Dimensions of Complexity of Aquatic Systems
Revealing patterns and dynamics in freshwater systems and biota
Aquatic ecosystems are intrinsically complex because they have a network structure and nonlinear processes often take place at various spatial and temporal scales. Nonlinear reactions can occur, for example, as a result of perturbations that trigger a so-called regime shift, such as prolonged drought. Important determinants of complex aquatic ecosystems are the landscape structure in which the water bodies are located and the connectivity, i.e. the interconnection of the water bodies at different levels: These include the flows of water, energy, information, nutrients and pollutants, and the dispersal of organisms. These processes determine the structure and dynamics of ecosystems and are changed over time by external factors such as land use and climate change.
In the programme area “Dimensions of complexity of aquatic systems”, IGB aims to gain a better understanding of the dynamics and functioning of aquatic systems and the living organisms within them. Its overall goal is to enhance our mechanistic understanding on how freshwater ecosystems function and to study their spatial and temporal scaling. An important focus is on the interfaces and interactions between terrestrial and aquatic habitats, between sediment and the water column, between water and air, and between and within organisms.
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March 2025
Water Resources Research. - 61(2025)3, Art. e2024WR038779
DREAM(LoAX): Simultaneous Calibration and Diagnosis for Tracer-Aided Ecohydrological Models Under the Equifinality Thesis
The authors developed a new algorithm DREAM(LoAX) as an effective conditioning tool to consider epistemic uncertainty in process-based models. It provides real-time diagnostic information of model failures for identification of uncertainty in data or flaws in model structure, and hence is a learning tool for limitations in current monitoring networks and development of future models.
February 2025
Hydrological Processes. - 39(2025)2, Art. e70084
Electrical Conductivity as a Tracer for Seasonal Reverse Flow and Transport of Trace Organic Contaminants in River Spree
The authors studied if the electrical conductivity can serve as a hydrological tracer to capture the intensity and duration of seasonal reverse flow phases in a specific section of River Spree. Moreover, they studied the effect of upstream transport on chemical water quality, i.e. on trace organic contaminant during these reverse flow phases.
February 2025
Environmental Science & Technology. - XX(2025)X, XX-XX
Role of Suspended Particulate Matter for the Transport and Risks of Organic Micropollutant Mixtures in Rivers: A Comparison between Baseflow and High Discharge Conditions
The partition dynamics of organic micropollutants between water and suspended particulate matter in riverine ecosystems differs between dry and wet weather. Chemical concentrations and mixture effects in extracts from rivers are dominated by suspended particulate matter during rain, but the dissolved phase dominates during dry weather.
February 2025
Hydrological Processes. - 39(2024)2, Art. e70077
Seasonal and Inter-Annual Dynamics in Water Quality and Stream Metabolism in a Beaver-Impacted Drought-Sensitive Lowland Catchment
The authors monitored water quality parameters over 3 years in an intermittent stream network in the eutrophic, lowland Demnitzer Millcreek catchment, Germany. They focused on the effects of wetland systems impacted by beaver dams on the diurnal, seasonal and inter-annual variation in water quality dynamics and modelled stream metabolism.
January 2025
Water Resources Research. - 61(2025)1, Art. e2024WR037656
Revising Common Approaches for Calibration: Insights From a 1-D Tracer-Aided Hydrological Model With High-Dimensional Parameters and Objectives
Dimensionality of parameters and objectives has been increasing due to the accelerating development of models and monitoring networks resulting in major challenges for model calibration. The study highlights limitations of high-dimensional calibration approaches, the role of data uncertainty and deficiencies in model structure of process-based ecohydrological models.
