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To survive as a species, aquatic organisms have developed a wide variety of strategies. Millions of years ago, sturgeons used their bony shells to fend off predators and relocate their habitats, sulphur mollies survive in toxic, almost oxygen-free water, and fish stocks in the River Oder are gradually recovering from the 2022 disaster. However, there are limits to the resilience of organisms, and these can be seen even in the tiniest single-celled creatures.

Without algae, little would function in aquatic ecosystems: they are a key component of the aquatic food web and provide oxygen for respiratory animals. But there is ample evidence that their abundance and composition are shifting as a result of climate change. This often has alarming consequences for the communities that live in rivers and lakes – and for us humans. 

IGB researchers gave feedback in the EU consultation on the GreenData4All initaitive.

The World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) latest report on the state of the world's climate shows that global warming is accelerating, with a particularly sharp increase in 2024 – and with far-reaching and in some cases irreversible consequences for our inland waters. Rising temperatures and changing water levels are driving new ecological dynamics: oxygen-free zones are expanding in lakes, the composition of species communities is changing and animals are adapting their behaviour – often struggling to obtain sufficient food.

Water is misused as a weapon when infrastructure and water resources are deliberately destroyed in armed conflicts. Water resources and infrastructure are also affected by the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine: In June 2023, the Kakhovka Dam, which held water from one of Europe's largest reservoirs, collapsed as a result of military damage. Researchers led by the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) have now published a study on the ecological consequences of the dam collapse in the journal Science.

The River Spree flows in reverse direction in some sections. Subsequently, water from River Erpe, which contains partly treated wastewater from the wastewater treatment plant Münchehofe, can flow in reverse direction in River Spree into Lake Müggelsee. Such flow reversals, which will likely occur more frequently in the future due to the phase-out of lignite mining, climate change and deviated annual precipitation patterns, pose a challenge for water management.

Amphibians are terrestrial animals, but can only reproduce in water. They prefer to live in and around ponds. However, this habitat is becoming increasingly rare – in Germany, more than half of all ponds have disappeared in the last century. If you want to protect amphibians, you should preserve, improve or create new ponds. But what does an amphibian pond look like where many species feel at home?

IGB researchers gave feedback on the planned European Water Resilience Strategy and underlined the relevance of freshwater ecosystems.