Current Projects
Funding Period: 01/2025 – 12/2027
The largest part of organic matter entering the world's freshwaters is eventually mineralised to the greenhouse gases (GHG) carbon dioxide (CO2) or methane (CH4) and subsequently emitted to the atmosphere. Along the river-to-sea continuum, conditions of organic matter mineralisation change fundamentally. The underlying assumption of the ASGRIO project is that it makes a difference whether organic matter entering the freshwater network is mineralised under freshwater conditions or if it is transported to the sea where it is mineralised under more sulphate reducing conditions.
Human alterations of rivers and coasts - including climate adaptation measures - such as dams and dikes, weirs, disconnection of floodplain waters, and continuous deepening of rivers or navigational channels can disrupt the natural flux of carbon and nutrients from terrestrial environments to the ocean. This has implications for the health and balance of both freshwater and marine ecosystems. We hypothesise that human alterations also affect the net climate impact of the coupled river-estuary system by shifting the ratios between the three GHGs CO2, CH4, and N2O. Especially the construction of weirs leads to sedimentation and elevated CH4 production but can also stimulate aquatic primary production by extending water residence times.
Understanding of these impacts and underlying mechanisms is crucial for a sustainable river management and the conservation of associated ecosystems. Balancing human development needs with environmental conservation is a complex challenge that requires careful consideration of ecological consequences and long-term sustainability. The overall questions of the AGRIO project are, how much GHG will be net emitted within the river-ocean continuum, how does the ratio between the different GHGs shift along the river to sea continuum and what impact water management strategies have on this (continuous dredging, weirs, groynes, availability of natural floodplains, lowering of nutrient emissions). With AGRIO we will provide the first comprehensive model for the entire Elbe-North Sea System, including the source and sinks for greenhouse gas emission. This model will provide us with what-if scenarios to mitigate GHG emissions and a resilient way to balance between anthropogenic demands on the river-sea-continuum and its consequent GHG emissions.
The project is a cooperation between different Helmholtz Centres (AWI, HEREON, UFZ). At UFZ we will run Mesocosm experiments to provide rates of relevant processes (CO2 production, CH4 production and consumption, N2O production and consumption) and their regulation by relevant drivers (nutrients, temperature, light) in water and sediments of the Elbe system. These data will be used for parameterisation of the model. In laboratory mesocosm experiments, greenhouse gas production during microbial degradation of different types of organic material will be quantified under simulated freshwater versus marine conditions as we expect more terrestrial carbon during flood events and more wastewater pollution during drought periods. This will make it possible to compare the climate effect of organic matter mineralization under different habitat conditions (river, dammed river, estuary, coastal ocean).
Webpage under construction
Funding period: 09/2024 - 08/2028
Due to the increasing scarcity of primary energy resources and in order to meet climate targets, the proportion of renewable energy sources must be significantly increased. In recent decades, regenerative energy technologies, including geothermal energy generation, have been further developed. So far, little attention has been paid to the thermal heating and cooling potential of surface waters, i.e. watercourses and lakes. So far, the lack of a regulatory and technical framework has prevented the rapid spread of this technology in Germany. Neither planners nor local licensing authorities have concrete criteria for assessing the potential of surface waters in an ecologically and economically sensible way.
As part of this project we therefore want to develop a new technical basis for the large-scale use of large heat pumps coupled to surface waters in Germany. Furthermore, the administrative authorities have to be provided with scientifically sound criteria and decision-making support for the sustainable management of water bodies. To this end, an interdisciplinary research approach from ecology, energy management and technology is being pursued in order to create a basis for planners and authorities in which the technical use of water systems as an environmental heat source for supplying industrial and building technology is compatible with ecology.
In addition to creating the technological framework conditions, the scientific basis for the quantification of an environmentally acceptable, waterbody-specific and sustainably utilizable heat extraction corridor has to be identified. In a first step, the methodological development for this is based on a representative survey and classification of different water systems for thermal use in Germany and the development and application of corresponding energy-ecological water models. These must include the characteristics of the aquatic ecosystems, natural variability and long-term trends with regard to water volumes and climatic factors and thus form a model-based, methodological basis that can be transferred to the whole of Germany.
