This is a collaborative research of NIOO, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute and Deltares.

Securing biodiversity, functional integrity and ecosystem services in DRYing rivER networks (Dryver)

Network of Leading Ecosystem Scale Experimental AQUAtic MesoCOSM Facilities Connecting Rivers, Lakes, Estuaries and Oceans in Europe and beyond (Aquacosm-Plus)

At the AKWA group we are involved in numerous GLEON projects

Functioning and ecosystem services provisioning of quarry lakes

Inventive forecasting tools for adapting water quality management to a new climate (Inventwater)

Zon op water: impact op waterkwaliteit en biodiversiteit (ZWIMP)

Nature's Integration in Cities' Hydrologies, Ecologies and Societies (NICHES)

Plastics have been widely used in everyday life since the 1950s, mainly because they are cheap and have a long durability. Plastics have a long degradation period, remaining in the environment for hundreds and thousands of years. During this period, plastics break down, due to photodegradation, abrasion, hydrolysis and biodegradation into smaller particles called microplastics (< 5 mm). Until now, much attention has been paid to quantify microplastics in the oceans. However, there are indications that microplastics are accumulating in the food web not only in the oceans, but also in fresh water systems.

Because microplastics shield the light, they can cause growth inhibition and decrease photosynthesis activity of freshwater microalgae species. In addition, zooplankton and benthic invertebrates accumulate microplastics in their digestive tracts leading to a reduced feeding activity, and in some cases reduced survival and fecundity. The zooplankton benthic invertebrates are in turn consumed by fish. In this way, microplastics can affect the entire food web, including higher trophic levels such as birds and humans.

The objective of this research project is to demonstrate the effect of microplastics on trophic interaction and scale up to food web effects in large indoor mesocosms. Linking small-scale laboratory studies to large-scale experiments and exploring more environmentally relevant scenarios will provide critical knowledge on the effects of microplastics at the community and ecological level, essential for further risk assessment.

Though shallow surface waters are known GHG emission hotspots, the quantification of its GHG emission levels is hampered by the lack of accurate measurements and sound spatial extrapolation methods. As a consequence, climate-smart decision-support tools for surface water management cannot be developed. This is an important caveat, because there is a large potential to reduce GHG emissions from shallow surface waters. The project will tackle this problem by providing a first evidence-based estimate of GHG emissions of shallow inland waters in the Netherlands, and by identifying measures to reduce GHG emission and increase carbon storage in surface waters. These data will be used to develop and validate climate-smart management tools that can be applied by the water management stakeholders involved in the project. DIGS will provide means that will directly contribute to the principal priority of the Dutch government to combat climate change: reduction of Netherlands’ GHG emissions by 49% in 2030, compared to 1990 levels. DIGS is funded by the Open Technology Program of NWO and has a term of four years starting in 2021.