Limnology

Perhaps the most common comment when we say "I am a limnologist" is something like "You're a what?". So let us try to answer this question here.

The term "limnology" comes from the Greek words limne, "lake", and logos, "knowledge". Limnology encompasses not only lakes but includes all forms of inland waters. Inland waters exist in a variety of forms: they include lakes and reservoirs, streams and rivers, ponds and wetlands, and even a roadside ditch. Most lakes contain fresh water, but it is actually not uncommon that the water has high salinity. For example, the world's largest lake, the Caspian Sea, is salty.

We investigate how various organisms living in inland waters interact with their environment. By doing so, we deal with fundamental ecological questions that have relevance for real-world issues like water quality, drinking water safety and the impact of hydropower dams. Limnology is about understanding entire ecosystems, so our work spans from physical and chemical processes to population ecology. We participate in long-term ecological observations through our field station at Lake Erken, which is part of a national network of research stations (SITES) and a worldwide global observation program of lakes (GLEON).

One example of the processes we study is the transport of organic substances by water flowing via streams, rivers and lakes to the sea. These organic substances are flushed into streams and lakes from the surrounding soils, but what happens to them in the water? Are they stored in the sediment at the bottom of the lakes? Are they just flushed by rivers to the sea, or are they degraded to gases on the way, and evaded to the atmosphere, for example as carbon dioxide?

We also do a lot of research on the activity and diversity of microorganisms in inland waters. Even though microbes may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when looking at a lake, they play a key role in the functioning of inland water ecosystems. At the other end of the size spectrum, we investigate the shape of fish shape, and how fish are shaped by ecological processes.

A limnologist's skills are needed in a number of applications, for example in tackling drinking water quality issues, finding measures to reduce algal blooms, developing sustainable fishing practices, and the restoration of rivers and wetlands.

Welcome to the exciting world of Limnology!

Head of program

Prof. Lars Tranvik
018-471 2722
lars.tranvik@ebc.uu.se

Visiting address

Limnology
Department of Ecology and Genetics
Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC)
Uppsala University
Norbyvägen 18D
752 36 Uppsala

Delivery address

Limnology
Department of Ecology and Genetics
Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC)
Kåbovägen 4, hus 7
752 36 Uppsala