Countless organisms live on our planet. However, this biodiversity is threatened by human dominance. In particular, genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity are affected. The main reasons for the rapid decline in biodiversity are climate change, large-scale land-use change, direct exploitation, pollution and the spread of invasive alien species. Freshwater species – from larger animals (“megafauna”), fish, amphibians, invertebrates, macrophytes to a variety of microorganisms (e.g. plankton, bacteria, fungi and viruses) – are particularly affected by these pressures. In this context, aquatic biodiversity contributes to the stability and resilience of ecosystems in the context of global change, and plays a central role in important ecosystem services such as water purification, food supply and recreational opportunities.
In the programme area “Aquatic Biodiversity in the Anthropocene”, IGB engages in research on the drivers and implications of biodiversity loss and on how biodiversity can be conserved. The focus is on lakes, rivers and wetlands in general, including small freshwater habitats such as ponds and streams, as well as feedback mechanisms between aquatic and terrestrial systems.
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Selected publications
Flexible foraging behaviour increases predator vulnerability to climate change
Based on a combination of (historical) empirical data and model simulations the authors investigated how size-selective adaptive behaviour under warmer conditions in demersal marine fishes might affect their long-term population stability. Under warmer conditions the fish species studied tend to consume less efficiently by choosing smaller and more abundant prey increasing their extinction risk.
Quantitative description of six fish species’ gut contents and prey abundances in the Baltic Sea (1968–1978)
This data paper presents a multi-year database containing information about diets and traits for demersal fish species from the Western Baltic Sea, as well as on resource abundances and environmental conditions. These historical data are unique as they provide detailed descriptions of quantitative and trait-based consumer-resource interactions enabling various ways of innovative food-web analyses.
Reviving Europe's rivers: Seven challenges in the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law to restore free-flowing rivers
The authors identified potential challenges and ambiguities in the EU-NRL for restoring free-flowing rivers. They propose clear definitions of critical terms and the development of integrated assessment methods for prioritising actions to improve river connectivity as novel solutions to these challenges, contributing to the success of habitat restoration and biodiversity protection.
Three hundred years of past and future changes for native fish species in the upper Danube River Basin—Historical flow alterations versus future climate change
The authors show that fish have been particularly sensitive to changes in flow regimes in the past, while higher temperatures will pose the greatest threat in the future. The threat assessment will remain at least as high in the future. However, it could probably be mitigated by reconnecting former floodplains and improving river connectivity.
Perspectives in modelling ecological interaction networks for sustainable ecosystem management
The study provides perspectives on the use of network models to address a variety of applied ecological questions along spatial and temporal dimensions as well as on interactions between abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems. Through collaborative research, network models could provide important levers for sustainable management.