"LéXPLORE": research station shines through Lake Geneva
Since 19 February 2019, the 100-square-meter research platform "LéXPLORE" has been floating on Lake Geneva. On board: countless probes and sensors that researchers from Eawag, EPFL and the Universities of Lausanne and Geneva are using to understand ecological processes in Lake Geneva and the interactions between water and the atmosphere.
Why is the "LéXPLORE" project important for environmental research? "Lakes act beyond national boundaries as sensitive early warning signals of environmental change," says aquatic physicist and member of the Eawag Directorate Johny Wüest, who initiated the "LéXPLORE" project together with his colleague Bas Ibelings of the University of Geneva.
Interpert sea life
Water for drinking and irrigation; habitat for fish, plants and small animals; recreational space for us: lakes are unique for humans and nature. But these fragile ecosystems are under pressure. In addition to changes in land use and inputs of nutrients and pollutants, climate change is also affecting the lakes in our Alpine regions: Because lake water is continuously warming, lake stratification is increasing and the composition of plankton is changing. For example, researchers are concerned that blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) will proliferate in the future and affect drinking water and fisheries.
The research team now wants to investigate such changes and their scientific background with the help of "LéXPLORE". "This platform is the world's most modern floating research station on a lake," says Natacha Pasche, limnologist and project manager at EPFL. By 2026, the research station will be in operation near Pully (VD), recording hourly, seasonal and long-term changes. The project team plans to collaborate with the lake's users: Professional fishermen, shipping, nature conservation and authorities as well as researchers and other interested parties should be able to use data and new findings immediately.
Technical feat
After the researchers had put the platform through its paces in the Bouveret canal in December 2018, it was anchored in the lake yesterday. "It wasn't easy," emphasizes Natacha Pasche, because the moorings are up to 140 meters deep. Over the next few months, all the measuring instruments and dozens of sensors will be installed. A weather station will register temperatures and winds on a daily basis, sensors will record current speeds as well as light, turbulence, oxygen, carbon dioxide, various algae groups and diverse natural and artificial substances. "It should take a while before everything is working properly," Pasche says. "But we can't wait to finally start taking measurements and unlock the lake's secrets."
