On 27 April 2026, Pratiksha Acharya successfully defended her doctoral dissertation at the University of Vienna. The title of her dissertation was “The Influence of Resource and Consumer Diversity on the Quality and Microbial Processing of Fine-Grained Organic Material During Leaf Decomposition in Flowing Waters”.
Katrin Attermeyer supervised the doctoral fellowship in the Carbocrobe research group at WasserCluster Lunz.
We extend our warmest congratulations to this talented scientist and wish her all the best for her future career!
This week, the TRIDENT working group carried out its first Lenti-DNA sampling at Lake Lunz. As part of the eLTER long-term monitoring programme, aquatic eDNA samples will be analysed for fish, macroinvertebrates and diatoms in future. The sampling strategy for lakes is being optimised in the Lenti-DNA project using Lakes Lunz and Neusiedl as examples.
At the end of March, as part of an evaluation of our institute by an external panel of experts, we had the opportunity to spend three days presenting our work, our team and our vision in a reflective and inspiring manner. This time BOKU University organised the process. Many thanks to everyone involved; we look forward to seeing the results!
WasserCluster Lunz - Biological Station GmbH invites applications for a fully funded PhD
fellowship in aquatic ecology/limnology (f/m/d)
Duration: 4 years – expected to start between June and October 2026
Detailed job description and application info
"Dive into Science" – With our new Science App, teenagers can explore how scientific thinking really works—playfully and hands-on. Starting from five real-world research questions, the app guides learners step by step through the entire process of scientific inquiry. Through direct feedback, sample graphs, and easy-to-understand help texts, teenagers develop a feel for the scientific process—from formulating a precise hypothesis, to planning a solid experiment, to analyzing data. They learn how to draw valid conclusions—and how to recognize when results are not yet sufficient.
The Science App blends playful elements with real scientific thinking, making science tangible, exciting, and something students can truly experience for themselves.
Under the direction of Bettina Thalinger, a fifth working group is starting up at the WCL: TRIDENT – Applied Biodiversity Research & Molecular Ecology. The research will focus on using eDNA-based methods to investigate patterns of biological diversity in space and time in relation to human influences.
Stay tuned for job openings and further information: https://bsky.app/profile/trident-wcl.bsky.social
The 29th edition of our institute's biannual newsletter has been published.
Overview of previously published editions.