Major research issues/sites:

NIVA Research Facility Solbergstrand is located in the Drøbak Strait, just south of Oslo. Laboratories associated with the facilities on site are equipped for water-chemical, microscopic and other routine analyses. The aquaculture facility at Solbergstrand has numerous holding tanks in all sizes, able to serve a variety of experiments on both young and adult fish or crustaceans. Our aquaculture licenses allow experiments on more than 40 different species of fish and crustaceans. Our authorized infection lab can serve experiments involving both pathogens and GMO`s (group C, containment level 1). Laboratories associated with the facilities on site are equipped for water-chemical, microscopic and other routine analyses.

Short technical description:

The benthic mesocosm facility consists of 12 concrete basins, each 13 m3, receiving permanent seawater supply from the Oslofjord. The facility offers unique opportunities to assess community and ecosystem responses to a variety of stressors on European intertidal and shallow subtidal rocky shores. Environmental factors such as wave energy, tidal regime, water turbulence, nutrient supply, and acidification by CO2 can be experimentally controlled and altered.The freshwater mesocosm facility consists of 16 individually controlled outdoor stainless-steel flumes 10 m long, 0.5 m wide and up to 0.5 m deep.

With a circulation or flow-through discharge up to 3 l/s per flume and natural substratum stocked with biota, headwater streams can be mimicked. The master variables that are controlled individually per flume are discharge, flow velocity and cooling/heating - the latter a unique feature in running water experimental set-ups at this scale. The facility includes pumps, thermostats and a groundwater dwelling in addition to temperature loggers, light meters, velocity meters, etc.

Specific features/uniqueness:

Two well-equipped workshops, a kitchen and meeting room for 24 persons are also available at the station.

Options and conditions for visiting scientists:

Please enquire for more information.

Unit Cost of use and principles of costing:

On demand.