EREC comprises a set of facilities, including the habitat present in the ~ 60 acre area, managed and maintained for conducting research. The focus of these facilities has been to foster natural and semi-natural experimental studies, with aquatic systems an original emphasis. Individuals interested in research at EREC should contact the director about whether the facilities would be suitable. Below are descriptions of the main units on site.
Facilities
A brief description of the research and teaching facilities at EREC
Habitat
EREC covers ~ 60 acres and consists of old fields, hedgerows dominated by amur honeysuckle, small woodlots, open areas maintained as short grass, and a set of replicate ponds. Restoration of a stretch of streambed has created more natural waterflow in one area, but flow is not sufficient to maintain this stream through the dry months of late summer and fall. Management of these areas focuses on preserving current habitats but is tailored to active research and education projects as needed. The old fields are mowed every other year to keep out woody vegetation and the in-ground ponds are managed to allow access and prevent trees and bushes from colonizing their edges. Invasive species (honeysuckle and wintercreeper) are common in the hedgerows and woodlots, but the old fields contain multiple native species. We have also erected a large number of nest-boxes (many contributed by a Tate's Creek Middle School class) which are supporting nesting pairs of house wrens and tree swallows.
Artificial Stream Facility
The NSF-funded artificial stream facility consists of 20 replicate units for aquatic experiments. Enclosed in a pavilion, powered by solar, and with the potential for remote video collection, each stream system includes pumps for circulating water and devices to control flow rate. Each replicate can be controlled separately. Contact the director for more information about possible use.
Mesocosm Facility
The Mesocosm Facility is flexibly constructed to accommodate a variety of replicate experiments using wading pools or cattle tanks. It consists of a gravel pad covered by a structure that can support different types of shade cloth, electrical power, and nearby water. A variety of tank sizes and shapes are also stocked on site. Contact the director if you are interested in using the facility.
Labs, classrooms, and support space
EREC contains three buildings supporting a variety of uses. The main building (Lexmark Center) houses a teaching lab, a large meeting space, offices and work stations, and a small molecular lab. The Aviary has indoor spaces for housing birds, a surgery suite, kitchen room, and work stations. The Common Building is an all-purpose space used for a variety of small projects and storage of equipment, and it currently hosts the Taking Flight Program. Wifi is available in all three spaces.
A variety of storage buildings are available. These currently contain an array of supplies and equipment (aquariums, cages, extra nest boxes, etc.) of potential use.