Weather extremes, such as droughts and heavy rainfall, are increasingly becoming abundant with ongoing climate warming. Both these extremes and the overall increase in air and water temperatures have far reaching consequences for the ecological functioning of rivers and streams. Occurrences of drought and heavy rainfall modulate the hydrology of running waters, which in turn affects their riverine habitats and biotic communities. In addition, increases in water temperature are expected to alter biogeochemical cycling processes and ecological functions. Particularly small streams and headwaters are at high risk of experience strong impacts by these environmental changes.

This project aims to elucidate how climate warming impacts the functionality of inland water bodies. It thereby focuses on small water courses and their adjacent floodplains in southern Rhineland-Palatinate.

Three sub-projects have been established to achieve the objectives:

1. Connectivity of habitats: this project investigates how water-land-relations are impacted by climate change
2. Water quality and health: this project quantifies water pollution and its effects on aquatic biodiversity during extreme weather events
3. Water ecology: this project focuses on management of fish populations with regard to climate change

Third-party funder: Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility

Duration: 2016 -