Environmental Change Outdoor Laboratory
The Environmental Change Outdoor Laboratory (EcoLaboratory) is a large open-air facility led by internationally-recognised environmental science researchers at the University of Birmingham.
The EcoLaboratory is a research platform that uses mesocosms (controlled outdoor experimental systems) to study environmental challenges such as climate change and pollution. Located on the University of Birmingham's campus, it features over 100 mesocosms and advanced monitoring equipment. This facility allows researchers to manipulate environmental conditions and integrate research across various scientific disciplines, providing valuable insights into the impacts of environmental changes.
As well as a modular laboratory to process environmental samples and conduct experiments, EcoLaboratory also has:
- A distributed sensor network for monitoring a range of water quality parameters (inc. dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity and temperature to name a few) can be used to create feedback control loops for manipulating the physical and chemical properties of these model systems
- Water supply - Bore hole and pump, groundwater distribution to multiple nodes across the facility
- A range of pumps for flow control across multiple scales
- Fully networked across the site with potential to connect all sensors to Internet of Things (IOT)
Surber samples designed for use with the mesocosms enable quantification of invertebrate communities associated with the substrate
Recirculating flume mesocosms at the EcoLaboratory
Kick sampling in local rivers to seed channels with invertebrates
Custom-made traps to quantify emergence from the channels
RDO sensor, utilising fluorescence quenching to measure dissolved oxygen in water
Contact us
We welcome enquiries from internal and external researchers and commercial clients. To find out more, please contact
Mark Ledger - Facility Director (m.e.ledger@bham.ac.uk)