Since the beginning of January, an unusually long period of easterly winds has caused the average water level in the Baltic Sea to fall to a historic low. Measurements at the Swedish Landsort-Norra gauge show values that are the lowest since records began in 1886. Researchers at the IOW are currently monitoring this development very closely, as it represents a rare oceanographic situation that could lead to a large inflow of saltwater from the North Sea into the Baltic Sea.
Press Release Archive
Greenland’s coastal macroalgal forests may be a far more significant contributor to global carbon storage than previously thought. That is the outcome of a new study co-led by the IOW and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon. By combining satellite imagery, ocean drifter trajectories, and high-resolution ocean turbulence models, the international research team demonstrated, how ocean currents and intense mixing events act to push seaweeds – and thus the carbon in their tissues – into the deep ocean.
Fungi Infect Nitrogen-Fixing Cyanobacteria
Under the lead of the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) the influence of parasitic fungi on the physiology and survival of cyanobacteria in the Baltic Sea was investigated. Such infections are known from lakes. Due to the high nutrient load in the Baltic Sea, there are high levels of cyanobacteria, some of which are toxic (algal blooms). In addition, the decomposition of algal blooms leads to oxygen depletion. Cyanobacteria are important for the nitrogen cycle, as some fix nitrogen and thus further increase nutrient concentrations in the Baltic Sea. The findings were recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
How can eelgrass beds in the Baltic Sea be efficiently restored with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) in the most climate-resilient way possible? This is the core question of the new SEAGUARD research project, which is coordinated by the IOW. The project combines marine research, data science and environmental management and is funded with about 1.8 million euros until November 2027 as part of the German federal environment ministry's AI flagship initiative.
The Baltic Sea coast in the Anthropocene: a model for the consequences of climate change
Under the lead of the IOW, a review article outlined the state of the Baltic Sea coast and its expected development as a result of climate change. The article shows that the Baltic Sea can serve as a model for the consequences of climate change and that interdisciplinary research is needed to investigate changes in its shallow coastal zones.
Climate change promotes the spreading of vibrios: IOW study reveals global distribution patterns
Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that is potentially very dangerous to humans, is a natural component of marine plankton. The IOW has now presented the first comprehensive analysis of its global distribution. It shows that the pathogen occurs in almost all coastal regions of the world, but is more prevalent at comparatively high water temperatures, moderate salinity levels, and in decaying algal blooms. The study also provides a predictive model that can be used to estimate future climate change-induced changes in the distribution of vibrios.
Under the lead of the IOW, a sediment core from the Southeast Pacific was examined that reflects the last 8 million years of Earth's history. The study shows that the intensity of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which connects the world’s three major oceans, is particularly sensitive to temperature changes, which in turn significantly influences the exchange of CO2 between the ocean and the atmosphere.
Today, the two-day kick-off meeting for the international “Joint Action on Changing Marine Lightscapes” launched by JPI Oceans started in Hamburg with more than 50 participating researchers. The initiative aims at a better understanding of changing light conditions in the ocean and how this impacts marine ecosystems. Two projects are taking up work under the umbrella of a joint knowledge hub. The ISOLUME project coordinated by the IOW focuses primarily on ocean darkening; the ALANIS project, led by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, mainly addresses nocturnal light pollution.
Saltwater intrusion threatens water supplies from tidal rivers worldwide
Worldwide, water obtained from tidal rivers for human use is threatened by saltwater intrusion. This is the result of a recent study by an international research team, in which the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) also participated. The main causes are the effects of climate change, such as prolonged periods of drought and sea level rise.
The construction of a new storage facility for the IOW began today with the traditional ground-breaking ceremony in Rostock’s fishing harbour. The building will provide additional capacity for equipment storage and climate-controlled sediment core storage as well as additional workshop space. The construction project has a total volume of around 2.44 million euros and is being realised with funds from the federal and state governments.