In an open letter to Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler more than 60 scientists, among them representatives of the WasserCluster Lunz, demand that their scientific expertise be taken into account in the preparation of the Renewable Energies Expansion Act (EAG). The signatories, all of them experts in water ecology and biodiversity at several Austrian institutes, see a potential aggravation of the biodiversity crisis in running waters by a further expansion of hydropower that is not coordinated with ecological objectives.

(PDF to the open letter is linked in the text, photo © WasserCluster Lunz)

“The biodiversity and climate crisis should be fought with the same vehemence as the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The perspective paper of the Austrian Biodiversity Council, with members from the WasserCluster Lunz, calls for this.

More information you find here: www.biodiversityaustria.at

Intensive agricultural use leads to an increased entry of nutrients into nearby streams. Riparian buffer strips and wood banks are a well-known measure that protect against the entry of nutrients and pollutants and improve the self-cleaning power of a water body. In the next few years, the project RIBUST (RIparian BUffer STrips), funded by the state of Lower Austria, should investigate the potential of wood banks to reduce pollution in water.

(Photo: Sierning)

With May 2020, the new working group “CARBOCROBE” led by Katrin Attermeyer will focus on aquatic microbial ecology. The working group will explore carbon cycling and the role of microbes from source to sea.

More about the working group CARBOCROBE

In April 2020 we are happy to announce that two MSc-students of WasserCluster Lunz successfully finished their theses:

Samuel Ngari with his MSc-Thesis  “Effects of agricultural land use on nutrients stoichiometry at River Nzoia headwaters in Kenya "

and

Harriet Asekenye with her MSc-Thesis “Impact of land use on water quality, sediment composition and functional response of microbial communities in three streams of the Nzoia catchment."

Both MSc-Theses were supervised from Thomas Hein and Gabriele Weigelhofer (AG BIGER).

Congratulation!

Due to the corona pandemic the WasserCluster Lunz has changed its operation to a minimum mode. This means that only a few persons who carry out the most necessary work are physically present on site with an appropriate distance. If you want to get in contact with us, please do this mainly via e-mail. Our secretariat is also available by telephone during core hours (MO-TH 8-16, FR 8-12 o'clock).

Here you find contact details: http://wcl.ac.at/index.php/en/people

Stay healthy!

Your WasserCluster Lunz Team

There is always something going on at WasserCluster Lunz. This also shows the Annual Report 2019.

Find out more about ongoing projects, published papers and involved people.

Enjoy reading!

Here the links:
Annual Report 2019
Further Annual Reports

In Januar 2020 Dunja Lukic successfully defended her PhD-thesis with the title "Trophicecology and phylogeographyof fairy shrimps (Anostraca), key species of temporary waters" under Supervision from Robert Ptacnik (AG AQUASCALE).

Congratulation!