1. Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.(FVG-IGB), Germany

2. Uni Research AS (UNI), Norway

3. University of Bergen (UIB), Norway

4. Netherlands Institute of Ecology(NIOO/KNAW), The Netherlands

5. AREFSENS Electronics Inc. (RF-SENSE), Turkey

6. Blue Lobster IT Limited. (BLIT), UK

7. Hellenic Centre for MarineResearch (HCMR), Greece

8. Middle East Technical University(METU), Turkey

9. GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), Germany

10. MARine Biodiversity, Exploitation and Conservation (CNRS-MARBEC), France

11. Umeå Marine Science Center(UMU), Sweden

12. WasserCluster Lunz-BiologischeStation GmbH (WCL), Austria

13. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität(LMU), Germany

14. Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS), France

15. Aarhus Universitet (AU), Denmark

16. Finnish Environment Institute,Marine Research Centre (SYKE), Finland

17. University of Helsinki, TvärminneZoological Station (UH), Finland

18. Centro de Biodiversidade eRecursos Genéticos - Universidadede Évora (CIBIO-UE), Portugal

19. Imperial College of ScienceTechnology and Medicine(IMPERIAL), UK

20. Norwegian Institute for WaterResearch (NIVA), Norway

21. Umweltbundesamt(UBA), Germany

Partners

The EU network of mesocosmfacilities for research on marineand freshwater ecosystemsopen for global collaboration

www.aquacosm.eu

Project coordinator: Jens C. NejstgaardTransnational Access (TA) Coordinator: Stella A. BergerProject manager: Carla PinhoForschungsverbund Berlin e.V. Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und BinnenfischereiMüggelseedamm 301 and 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany

AQUACOSM is funded by the European CommissionEU H2020-INFRAIA-project No 731065

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photo: M. Oczipka - HTW Dresden

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AQUACOSM: Network of leadingEuropean Aquatic Mesocosmfacilities connecting Mountainsto Oceans from the Arctic to theMediterranean

Rivers, lakes, estuaries and the open ocean areconnected. Despite this, aquatic research is still dividedin marine and freshwater sciences, with separate fundingsources and experimental science is often conductedat single sites without international coordination. Tochallenge these problems, the H2020 AQUACOSMproject expands the marine FP7 MESOAQUA projectby coordinating research, developing common bestpractices, and opening both freshwater and marinelarge-scale research infrastructures (mesocosms) forinternational cross-discipline participation.

What is a mesocosm?Mesocosms are controlled and replicated experimental water enclosures, large enough (ranging from ca. 1 to 1000 m3) to allow experiments on whole ecosystems in close to natural conditions.Using such mesocosms is currently considered the most reliableway to predict effects of future environmental and anthropogenicpressures on the complex aquatic ecosystems.

Why is AQUACOSM needed?l AQUACOSM brings together scientists from 18 leading

aquatic mesocosm facilities around Europe

l AQUACOSM is the first project to specifically establish collaboration between freshwater and marine experimentalsciences, to meet international environmental challenges ofthe 21st century

l AQUACOSM will develop common best practices for mesocosm experiments, state-of-the-art mesocosm technologiesand sensors to allow direct comparisons of experimental results across facilities, environments and borders towards aglobal understanding of aquatic system functioning

What are the goals of AQUACOSM?l Integrate scattered know-how between freshwater and

marine research mesocosm infrastructures

l Promote ground-breaking developments in mesocosm technology such as new high-frequency measurements and real-time data processing

l Train a new generation of scientists to conduct advanced collaborative experiments in mesocosms

l Offer researchers from around the world a chance to proposeand test new scientific hypotheses at the world-leading European mesocosm facilities. AQUACOSM will offerTransnational Access to at least 340 persons for more than11,500 person-days, to collaborate and exchange ideas between scientists, enterprises and decision makers

l Coordinate Joint Research Activities using the latestmesocosm technologies along geographical gradients from theArctic to the Mediterranean and across salinity boundariesto investigate aquatic ecosystem responses to multipleenvironmental climate-related key stressors

How can YOU get involved?AQUACOSM offers Transnational Access to at least 37 differentsites or installations at 18 leading and highly complementaryEuropean mesocosm facilities. Ranging from the Sub-Arctic to theMediterranean, from mountains to lowlands, from estuarine tofully marine systems, and spanning from ultra-oligotrophic tohyper-eutrophic conditions, they represent a cross section oftypical European aquatic ecosystems. For more information aboutfunding opportunities, meetings and workshops visit:www.aquacosm.eu

photo: Signe Clausen, GEOMAR

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