Chara Lakes

Testing restoration measures of Characeae meadows in oligotrohic calcareous lakes in North-East Germany

Charophytes are characteristic for oligo-mesotrophic hardwater lakes and have been severely declining in Northeast Germany during the last decades. Multiple potential stressors were identified (high TP, low DIC, low Ca, periphyton shading, benthivorous fish).  The Chara-Lake Project conducts restoration measures targeting hydrochemistry and fish communities in 27 lakes. Hydrochemical measures include nutrient reduction in inlets, nutrient precipitation in the lake and liming as well as biomass removal. Following the measures, charophyte abundance and is monitored.

Biomanipulation of fish communities tests if reduction of benthivores, herbivores or omnivores affect fish community composition, charophyte states and periphyton shading caused by sediment turbulence by benthivorous fish.

 

Website:

https://chara-seen.de/

Short Profile

Duration

01.01.2019
01.02.2025
Department
(Dept. 2) Community and Ecosystem Ecology
Research Domain
Aquatic Biodiversity in the Anthropocene
Aquatic Ecosystem Services and Sustainability
Team
Research Group Leader
Scientific Project Leader (since 2023)
Scientific Project Leader (2020-2022)
Associated Researcher
Technical Staff
Topic
Funded by

Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN) mit Mitteln des Bundesministeriums für Umwelt, Naturschutz, nukleare Sicherheit und Verbraucherschutz (BMU)

Länder Brandenburg und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

WWF Deutschland

2017-2018 NABU Stiftung Nationales Naturerbe

Partners

Förderverein Feldberg-Uckermärkische Seenlandschaft e.V.

Dr. Rüdiger Mauersberger

Michael Steinmüller

Katrin Koschmieder

Contact person

Sabine Hilt

Research Group Leader
Research group
Aquatic-Terrestrial Coupling and Regime Shifts

Uta Müller

Postdoc
Research group
Aquatic-Terrestrial Coupling and Regime Shifts
Publication