Selected publications

The authors aimed at describing community composition of methanogenic and methanotrophic microorganisms at large spatial scale and at linking their abundances to potential sediment methane production and oxidation rates. Diversity of methanogenic archaea was higher in warmer streams and diversity of methanotrophic communities was higher at southern sampling sites and in larger streams. 

How do estimates for runoff contributions in glaciated catchments differ when estimated with different methods? A meta-analysis of 143 studies shows that the definition of runoff contributions is crucial, leading to rain and snow contributions to runoff estimated with a tracer-based approach being on average 9-14% lower than when determined by hydrological modelling. 

The authors review how different bat guilds respond to artificial light at night (ALAN) and assess how the impacts vary according to ecological context. All studied European species respond for example negatively to a wide range of light colors and intensities close to roosts and drinking sites. The sprawl of ALAN may be a key factor driving the decline of bat diversity.

The authors introduced a novel numerical modelling framework that provides reactive parameter estimates of contaminant transformation reactions with high parameter identifiability and informs dominant transformation pathways for joint parent daughter simulations in river sediments. The findings highlight that the daughter reaction rate may be underestimated if its parent transformation is ignored.

The authors studied Isotopes in Berlin’s Panke catchment to understand stream flow sources. Groundwater dominated the upper catchment, but ~90% of flow in the lower catchment was treated waste water. High flows were generated from urban drains. The stream has unnatural hydrological and chemical regimes with restoration needed for improved ecology. 

The authors investigated the seasonal dynamics in prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiomes in three common fen types in Northern Germany. The eukaryotic microbiomes showed significant changes in their community structures across the seasons in contrast to largely unaffected prokaryotic microbiomes. The dynamics in eukaryotic microbiomes in the rewetted sites differed between fen types.

The scientist allowed sediments of a nutrient-rich lowland river to dry out over 9 weeks to study temporal changes of microbial activity, carbon dioxide and methane emissions, and of the fluxes of water-soluble organic carbon. They also simulated short rainfalls on the dried-up riverbed. The study shows, that after drying up and raining, rivers can release more carbon dioxide and methane.

Rewetted peatlands have the potential to fulfil the restoration goals including those targeting climate change mitigation, water quality protection, and species conservation. However, due to heavy soil changes their restoration cannot be expected in short-term. Data analyser of several hundred natural and degraded peatlands have shown that it might last decades before they become fully recovered.