One of the key components of aquatic life are macroinvertebrates. At ECOSPHERE, we have all necessary equipment and knowhow to take invertebrate samples according to official monitoring protocols, as well as a lab with identification material, a small library with identification guides and binoculars and optical light microscopes (Zeiss Discovery.V12 steREO, Zeiss Stemi 2000 with KL200 cold light source, and an Olympus BX50). We specifically have experience with brackish benthic organisms, freshwater invertebrates and midges.
We are also specialized in invasive crustaceans, most notably crayfish and mittencrabs. We hold a tissue collection of Eriocheir sinensis with samples from different locations in Flanders since 2018, which can be used for research. We also have reference material from Eriocheir japonica from Japan.
If you have any questions regarding our invertebrate identification facilities, please contact Dimitri van Pelt. For the Eriocheir reference collection, please contact Jonas Schoelynck.
