Chemostats

The facility

Chemostats are bioreactors used for cultivation of phytoplankton and/or zooplankton. They can be operated as batch (no dilution rate), as chemostat (fixed dilution rate) or as turbidostats (dilution rate dependent on turbidity). They can be operated as open or closed system, and also axenically. Depending on the chemostat, there exist varying levels of monitoring and control (flow, light intensity and duration, temperature, pH, CO₂, DO). The volumes of the chemostats vary between 0.5 to 2L. The second-stage chemostat system allows for an automatic flow between chemostats, enabling, for example, the automatically controlled feeding of the rotifers chemostats with the content of the phytoplankton chemostat.

Research topics

Phototrophs and heterotrophs interactions (phytoplankton, cyanobacteria, dinoflaggelates, diatoms, eukariotic microalgae, microalgae-bacteria aglomerates, photogranules, zooplankton, rotifers).

References

• Trebuch, L. M., B. O. Oyserman, M. Janssen, R. H. Wijffels, L. E. M. Vet, and T. V. Fernandes. Impact of Hydraulic Retention Time on Community Assembly and Function of Photogranules for Wastewater Treatment (2020). Water Research 173, 115506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.115506.
• Cheng, K., Frenken, T., Brussaard, C. P. D., & Van de Waal, D. B. (2019). Cyanophage Propagation in the Freshwater Cyanobacterium Phormidium Is Constrained by Phosphorus Limitation and Enhanced by Elevated pCO₂. Frontiers in Microbiology 10, 617. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00617.
• Fernandes, T. V., Suárez-Muñoz, M., Trebuch, L. M., Verbraak, P. J., & Van de Waal, D. B. (2017). Toward an Ecologically Optimized N:P Recovery from Wastewater by Microalgae. Frontiers in Microbiology 8, 1742. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2017.01742
• Liu, J., van Oosterhout, E., Faassen, E. J., Lurling, M., Helmsing, N. R., & Van de Waal, D. B. (2016). Elevated pCO₂ causes a shift towards more toxic microcystin variants in nitrogen limited Microcystis aeruginosa. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 92 (2), fiv159. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiv159.
• Declerck, S. A. J., Malo, A., Diehl, S., Waasdorp, D., Lemmen, K., Proios, K., & Papakostas, S. (2015). Rapid adaptation of herbivore consumers to nutrient limitation: eco-evolutionary feedbacks to population demography and resource. Ecology Letters 18 (6), 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12436.

Running period (guaranteed funding)

2011 – 2023: Algaemists
2017 – 2021: Bubble columns
2008 – 2023: Flat panel chemostats
2015 – 2023: Gentle mixed chemostats
2013 – Undetermined: Second stage cilindrical chemostat system

Equipment / facilities

• Chemostats
• Temperature sensors and temperature control system
• Peristaltic pumps    

Data management 

During the active period of the project, the data will be stored in a personal network drive located on the NIOO-KNAW servers. Backup of personal network drives on the NIOO-KNAW servers is automated and takes place every day. The backup data are located on separate servers at NIOO-KNAW (on location) and servers off location. The backup process is installed and monitored by the ICT department of NIOO-KNAW. All data is managed according to the NIOO Research data policy, which is in compliance with FAIR data guidelines. Available datasets are available through DRYAD (arising from publications) or upon request (not covered in publications).

Conditions for access

All chemostats are available for collaborative research projects with the researchers of AqE (NIOO-KNAW), and as such, access and costs will be agreed upon by project partners.