Forty years of commitment to inland waters

Aquatic scientists meet in Dresden

Under the motto "Forty years of influence on freshwater systems", the annual conference of the German Society for Limnology (DGL) will take place in Dresden between 16.09. and 20.09. 2024. More than 300 participants are expected to attend the conference, which is organized by the Institute of Hydrobiology at TU Dresden and deals with the theory and practice of inland waters and their sustainable protection. The conference is taking place in the 40th anniversary year of the DGL.

Securing the availability and quality of water resources is one of the major global challenges. Although special efforts and achievements have been made in Germany over the last 40 years to understand and protect water bodies, the challenges are increasing. The high intensity of use in the catchment areas due to urbanization, agriculture and industry is leading to the continued pollution of water bodies with new types of pollutants in some cases. The current situation is also characterized by the loss of biodiversity, the spread of alien species, the narrowing or destruction of habitats and the clearly noticeable impact of the climate crisis. Questions regarding the use of water bodies for heat generation or as areas for photovoltaic systems as part of the energy transition also require expert answers. Heatwaves, water-related disasters and water shortages no longer only affect other regions of the world, but have also arrived in Germany. Floods, such as those currently occurring in Eastern and Central Europe and at the conference venue, will increase in intensity and frequency under the conditions of climate change.

The conference with international participation is intended to contribute to the understanding and protection of water bodies in these changing times. It aims to highlight proven and innovative solutions, highlight successes and develop ideas for the future. The DGL builds a bridge between basic research and application. This enables the research needs of urgent problems to be identified and scientific findings to be quickly transferred into water management practice. This is why the renaturation of water bodies, the reduction of trace substances and the preservation of biodiversity are central topics of the conference. Many of the registered contributions make it clear that the growing tasks can only be solved on an interdisciplinary basis, with new methods and through strong international networking.

More information: https://dgl-jahrestagungen.de

Prof. Dr. Thomas U. Berendonk, TU Dresden, Institute of Hydrobiology, Director of the Institute of Hydrobiology

Prof. Dr. Markus Weitere, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), President of the German Society for Limnology