The NIOO stable isotope facility is part of the chemical analytical lab, with equipment and facilities to perform stable isotope tracer experiments. Stable isotopes (13C) can be analysed in PLFA, gases (CO2/CH4) , (13C/15N) solid material (e.g. soil, plant material, bird feathers) as well as in DNA and RNA and breath samples of birds (D/H).

The NIOO greenhouse and trace gas analysis facility is part of the chemical analytical lab with equipment and facilities to asses gas concentrations in atmosphere or in soil gas or soil moisture. Gases (CH4, CO2, N2O, CO, H2,C¬2H4 can be measured over a wide concentration range and even to below-atmospheric levels (ppb) or in stable isotope studies (13C/12C in CO2, CH4).

Since 1994, we collect genetic samples from insects (winter moth) and birds (mainly great tit, blue tit, pied flycatcher, oystercatcher and various waterfowl). The location and specifications of a sample can be found in our relational data warehouse. There are more than 170,000 blood samples, feathers and other tissues stored at NIOO. The samples can be used to investigate the genotype of an individual or population in relation to their fenotype.

The sperm lab houses state-of-the-art equipment used for the analysis of sperm.This includes a computer-assisted sperm-analysis (CASA) system for accurate and automatic assessment of sperm motility and a microscope/camera/software combination for digital image analysis of sperm morphology.

This is a facility for keeping waterfowl for behavioural and physiological research. The facility consists of an outdoor aviary and a building for birds indoors.

The Aqua-flex Arena is a fenced terrain (2500 m2; 80 x 32m) for performing outdoor mesoscosm experiments throughout the year, in the immediate promixity of the NIOO Aquatic Laboratories. Experiments can be performed with > 100 experimental units. There is great flexibility in the spatial set up of experimental units.

The limnotrons are nine stainless steel indoor mesocosms with a high level of control. The dimensions are: 0.97 m in diameter, depth between 1.32 m (side) and 1.37 m (centre), volume of 922 L. The vessels can be closed with a removable PMMA flange lid. In addition to the possibility of sampling vertically with specifically designed integrated water samples, sampling can also be done by using the sampling ports positioned at three depths.

The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) houses 36x10L microcosms (transparent polycarbonate carboys; NALGENE, Rochester, USA) for plankton research. The microcosms can be temperature-controlled in water baths (at 0.5 °C temperature resolution), and automatically stirred through magnetic stirrers mounted below the water baths.

Flowcytometry (FCM) is a technique that distinguishes individual particles based on light scatter and fluorescence. A large advantage is that FCM can analyse and sort cells at a very high speed of up to 10,000 cells/second.

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.