The growing environmental problems and new threats require new systematically and scientifically researched information to deepen our understanding of the state of the environment and its cause and effect relationships. With experimental research, the operating mechanisms of both water and land ecosystems can be clarified in a way that the information from monitoring the environment alone does not allow.
Photo: Timo Vänni
The experimental research by Syke extensively serves research in the following fields, among others:
Research and method development related to risk assessment and management
Experimental research promotes the management of new substances by developing methods for substance content and impact studies. Information is needed on the occurrence of the new substances in the environment and how they affect humans and the environment. Based on the information, the risks of using them are assessed as well as whether their use should be regulated or restricted.
Environmental monitoring
The research that serves monitoring is focused on developing field measurements and online measurement systems as well as quality assurance for the information generated by them. SYKE develops automated test systems especially for phytoplankton measurements and applies the latest measurement technologies in developing marine monitoring. Particular objects of development are the Utö Atmospheric and Marine Research Station and the Alg@line automatic measurement systems installed on board of merchant ships.
Constructing and developing models
Research serving the construction and development of models is focused on water ecosystems in particular. Experimental research supports the development of models by testing the functionality of model structures and creating the parameterisations needed by the models. As for model development, it guides experimental research towards the objects that are the most important for improving the predictive power of models.
More information
Senior research scientist Katarina Björklöf, Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), firstname.surname@ymparisto.fi