SYKE
Marine Ecology Laboratory
According to the SYKE-MRC profile in the consortium, our RI development targets especially at applying the most advanced and emerging methodologies to research on the connections between phytoplankton functional traits and diversity.
SYKE MRC-laboratory in the Viikki Campus area, Helsinki, has up-to-date basic and advanced laboratory facilities for experimental marine ecology research, including several imaging instruments for planktonic organisms (Imaging FlowCytobot, Cytosense, LISST Holo, FlowCAM), flow cytometer, microscopes, spectrofluorometers, plate readers, spectrophotometer with integrating sphere, FRR fluorometers, controllable LED panels, nutrient analyzers, and isotope laboratory.
The lab hosts SYKE-MRC phytoplankton culture collection, including hundreds of species strains which can be used in experimental work. It has several walk-in climatic growth chambers, thermostated water baths, and a range of controllable cultivation units (0.5–300 L) available for phytoplankton growth experiments. There is also weekly access to seawater samples taken from various locations from the Baltic Sea.
The MRC Marine Ecology Laboratory profile in FINMARI emphasizes R&D in automated experimental systems, especially applied to phytoplankton research, with integrated growth condition control, multifaceted data retrieval, and their on-line presentation. The automated experimental platforms range from wellplate to mesocosm scales.
The miniaturization and integration trend in electronic circuits will also make it easier to include experiment-like features in future monitoring studies. The Utö Station and Alg@line routes will serve as testbeds for these developments in FINMARI.
Contact
Head of Unit Jukka Seppälä