Plain of Jars – the world’s oldest man-made biological experiment
In central Laos, thousands of large stone jars have been left from ancient burial rituals. Together, these jars form a massive biological experiment: for 2000 years, rainwater has interacted with geology to create unique yet perfectly replicated ecosystems that include organisms ranging from microbes to aquatic plants.
The unprecedented age and high number of replicates offers a unique opportunity for unfolding one of ecology’s long-standing questions: What shapes biological communities?
Using novel sampling techniques, the project will strengthen the understanding of the importance of environmental conditions and habitat isolation for biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems.
Members
Name | Title | Phone | |
---|---|---|---|
Båstrup-Spohr, Lars | Associate Professor | +4535321166 | |
Pedersen, Ole | Professor |
Funded by
Period: 2020-2022
Principal Investigator:
Assistant Prof. Lars Båstrup-Spohr
Contact
Assistant Prof. Lars Båstrup-Spohr
Freshwater Biology Section
Universitetsparken 4
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø
lbaastrupspohr@bio.ku.dk
Phone: +45 3532 1166
External members
Name | Title | Affiliation |
---|---|---|
Lars Lønsmann Iversen | Assistant professor | CMEC, UCPH |