© David Ausserhofer/IGB

Research for the future of our freshwaters

Through innovative research on the structure and functioning of freshwaters, their biodiversity, ecosystem services and responses to global change, we make a relevant contribution to a better understanding of these ecosystems and to sustainable freshwater management.
© David Ausserhofer/IGB

Our programme areas

In three programme areas, we link internationally competitive basic research with applied research for the sustainable use and conservation of inland waters. This integrative and dynamic approach allows us to develop innovative ideas, respond to research questions and impulses from science and society as well as to drive national, European and global research developments.
© Solvin Zankl

Our research groups

The 37 research groups at IGB are organised in five disciplinary departments that enable multi-faceted research in freshwater ecology and inland fisheries. Their work is integrated most prominently within three programme areas that represent overarching research themes.
© Carmen Cillero/3edata

Our infrastructure

IGB maintains large-scale research facilities such as the IGB LakeLab in Lake Stechlin or the River Lab in the Tagliamento River. Our infrastructure also includes fish and invertebrates facilities as well as modern biogeochemistry, stable isotope, microbial and molecular laboratories. In addition, we use and advance a wide range of models and methods such as remote sensing, 3D print-assisted sampling, sensor technology and AI-assisted image analysis.
© shutterstock:1507315184, Dotted Yeti

Our latest scientific highlights

New method for assessing the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics to soil and freshwater ecosystems | Citizen science data reveals how invasive predators are impacting island bird populations | Study identifies top risk species among aquatic pets in Germany

Downloads

Outlines | IGB Dossier: Small standing water bodies as biodiversity hotspots – particularly valuable, but highly endangered

Small standing waters are overlooked and underestimated because of their small size – yet they account for more than 30 percent of the world's inland water bodies and are of great ecological and social importance. In order to raise awareness of this problem and to point out options for action for policymakers, authorities and the civil society, IGB has published an IGB Dossier on this important type of water body. 

Selected publications

December 2023
Journal of Hydrology. - 628(2024), Art. 130433

Improving process-consistency of an ecohydrological model through inclusion of spatial patterns of satellite-derived land surface temperature

Doris Düthmann; Martha Anderson; Marco P. Maneta; Doerthe Tetzlaff

Since the simulation of evaporation and vegetation response to moisture deficits is subject to uncertainties, the authors assessed the benefits of integrating satellite-based land surface temperature data into ecohydrological modelling. They show that even few satellite images can reduce uncertainties of vegetation parameters and improve simulated spatial patterns of land surface temperature.

November 2023
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London : Ser. B, Biological Sciences. - 378(2023)1892, Art. 20220356

A framework for untangling the consequences of artificial light at night on species interactions

Brett Seymoure; Anthony Dell; Franz Hölker; Gregor Kalinkat

By altering essential environmental cues Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) is restructuring if, how and when animals interact. In this publication the authors explored the role of ALAN on ecological interactions and reviewed research studies that addressed this issue, most of whom were just published during the last three to five years.

November 2023
Global Change Biology. - XX(2023)XX, e17013

Lake browning counteracts cyanobacteria responses to nutrients: Evidence from phytoplankton dynamics in large enclosure experiments and comprehensive observational data

Anne Lyche Solheim; Hege Gundersen; Ute Mischke; Birger Skjelbred; Jens C. Nejstgaard; Alexis L. N. Guislain; Erik Sperfeld; Darren P. Giling; Sigrid Haande; Andreas Ballot; S. Jannicke Moe; Susanne Stephan; Tim J. W. Walles; Andreas Jechow; Laetitia Minguez; Lars Ganzert; Thomas Hornick; Truls Hveem Hansson; Cleo N. Stratmann; Marko Järvinen; Stina Drakare; Laurence Carvalho; Hans-Peter Grossart; Mark O. Gessner; Stella A. Berger

This study combines experiments in large enclosures with a comprehensive time series and a field survey to assess the joint effects of storm-induced lake browning, nutrient enrichment and deep-mixing on phytoplankton.Browning decreases nutrient enrichment effects on phytoplankton, including shifts in the species composition from cyanobacteria and chlorophytes to mixotrophic cryptophytes. 

November 2023
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London : Ser. B, Biological Sciences. - 378(2023)1892, Art. 20220360

Light pollution of freshwater ecosystems: principles, ecological impacts and remedies

Franz Hölker; Andreas Jechow; Sibylle Schroer; Klement Tockner; Mark O. Gessner

Freshwater ecosystems across the world are biodiversity hotspots but also disproportionately threatened by light pollution. In this review the authors provide a synthesis of current knowledge on light characteristics and the ecological consequences of artificial light in inland waters and coupled adjacent ecosystems. The focus is on recent insights into effects and on ways to mitigate them.

November 2023
Water Resources Research. - 59(2023)11, Art. e2023WR035509

Integrating Tracers and Soft Data Into Multi-Criteria Calibration: Implications From Distributed Modeling in a Riparian Wetland

Songjun Wu; Doerthe Tetzlaff; Xiaoqiang Yang; Aaron Smith; Chris Soulsby

This study aimed to unravel the heterogenous spatio-temporal patterns of hydrological processes in a riparian wetland over 2 years. The work provided insights into ecohydrological wetland functioning, but also revealed potential equifinality in process-based models even with abundant data for calibration, and solutions based on the integration of water isotopes and soft data into modelling.

Monitoring stations

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Last measurement: No data available.
  • Water temperature
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Last measurement: No data available.
  • Water temperature
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  • Oxygen (rel./abs.)
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  • Wind speed
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Last measurement: No data available.

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