A5086726378- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Water Quality and Pollution Assessment
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Groundwater flow and contamination studies
- Transboundary Water Resource Management
- Water Resources and Management
- Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry
- Geological Studies and Exploration
- Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Heavy metals in environment
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Mine drainage and remediation techniques
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- Diatoms and Algae Research
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research
2014-2023
Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum
2000-2006
Elevated concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) such as humic substances in raw water pose significant challenges during the processing commercial drinking supplies. This is a relevant issue Saxony, Central East Germany, and many other regions worldwide, where produced from waters with noticeable presence chromophoric DOM (CDOM), which assumed to originate forested watersheds spring catchment area. For improved comprehension molecular composition, seasonal spatial variations...
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are considered to be a point source of microplastic (particles <5 mm) for riverine environments. However, data on effluent concentrations in WWTPs is collected with broad range methods, which impede comparisons across sets. We provide an estimate the annual emissions particles by into ten major river basins Germany. analyze concentration patterns microplastics among different stream orders resulting from spatial organization along network. The local...
There is increasing awareness that chemical pollution of freshwater systems with complex mixtures chemicals from domestic sources, agriculture and industry may cause a substantial footprint on water organisms, pushing aquatic ecosystems outside the safe operating space. The present study defines footprints as risk or will have adverse effects specific group organisms. aim to characterise these in European streams based unique uniform screening more than 600 445 surface samples, derive site-...
Elevated concentration and high variance of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in surface waters are a challenge for the production drinking water. Past studies have indicated dominant role wetlands DOC mobilization, but mainly been focused on boreal oceanic catchments. Here we analyze observational time series from 89 temperate humid catchments which drain into German water reservoirs. We characterize median variability utilize partial least squares regression order to quantify relation...
Abstract. Environmental data are the key to defining and addressing water quality quantity challenges at catchment scale. Here, we present first large-sample set for 1386 German catchments covering a large range of hydroclimatic, topographic, geologic, land use, anthropogenic settings. QUADICA (water QUAlity, DIscharge Catchment Attributes studies in Germany) combines with data, meteorological nutrient forcing attributes. The comprises time series riverine macronutrient concentrations...
Chemicals in the aquatic environment can be harmful to biota and may cause toxic risks ecosystems. A high number of these chemicals originate from point sources (households, manufacturing industries). subset substances is permanently released load proportional people connected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), while other show higher variable emission patterns. Especially at low discharges receiving waters &#160;the risk increase due reduced dilution.We test hypothesis that...
Two morphologically similar pre‐dams (Hassel and Rappbode pre‐dams, Harz Mountains, Germany) of a large reservoir with different land use in their catchments were compared respect to physical, chemical, biological properties order test if differences can be attributed the use. In addition, local geology, soil types, topography evaluated detail distinguish its influence from that present‐day Despite remarkable similarity physical variables stratification, annual development hydrochemistry...
We employed the well-established Horton-Strahler, hierarchical, stream-order (ω) scheme to investigate scaling of nutrient loads (P and N) from ~845 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) distributed along river network in urbanized Weser River, largest national basin Germany (~46K km2; ~8.4 million population). estimated hydrologic water quality impacts at reach- basin-scales, two steady discharge conditions (median flow, QR50; low-flow, QR90). Of five WWTPs class-sizes (1 ≤ k 5), ~68% small...
Abstract Fe(III) hydroxides stabilize organic carbon (OC) and P in soils. Observations of rising stream Fe concentrations are controversially posited to result from a flushing iron‐rich deeper soil layers or decrease competing electron acceptors inhibiting reduction ( ). Here, we argue that catchment topography constrains the release Fe, OC, streams. We therefore incubated topsoil mineral subsoil modified availability . found leaching was highest topsoil. released at quantities proportional...
Abstract Long-term monitoring shows evidence of persistent changes in the magnitude and timing seasonal pattern nitrate concentrations streams, with possibly grave effects on aquatic ecosystems. Seasonal patterns stream nutrient are determined by a complex interplay inputs, transport, turnover. Over multi-decadal periods, each these factors may change due to socio-economic such as consumption patterns, governance regimes, or technological control measures. Here we test hypothesis that...
Algae, as primary producers in riverine ecosystems, are found two distinct habitats: benthic and pelagic algae typically prevalent shallow/small deep/large streams, respectively. Over an entire river continuum, spatiotemporal patterns of the algal communities reflect specificity habitat preference determined by geomorphic structure, hydroclimatic controls, heterogeneity nutrient loads from point- diffuse-sources. By representing these complex interactions between geomorphic, hydrologic,...
Abstract. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important resource for microbes, thus affecting whole-stream metabolism. However, the factors influencing its chemical composition and thereby also bio-availability are complex not thoroughly understood. It was hypothesized that metabolism linked to DOM coupling of both influenced by seasonality different land-use types. We tested this hypothesis in a comparative study on two pristine forestry streams non-forestry streams. The investigated were...
Abstract Discharge from multiple wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) distributed in urbanized river basins contributes to impairments of water‐quality and aquatic ecosystem integrity, with size location WWTPs determined by population distribution within a basin. Here we used geo‐referenced data for Germany investigate the spatial organization three attributes interest this study: population, equivalents (the aggregated served each WWTP), number/sizes WWTPs. To end, selected as case studies...
Abstract Why have ecological targets for the majority of water bodies in Europe not been met despite decades protection programs? We hypothesize that restoration strategies adequately accounted whole-river network perspectives, including interactions between stream orders, spatial patterns pollutant sources, and ecoregion-dependent susceptibility. used high-resolution data from Germany to identify relationships urban wastewater-river discharge fraction (UDF), agricultural land use (ALF),...