Photosynthesis and Growth of Phytoplankton and Macrophytes

Group profile

Causes and effects of mass development of aquatic plants

In the MadMacs project, we are investigating the prerequisites of mass developments of aquatic macrophytes and the effects this has on other groups of organisms, on carbon and nutrient budgets, on hydraulics and on users of lakes and rivers. We developed a guide for managing aquatic plants: https://www.niva.no/en/projectweb/madmacs/madmacs-cookbook. More information can be found on the project page.

Harpenslager, S.F., Thiemer, K., Levertz, C., Misteli, B., Sebola, K.M., Schneider, S.C., Hilt, S., Köhler, J. (2022): Short-term effects of macrophyte removal on emission of CO2 and CH4 in shallow lakes. Aquatic Botany 182, 103555, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2022.103555. 

 

Long-term changes of Müggelsee and Spree

The IGB has been studying the polymictic Müggelsee in Berlin since about 1978, and the lowland river Spree upstream of Berlin since 1987. Here, the following questions are currently of particular interest:

  • How does the ecosystem respond to simultaneous changes in nutrient inputs, discharge and water temperature, and to colonization by invasive species?
  • To what extent can efforts to reduce external nutrient loads be counteracted by climatic changes?
  • Which nutrient (phosphorus or nitrogen) limits phytoplankton development in Lake Müggelsee? Why are N2-fixing cyanobacteria not favored by strong nitrogen limitation in summer? Which nutrient should be preferentially retained in the catchment?
  • What are the effects of increasing thermal stratification in summer on oxygen balance, release of nutrients from the sediment, phytoplankton development and mussel colonization?
  • What feedback processes stabilize the dominance of either phytoplankton or aquatic plants in lowland rivers?

Water chemistry and plankton are analyzed weekly in the Müggelsee and fortnightly in the Spree. In Müggelsee, an automatic monitoring station records a variety of meteorological, physical and biological parameters. Mapping of aquatic plants is done by contracted divers in Müggelsee and by us in the Spree.

Shatwell, T. & Köhler, J. (2019): Decreased nitrogen loading controls summer cyanobacterial blooms without promoting nitrogen-fixing taxa: long-term response of a shallow lake.- Limnology & Oceanography 64, S166-S178, https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11002

Recknagel, F., Adrian, R., Köhler, J. (2021): Quantifying phenological asynchrony of phyto- and zooplankton in response to changing temperature and nutrient conditions in Lake Müggelsee (Germany) by means of evolutionary computation.- Environmental Modelling and Software 146 (2021) 105224 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2021.105224

 

Fish kill in the river Oder caused by Prymnesium parvum

In the second week of August 2022, masses of dead fish and mussels appeared in the German part of the Oder River. On August 15, we found high abundances of Prymnesium parvum in the Oder River water, a haptophyte (see photo) that caused fish kills in Scandinavia and Texas, among other places. In fact, the toxin prymnesin, typical for this algae species, was detected in our samples by Dr. Varga (University of Vienna). At IGB, the fish toxicity was analysed, the algal strain isolated, genetically characterised, and cultivated. According to previous knowledge, Prymnesium prefers elevated salt concentrations, such as those measured in the Oder River in August 2022, but which would not occur naturally. This mass development was promoted by far too high inputs of phosphorus and nitrogen from sewage treatment plants and agriculture, high water temperatures, impoundments and low discharge. We will run laboratory experiments to study the environmental requirements of these algal strains. We strive to better understand the combinations of factors that allow Prymnesium to boom and the reasons and triggers of  toxin production. 

Prymnesium parvum, Oder River, 15 August, 2022; photo: Katrin Preuss, IGB Prymnesium parvum from the Oder River, 15 August 2022; photo: Katrin Preuss, IGB

Influence of vertical mixing on phytoplankton growth and photosynthesis

Traditionally, the light dependence of growth and photosynthesis is usually measured at constant light or at constant water depths. In fact, planktonic algae cannot resist water movement caused by wind or gravity. They move up and down in a mixed water column, receiving highly fluctuating light. They have to avoid inhibition by strong light near the water surface and to efficiently use low light in deeper layers within minutes. We have simulated this vertical mixing in field and laboratory experiments and analysed growth, photosynthesis and respiration of main species and of communities at different mixing conditions.

