Experimental Ponds

Our pond facility consists of a large supply pond that can fill 6 experimental ponds (~15 x 46 meters in size) all of which drain into a single recovery pond. The experimental ponds can be divided with curtains to create 12 replicates. Most of the experimentation in these ponds has focused on the role of nutrient cycling in the aquatic food web to better understand the ecology of Ohio's reservoirs.

Mesocosms

An array of 24 aquatic mesocosms, each with a 5000-liter capacity, complements the pond facility. These mesocosms allow for better control of outdoor manipulation at a smaller scale that the ponds but at a larger scale than possible in the laboratory.

Aquatic Amphibian Habitat

An array of tanks is used to simulate shallow aquatic habitat that is used by tadpoles and salamanders. Research in these tanks allows an exploration of such factors as pesticides, habitat complexity and competition on the ability of these animals reach adulthood.