The research topic of Limnology, paleolimnology and hydrobiology includes comprehensive research on aquatic ecosystems to understand their current and long-term dynamics and improve their conservation. Attention is given to impacts of anthropogenic changes on biota of surface waters, changes in the diversity of aquatic invertebrate fauna in response to environmental changes, and the ecology of bioindicator taxa. Aquatic organisms are studied in the context of changes in water-body catchments and climate changes. Some activities related to this research topic take place at the Velký Pálenec Hydrobiological Station (Blatensko region; established by Prof. Karel Schäfferna in 1924), which is a detached facility of the Institute for Environmental Studies.
Paleolimnology and ecology of mountain lakes
- Multi-proxy research of lake sediments; reconstructions of environmental changes in the Late Glacial and Holocene; evolution of lake-catchment ecosystems; ecology and diversity of invertebrate fauna in mountain lakes and reservoirs
- Main model taxa: nonbiting midges (Chironomidae), water fleas (Cladocera/ Diplostraca), copepods (Copepoda), rotifers (Rotifera)
- Team:
Limnology and hydrobiology
- measurement of morphometric and hydrological parameters of reservoirs, sampling methods and equipment for sampling bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos; chemical methods (determination of dissolved gases, major ions, dissolved organic substances and some metals)
- limnology of stagnant and flowing waters, functioning of freshwater ecosystems, ecology of freshwater organisms, study of specific adaptations of organisms to different types of freshwater biotopes
- Team: