Database Infrastructure for Long-term Data of German Lakes (LakeBase)

Continuous long-term records of German lakes are unique worldwide with respect to the length of the observational periods spanning several decades, due to their unique high temporal and taxonomic resolution (mostly phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrozoobenthos, macrophytes and fish) and due to the fact that different lake types with respect to morphometry, trophic state and catchment type are covered. In LakeBase we plan to (1) conserve the currently available long-term data of lakes, (2) to protect its integrity and ownership, (3) to guaranty their readily availability for generations to come. Overall, long-term records of lake ecosystems in Germany and in general can be considered a world cultural heritage – which deserves protection as a base for future research on an international level.