News

A study published in Science shows that the exposed sediments of the desiccated Aral Sea have already released vast amounts of carbon dioxide since 1960, but also that they still contain a vulnerable carbon sink that could be protected through hydrological restoration.

In the second half of June 2026, record-breaking heat was recorded not only on land but also in bodies of water. On 29 June 2026, for example, a water temperature of 30.2 °C was measured in Berlin’s Müggelsee – the highest temperature ever recorded for this lake. Near the shore, the temperature even reached 32.7 °C. But how do extremely high temperatures affect the lake and its wildlife? Researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) provide an overview.

On 30 June 2026, Freie Universität Berlin (FUB) and IGB opened their new collaborative building for biodiversity research on the Dahlem research campus. Here, eight research groups from the two institutions will work together under one roof.

A new IGB Manual helps those seeking assistance to find solutions when lakes appear to be out of balance.

A study published in Communications Earth & Environment shows that the winter North Atlantic Oscillation is strongly associated with the development of summer droughts in Central Europe. This cross-seasonal connection could improve early forecasting and resilience planning land and water management in drought-sensitive regions.

A new study in Communications Biology has demonstrated for the first time that Arapaima juveniles gather by the hundreds to synchronize their trips to the water surface with split-second precision, most likely to avoid predators and maximize survival and efficiency. The principle behind this behavior could also help inform mathematical models for synchronizing heterogeneous groups of robots or drone swarms.

Artificial light at night is an increasingly prevalent environmental hazard. The effects of artificial light on animals, plants, biotic communities and ecosystems have now been comprehensively documented by scientists. This has prompted the legislature to incorporate an additional protective provision into the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG). The IGB has established a robust scientific and legal basis for implementing Section 41a of the BNatSchG, which aims to protect animals and plants from the adverse effects of artificial lighting.

Today, researchers presented their findings on the 2022 Oder River environmental disaster at a symposium in Schwedt, handing over a report containing recommendations for action to Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider. The researchers recommended reducing salt and nutrient pollution, revitalising floodplains, and retaining more water in the landscape to strengthen the river’s long-term resilience.