Research Facilities
Two field laboratories, one channel flow system (the “Old Hatchery “), and a workshop are located at the Eusserthal Ecosystem Research Station.
Field laboratory for running waters
The field laboratory for running waters is situated at the northern site of the research station. Since the renaturation work of the “Sulzbach” in 2014, the entire creek as well as the adjacent terrain are available as study sites for various research aspects. The sites are equipped with a suite of sensors, which continuously record data on water temperature, conductivity, and water level. This monitoring is intended to provide long-term insights into potential changes to the water system.
Field laboratory for standing waters
The field laboratory for standing waters includes three fishponds as well as twelve similarly shaped floodplain basins to study water-land interactions. The fishponds provide opportunities to carried out experiments under similar hydrologic but different abiotic conditions, while in the floodplain basins water dynamics are controllable on an individual level. In addition, each basin includes sensors that continuously record abiotic conditions, such as water temperature, conductivity, and water level.
Channel flow system “Old Hatchery “
EERES maintains a modern flow channel system consisting of sixteen stainless steel channels in a building of the former fish breeding facility of the Landesfischereiverband Pfalz e.V., the so-called "Old Hatchery". In these model ecosystems (mesocosms) the impact of stream flow on aquatic communities can be studied under realistic, but controlled and reproducible conditions.
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