Working Group Groundwater Ecology

Being aquatic ecologists, we have a strong research focus on shallow groundwater ecosystems including important ecotones such as the hyporheic zone, springs, and cave waters. Here, we study the effects of global and climate change on important biogeochemical cycles. We try to identify key players within all organismic levels from viruses to bacteria and from protozoa and fungi to invertebrates, actively involved in carbon and nutrient turnover, as well as in the natural attenuation of contaminants. From a methodological perspective, we combine microbiological and molecular tool with hydrochemistry and stable isotope analysis. Classical mophological taxonomy of invertebrates is merged with targeted sequencing, metabarcoding and eDNA approaches.

While our interests are extremely broad, groundwater is our common target. Current projects are dealing with the assessment of biodiversity in groundwater ecosystems of Austria and Europe (DarCo - EU biodiversa+, Stygofauna Austriaca - BMK, VjoSusDev - OeAD). We recently also tried to establish long-term monitoring in shallow groundwater (FutureAqua - NOE, Danubius Austria - BML) as well as new protocols for the assessment of groundwater ecosystem health (GroundCare - BMBF, CHARMANT - BMBF, UBA - BML). Anthropogenic impacts on shallow aquifers are studied with a focus on urban groundwater systems (Heat below the City – WWTF, MARGIN – EU InterReg) and nitrate as most common groundwater pollutants (SeCuNDA – DFG/FWF). Last but not least, we have spring ecosystems and their communities in focus (EcoSpring – OeAW).