AQUACOSM · Project

Europe-Wide Network of Water Testing Facilities for Climate and Pollution Impact Studies

environmentTestedTRL 5Thin data (2/5)

Imagine you want to know what happens to a lake or a piece of ocean when temperatures rise or a new chemical enters the water — but you can't experiment on a real lake. AQUACOSM built and connected a chain of giant outdoor water tanks (called mesocosms) across Europe, from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, covering rivers, lakes, and seas. These controlled mini-ecosystems let scientists and companies run realistic experiments at scale without risking real water bodies. The network gave over 340 researchers access to these facilities across 12 countries, creating a one-stop-shop for testing how water ecosystems respond to stress.

By the numbers

>340

researchers granted transnational access to mesocosm facilities

>11,500

access days provided across the facility network

partner organizations in the consortium

countries represented in the network

freshwater mesocosm facilities (rivers and lakes)

167

users who conducted research in the predecessor MESOAQUA project

research projects completed in the MESOAQUA predecessor

total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies in water treatment, aquaculture, chemical manufacturing, and environmental services need to understand how their operations or products affect real aquatic ecosystems — but testing on actual lakes, rivers, or oceans is impractical, unethical, or illegal. Lab-scale tests are too small to capture real ecosystem dynamics, leaving a critical gap in environmental impact evidence that regulators increasingly demand.

The solution

What was built

AQUACOSM built and connected a pan-European network of aquatic mesocosm facilities: constructed new mesocosm units and water collector systems, demonstrated coordinated experiments along latitudinal (Arctic to Mediterranean) and salinity gradients, and produced 52 deliverables including virtual access reports and standardized experimental protocols.

Audience

Who needs this

Environmental consulting firms needing ecosystem-level impact assessmentsAquaculture companies testing climate resilience of farming operationsChemical and agrochemical companies requiring ecotoxicology testingWater utilities validating treatment technologies at ecosystem scaleOffshore energy developers assessing marine environmental impacts

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Environmental consulting and impact assessment

SME

Target: Environmental consulting firms conducting ecological risk assessments

If you are an environmental consultancy required to assess the ecological impact of industrial discharges or new chemicals on aquatic ecosystems — this project built a connected network of 10 freshwater and 4 marine/brackish testing facilities across 12 countries. Instead of relying on small lab tests that regulators may question, you can run realistic ecosystem-level experiments that produce defensible, regulator-ready evidence.

Aquaculture and fisheries

mid-size

Target: Aquaculture companies managing fish farms in changing water conditions

If you are an aquaculture operator worried about how rising temperatures or shifting salinity will affect your stock — AQUACOSM demonstrated coordinated experiments along latitudinal gradients from Arctic to Mediterranean and across salinity boundaries. These facilities let you test how your species respond to projected climate conditions before they hit your farm, reducing stock loss and informing site selection.

Water treatment and utilities

any

Target: Municipal water utilities and treatment technology providers

If you are a water utility or treatment technology company that needs to validate how pollution control measures perform under real ecosystem conditions — AQUACOSM provides access to controlled freshwater mesocosms where you can test treatment approaches at ecosystem scale. With 340 users already having accessed the network, there is an established process for external companies to book testing time and get scientifically rigorous results.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much does it cost to access these mesocosm facilities?

AQUACOSM provided transnational access to over 340 users on more than 11,500 access days during the project period, funded through the EU grant. Now that the project has closed, access terms depend on each facility's host institution. Contact individual facilities or the coordinator to discuss commercial access pricing.

Can these facilities handle industry-scale testing or only lab-scale?

Mesocosms are specifically designed to bridge the gap between lab experiments and full natural ecosystems. The network includes 10 freshwater, 2 brackish, and 2 benthic marine facilities — some outdoor, some indoor — capable of replicating real-world conditions at meaningful scale. The project also constructed new mesocosm units and water collection systems as documented in their deliverables.

What about intellectual property if we run tests at these facilities?

AQUACOSM is a research infrastructure network, not a product. IP generated from experiments typically belongs to the research team conducting the work, subject to the access agreement with the host facility. Commercial users should negotiate IP terms directly with the hosting institution before starting experiments.

Does this network still operate after the EU funding ended?

The project ran from 2017 to 2021 and explicitly pursued long-term sustainability by assessing governance models. AQUACOSM was succeeded by AQUACOSM-plus, continuing the network. The individual facilities remain operational at their host institutions across 12 countries.

How do I integrate mesocosm testing into our existing regulatory compliance workflow?

The network demonstrated coordinated experiments along environmental gradients (latitude and salinity), producing standardized, comparable data across facilities. This standardization means results from one facility are consistent with others, making it easier to build a compliance case. The project produced 52 deliverables including reports on experimental protocols that can inform your testing design.

Is there regulatory acceptance for mesocosm-based environmental testing?

Mesocosm experiments are widely recognized in environmental science as producing ecosystem-level evidence that is more realistic than lab tests. The AQUACOSM network built on the earlier MESOAQUA project where 167 users conducted 74 projects, establishing a strong scientific track record. Results from these facilities carry scientific credibility that supports regulatory submissions.

Consortium

Who built it

The AQUACOSM consortium brings together 22 partners across 12 European countries, dominated by universities (10) and research organizations (10), with only 2 industry partners and 2 SMEs (9% industry ratio). This is a research-heavy consortium, which makes sense for a research infrastructure project. The geographic spread from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean means the network covers diverse aquatic environments. For a business user, this means you are dealing primarily with academic and public research institutions — expect academic timescales and processes when arranging access, but also deep scientific expertise and well-equipped facilities that would be prohibitively expensive to build privately.

FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN EVCoordinator · DE
AARHUS UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
BLUE LOBSTER IT LIMITEDparticipant · UK
LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAET MUENCHENparticipant · DE
HELSINGIN YLIOPISTOparticipant · FI
SUOMEN YMPARISTOKESKUSparticipant · FI
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINEparticipant · UK
KONINKLIJKE NEDERLANDSE AKADEMIE VAN WETENSCHAPPEN - KNAWparticipant · NL
HELLENIC CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCHparticipant · EL
WASSERKLUSTER LUNZ BIOLOGISCHE STATION GMBHparticipant · AT
UNIVERSITE DE MONTPELLIERthirdparty · FR
UNIVERSIDADE DE EVORAparticipant · PT
ECOLE NORMALE SUPERIEUREparticipant · FR
UMEA UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
NORSK INSTITUTT FOR VANNFORSKNING STIparticipant · NO
UMWELTBUNDESAMTparticipant · DE
HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR OZEANFORSCHUNG KIEL (GEOMAR)participant · DE
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
NORCE RESEARCH ASparticipant · NO
UNIVERSITETET I BERGENparticipant · NO
MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITYparticipant · TR

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Forschungsverbund Berlin (Germany), a major research association. Contact their environmental research division for access inquiries.

Order a report on this consortium See FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN EV profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to test how your products or operations affect aquatic ecosystems? SciTransfer can connect you with the right AQUACOSM facility for your specific testing needs — from Arctic freshwater to Mediterranean marine environments.

Order a report on this topic More in Environment & Climate