Photo montage: From left: Malwina Schafft (DAFV Dissertation Award) with Klaus-Dieter Mau and Timo Rittweg (Thaer Dissertation Award). | Photo: From left: Robert Arlinghaus, Phoebe Griffith
In her doctoral thesis titled “Recreation Ecology: Impacts of Recreational Angling and Other Water-Based Activities on Freshwater Biodiversity,” Malwina Schafft examined the effects of recreational use on aquatic biodiversity in quarry lakes. The Störbagger Project, within the framework of which the dissertation was written, was funded by the state fishing associations of Lower Saxony, Saxony, and Bavaria. The study was based on a comprehensive analysis of global studies as well as original research on the effects of angling conservation practices and water use in quarry lakes with varying degrees of utilization. Malwina Schafft’s dissertation provides an important basis for discussion regarding the role of recreational fishing in the tension between recreational use, water management, and nature conservation. Read more >
In his dissertation, titled “Thermo-saline niche, diet, and growth of a stenohaline freshwater predator (northern pike, Esox lucius) in brackish lagoons of the southern Baltic Sea,” Timo Rittweg studied the ecology of the northern pike in the Bodden waters of the southern Baltic Sea. As part of the Boddenpike-Project, he focused on the growth, diet, life cycle, and use of various habitats by pike. He employed methods such as telemetry, stable isotope analysis, stomach content analysis, and age determination. The results will help ensure that pike populations in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea are managed in an even more targeted and sustainable manner in the future. Read more >
We extend our warmest congratulations to Malwina and Timo on these awards!
