Department Fish Ecology and Evolution
The scientists are supported by our highly experienced technical staff. A wide range of high-end equipment as well as different aquaria-rooms are available for the different kind of research projects.
cold water aquaria system
Our cold water aquaria system contains 122 aquaria with a total volume of 33’000 L. More than half of the aquaria are connected to a flow-through system which provides the aquaria with a constant supply of fresh water from Lake Lucerne. The remaining aquaria are filtered with an air filter connected to the centralized compressed air system.
Our cold water aquaria vary from small 150 L rearing aquaria, up to a large 2250 L tanks. We also have many small aquaria which can be set up as required.
warm water aquaria system
Our warm-water aquaria system consists of 385 aquaria (41’000 liters in total) distributed among three rooms.
The main room, containing 345 aquaria with a total volume of 31’000 L, has a central filtration unit with a sedimentation tank, sand-filter, bio-filter and a UV-C unit to maintain optimal water conditions for the fish.
The aquaria in the other rooms are filtered with an air filter connected to the centralized compressed air system.
Our aquaria vary in size from small 20 L breeding tanks, up to six meter experimental aquaria and a large 4700 L round tank for behavioral experiments.
outdoor mesocosms
We have two large outdoor observation tanks with a glass wall along one side to allow observations of fish behavior.
The two observation tanks are 10 x 3 x 1.05 m and 15 x 3 x 1.4 m, with a combined volume of 94’000 L. The tanks can be partitioned lengthwise and crosswise to create smaller compartments.
These tanks are connected to a flow-through system with a continuous supply of fresh water from Lake Lucerne.
Molecular laboratory
Our state-of-the-art facilities provide infrastructure for a wide range of research in molecular population genetics and evolutionary ecology.
We are associated with the ETH Genetic Diversity Center (GDC), where additional applications, such as pyro-sequencing are available. Further, the GDC provides bioinformatics support and computing facilities for our large genomic data sets.
For Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) we work with our sequencing center in Berne and University of Lausanne or outsource our prepared DNA libraries to commercial sequencing centers.
The laboratories are used by our research staff, students as well as by visiting scholars.
List of applications and available instruments at the CEEB lab:
- Library preparation for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
Currently, we prepare RADtaq and whole genome libraries for the Illumina HighSeq sequencing platform- DNA shearing (Covaris M220)
- DNA size selection (Sage ELF)
- DNA quality control (Agilent TapeStation)
- Automated DNA/RNA extraction
- Homogenizing of tissue samples (Qiagen TissueLyser II System)
- DNA purification with magnetic beads (Qiagen BioSprint 96 Robotic Workstation)
- DNA/RNA amplification and quantification
- Standard and gradient thermocyclers
- ABI real time PCR machine
- Roche LightCycler 480
- Sequencing and fragment analysis
- Fragment analysis (Microsatellites, RFLP) and Sanger sequencing
- ABI 3500XL DNA Analyzer (24-capillary)
- Data analysis
In our data analysis room we have 4 computers (Mac and PC) equiped with dedicated analysis software packages including CLC Genomics Workbench, GeneMapper, GenMarker, Sequencher, PAUP, MacClade.
The Genetic Diversity Center (GDC) provides bioinformatics support and computing facilities for our large genomic data sets.
