NIVA Research Facility at Solbergstrand

The Research Facility at Solbergstrand performs large-scale mesocosm experiments in freshwater and marine ecology, sediment research and aquaculture. NIVA Research Facility Solbergstrand is located near the Drøbak Strait, just south of Oslo.

NIVA is world leading in the full-scale testing (according to IMO and USCG regulations) of ballast water treatment technologies through our unique testing facilities at Solbergstrand.

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).

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. Numerous experiments have been successful completed over the past 20 years. 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.
 

Laboratories associated with the facilities on site are equipped for water-chemical, microscopic and other routine analyses. Additional chemical analyses and other measurements can be made at the main NIVA lab in Oslo 60 km north of the SEF.

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

Station Manager: Per Ivar Johannessen