The UFZ's main areas of work include
I. Inventory of water bodies and definition of utilization potentials
II. Significance and consequences of thermal utilization of standing and flowing waters in Germany
III. Climate adaptation, resilience and energy supply security
Project webpage under construction
Funding period: 10/2024 - 12/2027
The combination of circular economy in the environmental and in the technological sector is an opportunity that has hardly been exploited to date and enables considerable synergies for both sides. Up to now, the interests of the technology sector have generally been associated with conflicts in the environmental sector. These conflicts can be minimized and added value generated if concepts based on renewable material and energy production are pursued (e.g. nutrient recovery, chemical source materials, improved water quality). The INTELALGEN project is pursuing this goal by using wastewater-derived nutrients for the production of algal biomass. We are cooperating with the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems (Dr. L. Liisa Rihko-Struckmann) and the Otto von Guericke University, Institute for Mathematical Optimization (Prof. S. Sager) in this joint project.
The subproject “Algae mass cultivation” at UFZ is dedicated to algae production and therefore focuses on algae growth, biomass production and biomass harvesting. Conceptually, this involves two phases:(i) algae growth and transfer of nutrients from the water phase into algal biomass. (ii) Algae harvesting and valorization.
Project webpage under construction
Small water bodies are often embedded in green spaces or parks, surrounded by walking and cycling paths, providing opportunities for relaxation, and can therefore be referred to as core zones of recreation—when they exist. The noticeable onset of climate change about 10 years ago, particularly the years of extreme drought, has shown that small water bodies are the most sensitive to these changes: declining water levels and overheating lead to the massive proliferation of toxic blue-green algae at the surface, oxygen depletion, and the release of hydrogen sulfide. Fishing waters have been closed after fish kills. Citizen initiatives have been working on local solutions. Many small water bodies, including those in urban areas, have partially or completely lost their recreational function. Unlike larger lakes, there is no method that can be applied at the scale of small water bodies with an area of ≤10 hectares. The goal of this project is to develop and test an ecotechnology to improve the climate resilience of small urban water bodies.
Co-financed by the European Union, Saxony-Anhalt Program for Science, Research, and Innovation (ERDF).
Funding period: 1.8.2024 – 31.7.2028
FERRO works to manage eutrophication and support the natural recovery of lakes through transdisciplinary in-situ, remote sensing, catchment and restoration solutions.
FERRO is an interdisciplinary project that seeks to foster circularly based management of eutrophication. It integrates a wide array of fields: hydrobiology, remote sensing, biotechnology, engineering and agriculture to facilitate lake restoration efforts in Europe.
FERRO will provide the research and conservation community with new tools and methodologies for lake nutrient recovery and reuse in agriculture, as well as help in the identification and prioritisation of lakes for restoration.
FERRO’s mission is centered around four main pillars:
- Classification and prioritisation of lakes for restoration
- Catchment-oriented solutions for reduction and recovery of nutrients
- In-lake oriented solutions for circular nutrient management
- Knowledge transfer and stakeholder training
Funding period: 1.8.2024 - 31.7.2027
In the Algae Monitor project, a digital application is being developed on CODE-DE with which chlorophyll levels in flowing and standing waters can be determined over a large area and in near-real time based on remote sensing of water bodies. The generated data is scientifically validated, quality-assured and tested in applications relevant to water management. On this basis, the algae monitor will demonstrate a scientifically sound application that provides freely available, high-resolution remote sensing data of sample water bodies for use by the authorities. As the application is based on open source components, this creates a basis for scaling it to the whole of Germany. The Algae Monitor project is intended to make a practical contribution to German water management in Germany and to the valorisation of the EU Copernicus programme.
Project website: under construction
Funding period: 04/2024 - 03/2027
Over the last two decades, the increasing input of microparticles into the environment has significantly raised awareness in science and society of the health risks posed by particles in the air, water and soil. It is now beyond question that microparticles can have a harmful effect on living organisms via specific mechanisms. This environmental risk must be assessed using appropriate methods tailored to these mechanisms.
