The Center for Limnology's Trout Lake Station provides access to a region with one of the densest concentrations of lakes in the world. Aquatic systems there range from temporary ponds to large lakes and represent a broad diversity of hydrologic, edaphic, and trophic conditions. Most of these systems lie within protected watersheds with low population densities. The diversity of these resources has led to an extensive history of aquatic research at the station. Early work began with the pioneering comparative investigation of Birge and Juday and was expanded upon by the whole-system experiments conducted by Hasler. Current programs at Trout Lake include several multi-investigator, ecosystem level investigations as well as numerous smaller-scale projects involving population and community ecology, hydrology, fisheries biology, and basic limnology. Research activities at the station have undergone a major expansion over the past decade. This expansion has been coupled with a program to provide major improvements in both the physical plant and the research capabilities of the station. This support will continue improvements in both of these areas. Specifically, it will support the acquisition of major instrument systems (an autoanalyzer and a particle analysis system) which will augment substantially the basic analytical capacities of the station. Additionally, a new four-season cabin will complete the planned expansion of basic facilities. These improvements will further basic goals of fostering the use of the Trout Lake Station as a national and international center for aquatic research.
