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La Estación de Hidrobiología “Encoro do Con” (EHEC) de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela: un centro de estudio de la biodiversidad

The “Encoro do Con” Hydrobiological Field Station (EHEC) is a research centre of the USC which offers housing and the required facilities (laboratories, computer room, sampling gear, …) for the study of the freshwater habitats. The EHEC was created to provide research and education facilities to researchers of the University of Santiago de Compostela, other universities, government agencies, schools and other educational groups interested in freshwater biology. The core of the research at the EHEC is dedicated to freshwater ecosystems, focusing on biodiversity, ecotoxicology, pollution and water quality using aquatic organisms (biotic indicators), population management, aquaculture, control of non-indigenous freshwater species, and ecology of freshwater animals, mainly macroinvertebrates and fishes. The study of descriptive and functional Hydrobiology, through several research projects on the ecology of lentic and lotic freshwaters, is also the theoretical frame of reference for the programs of management, conservation and recovery of freshwater ecosystems. In this sense, the EHEC is intended to be a bridge for the collaboration between management and research bodies, a place to reach agreements based on a good understanding of processes occurring in freshwater ecosystems.