Research infrastructure

Summary

A spatially distributed mesocosm facility located across four sites in Hungary (Zánka: Gyógynövény-völgy, Fülöpháza: Kiskun LTER site, Vácrátót: ‘Tízhold’ part of the National Botanical Garden, Balmazújváros: Hortobágy Environmental Association). It was built following the design of the Iberian Pond Network. Each of the four sites are standardized, consisting of 24 mesocosms of 1000 litres each, installed 1.5 m apart from each other. They were designed to mimic natural ponds, with local topsoil used as sediment and hosting aquatic communities originating from nearby natural ponds. The facility is planned for long-term (several years) experiments studying the effects of locally and globally relevant stressors. Each system is equipped with a computer-controlled heating system with a possibility for remote access and control. Temperature manipulation in 12 mesocosms is possible at each site, using the temperature of the 12 control mesocosms as a baseline. Together with the CER mesocosms, they were selected among the Excellent and Emerging Research Infrastructures in Hungary (“Emerging” category) by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office.

mesocosm.org

researchinfrastructures.hu