Press Releases
Inland seas around the world are severely affected by climate change
Under the lead of the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), climate simulations were used to investigate how 19 inland seas, including the Baltic Sea, are responding to climate change. The researchers found that they have been warming faster than the global ocean since the 2000s. Projections show that marine heatwaves will affect around 60% of these seas on an annual average basis as early as in the middle of the 21st century. Without adherence to the Paris Agreement targets, up to 90% of these seas would be affected by heatwaves. The study contributes to climate change management practices and was published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.
» Read more … Inland seas around the world are severely affected by climate change
Amazon river plume: Where microalgae go carnivorous to win
In the vast plume of the Amazon River, microscopic algae adopt a surprisingly flexible survival strategy: They combine photosynthesis with the uptake of organic matter. An international research team led by the IOW has now shown that this so-called mixotrophy becomes the dominant and most successful lifestyle in mature plume waters. The findings, which are now published in Nature’s journal “Communications Biology”, reveal a previously underappreciated mechanism shaping marine food webs and carbon cycling in one of the ocean’s largest river-influenced systems.
» Read more … Amazon river plume: Where microalgae go carnivorous to win
International scientists gather in Germany for Baltic Earth Conference
Every two years, the international research network Baltic Earth organizes a conference in a Baltic Sea coastal state, bringing together scientists working on a wide range of topics related to the Baltic Sea region. This year, the conference is held in Heringsdorf on the island of Usedom, Germany, from April 13 – 17, 2026, and co-organized by the IOW and Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAN). The conference has been endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Activity, highlighting its role in advancing ocean science and supporting sustainable solutions for the marine environment.
» Read more … International scientists gather in Germany for Baltic Earth Conference
Why the eutrophicated Baltic Sea struggles with recovery – New IOW review highlights key processes and causes
The Baltic Sea has been under pressure for decades: Although phosphorus and nitrogen river loads, the main cause for its eutrophication, have been significantly reduced, adverse effects such as algal blooms and oxygen depletion still massively occur, leading to further ecological problems. Scientists at the IOW have now published a comprehensive review showing how nutrient pollution, internal matter cycles and global warming interact, thereby delaying the impact of protective measures. They also identify potential approaches for effective Baltic Sea management. The study was recently published in the Annual Review of Marine Science.
Underestimated wake: Shipping traffic causes more turmoil in the Baltic Sea than expected
Commercial shipping not only affects the Baltic Sea on the surface, but also has a significant impact on the water column and the seabed. A study by the IOW and Kiel University (CAU) now shows for the first time that wake turbulence from large ships in heavily trafficked areas of the western Baltic Sea significantly alters water stratification and leads to marked sea floor erosion.
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