News

IGB researcher Prof Michael Hupfer has been elected as a new member of the Leibniz-Sozietät der Wissenschaften zu Berlin e.V. The learned society is thus honouring his achievements in the field of aquatic ecology and his commitment to water protection. 

In a new Leopoldina statement with IGB participation, researchers recommend the restoration of peatlands and floodplains.

Study in Science shows: High nutrient levels and rising temperatures increase the decomposition rates of organic matter in freshwaters. This can lead to increased CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Freely accessible maps show the differences for more than 500 stream ecosystems worldwide.

In a recent EU consultation, the IGB provided feedback on the use of so-called Renure fertilisers and recommended that the current nitrate limits should be strictly followed and that renure fertilisers should not benefit from any exemptions.

This study in Nature Climate Change shows how interactions between climate change and urbanisation affect biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics. The authors point out that the interactions between these two drivers of global change can have far-reaching effects, and how this knowledge can inform urban planning.

Oxygen is essential for most aquatic organisms. Chemical and biological processes, such as the ability to self-purify, are also dependent on oxygen. However, environmental changes and rising water temperatures are altering the oxygen content of lakes, ponds and pools. Oxygen concentrations in the deep layers of lakes are decreasing worldwide. In addition, oxygen depletion can lead to an increased release of greenhouse gases. IGB researchers are investigating the extent and consequences of this. In the process, they are also questioning some theories about the laws of lake ecology.

The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) has long been identified as a threatened species. In order to better understand its life cycle, long-term monitoring of the salmon population in Girnock, Scotland, a well-known freshwater habitat of this migratory fish species, was started around sixty years ago. The work is the most detailed long-term study of an Atlantic salmon population in the world. It revealed quantitative changes in the return rates, distribution, size, growth and age of salmon.

Although lots of rain has reached the ground, the groundwater has not yet returned to the state it was in before the dry year of 2018. Moreover, in 2023, a year with high precipitation, a particularly large amount of water evaporated due to high temperatures. So, no reason to sound the all-clear?