News

Lynn Goveart is studying how evolutionary and ecological processes affect aquatic organisms. The work of the IGB research group leader is now being additionally supported for five years by the Leibniz Programme for Women Professors. This is aimed at women in all disciplines who have an outstanding international track record.

Head out to the lake for a swim, but have you ever wondered what might be swimming, growing or crawling in the water? A catfish recently attacked several people in the Brombachsee, a lake in Franconia. But just how dangerous are these predatory fish? What other creatures might you encounter in the lake? We take a look at the diverse underwater world of animals and plants, from the harmless to the astonishing.

Scientists from IGB present long-term monitoring data on water quality of Lake Stechlin in the journal Scientific Data. The team makes this data available to other researchers via IGB's data platform FRED.

Some organisms can slow their development to withstand wind and weather. This strategy is found in plants, animals, and even microorganisms, both on land and in water.

Too little rain, too little water in the landscape – so simple, so serious. Even if the drought is obvious because freshwaters carry less water, plants wither and the soil becomes brittle and cracked, the drying out itself is a complex process in which the spatial context plays an important role. Professor Dörthe Tetzlaff from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) is investigating this interplay of environmental factors, water storage and water flows in the landscape, focussing on the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

Tires abrade fine particles when driving. These contain a complex mixture of different compounds, including toxic substances. If the tire wear particles end up in freshwater ecosystems, the pollutants are leached out there. A new review article in the Journal of Environmental Management summarises the current state of knowledge on the occurrence of tire wear particles and the release of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. The researchers warn of the toxic effects on aquatic organisms and associated ecological consequences.

Aquatic fungi are among the least researched groups of organisms on Earth. A video project reveals their hidden world.

Biological invasions are widely acknowledged as a serious threat to biodiversity, global economies, and a good quality of life. Yet, they are not universally perceived as a nuisance and are sometimes gaining – often unexpectedly – cultural acceptance in local communities around the world. The consequences of this acceptance are not trivial for the management of invasive species.