Köhler, J., Wang, L., Guislain, A., Shatwell, T. (2018): Influence of vertical mixing on light-dependency of phytoplankton growth.- Limnology & Oceanography 63, 1156-1167, https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10761

Guislain, A., Beisner, B.E., Köhler, J. (2019): Variation in species light acquisition traits under fluctuating light regimes: implications for non-equilibrium coexistence.- OIKOS 128 (5) 716-728 https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.05297

Guislain, A. & Köhler, J. (2022): From minute to day: Ecophysiological response of phytoplankton to fluctuating light exposure during vertical mixing.- Limnology & Oceanography 67, 2809-2820 https://doi: 10.1002/lno.12240

 

some former group members

Dr. Tom Shatwell                                tom.shatwell@ufz.de

Dr. Soren Brothers                            sbrothers@rom.on.ca

Dr. Alexis Guislain                             alexis.guislain@igb-berlin.de

Dr. Sarah Faye Harpenslager           s.f.harpenslager@b-ware.eu

Publications

2025

2024

December 2024
Isabella A. Oleksy; Christopher T. Solomon; Stuart E. Jones; Carly Olson; Brittni L. Bertolet; Rita Adrian; Sheel Bansa; Jill S. Baron; Soren Brothers; Sudeep Chandra; Hsiu‐Mei Chou; William Colom‐Montero; Joshua Culpepper; Elvira de Eyto; Matthew J. Farragher; Sabine Hilt; Kristen T. Holeck; Garabet Kazanjian; Marcus Klaus; Jennifer Klug; Jan Köhler; Alo Laas; Erik Lundin; Alice H. Parkes; Kevin C. Rose; Lars G. Rustam; James Rusak; Facundo Scordo; Michael J. Vanni; Piet Verburg; Gesa A. Weyhenmeyer

Controls on Lake Pelagic Primary Productivity: Formalizing the Nutrient‐Color Paradigm

Journal of Geophysical Research : Biogeosciences. - 129(2024)12, Art. e2024JG008140

2023

February 2024
Herausgeber: Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.. Autor*innen: Christian Wolter, Sven Würtz, Jan Köhler und Martin Pusch. Redaktion: Julia Walter und Angelina Tittmann

[IGB Fact Sheet] Zentrale Zwischenergebnisse zum Zustand der Oder nach der Umweltkatastrophe

2022

December 2022
Autorzy odpowiedzialni: Christian Wolter, Jörn Geßner, Jan Köhler, Martin Pusch, Tobias Goldhammer, Stephanie Spahr. Redakcja: Angelina Tittmann, Johannes Graupner. Publisher: Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries(IGB)

Przyszłość Odry : Naukowe zalecenia dotyczące działań w następstwie katastrofy ekologicznej spowodowanej przez człowieka: IGB Policy Brief

December 2022
Authors: Tobias Goldhammer, Sabine Hilt, Michael Hupfer, Jan Köhler, Jörg Lewandowski, Stephanie Spahr, Markus Venohr. Editorial team: Johannes Graupner

Nutrients – Action plan for better management: IGB Feedback [25 August 2022]

2021

2019

2018

March 2018
Sabine Hilt; Marta M. Alirangues Nunez; Elisabeth S. Bakker; Irmgard Blindow; Thomas A. Davidson; Mikael Gillefalk; Lars-Anders Hansson; Jan H. Janse; Annette B. G. Janssen; Erik Jeppesen; Timm Kabus; Andrea Kelly; Jan Köhler; Torben L. Lauridsen; Wolf M. Mooij; Ruurd Noordhuis; Geoff Phillips; Jacqueline Rücker; Hans-Heinrich Schuster; Martin Sondergaard; Sven Teurlincx; Klaus van de Weyer; Ellen van Donk; Arno Waterstraat; Nigel Willby; Carl D. Sayer

2017

2016

November 2016
Kathrin Rachel Schmidt; Tim aus der Beek; Xiaohu Dai; Bingzhi Dong; Elke Dopp; Florian Eichinger; Monika Hammers-Wirtz; Regina Haußmann; Andreas Holbach; Henner Hollert; Marc Illgen; Xia Jiang; Jan Koehler; Stephan Koester; Andreas Kohrt; Stephan Kueppers; Aili Li; Matthias Lohmann; Christian Moldaenke; Stefan Norra; Boquiang Qin; Yanwen Qin; Moritz Reese; Edmund Riehle; Beatrix Santiago-Schuebel; Charlotte Schaefer; Anne Simon; Yonghui Song; Christian Staaks; Joerg Steinhardt; Guenter Subklew; Tao Tao; Tingfeng Wu; Daquiang Yin; Fangfang Zhao; Binghui Zheng; Meiyue Zhou; Hua Zou; Jiane Zuo; Andreas Tiehm