The ecotoxicological assessment (exposure and effects) of particulate pollutants harbors significantly more uncertainty factors than that of dissolved chemicals. The potential mechanisms of action of microparticles are often unclear, often involving combined chemical and mechanical as well as indirect effects (e.g. feed dilution; binding of nutrients), which are difficult to separate. Since organisms in their natural environment are also exposed to organic and mineral microparticles, which are similar in many respects to the particulate pollutants introduced by humans, it is important to separate pollutant-specific effects from general particle effects. Increased knowledge of the effect-relevant properties of natural particles and the use of application-specific, customized natural reference particles in ecotoxicological tests can help to identify specific effects of particulate pollutants. In addition, knowledge of the behavior and transport of particulate pollutants in environmental media is necessary for exposure assessment of aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
In the NatuReP project, natural microparticles that resemble selected particulate pollutants in their morphological and physical properties will therefore be investigated with regard to their ecotoxicological behavior in water, sediment and soil and tested for their suitability as reference particles for the ecotoxicological assessment of particulate pollutants. State-of-the-art analytical methods for the characterization of microparticles, a wide range of ecotoxicological test systems and suitable statistical methods for the correlation of particle properties and effects are used for this purpose. Particularly suitable reference particles are used with the aid of ecotoxicological tests on individual species and multispecies microcosms to assess the effects of selected particulate pollutants. On this basis, a guideline is to be drawn up that can provide assistance in the use of reference particles, the interpretation of effect data and the development of new reference particles.
Funding Period: 05/2024 – 04/2027
Providing the population with sufficient good quality water will be one of the great challenges in near future. Land use and climate change exacerbate this problem. We have only limited possibilities to create new water or transfer water in reservoirs seasonally to periods of shortage. Wise use and management of water resources appear as the most promising tools to alleviate the situation. Hence, numerical models have been adopted for lakes: the implementation of water properties however is still tied to ocean assumptions. As a consequence, simulated flows in the deep water of lakes close to temperature of maximum density (i.e. near 4°C) are flawed or entirely disconnected from reality. We have much better knowledge of the physical properties of lake waters. PONTEM will show that the proper inclusion of limnic water properties will substantially improve simulation of circulation and temperature stratification in deep lakes.
Thermobaricity controls recirculation in deep lakes in the temperate and subpolar climate zone. Though the topic has gained interest recently in oceanography, the features in deep lakes have not been properly dealt with. By definition, the convenient property of potential density is lost, when thermobaric effects become dominant. This makes stability considerations more complex. We start from basics of thermodynamic approaches include them in parsimonious modelling and finally complete this research program by the implementation of thermobaricity in a proper numerical model. We will use the model DELFT3D by DELTARES for this purpose. We will demonstrate the effects in prominent cases (such as Lake Shikotsu, Japan and Lake Tinnjø, Norway). We hypothesize that thermobaric effects will be properly reflected.
The project is a collaboration between Otto-von Guericke University, Magdeburg (Prof. Thomas Richter, Institute for Analysis and Numerics, Faculty of Mathematics) and UFZ (Dr. P.D. Bertram Boehrer, Limnophysics and Lake Modelling, Department of Lake Research) and is funded by the DFG providing two doctoral positions.
Funding Period: 2024 / 2025
Sampling highly gas-oversaturated waters and the quantitative analysis poses a big problem. In the case of Lake Kivu gas pressures up to 18 bar have to be handled. In the “2018 – intercalibration campaign” the UFZ system proved to be the best suited, most accurate and the easiest to implement at Lake Kivu.
Within this project UFZ develops the sampling method with sampling bags that it can be reliably used by technical personnel. Samples are filled into sampling bags that gas bubbles that form are contained with the same container. From the composition of the gas phase the amount of each gas can be quantified in a calculation following Henry’s law with the gas specific Henry coefficient considered in its temperature and salinity dependence. For a safe sample processing, UFZ provides the necessary equipment and a numerical program, which includes all numerical calculations to the final concentration.
Funding period: 03/2021 - 02/2026
General goals of INVENTWATER:
Long-term climate change, extreme events, and seasonal variations in weather have profound impacts on water quality of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. This implies a pressing need for tools anticipating the impacts of these environmental changes, and enabling effective water management that safeguards the ecosystem goods and services freshwaters provide. The increasing availability of new meteorological data products and advances in modelling tools now mean that it is possible for the first time to produce reliable forecasts for lake and river water quality on a regional and global scale, an unexploited potential in the water sector. Water managers will therefore profit from the education of a new generation of interdisciplinary trained professionals able to bridge fields such as data science, climate, hydrology, and freshwater ecology, who at the same time develop the necessary skills to translate knowledge and technical novelties into products useful for managers, policy-makers, and the general public.
