**Uppsala University** is the oldest university in the Nordic countries and ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe. The University has a long tradition of excellence with its high quality education and world-class research. Uppsala University is a partner of the Swedish Infrastructure of Ecosystem Sciences (SITES), which is a nationally co-ordinated infrastructure consisting of terrestrial and limnological field stations. Within SITES, Uppsala University coordinates the modular standardised mesocosm infrastructure SITES AquaNET, which is located at 5 different field stations that are members of SITES. SITES AquaNET is unique as it provides facilities for harmonised and standardised experiments to be carried out in 5 lakes along environmental and geographic gradients.

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 silke.langenheder@ebc.uu.se

- Outdoor, freshwater, deployed in an adaptable jetfloat, placed in the lake Erken close to the campus of the research station.
- 20 hardshell PE enclosures (ø = 0.9 m, depth =1.5 m, volume = 700 l). Possibility to use PE-film enclosures
- Sensor system for a minimum of 16 mesocosms: Agogee SQ-500 sensor for PAR, oxygen optode 4531 sensor (Aandeera) for dissolved oxygen and temperature, Trilux (Chelsea) for chlorophyll a fluorescence, turbidity and phycocyanin fluorescence

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SITES AquaNet is a modular infrastructure with mesocosm facilities in lakes connected to 5 field stations (Asa, Bolmen, Erken, Skogaryd, Svartberget) that are part of the Swedish Infrastructure for Ecosystem Science (SITES). SITES AquaNet is coordinated by Uppsala University and the associated partners are the Swedish Agricultural University (SLU), Gothenburg University (GU) and Sweden Water Research (SWR). The unique feature of SITES AquaNet is that it is fully standardised across sites and therefore enables modularised experimental manipulations in lakes along a latitudinal gradient in Sweden. This includes a sensor and data logging system to measure in each mesocosm real-time environmental parameters, such as DO, temperature, photosynthetic active radiation, chlorophyll, phycocyanin and turbidity. The lakes in each respective station (Stortjärn, Erken, Erssjön, Feresjön and Bolmen) vary in local environmental conditions: <a href="https://www.fieldsites.se/en-GB/sites-thematic-programs/lakes-in-sites-44856978" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.fieldsites.se/en-GB/sites-thematic-programs/lakes-in-sites-44856978</a>.  This allows to achieve general conclusions on ecological phenomena; particularly how local differences between important variables across sites (e.g., temperature, elevation, nutrients and water colour) mediate the outcomes of experimental manipulations of explanatory predictors for the phenomena.</p>
<p>SITES AquaNet has established protocols to standardise both field and laboratory work. Each station is equipped with field equipment for collection of samples and there is access to cold storage, freezing rooms and laboratory facilities for filtering and extraction of samples for a wide range of analyses.</p>
<p>The Erken Laboratory can also provide 20 1500 L polyethylene enclosures. </p>

Uppsala Universitet

**Objectives**

Oversee the administration, operational management, and overall implementation of the project, including internal communication and collaboration between the Project Coordinators, individual consortium members, and the European Commission; to administer consortium networking and governance, including supporting relevant bodies and meetings (Task 1.1), a User Selection Panel (Task 1.2) and Advisory Board (Task 1.3); ensure efficient management, decision-making, and to implement sound financial management as well as controlling systems and quality assurance of deliverables and periodic and final Reports (Task 1.4) and of the description of work (Task 1.5). A specific goal of the overall AQUACOSM-plus management is to optimise the efficiency of the research infrastructures' management and their service provision through joint management of access provision and pooling of distributed resources at the facilities, initiated in AQUACOSM.

**Deliverables**

**D1.1** First Feedback from AB to project progress (Month 20)

**D1.2** Periodic & financial reports M1-18 (Month 20)

**D1.3** Second Feedback from AB to project progress (Month 32)

**D1.4** Periodic & financial reports M19-36 (Month 38)

**D1.5** Periodic & financial and final reports M1-48 (Month 50)



Consortium management

**Objectives**

While the mechanisms behind Grand Challenges (GCs) are influenced by factors at continental and global scales, many RIs, including aquatic mesocosm facilities, have typically operated locally, carrying out curiosity driven basic research on limited number of questions. Bridging this mismatch and effectively investigate stressors on a wider scale would provide tools to better inform national to global measures to tackle the GCs. This requires better communication, harmonisation and access to the best research tools combined with effective open science collaboration. To foster this development in the mesocosm community, WP3 aims to build on the fundament from AQUACOSM, but strengthen the networking and training activities to further increase cooperation, communication, co-ordination, while providing more effective support and updated best practice advices.

