Department of Ecology
Studies showcase long-term effects of drought
With the effects of climate change underway, drought is becoming an increasing problem in many parts of the world. Michael Bahn, researcher from the Department of Ecology at the University of Innsbruck, was involved in several studies on the impact of drought on ecosystems. These give insight into the complex processes and highlight the importance of biodiversity in enabling natural systems to resist drought.
Climate warming changes habitats in lakes
Due to climate warming, many species are being displaced from their original habitats in lakes. Whether they can find new habitats and survive there depends on many factors and many species will become extinct. Ruben Sommaruga was involved in a comprehensive study led by Benjamin M. Kraemer (IGB, Berlin), the results of which have now been published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
Climate change: Worldwide emergence of dead zones in lakes
As climate change progresses, lakes also warm up, the oxygen concentration in the water decreases and dead zones in deep zones develop. Ruben Sommaruga from the Institute of Ecologyand an international team of researchers were the first to identify this dramatic widespread development in a study of 393 lakes around the world. The results were published in the journal Nature.
Fingerprint for the formation of nitrous oxide emissions
Scientists led by Eliza Harris from the Institute of Ecology have succeeded in studying emissions of the greenhouse gas N2O under the influence of environmental impacts in an unprecedented level of detail. This study is also a starting point for the creation of models that could predict future trends in the greenhouse gas emission dynamics of ecosystems under global climate change.