Experimental ponds Loenderveen

The facility

At Loenderveen (The Netherlands) there are 36 outdoor experimental ponds in a 6×6 grid, established in 2005. The ponds are 5m×5m wide at the top and 3m×3m at the bottom, 1.2m deep and lined with waterproof foil. The ponds contain sediment consisting of a 10:1 sand–clay mixture with a depth of 0.3m. The ponds can be filled through an individual tap per pond with water (11,800 L per pond) from a nearby lake which contains dephosphatized water (water properties: N-NH4 = 0.650 mg/L, N-NO3 = 0.650 mg/L and P-PO4 = 0.007 mg/L,Waternet, unpubl. data) and water depth can be maintained at 0.7m through an overflow.

Research topics

Aquatic biodiversity, aquatic plants, eutrophication, freshwater fish, water quality

References

• Zuidam, J. P., van Leeuwen, C., Bakker, E. S., Verhoeven, J. T. A., Ijff, S., Peeters, E. T. H. M.,... Soons, M. B. (2019). Plant functional diversity and nutrient availability can improve restoration of floating fens via facilitation, complementarity and selection effects. Journal of Applied Ecology 56 (1), 235–245. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.13256
• Bakker, E. S., & Nolet, B. A. (2014). Experimental evidence for enhanced top-down control of freshwater macrophytes with nutrient enrichment. Oecologia 176 (3), 825–836. doi:10.1007/s00442-014-3047-y
• Hidding, B., Sarneel, J. M., & Bakker, E. S. (2014). Flooding tolerance and horizontal expansion of wetland plants: facilitation by floating mats? Aquatic Botany 113 (February), 83–89. doi:10.1016/j.aquabot.2013.11.003
• Van Leeuwen, C. H. A., Sarneel, J. M., van Paassen, J., Rip, W. J., & Bakker, E. S. (2014). Hydrology, shore morphology and species traits affect seed dispersal, germination and community assembly in shoreline plant communities. Journal of Ecology 102 (4), 998–1007. doi:10.1111/1365-2745.12250
• Dorenbosch, M., & Bakker, E. S. (2012). Effects of contrasting omnivorous fish on submerged macrophyte biomass in temperate lakes: a mesocosm experiment. Freshwater Biology 57 (7), 1360–1372. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2012.02790.x
• Declerck, S. A. J., Bakker, E. S., van Lith, B., Kersbergen, A. P., & Van Donk, E. (2011). Effects of nutrient additions and macrophyte composition on invertebrate community assembly and diversity in experimental ponds. Basic and Applied Ecology 12 (5), 466–475. doi:10.1016/j.baae.2011.05.001
• Bakker, E. S., Van Donk, E., Declerck, S. A. J., Helmsing, N. R., Hidding, B., & Nolet, B. A. (2010). Effect of macrophyte community composition and nutrient enrichment on plant biomass and algal blooms. Basic and Applied Ecology 11 (5), 432–439. doi:10.1016/j.baae.2010.06.005

Running period (guaranteed funding)

2005 – Present

Equipment / facilities

• Experimental ponds  

Data management

 All data are 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

Access to the ponds should be requested at NIOO-KNAW through the contact person. The ponds are located on the property of Waternet, hence prior approval of Waternet is necessary to access the site.