Information for Visiting Scientists
Facilities for research guests
Wattenmeerstation Sylt offers field access to individual research guests and student courses from any country. Individual scientists interested in visiting our lab should contact the person they wish to cooperate with. If in doubt, contact W. Armonies. Student classes should contact J. van Beusekom. For reservations of the dormatory contact G. Bardt
The island of Sylt in the eastern part of the North Sea.
Sylt has a cold temperate climate with with prevailing westerly winds and average temperatures of 4°C in winter and 15°C in summer.
The tides are semi-diurnal with an averge tidal range of 1.8 m.
The swell of the North Sea and wind-driven currents result in a rough wave climate. Hence the offshore sediments are highly unstable and the western beach of the island may be substancially eroded during gales. In the landward direction the western beach is followed by sandy dunes.
Sheltered sandy beaches, salt marshes, and intertidal sand and mud flats only occur behind the barrier island.
Causeways between the islands of Sylt and Römö and the mainland separate the Sylt-Römö-bight from the adjoining Wadden Sea, leaving only a single connection with the North Sea.
The dunes visible in the background dominate the landscape in the northern and southern part of the island.
Ship access - Research catamaran ‘Mya’
| Home port: | List |
| Length: | 17.50 m |
| Beam: | 6.55 m |
| Draught: | 0.65 m |
| Speed: | 6 kn |
| Crew: | 2 |
| Workplaces: | 3 |
| Standard device: | -water samplers -plankton nets -Van Veen grab -box corer -oyster dredge -video system |
‘Mya’ is equipped with a dry and wet laboratory (including a seawater supply) for material examination and preparation for further analysis. By virtue of its catamaran design, the ‚Mya‘ can land on sand banks at low tide, thus serving as a temporary laboratory or enabling research work on otherwise inaccessible sand banks and mussel beds. Primary activities are research trips and course excursions for up to 12 persons.
Occasionally the research vessels ‘Uthörn‘ and ‘Heincke‘ also operate in the Sylt area.
Outdoor facilities
Although we concentrate on field studies and experiments there is also a small outdoor experimental area equipped with power supply, seawater, and freshwater. Currently, most of this area is used by an outdoor tank system for the study of macroalgal growth activity.
The material source-sink dynamics of single communities are studied using large-scale outdoor flumes. These flumes provide two or more channels thus enabling simultaneous comparisons of several communities in situ.
Indoor facilities
Currently there are some 25 laboratories spread over three buildings. Most laboratories have a seawater supply, modern optical instruments for the study of pelagic and benthic samples, and internet access. Temperature-regulated rooms for cultivations and storage of samples are available in all buildings.
Besides many laboratories with a very basic equipment (remember, this is a field station!) there are some special laboratories for
– seawater analyses (particulate and dissolved nutrients, salinity, oxygen)
– sediment analysis (C/N analyser, sediment granulometry)
– Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
– Molecular genetics (under construction)
The library provides some basic ecological and morphological literature, including important journals on marine ecology; further literature supply via internet or the main library in Bremerhaven. The lecture room is suited for workshops (up to 40 participants) and lectures with an audience up to 60 persons. Student classes are offered a course room with 16 working places (each equipped with a compound and a stereo-microscope) and an adjoining aquarium room. Minor damage on the equipment may be repaired in our workshop which also constructs experimental device (wood, metal, plastics).
Our guests may use one of 2 dormatories during their stay at Wattenmeerstation Sylt. However, the total capacity is only some 50 persons, and early booking is needed.
Visiting scientists
Visiting scientists have free access to all facilities at our station. After arrangements with the scientific person in charge the scientific equipment, the research catamaran ”Mya” and most consumables in our laboratories can also be used free of charge. In return, we expect visiting scientists to cooperate with the resident research groups.
Until the extention of the present station will be finished in 2007, no special guest laboratories will be vacant. How ever, at present we can offer to share laboratories with resident working groups. An overview of current research activities can be found on our web sites.
Documentation of research
If the stay of a visiting scientist results in one or more publications, we kindly ask for a reprint. The reprint will be documented and will be accessible to future visiting scientists. If no publication is to be expected on short term, we kindly ask for a short report (1 page).
Accommodation
A small number of appartments is available at our guest house (Bückmann-Haus). Reservations can be made via our office (phone +49 4651 956-112).
Application and support
Scientist who are interested in visiting our station should contact the working group with which a cooperation is planned. Alternatively, contact Werner Armonies. Visiting scientist should register at the office.
| Werner Armonies | office | |
| phone | +49 (0)4651 / 9564303 | +49 (0) 4651 / 9560 |
| fax | +49 (0)4651 / 956200 | +49 (0)4651 / 956200 |
| werner.armonies@awi.de | kristin.kessenich@awi.de |
Future possibilities for visiting scientists at the Wadden Sea Station Sylt
After finishing the modifications of our station in 2007, we hope to provide excellent reseach conditions. We intend to intensify the cooperation with visiting scientist especially along the lines of the current research programme of our station. In this way we hope to broaden our views on the Wadden Sea Ecosystem and to make our station even more attractive for future visiting scientists.
Integration of visiting scientists in resident working groups
Visiting scientists can use all laboratories, equipment and consumables of the working groups. The working group and scientific person in charge will try to realize special needs of the visiting scientists in advance. If necessary equipment cannot be provided, this has to be brought by the visiting scientist.
Visiting scientists with own research foci
Visiting scientists who want to investigate aspects that do not fit in the research foci of the resident working groups are nevertheless invited to do so. After modification of our station a large laboratory for project groups and smaller guest laboratories will be available. Standard equipment and consumables can be put at the diposal of the visiting scientists. Only special equipment and special chemicals have to be brought by the visiting scientists.
Positions for visiting scientists at the Alfred Wegener Institute
The Alfred Wegener Institute offers temporary positions to visiting scientists. In general, AWI can invite scientists to investigate topics of special interest for the Wadden Sea Station Sylt. Topics and potential candidates are suggested by the senior scientists of the station to the advisory board and the AWI director who takes the final decision.