Thus, the future mesocosm-based research will be shaped by enhanced activities of the AQUACOSM-plus community through provision of support and knowledge transfer to potential new users, specifically targeting less strong mesocosms- based research EU Member States so that EU-wide network of scientific culture can thrive, and reach out beyond globally to complimentary facilities and their users (WP2 and in cooperation with WP5, 8 & 9, Fig.1.1a,b). In order to foster globally comparable studies in the future, WP3 will ensure transfer of standardised best practice knowledge through many open channels. In addition to reports, SOPs, manuals and scientific publications produced in AQUACOSM, WP3 will continue to update these, but most importantly will make use of new media, such as online freely accessible Wiki-publications. Specific focus will be given on the training of young researchers and facility users to maximise the benefit gained from mesocosm-based research both through training in new harmonised operation procedures at all facilities such electronic data acquirement and as real-time DB-upload (WP4) as well as supporting transferral of personal skills by exchange of experienced personnel between facilities to enhance Transnational Access provision (cooperation with WP 8.5 & 9). Thus, WP3 will effectively contribute to build human capital and competitiveness of AQUACOSM-plus partner infrastructures in the European Research Area (ERA) and beyond.

**Deliverables**

**D3.1** Minutes of the first summer School for knowledge transfer (M03)

**D3.2** Report on international view of on mesocosms and water grand challenges (M15)

**D3.3** First Report on social media group activities and impacts (M16)

**D3.4** Minutes of the second summer School for knowledge transfer (M21)

**D3.5** Report on the workshop on international collaboration in mesocosm based research incl. associated partners from mesocosm.eu (M21)

**D3.6** Report on the specific training workshops on networking, communication, open data and hands on training encompassing river, lake/pond, marine and temporary waters (M34)

**D3.7** Second Report on social media group activities and impacts (M44)

**D3.8** Wiki book usage report (M48)

Science and innovation strategy for society

**Objectives**

While the mechanisms behind Grand Challenges (GCs) are influenced by factors at continental and global scales, many RIs, including aquatic mesocosm facilities, have typically operated locally, carrying out curiosity driven basic research on limited number of questions. Bridging this mismatch and effectively investigate stressors on a wider scale would provide tools to better inform national to global measures to tackle the GCs. This requires better communication, harmonisation and access to the best research tools combined with effective open science collaboration. To foster this development in the mesocosm community, WP3 aims to build on the fundament from AQUACOSM, but strengthen the networking and training activities to further increase cooperation, communication, co-ordination, while providing more effective support and updated best practice advices.

Thus, the future mesocosm-based research will be shaped by enhanced activities of the AQUACOSM-plus community through provision of support and knowledge transfer to potential new users, specifically targeting less strong mesocosms- based research EU Member States so that EU-wide network of scientific culture can thrive, and reach out beyond globally to complimentary facilities and their users (WP2 and in cooperation with WP5, 8 & 9, Fig.1.1a,b). In order to foster globally comparable studies in the future, WP3 will ensure transfer of standardised best practice knowledge through many open channels. In addition to reports, SOPs, manuals and scientific publications produced in AQUACOSM, WP3 will continue to update these, but most importantly will make use of new media, such as online freely accessible Wiki-publications. Specific focus will be given on the training of young researchers and facility users to maximise the benefit gained from mesocosm-based research both through training in new harmonised operation procedures at all facilities such electronic data acquirement and as real-time DB-upload (WP4) as well as supporting transferral of personal skills by exchange of experienced personnel between facilities to enhance Transnational Access provision (cooperation with WP 8.5 & 9). Thus, WP3 will effectively contribute to build human capital and competitiveness of AQUACOSM-plus partner infrastructures in the European Research Area (ERA) and beyond.