The primary objective of inventWater is to organize a platform providing cutting edge cross disciplinary education of tomorrow's water experts. The core activity is the training program, focused on the development and real-world application of inventive water quality forecasting tools across a range of time-scales, to support fast and reliable decision making as well as long-term adaptation policies. inventWater will bring water quality forecasting to the forefront of the scientific disciplines supporting water managers and policy-makers to design measures for adaptation to a new climate. The composition of the network and the multidisciplinary of the PhD projects will make tools developed by inventWater fellows applicable to a wide range of pressing water quality issues, from local adaptation to increases of climatic extreme events, to supporting adaptation strategies to climate change and achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Research objectives at UFZ Department Lake Research:
Highly valuable surface waters like drinking water reservoirs are carefully managed but the underlying management strategies and decision rules are often just based on engineering heuristics and long-term experience. The inclusion of state-of-the art forecasting is required in the future in the face of climate change and increasing frequency of extreme events, but not easy to achieve because of two reasons: (i) forecasts come with uncertainty, and (ii) in case of negative states forecasted an appropriate management response must be quickly identified.
The aim of this ESR is develop and test new ways to link forecasting products with water management on the basis of real-world applications together with our Partner Ruhrverband. The specific objectives are (1) use state-of-the-art reservoir models to translate climate projections into relevant information products for water quantity & quality with a prime focus on oxygen dynamics, (2) develop generic model tools that are transferable between different systems, (3) delineate potential management instruments and fast reaction plans that allow a proactive and effective decision chain. Ultimately, this ESR will give efficient, pragmatic, and tailored management instruments at the hand of water managers
P-LEACH assesses the impact of chemicals from globally increasing environmental plastic pollution on ecosystem functions and human health. Plastics impact ecosystems as a new habitat for colonization (“plastisphere”), and weathering leads to fragmentation and leaching of chemicals, including harmful additives (e.g., plasticizers, bisphenols, metals). Our multidisciplinary consortium jointly characterizes these pollutants and their synergistic impacts on ecosystem functions with a strong focus on microbial geochemical cycles in realistic aquatic settings along the land-coast-ocean continuum and at hot spots (German Bight, North Atlantic and Pacific Gyres, Lyngøyne/NO). P-LEACH also addresses human health effects using human cell lines and human tissues.
The ISIMIP (www.isimip.org) is a framework for projecting the impacts of climate change across sectors and spatial scales. The project has created an international network of climate-impact modellers contributing to a comprehensive and consistent picture of the world under different climate-change scenarios. In the Department of Lake Research at UFZ, scientists are using one- and two-dimensional models to simulate how climate change will affect lakes and reservoirs. We are firstly investigating the physical changes that occur as a result of warming, such as an increase in water temperature, decrease in ice cover, and changes in stratification and mixing. Ultimately, modelling results from different sectors will be combined to assess the integrated and more indirect effects of climate warming, like how land-use change and altered patterns of nutrient export from catchments will affect freshwater ecology and water quality.
The ISIMIP enables a large number of international scientists to join forces towards a common goal. For instance, we are working together with lake modelling teams from Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, the United States, Ireland, and other countries. Each team is using different models to simulate the same climate warming scenarios in the same set of lakes. This method, called “ensemble” modelling, delivers more reliable model projections and a better idea of the uncertainty in our results. The initiative is ongoing and funded independently for each researcher, including contributions from UFZ.
Funding period: 1.2.2021 - 31.3.2024
Algal blooms remain a major challenge in many lakes and coastal waters because they continue to persist even where external nutrient loads have been reduced. The vast amounts of “legacy” nutrients in the sediments continue to provide nutrients pulses, which trigger algal blooms. The objective of this project is to measure, analyze and conceptualize the short time scale effects of benthic nutrient dynamics on algal dynamics (including species composition changes) and physiology (respecting for species specific responses) under in-situ conditions. This will be conducted in a shallow freshwater and a brackish water system, using combination of high temporal resolution wet chemical sensors (P), UV spectral sensors (C, N) and methods for characterization of phytoplankton photo-physiology status (in-situ flow cytometry, gas exchange measurements and various kinds of pulse-amplitude-modulated fluorometers).