Research 

 

The Interuniversity Centre for Aquatic Ecosystem Research, WasserCluster Lunz, combines limnological expertise of three partner universities (University of Vienna, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, and the Danube University Krems). WCL strives to advance aquatic sciences at various ecosystem levels. We are committed to provide excellence in research, education, and scientific outreach.

Battin Lab: Biofilm and Ecosystem Research (BERG)

Research in my lab focuses on microbial biofilms and their implications for ecosystem functioning and biogeochemistry in streams and their interface with the terrestrial milieu. Microbial biofilms constitute the predominant form of microbial life density at the terrestrial/aquatic interface. We are particularly interested in the coupled physical, chemical and biological processes that link micro-scale processes in the streambed to the stream ecosystem. Ultimately, our goal is to bridge the gap that has evolved between microbial and “macrobial” and particularly ecosystem ecology.Research ranges from cell level activity and organization in biofilms, biofilm architecture, to hydrodynamics and both solute and particle dynamics. Our approach is largely experimental with setups ranging from large streamside flumes (40 m long), intermediate small lab-based flumes (1.5 m long) to the typical flow cells for microscopy. These set-ups allow simulation of natural processes at various levels of complexity.

Areas of interest

Stream ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry, biofilm ecology, hyporheic processes, hydrology, hydrodynamics and geomorphology, ecological theory 

Three selected papers

Besemer, K., G. Singer, I. Hoedl, AK. Clup, G. Hochedlinger and Battin, T. J. (2007) Biophysical controls on stream microbial biofilm succession. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73: 4966-4974 (COVER).
Battin, T. J., I. Head, T. Curtis, W. Sloan, S. Kjelleberg, H. Daims and L. Eberl. (2007) Microbial landscapes: new paths to biofilm research. Nature Reviews Microbiology 5: 76-81 (COVER).

Battin, TJ, LA Kaplan, JD Newbold and C. Hansen. (2003)  Contributions of microbial biofilms to ecosystem processes in stream mesocosms. Nature 426: 439-442.


Kainz Lab: Aquatic lipid and ecotoxicology research group (LIPTOX)

My lab investigates processes that govern organic matter pathways to organisms in aquatic ecosystems. Our research ranges from molecular to community levels, with the goal of integrating knowledge from ecological, nutritional, and toxicological disciplines and scales to form a predictive, quantitative, and holistic view of aquatic organic matter dynamics. LIPTOX combines aquatic nutrition and ecotoxicology in aquatic food webs. We focus on lipids and their fatty acids as especially some polyunsaturated fatty acids are fundamental to somatic development, reproduction, and survival of aquatic organisms. Such clearly favourable effects are opposite to the mostly negative effects of stressors (such as contaminants, species invasions, temperature, etc.) in aquatic food webs. These concurrent effects within aquatic food webs are poorly understood and encourage us to investigate linkages between dietary uptake, bioconversion, and retention of lipids and contaminants in organisms of aquatic food webs. Our goal is to improve knowledge of the structure and function of aquatic food webs, and to develop tools for better management of aquatic ecosystems in the face of future change.

Areas of interest:

Food web ecology, aquatic lipid biochemistry, ecotoxicology, physiological stressors, biomarkers (allochthonous and autochthonous)

Selected papers:

Kainz, M., Telmer, K., Mazumder, A. (2006) Bioaccumulation patterns of methyl mercury and essential fatty acids in the planktonic food web and fish. Sci Total Environ 368:271-282.
Kainz, M., Mazumder, A. (2005) Effect of algal and bacterial diet on methyl mercury concentrations in zooplankton. Environ Sci Technol 39(6):1666-1672.
Kainz, M., Arts MT, Mazumder, A. (2004) Essential fatty acids within the planktonic food web and its ecological role for higher trophic levels. Limnol Oceanogr 49:1784-1793.


Hein Lab: Biogeochemical functions: research and management at multiple scales research group (BIOFRAMES) 
Our team investigates nutrient cycling and carbon dynamics in surface water dominated wetlands, their role in riverine landscapes and their importance providing ecosystem services. Therefore, we are particularly interested in the interaction between hydromorphology and biogeochemical processes and the link between research and application in sustainable ecosystem management. The purpose of our research is to determine how changing conditions at the large scale (climate change) and the local scale (pollution, hydromorphological alterations) interact with the coupling of structure and function and explicitly, the interaction with restoration activities and ecosystem management. Thus, the scope of our research ranges from the community and habitat level to the ecosystem level and integrates field studies with experimental approaches. The research activity in BioFrames is devoted to establishing mechanistic models for primary production and the coupling with nutrient cycling in the water column, at the sediment/water and aquatic/terrestrial interface in natural wetlands.

Areas of interest:
Biogeochemistry, restoration ecology and the resilience of ecosystems, tools and models for multi criteria analysis for sustainable ecosystem management, stable isotope research and application

Selected papers:

Bondar, E., Kucera-Hirzinger, V., Preiner, S., Weigelhofer, G., Schiemer, F. & T. Hein (2007) The Impact of an Artificial Water Enhancement Scheme on Trophic Levels and the Biological Activity in an Urban Backwater System in Vienna (Austria). Internat. Rev. Hydrobiol  92(4-5), 413-427.
Winter, C., Hein, T., Kavka, G.,  Mach, R.L., Farnleitner, A.H. (2007) Longitudinal Changes In The Bacterial Community Composition Of The Danube River: A Whole River Approach. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73(2), 421-431.
Hein, T., Reckendorfer, W., Thorp, J. & F. Schiemer (2005)  The importance of altered hydrologic retention in large regulated rivers: examples from the Austrian Danube. Archiv f. Hydrobiologie, Large Rivers 15: 425-442.

 
   
 

  

 
 
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