**Deliverables**

**D4.1** Plan for centralized data portal for mesocosm data (M06)

**D4.2** Strategy documentation (M12, HCMR)

**D4.3** Training video and guidance documentation for TA users (M12)

**D4.4** Data management plan version 1 (M12)

**D4.5** Online script and protocol library available on the project website and also published to mesocosm.eu and GitHub for ease of access and to encourage community contribution (M18)

**D4.6** Improved metadata portal (M18)

**D4.7** Minutes of workshop open Science Benefits(M19)

**D4.8** Workflow for allocating DOI’s to TA datasets within a European open data portal (M20)

**D4.9** Report of centralized data portal launch. (M24)

**D4.10** Workflow for applying for AQUACOSM-plus Open Access fund (M24)

**D4.11** Tools for automated QA & QC of data. (M24)

**D4.12** Data management plan version 2 (M24)

**D4.13** Open mesocosm science evaluation – Intermediate impact report 1 (M24)

**D4.14** Virtual Access to near real-time data streams (M26)

**D4.15** Online training modules on benefits to open science (M36)

**D4.16** Report of the primary data portal status and use for open science primary data collection (M42)

**D4.17** Open mesocosm science evaluation – Final impact report 2 (M42)

**D4.18** Report on TA data available in European open data portals and the AQUACOSM-plus metadata portal and DOI’s assigned (M48)



Breaching barriers to open mesocosm science, including open science tools and data

**Objectives**

WP5 aims to link the AQUACOSM-plus project with the outside world via approaching and engaging multiple audiences at various levels (scientific, industrial, educational and general public) and encourage their interaction with the project. To achieve these goals, an efficient outreach strategy will be implemented, the partners’ communication skills will be improved and the outreach strategy of AQUACOSM project will be reviewed (Task 5.1). The main communication and dissemination channel will be the project’s website, which will also host the Transnational Access portal including the Project Tracker (Task 5.2); AQUACOSM- plus will continue to actively communicate the announcements and ΤΑ calls through all major social media platforms (Task 5.2). The scientific community will be approached via conventional and modern dissemination tools (Task 5.3). Industrial providers and SMEs with interest on mesocosms will be approached via the AQUACOSM Innovation Forums (ACIF) (Task 5.4). Finally, students (elementary school to university level), as well as the general public will be engaged to raise awareness on ecological/environmental issues and shape the next-generation of aquatic scientists while further dissemination actions will target decision-making bodies and NGO-networks (Task 5.5).

**Deliverables**

**D5.1** Website updated (M03)

**D5.2** TA portal and Project Tracker (M03)

**D5.3** Action plan for engaging with industry (M06)

**D5.4** Outreach Activities (M18)

**D5.5** Action plan for engaging with industry (M18)

**D5.6** Outreach Activities (M36)

**D5.7** Case-study on the impact of mesocosm studies on contemporary environmental issues (M36)

**D5.8** Action plan for engaging with industry (M36)

**D5.9** Outreach Activities and Education Materials (M48)

Outreach activities: Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation

**Objectives**

Work package 6 will provide a conceptual roadmap for facilitating cutting-edge solution-oriented research tackling grand challenges in AQUACOSM-plus JRA and TA (WP 8 & 9).

The AQUACOSM network provides access to the most advanced mesocosm facilities across Europe, and spans from alpine lakes over lowland waters to coastal and open ocean systems. These sites hence cover virtually all aquatic habitats and ecoregions found in Europe (Fig.3.3), and allow for analysing effects and mitigation measures of virtually all aquatic habitats and problems connected to them. On top of that, several of the partner sites in AQUACOSM-plus are involved in monitoring programs, which are part of other H2020 research infrastructure (IR) programs (e.g. JERICO, LTER, ICOS, DANUBIUS, AnaEE: Table 1.1). 

Long-term data of their sites allows formulating specific research questions in the context of site-specific ongoing environmental change including climate change, pollution and other disturbances on the ecosystem.

The principal aim of WP6 is to foster leading-edge research on the RIs present in AQUACOSM-plus and beyond in terms of addressing the most pressing scientific questions e.g. in the context of climate change, biodiversity loss, emerging pollutants and other disturbances on aquatic ecosystems, but also exploring the possibilities for of nature-based solutions in the field. WP6 will achieve this goal by bringing together experimentalists, modellers, and representatives from other relevant RIs and by involving stakeholders of key sites for facilitating to apply cutting-edge methods and theories to the most pressing environmental problems related to the ecology of surface waters.

