Research Topics

Learn more about our current research projects on ResearchGate

Carbon cycling and greenhouse gas dynamics

Inland waters play an important role in the global carbon cycle and emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere. In streams, rivers, ponds, lakes and reservoirs, we study the importance of the prevailing physical conditions on greenhouse gas production and emission rates. With globally distributed measurements, we are particularly interested in how carbon cycling in aquatic systems is affected by human alterations of inland waters and their catchments,

Interactive documentary: Treibhausgas am Wasserstau

Youtube Video: Methanemissionen aus Flussstauhaltungen

Selected Publications:

Physical Limnology and Water-Atmosphere Exchange

Physical Limnology

Flow, turbulence and turbulent mixing are among the most important physical characteristics of aquatic ecosystems. We study how water flow is generated and how it interacts with the atmosphere, with sediments and biota in lakes, reservoirs and rivers.

Selected Publications:

Water Quality and Global Change

Inland water are globally affected by human activities: More than 1 Mio dams have been constructed worldwide, river and stream flow is regulated and while water is increasingly abstracted from rivers and lakes, its nutrient and pollutant loads have been increasing. At the same time, inland waters seem to respond faster to climate change than terrestrial systems with more rapid warming observed worldwide.

We study how physical processes in aquatic ecosystems affects key water quality parameters and how they are affected by climate change and human alterations.

Selected Publications:

Flow intermittence and sediment transport as drivers of Nitrogen and Carbon Biogeochemistry

Streams and rivers are highly dynamic ecosystems that undergo cycles of expansion and contraction of their aquatic boundaries related to their flow regime. As a result, there are areas of the streambed that experience flow intermittence and drying. These areas have long been considered inert, yet recent research has shown that they can be biogeochemical hot moments upon flow resumption; what often implies sediment transport. The major objective of this project is the mechanistic understanding of the modulation of streambed biogeochemistry (C-metabolism and N-uptake) by flow resumption. The focus will be on the coupling of flow resumption with sediment transport regarding the variability of both processes so far overlooked.

Scheidweiler, D., Mendoza‐Lera, C., Mutz, M., & Risse‐Buhl, U. (2021). Overlooked implication of sediment transport at low flow: Migrating ripples modulate streambed photo‐ and heterotrophic microbial activity. Water Resources Research, 57, e2020WR027988. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR027988