News

 Urbanization introduces large amounts of nutrients, chemical pollutants and antimicrobial products, and thereby changes the makeup of the microbiome by favouring groups of bacteria that contain human pathogenic bacteria, with yet unknown consequences for ecosystem functioning and human and animal health.

The Prussian carp or Gibel carp is considered one of the most successful invasive fish species in Europe. Its ability to reproduce asexually gives it a major advantage over competing fish. An international research team has for the first time described the complete genome of the Prussian carp. This also provides a much better understanding of its unusual reproductive method and to improve its management.

Researchers with the participation of IGB have shown for the first time that the moon plays a key role in the reproductive behaviour of male moths: when the moon rises on the horizon, they find females better and faster. Fortunately, they are not bothered by low levels of light pollution.

Is there an "excess" of aquatic plants? IGB has now published a fact sheet to give all interested parties a brief research-based overview.

In spring 2022 , a research team from the IGB, together with students from the HU Berlin, conducted extensive groundwater investigations at Arendsee. The aim was to repeat a measurement campaign from 2012 to determine whether nutrient inputs to Lake Arend via groundwater have changed over the last 10 years. The results of the measurement campaign are now available.

Freshwaters are underestimated sources of greenhouse gases. Researchers with IGB have now shown that even dry water bodies can release considerable amounts of methane. An overview of the causes and magnitudes of methane emissions from freshwaters and an outlook on future developments in climate change make this evident: cleaner waters and more moorland, please.

Various pesticides, nitrate and climate warming – many stress factors for lakes and their creatures. A French-German research team has studied the individual and combined effects of these stressors on the food web of macrophytes, algae and microorganisms in shallow lakes. 

An international research team involving IGB calls for the better protection of aquatic fungi. This endeavour sounds insignificant and difficult to implement, but this is not the case on either count.