**Deliverables**

**D6.1** Catalogue of grand challenges, also published on project tracker (M08)

**D6.2** Manuscript for Opinion paper (M12)

**D6.3** Manuscript for Concept paper AquaSUMMIT 1 (M12)

**D6.4** Meta-analysis manuscript (M24)

**D6.5** Manuscript for Empirical paper AquaSUMMIT 2 (M36)

Defining Grand Challenges in aquatic mesocosm research

**Objectives**

AQUACOSM-plus WP7 builds on the JRA developments in AQUACOSM, by introducing a series of new approaches to reach the next level in tackling prevailing historical restrictions of non-standard, spatially fixed mesocosm facilities (Task 7.1), as well as methodological restrictions in obtaining high-frequency data on aquatic community change (Task 7.2) and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes (Task 7.3). For the latter, development and testing of benthic mesocosms for use in soft sediments is also carried out. These JRAs create new Technological Readiness Levels needed for effective process studies and modelling, on the temporal and spatial scales required for experimental aquatic research tackling climate change-related Grand Challenges.

**Deliverables**

**D7.1** Report on prototype of affordable sensor system (M12)

**D7.2** Report on prototype of self-flushing chamber and GHG sensor system with data logging and communication (M12)

**D7.3** Report on Workshop on AI in imaging recognition techniques (M16)

**D7.4** Report on light-weight raft systems to carry 12 mesocosms (M20)

**D7.5** Report on GHG hands-on Workshop (M30)

**D7.6** Test results of benthic mesocosm and raft system combined with developed chambers and sensors (M38)

**D7.7**  Report on performance of various imaging instruments in identification of planktonic food web compartments (M42)



Towards transformative mesocosm research – breaking the spatial and temporal barriers of aquatic ecosystem experimentation

**Objectives**

The enhanced mobility for mesocosm experimentation, through technological developments in WP7 and the expanded network of unique mesocosm facilities within AQUACOSM-plus, as well as the development of the first ice and wave resistant pelagic mesocosms from AQUACOSM will be exploited in WP8. Both **within the enlarged AQUACOSM-plus consortium** (Task 8.1), and **piloting co-design of research with European observational RI networks** (JERICO-S3, ICOS, LTER, DANUBIUS) in the continental (Task 8.2) and coastal marine domains (Task 8.3). In addition, the performance of the new ice-resistant Aquacosm- mesocosms will be tested by conducting a full-scale over-wintering experiment under Arctic relevant conditions (Task 8.4). Lastly, synergies will be created through the combination of the new international **co-design and optimisation of experimental approaches** (identified in WP6, Training in WP3, and Project Tracker in WP5) and **the Transnational Access (TA)** offered. This will be achieved by coordinating cross-facility joint research activities, to ensure effective capacity building and experimental harmonisation and novel high-throughput analytic approaches**, not previously available at all sites (Task 8.5).

All tasks will specifically aim at breaking existing communication barriers within the European environmental RI landscape, paving the way to **sustainable and integrated, mission-oriented multi-domain collaboration and co-designed research of RI networks**. The network RI-RI collaboration in AQUACOSM-plus will be based on shared partnerships and co-location of observational and AQUACOSM- plus mesocosm facilities. The light-weight mesocosm platforms (WP7.1) will also be mobilised to geographical areas currently represented by observatories of other RI networks, but lacking mesocosm facilities so far. Special emphasis will be put on establishing new and integrating recent aquatic mesocosm facilities in south Eastern European member states, specifically supporting the DANUBIUS-RI/PP initiative (<a href= "danubius-pp.eu" target=“_blank”>danubius-pp.eu</a>).

**Deliverables**

**D8.1** Report on experimental strategies to test Grand Challenges (M6)

**D8.2** Expert contributor module available on TA portal (M6)

**D8.3** Report on JRA-TA partnership programme (M30)

**D8.4** Report on joint investigations in controlled high-tech and natural low-tech sites for a better understanding of long-term processes (M42)

**D8.5** Report on boundary conditions for winter mesocosms (M44)

**D8.6** Summary report on success of JRA-strategies in WP8.1&8.3 (M46)

Facilities

Transnational Access

Metadata & Data

Papers & Reports

Knowledge Base

Uppsala Universitet

Contact: Silke Langenheder

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Role In Project

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Work Packages