An ode to the technical development lab of CAnMove

One of the pillars of the CAnMove research environment is the advanced technical development laboratory and now, a few years after the start of the programme, the investments in this laboratory are indeed carrying fruits. For example, the advanced temperature steering system applied in the large-scale aquatic experimental set-up, the “WarmBrown experiment”, was developed by the CAnMove technical development lab. This temperature steering system continuously adjusts the temperature in treatment enclosure 3^oC above the ambient, allowing us to mimic future temperature regimes in a climate change perspective.   

Based on this technology (and some biological thoughts…), we recently showed that the spring dynamics in freshwater systems will change considerably in the future. However, the different trophic levels will advance their peak abundances in a similar pattern, i.e. there will be no mis-match between consumer and prey (Nicolleet. al 2012, Freshwater Biology). Moreover, we have shown that future elevated temperatures will mainly benefit the top trophic level, and each second level below (Hansson et al. Nature ClimateChange 2012), a finding allowing us to mechanistically connect traditional food web theory with climate change scenarios. 

Recruitment trap

Finally, we show that elevated temperatures will lead to stronger and earlier recruitment of zooplankton from the sediment to the water column (recruitment quantified by means of submerged traps, see photo), i.e. affect movement and dispersal (Ekvall & Hansson, PloS one, 2012). However, this effect is stronger for some species than for others, suggesting considerable alterations in community composition in future aquatic ecosystems. 

Hence, the technical laboratory platform of CanMove, lead by professional and service minded personnel, in combination with proper application of those advancements to scientific questions, have indeed been a fruitful strategy and the above studies are just examples. There are more to come! 

/Lars-Anders Hansson