CzeCOS

Name of project: CzeCOS LM2015061, LM2018123 and LM2023048

Provider: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
The main beneficiary: Global Change Research Institute, CAS

The large research infrastructure CzeCOS is included in the national roadmap of major research infrastructures. This roadmap was approved by the Czech government in 2010 and updated in 2015 (project no. LM2015061), 2018 (project no. LM2018123) and 2023 (project no. LM2023048).

The large research infrastructure CzeCOS is a unique platform for undertaking comprehensive international interdisciplinary research on Global Change (GC) and its impacts on ecosystems. It substantially contributes to the fulfillment of international commitments of the Czech Republic in the field of research, adaptation and mitigation of Global Change impacts. As for the Czech Republic, CzeCOS is the only national component of the following European Research Infrastructures ICOS – Integrated Carbon Observation System- infrastructure for the research on the fluxes of greenhouse gases (founding member), AnaEE – analytical and experimental infrastructure for ecosystems (founding member), EUFAR – EUropean Facility for Airborne Research - infrastructure for remote sensing within environmental monitoring. CzeCOS is also active member of ESFRI eLTER RI - long-term research on ecosystems, critical zones and socio-ecological systems  a ESFRI DANUBIUS RI - advanced studies on river-sea systems.

LRI CzeCOS offers a unique link between the following:

1. MANIPULATION EXPERIMENT INFRASTRUCTURE for long-term impact studies investigating the effects of environmental factors on microorganisms/plants/ecosystems, and for development and testing of adaptation and mitigation measures

2. OBSERVATION INFRASTRUCTURE for observational research and quantification of GHGs fluxes in different ecosystem types, observation of long-range transport of GHGs and air pollution on the regional scale, and the impacts of global change on hydrology and biogeochemistry in ecosystems

3. ANALYTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE including metabolomics, stable isotope and biogeochemical laboratories

4. REMOTE SENSING INFRASTRUCTURE including airborne carrier, UAS-drone, and sensors for process imaging of ecosystem structures, functions and biogeochemical cycles

5. ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL LABORATORY for investigation of basic eco-physiological processes in plants, soil or whole ecosystem connected with carbon and water cycles

The research infrastructure CzeCOS represents a unique set of both stationary and mobile devices, instruments and other supporting facilities for the research on the GC impacts on ecosystems, the study of adaptation mechanisms in plants and microorganisms and the subsequent development of procedures for mitigation measures. Interdisciplinary and synergetic interconnection of the specific analytical devices, equipment for ecophysiological measuring, equipment for laboratory and field manipulation experiments, bioreactors for the research and development of photosynthetic microorganisms, ecosystem stations for the study of the matter and energy fluxes, as well as high-end sensors for remote sensing of ecosystems allow us to perform comprehensive research on the GC at an international level.

The existing research infrastructure CzeCOS seamlessly follows up on the activities and mission of the original infrastructure. The infrastructure has been significantly strengthened and has reached top international level thanks to the implementation of the OP RDI - Center of Excellence.