2015

January 2016
Daniel Hering; Jukka Aroviita; Annette Baattrup-Pedersen; Karel Brabec; Tom Buijse; Frauke Ecke; Nikolai Friberg; Marek Gielczewski; Kathrin Januschke; Jan Köhler; Benjamin Kupilas; Armin W. Lorenz; Susanne Muhar; Amael Paillex; Michaela Poppe; Torsten Schmidt; Stefan Schmutz; Jan Vermaat; Piet F. M. Verdonschot; Christian Wolter; Jochem Kail
December 2015
Sabine D. Scheunig; Annette Baattrup-Pedersen; Frauke Ecke; Seppo K. Hellsten; Jan Köhler; Armin W. Lorenz; Jaana Rääpysjärvi

Helophytes are efficient indicators of river restoration success

Proceedings of the International Conference on River and Stream Restoration "Novel Approaches to Access and Rehabilitate Modified Rivers" / Natalie Angelopoulos ... (eds.). - D7.5, S. 266-270
December 2015
Frauke Ecke; Seppo Hellsten; Jan Köhler; Armin Lorenz; Jaana Rääpysjärvi; Sabine Scheunig; Joel Segersten; Annette Baattrup-Pedersen

The response of hydrophyte growth forms and plant strategies to river restoration

Proceedings of the International Conference on River and Stream Restoration "Novel Approaches to Access and Rehabilitate Modified Rivers" / Natalie Angelopoulos ... (eds.). - D7.5, S. 236-240

2014

October 2015
Silke Oldorff; Ellen Kiel; Volker Krautkrämer; Klaus van de Weyer; Jens Mählmann; Ralf Köhler; Jan Köhler; Sebastian Bernhard; John Bruinsma; Thomas Schiller; Markus Eßler; Tom Kirschey

Makrophytenkartierung in ausgewählten Seen Norddeutschlands

Erweiterte Zusammenfassungen der Jahrestagung 2013 der DGL. - Hardegsen, 2014. - S. 172-177
October 2014
Jörg Gelbrecht; Bernhard Hasch; Antje Köhler; Dominik Zak

Bedeutung der Moore für den Gewässerschutz und Schlussfolgerungen für das Management bei der Wiedervernässung von Mooren

Moore in Brandenburg und Berlin / Vera Luthardt ; Jutta Zeitz (Hrsg.). - Rangsdorf, 2014. - Kap. 7.4.4, S. 227-228

2013

December 2013
Brigitte Nixdorf; Jacqueline Rücker; Andrew M. Dolman; Claudia Wiedner; Sabine Hilt; Peter Kasprzak; Antje Köhler; Klaus van de Weyer; Stephan Sandrock; Eva-Maria Scharf; Hartmut Willmitzer

Prozessverständnis als Grundlage für die Gewässerbewirtschaftung

KW Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft. - 6(2013)12, S. 693-701

2012

2011

March 2012
Ingrid Chorus; Verena Niesel; Kirsten Christoffersen; Jutta Fastner; Eberhard Hoehn; Liisa Lepistö; Svantje Koch; Antje Köhler; Rainer Koschel; Rainer Kurmayer; Ernst Nusch; Helmut Rönicke; Petra Visser; Norbert Walz; Hartmut Willmitzer

Steps towards a statistical model to predict phytoplankton responses to changes in trophic state

Oligotrophication of Lake Tegel and Schlachtensee, Berlin / by Ingrid Chorus ; Inke Schauser. - Berlin, 2011 - (Texte / Umweltbundesamt ; 45/2011). - S. 106-139
January 2012
Andreas Kleeberg; Antje Köhler; Michael Hupfer

Wie effektiv wirkt eine einmalige oder kontinuierliche Eisen-Zufuhr im Phosphat-Haushalt von belüfteten Seen?

Erweiterte Zusammenfassungen der Jahrestagung 2010 der DGL. - Hardegsen, 2011. - S. 114-118

2010

2009

March 2010
Anne Timler; Sabine Hilt; Jan Köhler

Fische steuern Makrophytenabundanz?

Erweiterte Zusammenfassungen der Jahrestagung 2008 der DGL. - Hardegsen, 2009. - S. 45-49
October 2009
Tanja Pottgiesser; Jochem Kail; Ute Mischke; Christian Wolter; Matthias Rehfeld-Klein; Antje Köhler; Klaus van de Weyer

Das gute ökologische Potenzial von Wasserstraßen

KW Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft. - 2(2009)9, S. 472-478

2008

August 2014
Tom Shatwell; Andreas Nicklisch; Jan Köhler

Interactions between temperature, light and nutrients and the response of spring phytoplankton

Proceedings of the Workshop Perspectives of Lake Modelling Towards Predicting Reaction to Trophic Change / eds.: Inke Schauser ; Torsten Strube. - Berlin, 2008. - (Schriftenreihe Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin ; 9), S. 67-69
March 2011
Andreas Kleeberg; Alexander Sukhodolov; Tatiana Sukhodolova; Jan Köhler

