Research resources at BioEnv
In Natrium there are impressive, shared research resources including animal facilities and aquarium system as well as a phytotron and a herbarium.
Animal facilities
The animal department in Natrium is one of the few of its kind in Sweden and is used by both internal and external research groups. It is possible to keep several species of salt and freshwater fish as well as amphibians, reptiles and wild rodents in the facility. The research ranges over a wide field which includes terrestrial, limnic and marine environments.
The facility is approximately 600 square meters and contains, among other things:
- Four separate recirculating aquarium systems (two freshwater and two saltwater systems) of approximately 12 cubic meters each. These are equipped with modern equipment for water purification with, among other things, pre-filters of water coming from different rooms of the facility, UV sterilization, protein skimmers, moving bed, bead and polishing filters and thermostatic water temperature control. All four systems have automatic, continuous monitoring of several number of water quality variables.
- A number of different rooms for holding and experiments are linked to the four aquarium systems.
- The animal facility also has a number of thermoconstant rooms where you can set the room temperature from +4°C to +30°C.
- A GMO part for zebrafish husbandry and experiments.
About laboratory animal science
What is an animal facility?
Definition: An animal facility is a research environment where live animals are kept under controlled conditions.
Purpose: Used to study animal biology, behavior, and physiology in both basic and applied research.
Content: Aquaria and specialized systems for fish and other aquatic organisms, with carefully regulated water quality and environment.
Value: Enables studies of how animals respond to environmental changes, supports the development of sustainable aquaculture, and contributes to conservation efforts.
Phytotron
The phytotron was started 2010 and includes ca 25 larger chambers where you may cultivate plants under very controlled conditions when it comes to e.g. temperature (even below zero), humidity, diurnal rhythms and light intensity. It is used by several groups in subjects like aerobiology, ecology, ecophysiology, systematics, marine ecology, cell biology and molecular biology. Most are located at the department but the phytotron may also be used by external users and companies.
What is a phytotron?
Definition: A phytotron is a facility with climate-controlled chambers for plant growth and experiments.
Purpose: Used to study how plants respond to environmental factors such as light, temperature, and carbon dioxide.
Content: Growth chambers where researchers can precisely regulate and vary climate conditions.
Value: Makes it possible to understand plant physiology, test the effects of climate change, and develop sustainable cultivation methods.
Herbarium GB
Here, dried plants, fungi, algae, and more are stored for comparative and evolutionary studies. The herbarium dates back to the late 18th century, when the first collections were part of a “Natural Cabinet” belonging to the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg. Since 2015, the herbarium has been a university-wide research infrastructure at the University of Gothenburg.
The collections comprise about 1.1 million dried specimens from all over the world. The vascular plant collection is the largest, with around 750,000 specimens, while the remaining 350,000 consist of mosses, algae, fungi, lichens, and slime molds. The collections largely reflect the research conducted, or previously conducted, in systematic botany at the University of Gothenburg.
What is a herbarium?
Definition: A herbarium is a collection of pressed, dried, and carefully documented plants.
Purpose: Used for research, teaching, and preserving knowledge of plant species over time.
Content: Plant specimens mounted on sheets with information about species, collection site, date, and collector.
Value: Enables studies of plant distribution, species comparisons, and long-term environmental changes.