Facilities

The Glasshouse is separated into three research chambers (each with a floor area 2.8 x 5 m and a volume of approximately 55m³). The bottom 1m of the building walls are constructed of rendered block on a concrete slab, with walls and roof made from 6mm toughened glass panels placed within a structural steel frame. The roof of each compartment is fitted with an automated venting window, and there is a retractable sun screen on the underside of the roof in each research chamber.

The glasshouse anteroom and research chambers are serviced by independent chilled water Air Handling Units operating to satisfy research requirements being conducted. The three chambers are conditioned by individual AHU’s and can be operated separately each with independent control of temperature (14 to 45 °C) and [CO2] (350 to 2000 ppm).

The TropOz facility is an active collaboration between JCU and the University of Exeter UK, and represents a unique experimental facility for investigating the impact of tropospheric ozone on tropical vegetation.

Urban expansion and land use change around the tropics is leading to higher concentrations of ozone (O₃) an important atmospheric pollutant, with important impacts on primary productivity of natural and agronomic systems across the tropics. This facility consists of nine open top chambers (3.5 m diameter) with independent rates of O₃fumigation, allowing for research into the impacts of both acute and chronic O₃ pollution on tropical vegetation.

The shadehouse is a steel framed structure (10 x 5 m) with a 70% shade cloth covering and 2m wide double-gated doors at both ends.  The shade house has a concrete floor with two centralised silt traps and is equipped with power and water.

The two flight cages are comprised of a steel frame enclosure with shade cloth cover. The structure is 4m tall with a 6m square base. The ante chamber is an additional 1500mm x 2200m footprint, and is double gated to prevent escape of animals. Entrance is comprised of a pair of 1m wide steel framed gates, repeated internally in the ante chamber. The two internal bays are separated by a double layer of mesh with a minimum of 50mm separation. Flight cages are equipped with power, water and centralised silt traps.

Six designated field research plots are available for short-term and long-term research projects.

The Colorbond shed comprises power, water, internet, work area with benches and a sink.  The shed is a multi-use area for conducting research along with storing of research supplies and equipment.