AKWA
Putting aquatic ecology into practice
Aquatic Knowledge Centre Wageningen (AKWA) translates state-of-the art scientific knowledge into practical solutions for water issues. AKWA is an initiative of the department of Aquatic Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), together with the Aquatic Ecology & Water Quality Management Group of Wageningen UR.
Stimulated by the growing interest for research valorization in the Netherlands, AKWA wants to put her valuable scientific knowledge into practice. Therefore, AKWA seeks to collaborate with stakeholders with a vested interest in water, such as water boards, water researchers, consultancy agencies, nature managers, and civil-technical bureaus.
AKWA helps solving water issues
We offer advice, research and training in the field of water quality and functioning of aquatic ecosystems. We can draw on a broad array of approaches, such as field monitoring, field and indoor-enclosures, controlled-lab experiments, time-series analyses, advanced statistics and model-analyses. We have access to the excellent experimental and analytical facilities of the NIOO-KNAW. Recent projects include water quality assessment of a catchment area, data analysis and evaluation of the construction of NVOs (nature-friendly banks).
Who is AKWA?
AKWA is imbedded in a group of researchers with a sound scientific background, both at the NIOO and the WUR. Active within this group are plankton specialists, macrophyte specialists, microbial specialists, modelers and biochemists, with both a broad as well as deep understanding of the functioning of aquatic ecosystems.
AKWA is pulled by aquatic ecologist Dr Lisette N. de Senerpont Domis, with more than ten years’ experience in aquatic ecology and a special interest in climate change. Dr. Miquel Lurling coordinates the WUR activities within AKWA. He has over 20 years of experience in aquatic ecology, with a special interest in eutrophication and harmful algal blooms.
Head of AKWA:
Researchers:
Interns:
2017 |
AQUACOSM | AQUACOSM is a network connecting aquatic mesocosms in twelve European countries: from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, across salinity boundaries and multiple... |
2017 |
Climate Change and Biodiversity: Science and Policy in the European Union | Funded by the Fullbright-Shuman EU program postdoc scholar Terry-René Brown studies climated-related shifts in the incidence of cyanobacterial blooms in Dutch... |
2017 |
Feeding the ducks: Effects on ecological water quality | Feeding waterfowl and fish is a common practice in urban water systems. However, this also adds nutrients and attracts more birds to the water, leading to... |
2017 |
Linking ESFs | In Linking ESFs we build Bayesian belief networks of causal relationships between a range of ecological drivers and aquatic ecosystem response. We work... |
2017 |
MANTEL | MANTEL is a multi-country European project focused on the observation and analysis of extreme climatic events. The aim of the MANTEL project is to assess how... |
2017 |
System diagnosis of Lake de Kurenpolder | The ecosystem services (recreation) of this deep lake have been compromised by cyanobacterial blooms. Using a combination of fieldwork, modelling and... |
2017 |
System diagnosis of lake Put bij de Omloop | The ecosystem services (recreation) of this deep lake have been compromised by cyanobacterial blooms. Using a combination of fieldwork, modelling and... |
2017 |
What prevents macrophytes (re-) growth in brackish waters in Goeree-Overflakkee? | Ditches and lakes on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee located in the southwestern parts of the Netherlands currently have little to no macrophyte growth... |
2016 |
Collaboration water boards, consultancies and knowlegde institutes on ecological water quality modelling (PCSAMEN) | Water quality models play an increasing role in day-to-day water quality management. At the same time, new scientific insights and technological progress drive... |
2016 |
ESF4 Habitat structure | Together with consultancies Tauw and Witteveen + Bos, AKWA develops a quick scan for water managers, to gain a first understanding of the potential impact of... |
2015 |
European Multilake Survey | Increased nutrient pollution and global warming may further promote harmful algal and cyanobacterial blooms, adding urgency for scientists and lake managers to... |
2015 |
System diagnosis of Lake Wylenbergmeer | The ecosystem services (recreation) of this shallow lake have been compromised by cyanobacterial blooms. Using a combination of fieldwork and experimentation,... |
