Science clusters
Summary
Critical environmental challenges affect aquatic ecosystems worldwide, and the need to coordinate research efforts is increasingly urgent. Mesocosms are key Research Infrastructures (RIs) allowing the study of highly complex environments comparable to natural ecosystems. Mesocosm experiments, which offer controlled yet realistic settings, are crucial for understanding and mitigating the impact of various stressors and their combinations on aquatic ecosystems. The AQUACOSM-RI consortium, comprising over 60 individual state-of-the-art mesocosm facilities at 28 host institutions across Europe, has therefore been instrumental in advancing aquatic environmental research across climate zones including marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems.
The AQUANAVI project (Navigating Grand Challenges and their Mitigation using Aquatic Experimental RIs) aims to create an interactive atlas of aquatic mesocosm-based experimental research. Data, publications, reports and information generated by the AQUACOSM consortium and other mesocosm facilities worldwide will be integrated into a single, accessible platform with advanced data visualisation and semantic tools. The project will foster collaborations and, by enhancing data FAIRness, it will facilitate fast discovery and efficient use of aquatic RIs globally, accelerating the development of environmental mitigation strategies.
Challenge
Open Science project, Open Science Service, Cross-domain/Cross-RI
Aquatic ecosystems are under pressure from a variety of stressors, including pollution, habitat degradation, rising temperatures, and ocean acidification. These challenges interact in complex ways, making it difficult to predict their combined effects and develop mitigation measures. Experimental mesocosms, which offer controlled but realistic environments, are critical for studying the impact of these stressors. However, despite their significance, the extensive yet fragmented resources available in mesocosm-based research remain difficult to access and leverage.
Solution
AQUANAVI addresses this by creating an interactive atlas that integrates data, publications, reports and facility information from the AQUACOSM consortium and other mesocosm RIs worldwide. This platform enables quick discovery of available resources, facilitating new collaborations and expediting experimental setups. Using the Hi Knowledge platform, AQUANAVI merges advanced semantic capabilities (e.g., Wikidata) and visualisation tools (e.g., Open Knowledge Maps and Scholia) to help researchers navigate complex information with ease, using cutting-edge visualisation techniques, artificial intelligence, and knowledge synthesis methods, and bridging gaps between disconnected research facilities and data sources.
Scientific Impact
Open and collaborative by design, AQUANAVI’s architecture will engage a broad range of research communities. By consolidating data and information from diverse RIs, the platform will leverage and enhance the AQUACOSM and related RIs, securing the reusability and interoperability of existing data collections and better exploration of existing RIs in the future.
Compliant with FAIR principles and EOSC requirements, AQUANAVI will ensure the long-term sustainability and openness of its resources, enriching both the ENVRI services portfolio and the broader scientific community. In summary, AQUANAVI will empower researchers and stakeholders to implement measures to mitigate the effects of climate change and other Grand Challenges facing aquatic environments, serving as a key resource within and beyond the European Research Area.
Principal investigator
Tina Heger (Dr.) is an ecologist by training, with a focus on conceptual theory, invasive species, novel ecosystems and ecological novelty. She is engaged in cross-disciplinary research including data scientists and philosophers with the aim to enhance knowledge synthesis and knowledge representation in ecology. She joined the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin, Germany, as a PI in 2021. Currently, she is leading a research group at the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (ZiF) in Bielefeld, Germany, on “Mapping Evidence to Theory in Ecology”.
