Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)

The Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) is Germany's largest and one of the internationally leading research centers for inland waters, encompassing rivers, lakes, and wetlands. As an interdisciplinary research center, the IGB is dedicated to the creation, dissemination, and application of knowledge about freshwater systems.

The main mission of the IGB is to understand the fundamental biological, chemical, and physical processes in inland waters and to investigate their responses to global and local environmental changes. By integrating expert knowledge from fields such as biology, chemistry, physics, and geography, the IGB can address a wide range of topics in an interdisciplinary manner, thus advancing knowledge about various aspects of inland waters[2][3][4].

• Fundamental Research: The IGB conducts extensive fundamental research on inland waters and aquatic organisms.
• Environmental Impacts: Researchers investigate the effects of land use, climate change, and pollution on inland waters.
• Biodiversity and Sustainability: A focus is on the conservation of biodiversity in inland waters and the development of sustainable aquaculture and fishing practices.
• Science-Based Consulting: The IGB provides science-based consulting for societal stakeholders and informs the interested public through events such as the Lake Dialogues and the IGB Academy[2][3][4].

The IGB is engaged in numerous sustainability initiatives:

• Ecohydrological Resilience: Researchers are working on a better understanding of water storage dynamics to ensure the availability of water resources even in times of climate change[3].
• Biodegradation of Plastic: The IGB has identified fungi that can efficiently break down plastic polymers, contributing to new solutions for plastic pollution[2][3].
• Sustainable Aquaculture: The development of alternative fish feeds, such as animal by-products or insect meal, aims to minimize the environmental impacts of aquaculture[2][3].

The IGB is a member of the Leibniz Association and works closely with numerous national and international universities and partners from science and society. Through the IGB doctoral program, graduate research schools, and master's programs at Humboldt University of Berlin, knowledge is passed on to young researchers. The research results are presented in the publication series IGB Outlines, which outlines options for action[2][3][4].

The Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) plays a central role in promoting sustainable water management practices and addressing the challenges posed by climate change and environmental changes. Through its interdisciplinary research and commitment to conveying scientific knowledge, the IGB makes an important contribution to the protection and sustainable use of inland waters.

• 1 - https://www.resi-project.info/en/legalnotice/?noredirect=en_US
• 2 - https://www.igb-berlin.de/en
• 3 - https://www.igb-berlin.de
• 4 - https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/en/institutes/leibniz-institutes-all-lists/leibniz-institute-of-freshwater-ecology-and-inland-fisheries
• 5 - https://www.igb-ingenieure.de