2015 |
Water quality of urban ponds in the province of Noord-Brabant | Using a multivariate statistical modelling approach based on Legendre et al, 2010, AKWA analyzed time-series data of 25 urban point to detect relationships... |
2014 |
Ecosystem services of man-made lakes (DESAPIT) | Man-made lakes are lake ecosystems created by sand mining activities. With an extensive sampling campaign we want to assess the ecosystems service these... |
2014 |
Mitigation of toxic dinoflagellates in the Dutch Delta | In recent years, the incidence of blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii has been increasing in the Dutch Delta. These blooms pose a health... |
2014 |
Rehabilitation of Lake Boyuk Shor, Azerbeijan | Boyuk Shor is the second largest lake of Azerbeijan. It is an endorheic brackish lake. Its water quality is heavily compromised by the discharge of oil waste... |
2013 |
NETLAKE | NETLAKE (Networking Lake Observatories in Europe) is an EU COST Action (ES 1201) that aims to build a network of sites and individuals to support the... |
2013 |
NETLAKE Citizen Science | NETLAKE Citizen Science is part of Networking Lake Observatories in Europe (NETLAKE) EU COST Action (ES 1201). The NETLAKE Citizen Science water quality survey... |
2013 |
Spring Blitz | The Spring Blitz is a coordinated effort from researchers around the world to link changes in water stability during the onset of stratification to plankton... |
2013 |
Steering for structure | Heterogeneity in habitat structure is hypothesized to have a great impact on the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning of ditch systems. The construction of... |
2013 |
System diagnosis of lakes Lammetjeswiel and Slingeland | The ecosystem services (recreation) of these lakes have been compromised by cyanobacterial blooms. Using a combination of fieldwork and experimentation AKWA... |
- Kazanjian, G., Velthuis, M., Aben, R. C., Stephan, S., Peeters, E. T. H. M., Frenken, T.,... Hilt, S. (2018). Impacts of warming on top-down and bottom-up controls of periphyton production. Scientific Reports, 8(1), [9901]. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-26348-x
- de Senerpont Domis, L., Kramer, L., & Brederveld, R. J. (2018). Bayesian Belief Networks: nieuw veelbelovend gereedschap voor watersysteemanalyses. H2O, Water Matters(juni 2018), 40-43.
- Frenken, T., Wierenga, J. H. W., van Donk, E., Declerck, S. A. J., de Senerpont Domis, L., Rohrlack, T., & Van de Waal, D. B. (2018). Fungal parasites of a toxic inedible cyanobacterium provide food to zooplankton. Limnology and Oceanography, in press. doi:10.1002/lno.10945
- Mantzouki, E., Lürling, M., Fastner, J., de Senerpont Domis, L., Wilk-Woźniak, E., Koreivienė, J.,... Ibelings, B. W. (2018). Temperature Effects Explain Continental Scale Distribution of Cyanobacterial Toxins. Toxins, 10(4), [156]. doi:10.3390/toxins10040156
- de Senerpont Domis, L. (2017). Bepaling van de chemische nalevering van nutriënten in de Agger en in de Cruijslandse kreken. AKWA.
- de Senerpont Domis, L. (2017). Waterkwaliteit in Put aan de Omloop: mogelijke stuurfactoren. AKWA.
- de Senerpont Domis, L. (2017). Kralingse plas: Mogelijke voedselwebeffecten van waterstofperoxide toediening. Witteveen + Bos.
- Aben, R. C. H., Barros, N., van Donk, E., Frenken, T., Hilt, S., Kazanjian, G.,... Kosten, S. (2017). Cross continental increase in methane ebullition under climate change. Nature Communications, 8(1), [1682]. doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01535-y
- Teurlincx, S., & Declerck, S. A. J. (2017). Factsheet: Effecten van extensivering van landgebruik op slootecologie: Modelverkenning van opties voor extensivering en herinrichting van polder Oukoop. NIOO-KNAW.
- Velthuis, M., de Senerpont Domis, L. N., Frenken, T., Stephan, S., Kazanjian, G., Aben, R.,... Van de Waal, D. B. (2017). Warming advances top-down control and reduces producer biomass in a freshwater plankton community. Ecosphere, 8(1), [e01651]. doi:10.1002/ecs2.1651
- de Senerpont Domis, L. (2016). Bepaling van de chemische nalevering van nutriënten in de Ligne. AKWA.
- Dorenbosch, M., Bak, A., de Senerpont Domis, L., Bakker, E. S., Loeb, R., Smolders, A. J. P.,... van der Heijde, T. (2016). Oorzaken van beperkte ontwikkeling submerse waterplanten in twee laagveenplassen: Integraal veldexperiment in Terra Nova en Stichts Ankeveense Plassen (beheergebied Waternet) . Waternet.
- Sollie, S., Cusell, C., de Senerpont Domis, L., Mandemakers, J., Boon, S., Boonstra, M., & Vermulst, C-J. (2016). Zicht op structuur. STOWA.
