The Department of Biology's Ecological Research Facility (ERF), is located on a 50-acre, old-field tract in Lexington, Kentucky. Surrounded by residential neighborhoods, agricultural land and horse farms, the facility is a major resource for field studies within a fifteen minute commute of the main campus. Access is controlled, providing a secure site for long-term studies, for both research and teaching.

 

University of Kentucky biolgy faculty use this facility for a broad range of ecological enviromental and genomic research. From Summer 2012 to summer 2014, the Ecological Research Facility will host a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates on Suburban Ecology and Invasive Species.

 

 

 

Thanks to a $1 million grant from the Lexmark Foundation. ERF now is home to a teaching and reasearch center. This building is being renovated and will open in 2012. The new facility will host community outreach activities and it will have a new 30-seat teaching laboratory with prep room, office and computer labs, and access to classroom space.
 

 

 

The common use building includes a center bench for preparing outdoor experiments, two walk-in environmental chambers, and a workshop for graduate and undergraduate research.

 

 

 

 

 

A new circadian rhythm lab houses research.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aviaries are used for outdoor studies on birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abundant old-field land is available for long-term studies of plant succession and community development, and for experimental manipulations of plant populations.

 

 

 

 

 

Artificial ponds provide opportunities for well-replicated experimental manipulations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A newly renovated mesocosm facility allows controlled studies of aquatic species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Artificial streams permit controlled experimentation of stream systems.