Aquatic Ecology Research Facility (AERF)

The AERF was built on the Kent Campus in 2001. It includes 10 independently flooded wetland basins (total area: 2,000 m.), a 1,000 m. stream pool habitat and ~2,000 m. of terrestrial habitat around the perimeter of the wetlands. The wetlands have been used since 2002 to conduct population and community-level experiments under natural environmental conditions.

Equipment, Features and Services

Equipment at the AERF includes a weather station (Davis Inc., Hayward, Calif.), a water chemistry data sonde (YSI, Yellow Springs, Ohio) in the stream pool, and water-level loggers (Global Water, Gold River, Calif.) in each basin. A chain-link fence, electric floodlights and a locked gate provide security for long-term experiments.