Einfluss aquatischer Makrophyten auf die Akkumulation und Resuspension von Stoffen in einem Flachlandfluss

Erweiterte Zusammenfassungen der Jahrestagung 2007 der DGL. - Werder, 2008. - S. 209-213

2007

May 2008
R. Brüggemann; L. Krienitz; R. Köhler

Statistische Bewertungsverfahren im biologischen Kontext

Mitteilungen / Deutsche Gesellschaft für Limnologie. - (2007)II, S. 35-54
April 2008
Hans-Peter Kozerski; Jan Köhler

Kann ein Flachlandfluss Bistabilität aufweisen? Was ist anders als beim See?

Erweiterte Zusammenfassungen der Jahrestagung 2006 der DGL. - Werder, 2007. - S. 673-682

2006

December 2011
Jan Köhler

Einfluss von Talsperren und durchflossenen Seen auf die Wasserqualität der Spree

Staugeregelte Flüsse in Deutschland / Hrsg.: Dieter Müller ... - Stuttgart : Schweizerbart, 2006. - S. 215-227. - (Limnologie aktuell ; 12)

2005

October 2010
Erik Jeppesen; Martin Søndergaard; Jens Peder Jensen; Karl E. Havens; Orlane Anneville; Laurence Carvalho; Michael F. Coveney; Rainer Deneke; Martin T. Dokulil; Bob Foy; Daniel Gerdeaux; Stephanie E. Hampton; Sabine Hilt; Külli Kangur; Jan Köhler; Eddy H. H. R. Lammens; Torben L. Lauridsen; Marina Manca; María R. Miracle; Brian Moss; Peeter Nõges; Gunnar Persson; Geoff Phillips; Rob Portielje; Susana Romo; Claire L. Schelske; Dietmar Straile; Istvan Tatrai; Eva Willén; Monika Winder

2004

March 2012
R. Brüggemann; U. Simon; G. Welzl; R. Köhler

Statistische Bewertungsverfahren im biologischen Kontext

DGL-Mitteilungen. - II(2004), S. 20-22

2003

2002

December 2002
Jan Köhler

Auswirkungen von Änderungen in Durchfluss und Morphometrie auf Sauerstoffhaushalt und Planktondynamik der unteren Spree - Modellrechnungen

Tagungsbericht 2001 der DGL. - Tutzing, 2002. - S. 461-465

2001

2000

August 2008
J. Köhler; H. Behrendt; S. Hoeg

Long-term response of phytoplankton to reduced nutrient load in the flushed Lake Müggelsee (Spree system, Germany)

Archiv für Hydrobiologie. - 148(2000)2, S. 209-229

1999

March 2014
J. Köhler; R. Koschel; R. Roßberg

Primärproduktionsmessung mit der Radiokohlenstoffmethode

Biologische Gewässeruntersuchung / Wolf von Tümpling. - Jena, 1999. - (Methoden der biologischen Wasseruntersuchung ; 2). - Kapitel 5.8, S. 450-458

1998

March 1999
Jan Köhler

Bedeutung der Flußmorphometrie für Herkunft, Wachstum und Verluste von Planktonalgen in Fließgewässern

Nova acta Leopoldina : Suppl. - 15(1998), S. 135-152
October 1998
Jan Köhler and Jörg Gelbrecht

Interactions between phytoplankton dynamics and nutrient supply along the lowland river Spree, Germany

Verhandlungen / Internationale Vereinigung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie. - 26(1998), S. 1045-1049
July 1998
J. Köhler and S. Bosse

Growth and losses of phytoplankton studied with a new dialysis chamber technique along the river Spree

Archiv für Hydrobiologie. - 142(1998)1, S. 1-19
January 1998
Jan Köhler

Comparisons of different types of chlorophyll fluorometers

Rostocker Meeresbiologische Beiträge. - 6(1998), S. 81-92
January 1998
Jan Köhler

Measurement of photosynthetic oxygen production

Rostocker Meeresbiologische Beiträge. - 6(1998), S. 17-21

1997

1995

1994

January 1994
Jan Köhler

Dynamics of phytoplankton in the lowland River Spree (Germany)

Verhandlungen / Internationale Vereinigung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie. - 25(1994), S. 1590-1594

1993

1992

January 1992
Jan Köhler

Influence of turbulent mixing on growth and primary production of Microcystis aeruginosa in the hypertrophic Bautzen Reservoir

Archiv für Hydrobiologie. - 123(1992)4, S. 413-429