- De Senerpont Domis, L. (2014). Kennisdag Natuurvriendelijke oevers: Verslag Workshop en Stellingen. AKWA.
- De Senerpont Domis, L., Lürling, M., & Van de Waal, D. (2014). Giftige dinoflagellaten in de Ouwerkerksekreek. AKWA.
- De Senerpont Domis, L., & Lürling, M. (2014). Rehabilitation of Lake Boyuk Shor, Azerbaijan: What drives water quality in Boyuk Shor? AKWA.
- Sarpe, D., De Senerpont Domis, L. N., Declerck, S. A. J., Van Donk, E., & Ibelings, B. W. (2014). Food quality dominates the impact of food quantity on Daphnia life history: possible implications for re-oligotrophication. Inland Waters, 4(4), 363-368. doi:10.5268/IW-4.4.701
- De Senerpont Domis, L. N. (2013). Een netwerk van water en mensen…. NVOX, 9, 447-447.
- De Senerpont Domis, L. N., Van Donk, E., Lurling, M., Huisman, J., & Van Dam, H. (2013). Olivijn lost blauwalgenbloei niet op: mijn mening. H2O, 46(11), 15.
- De Senerpont Domis, L. N., & Lurling, M. (2013). Blauwalgen: ruimtelijke spreiding en de effectiviteit van fosfaatfixatieven in het remmen van rekolonisatie. HOOGHEEMRAADSCHAP SCHIELAND EN KRIMPENERWAARD.
- De Senerpont Domis, L. N., & Lurling, M. (2013). Effectiviteit van kunstmatige menging met de SolarBee™ om blauwalgenoverlast in de Kralingse Plas tegen te gaan. HOOGHEEMRAADSCHAP SCHIELAND EN KRIMPENERWAARD.
- Van Oosterhout, J. F. X., De Senerpont Domis, L. N., & Lürling, M. (2013). Vlokken en Vastleggen in de Sloterplas. Deelrapport 2: Vastleggen als lange termijn maatregel. Wageningen: AKWA.
- De Senerpont Domis, L. N., Bartosiewicz, M., Davis, R., & Cerbin, S. (2013). The effect of small doses of toxic cyanobacterial food on temperature response of Daphnia galeata: Is bigger better? Freshwater Biology, 58(3), 560-572. doi:10.1111/fwb.12076
- Geurts, J. J. M., Lurling, M., Faassen, E. J., & De Senerpont Domis, L. N. (2013). Onderzoek naar blauwalgenproblematiek in zwemwateren in de Alblasserwaard. Waterschap Rivierenland.
- De Senerpont Domis, L. N., & Declerck, S. A. J. (2012). Rapport Analyse dataset “Boeren als waterbeheerders”. Wageningen: AKWA.
- Van Oosterhout, J. F. X., De Senerpont Domis, L. N., & Lürling, M. (2012). Vlokken en vastleggen in de Sloterplas. Deelrapport 1: Vlokken als korte termijn maatregel. Wageningen: AKWA.
- De Senerpont Domis, L. N. (2010). Watermozaïekcongres over klimaat verandering en aquatische ecologie: extra inspanningen nodig om KWR doelen te halen. STOWA nieuwsbrief, 3-4.
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| Mesocosm experiment | For the summer period 2018 (July, August, September) we are looking for a motivated student (BSc or MSc) from the field of biology/environmental- or aquatic sciences (or other related), who wants to gain experience in a big mesocosm experiment (Limnotrons, https://nioo.knaw.nl/en/facilities-nioo )...Read more |
Our modern, state of the art research facilities allow us to experimentally study a variety of aquatic organism groups in experimental laboratory settings ranging from small-scale flow through systems, photobioreactors and chemostats over microcosms to mesoscale laboratory ecosystems (1000-L Limnotrons).
In addition, we perform experiments at more realistic spatial and temporal scales in our outdoor enclosure facilities and experimental ponds area (Loenderveen). For our experimental studies, we fully employ the climate controlled culturing facilities that the department has at its disposal. The broad range of state-of-the-art analytical equipment (e.g. flowcytometry, Cytobuoy, FlowCam, IRMS, ICP, molecular lab), that is operated by highly skilled technicians, allows us to tackle innovative, multi-facetted questions.
Through our collaboration with the colleagues of the Water Quality and Ecosystem management group at the Wageningen University, we are also able to track the fate of a broad variety of toxins in the aquatic food web.
