Water research in Germany: from the reconstruction of the Roman Rhine to a risk assessment for aquatic neophytes

Abstract

Germany does not only have a long tradition in water research, but a very active community of scientists and practitioners working on a vast range of ''water topics.'' This thematic issue, which was initiated by four water-related research associations (German Hydrological Society; German Limnological Society; Hydrological Sciences Commission within German Water Association; Working Group Hydrology within German Geographical Society), is a testimony of both the quality and diversity of the water research currently undertaken by Germany's scientific community. Key topics include hydrology and hydromorphology; water quality; aquatic and riparian ecosystems; water in agriculture and forestry; and water management and supply. The manuscripts contained in this thematic issue do not only cover a period of more than two millennia, but also address all types of water resources and a multitude of both established and newly developed methods that help us to better understand the processes governing the hydrological cycle, aquatic ecosystems and the management and operation of various water infrastructures.

Changes in carabid diversity indicate successful restoration of riparian habitats

“…These fast responses also became obvious as the percentage of individuals belonging to indicator species for natural sites significantly declined in the managed sites over two years, indicating a continuing deterioration in living conditions for riparian carabids. This highlights the importance to expand restoration measures to achieve a sustainable good status for rivers and riparian habitats, as required by the Water Framework Directive (Hering et al, 2015; Karthe et al, 2017; Schindler et al, 2016). This status can be achieved in particular by allowing natural stream dynamics to re‐emerge and shaping riparian areas through regular flooding.…”

“…Natural rivers and their adjacent floodplains are areas of high biodiversity because they provide a diverse habitat mosaic with a wide range of environmental conditions due to the dynamics of hydromorphological processes (Hauer et al, 2016; Naiman et al, 1993; Scholz et al, 2012). During the past centuries, massive anthropogenic modifications and intensive usage heavily degraded almost all river sections and their surrounding landscapes in Germany (Hering et al, 2015; Karthe et al, 2017). Since the year 2000, the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000) demands a good chemical and ecological status of European surface waterbodies.…”

Digital Opportunity or a Threat? Adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) Monitoring Systems for Natural Resources in Germany

“…Furthermore, understanding the influence of cultural and historical contexts might also shed light and explain the lack of awareness. For example, Germany's rich history in water and forest management, coupled with substantial expertise and infrastructure for risk evaluation, underscores the importance of historical context [50]. Established monitoring practices, proven over decades or even centuries, maintain a central role in natural resource management, deeply ingrained in institutional memory and practices.…”

Application of the ecosystem services concept in stakeholder communication—Results of a workshop including a planning game at the Lower Mulde River (Dessau‐Roßlau, Germany)

“…Since landscape planning was introduced in Germany, some positive developments have been achieved, such as a significant improvement of surface water quality (Karthe et al, 2017). However, other negative trends, such as biodiversity loss, have continued (BMU, 2018; Hallmann et al, 2017).…”