Climate change is expected to significantly affect the occurrence of temporary streams, primarily due to altered precipitation patterns and prolonged dry periods. However, these effects will vary across regions, depending on geographical location and local climatic conditions.
In Germany, criteria for assessing the ecological status of temporary watercourses are still under development. Nevertheless, valuable insights can be gained from established assessment frameworks in arid and semi-arid regions. Beyond ecological factors such as shifts in habitat structure, attention is increasingly focused on water quality—especially rising water temperatures, the impacts of chemical pollution, and key hydrological parameters.
Crucially, the ecological assessment of temporary streams requires an interdisciplinary approach that integrates both biological and physical perspectives. This comprehensive strategy is essential for accurately evaluating ecological conditions and plays a vital role in the protection and sustainable management of these sensitive ecosystems. South African scientist from the University of the Free State are much more experienced, as rivers in the Karoo show due to the gradient of annual precipitation a correlation with periods of no water flow at all. Hence, Dr Börnick and Dr Jungmann (TUD), together with Dr Armin Lorenz (University of Duisburg-Essen), shared experiences with Dr Marinda Avenant, an expert from South Africa, representing the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State. All programme elements were excellently prepared in terms of content, excellently organised, and generously supported by the CEM.

© Dr. D. Jungmann