Science benefits from the rapid and open exchange of knowledge. However, there is a lack of appropriate community standards for data exchange between different institutions. In this article the authors discuss improvements for the exchange of extensive microbiome data.

The authors review how river “knots” associated with bifurcations, confluences, and obstructions, which are spatially and temporally heterogeneous reaches in a river network affect reach-scale processes including flow attenuation, enhanced vertical and lateral connectivity, and augmented solute retention and uptake. .

The authors recommend a new genetic approach for the obligatory measurements under the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Currently, the diversity of phytoplankton – i.e. microalgae – is assessed as a key parameter for water quality using an inverse microscope technique that has been in use since 1958.