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Neueste Untersuchungen erhärten den Verdacht, dass die Massenentwicklung einer giftigen Brackwasser-Alge in der Oder stattgefunden hat. Von einem natürlichen Phänomen gehen die Forschenden nach wie vor nicht aus, denn die Algenart Prymnesium parvum kommt auf den betroffenen Oder-Abschnitten unter natürlichen Bedingungen nicht massenhaft vor. 

Katastrofa ekologiczna na Odrze wywołuje również wielkie poruszenie wśród naukowców z Instytutu Ekologii Słodkowodnej i Rybactwa Śródlądowego Leibniza (IGB) w Berlinie. IGB od dziesięcioleci prowadzi badania Odry, skupiając się nad ekologią rzeki i zbiorowisk rybnych. Ponadto instytut koordynuje program reintrodukcji jesiotra bałtyckiego w Odrze. Dlatego też IGB rozpoczęło własne dochodzenie; naukowcy podążają tropem silnej toksyny, która może być wytwarzana przez gatunek glonów Prymnesium parvum. Badacze wykryli duże ilości tych glonów w próbkach wody z Odry.

The environmental disaster on the Oder river also leaves researchers from the IGB in a great sense of shock. They the are currently tracking down a strong toxin that can be produced by the algae species Prymnesium parvum. Even if this suspicion is confirmed, it is not a natural phenomenon, but definitely a man-made problem.

A team with Jonathan Jeschke found that bat species with higher affinity to cities are characterised by relatively low frequencies and long durations of their echolocation calls, a small body size and flexibility in the choice of their daytime roost.

For the sturgeon species, the situation has deteriorated significantly since the last assessment of the IUCN in 2010, with the change being most dramatic in Europe and Asia.

 Urbanization introduces large amounts of nutrients, chemical pollutants and antimicrobial products, and thereby changes the makeup of the microbiome by favouring groups of bacteria that contain human pathogenic bacteria, with yet unknown consequences for ecosystem functioning and human and animal health.

The Prussian carp or Gibel carp is considered one of the most successful invasive fish species in Europe. Its ability to reproduce asexually gives it a major advantage over competing fish. An international research team has for the first time described the complete genome of the Prussian carp. This also provides a much better understanding of its unusual reproductive method and to improve its management.

Researchers with the participation of IGB have shown for the first time that the moon plays a key role in the reproductive behaviour of male moths: when the moon rises on the horizon, they find females better and faster. Fortunately, they are not bothered by low levels of light pollution.