In short, Ecotrons thus combine accurate climate control with the continuous measurement of a range or biotic and abiotic variables.

Type: Equipment

Location type: Single sited

Accessibility: Everyone

User modalities: The platform is part of ESFRI AnaEE(-Europe), and is open to external users, who pay a fee. More information: www.anaee.eu or contact hans.deboeck@uantwerp.be

Disciplines: Biological sciences, Ecology, Ecotoxicology, Terrestrial ecology, Environmental science and management not elsewhere classified

Technology domains: Environmental technology

Keywords: ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION, CLIMATIC EXTREMES, DISTRIBUTED INFRASTRUCTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES