AQUANAVI: A New Navigation Tool for Aquatic Mesocosm-Based Research To Address Grand Challenges and Their Mitigation

Critical environmental changes challenge aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Therefore, coordinating research efforts is increasingly urgent. Mesocosm experiments offer controlled yet realistic settings, and are crucial for understanding the impact of various, often combined stressors on complex aquatic ecosystems and to test mitigation efforts. The AQUACOSM-RI (Research Infrastructure) consortium, comprising over 60 state-of-the-art mesocosm facilities at 28 host institutions across Europe, has been instrumental in advancing aquatic research across climate zones including marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems.

We will introduce a new tool that enables a highly tailored exploration of existing mesocosm research knowledge to individual search parameters, thereby allowing more collaboration and efficient use of research efforts and resources. Within the  EU OSCARS funded AQUANAVI project (Navigating Grand Challenges and their Mitigation using Aquatic Experimental Ris), we created an interactive atlas of aquatic mesocosm-based experimental research information including the data, publications, reports and further information on mesocosm facilities and research generated by the AQUACOSM consortium and other mesocosm facilities worldwide. Expert knowledge is integrated into a single, accessible platform incorporating Open Knowledge Maps' AI-driven visual discovery tools. AQUANAVI will foster international collaborations, facilitate coordinated mesocosm experiments, knowledge exchange and efficient use of aquatic RIs globally to accelerate the development of environmental mitigation strategies.