Partner overview
Universitaet für Bodenkultur Wien - Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management
The Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management (IHG) at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU) is one of six institutes within the Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment (WAU).
IHG is an interdisciplinary group of aquatic ecologists, landscape ecologists, river engineers and historians organised in four groups (Fish Ecology, Benhtic Ecology, Aquatic Ecosystem Modelling, Landscape Planning and Management). The staff includes six permanent scientists, 30 PhD candidates and post-docs, and three technical and administrative staff members. Research focuses on fish and benthic invertebrates, riverine habitat and landscape management.
IHG has played a key role in the Europe-wide development of WFD compliant assessment systems for rivers, particularly in the EU projects AQEM, STAR, FAME and EFI+ and is now involved in WISER dealing with the WFD implementation. IHG has experiences in assessing effects of global/climate change on freshwater ecosystems (Euro-limpacs, REFRESH) including effects of invasive species. IHG has developed competence in river management and restoration within eight EU LIFE-Nature projects. Research projects outside of Europe complement the experience in the area of bio-assessment (ASSESS-HKH) and aquaculture (BOMOSA).
Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber
Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber (PhD) is a river ecologist with expertise in database
design, set-up and management of (web-based) databases. Her main task during the last years was the establishment of freshwaterecology.info, a Europe-wide trait database for macro invertebrates, fish, diatoms and
macrophytes. She has a background on river benthic invertebrates and experiences in
multivariate statistics. She is editor of the book series “Distribution and Ecological Preferences of European
Freshwater Organisms” (together with Daniel Hering, UDE), published by Pensoft Publishers.
Contact
Publications (BOKU website)
Stefan Schmutz
Stefan Schmutz (PhD) is professor for Aquatic Ecology and working
group leader (fish) with experience in coordinating EU projects focusing on
fish-based assessment methods (FAME, EFI+). He has published more than 50 scientific papers
(30+ ISI publications). He has expertise in fish conservation, fish passes,
climate change, river restoration and river management.
Contact
Publications (BOKU website)
Andreas Melcher
Andreas Melcher (PhD) is
a senior scientist for fish ecology and environmental data analyses and has
more than 15 years experience in working and coordinating national and
international research projects. He is also member of the BOKU CDR (centre for
development research) working group. He has special expertise on assessment
methods for the ecological status of running waters, aquatic ecosystem
modelling and effects of climate change on freshwater fish. He gave many oral
presentations and is author of several reports and peer-reviewed publications.
Contact
Publications (BOKU website)
Wolfram Graf
Wolfram Graf (PhD) is a biologist with expertise in taxonomy,
biodiversity and ecology of benthic invertebrates (Plecoptera, Trichoptera). His main focus is on ecoregional distribution and
biogeography, as well as on species traits and ecological preferences of
invertebrates. He is one of Europe’s leading experts in aquatic entomology who
described many hitherto unknown adult taxa and larvae and who co-authored the
"Atlas of Central-European caddisfly larvae".
Contact
Publications (BOKU website)
Florian Pletterbauer
Florian Pletterbauer is a PhD-student working on effects of climate change
to fish communities. He is part of the aquatic ecosystem modeling group at IHG.
His diploma thesis dealt with issues of anthropogenic stressors and climate
change effects in riverine systems. He uses GIS and statistical methods to
investigate distribution patterns of fishes in rivers.
Contact
Publications (BOKU website)
Robert Vogl
Robert Vogl is a database technician, software developer and GIS
expert. He is responsible for the technical realisation of the online database freshwaterecology.info as well as the development of the Austrian (ECOPROF) and German (PERLODES) river assessment software. He has experience with
online questionnaires and various other multiple IT fields.
Contact
Publications (BOKU website)