Limnology is the scientific study of inland aquatic ecosystems, encompassing the physical, chemical, and biological processes in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams, wetlands, and groundwaters. It examines energy and matter fluxes, stratification and mixing regimes, biogeochemical cycling of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and the structure and dynamics of aquatic communities from microorganisms to higher trophic levels. Limnological research integrates hydrology, ecology, geochemistry, and climatology to understand ecosystem functioning, water quality, and responses to natural and anthropogenic perturbations, often employing field measurements, experimental manipulations, and modeling across temporal and spatial scales.
Researchers at the University of Zurich have analyzed the genome of bacteria living in Lake Zurich to conclude that microbes employ two different strategies to colonize new habitats. Some acquire new traits, as expected—but ...
Evolution
Apr 14, 2026
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A large-scale study led by the University of Jyväskylä revealed that human activity is consistently changing the ecosystems of Northern European lakes. The study shows that hydropower and human activity in catchment areas ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 4, 2026
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10
A new holistic monitoring system developed under the leadership of TU Graz measures boat waves with millimeter precision using satellite navigation data and sensors on buoys and for the first time allows investigations into ...
Ecology
Feb 12, 2026
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10
An unusual natural phenomenon appeared on Lake Lipno in South Bohemia, the Czech Republic, at the end of 2025. Large amounts of accumulated cyanobacteria in the water caused the ice to turn green. The phenomenon was thoroughly ...
Ecology
Jan 28, 2026
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58
When Dickson Ngome first leased his farm at Lake Naivasha in Kenya's Rift Valley in 2008, it was over 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from shore. The farm was on 1.5 acres (0.6 hectares) of fertile land where he grew vegetables ...
Environment
Dec 22, 2025
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Loons are on the mend in Maine, filling more of the state's lakes and ponds with their haunting calls, although conservationists say the birds aren't out of the woods yet.
Ecology
Dec 13, 2025
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When Meredith Holgerson arrived at Cornell in 2020, she began searching for the perfect ponds. Poring over maps, taking tips, she'd traipse into the woods of central New York with an inflatable kayak strapped to her back.
Environment
Dec 1, 2025
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12
A research team from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) has analyzed the zooplankton communities in the White Nile and Blue Nile in Khartoum. It is the first study of plankton in the Sudan ...
Ecology
Nov 24, 2025
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21
A research team led by Profs. Zhang Yunlin and Shi Kun from the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has completed its first global assessment of lake water clarity, uncovering widespread ...
Environment
Nov 17, 2025
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22
RPI professor and freshwater ecology expert Kevin Rose, Ph.D., in collaboration with other researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), the Lake George Association (LGA), and Paul Smith's College, conducted the ...
Ecology
Oct 21, 2025
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