Bas W Ibelings

University of Geneva | UNIGE · Institute F.A. Forel

Riparian vegetation along a stream regulates the flow of sediments and nutrients. It also provides stability to the riverbanks and controls the watershed microclimate that ultimately influences the primary production of lotic environments. The degradation of terrestrial vegetation can also have an impact on the biotic component of rivers. Periphyto...

Toxic cyanobacteria, such as Planktothrix rubescens, came to dominate temperate lakes in the mid-to-late 20 th century, as a result of eutrophication. Even after decades of re-oligotrophication, where phosphorus levels were reduced by 1-2 orders of magnitude, P. rubescens remains present in various lakes. In this study, we examine the persistence a...

Cyanobacterial blooms have substantial direct and indirect negative impacts on freshwater ecosystems including releasing toxins, blocking light needed by other organisms, and depleting oxygen. There is growing concern over the potential for climate change to promote cyanobacterial blooms, as the positive effects of increasing lake surface temperatu...

Chytrids are important drivers of aquatic ecosystems as phytoplankton parasites. The interaction between these parasites and their hosts are shaped by abiotic factors such as temperature and light. Here, we performed a full-factorial experiment to study how temperature and light interact to affect the dynamics of the bloom-forming toxic cyanobacter...

It is common wisdom that altruism is a crucial element in addressing climate change and other public good issues. If individuals care about the welfare of others (including future generations) they can be expected to unilaterally adapt their behaviour to preserve the common good thus enhancing the wellbeing of all. We introduce a network game model...

David Schindler and his colleagues pioneered studies in the 1970s on the role of phosphorus in stimulating cyanobacterial blooms in North American lakes. Our understanding of the nuances of phosphorus utilization by cyanobacteria has evolved since that time. We review the phosphorus utilization strategies used by cyanobacteria, such as use of organ...

Parasites are generally considered the most commonly occurring type of consumers, yet their biomass and population dynamics are rarely quantified at community level. Here, we used 12 years of weekly or fortnightly monitoring data (518 time points) to determine the occurrence of chytrids, fungal parasites of phytoplankton, to assess their seasonalit...

Communities contain more individuals of small species and fewer individuals of large species. The observed -3/4 slope relating mean size and mean abundance across communities (the cross-community scaling relationship or CCSR) is thought to arise from a 3/4-power scaling of metabolic rate with body size. Assuming that 3/4-power metabolic scaling is...

While eutrophication remains one of the main pressures acting on freshwater ecosystems, the prevalence of anthropogenic and nature‐induced stochastic pulse perturbations is predicted to increase due to climate change. Despite all our knowledge on the effects of eutrophication and stochastic events operating in isolation, we know little about how eu...

Chytrids are important drivers of aquatic ecosystems as phytoplankton parasites. The interaction between these parasites and their hosts are shaped by abiotic factors such as temperature and light. Here, we performed a full-factorial experiment to study how temperature and light interact to affect the dynamics of the bloom-forming toxic cyanobacter...

Extreme wind events affect lake phytoplankton by deepening the mixed layer and increasing internal nutrient loading. Both increases and decreases in phytoplankton concentration after strong wind events have been observed, but the precise mechanisms driving these responses remain poorly understood or quantified. We coupled a one‐dimensional physical...

Extreme wind events affect lake phytoplankton amongst others by deepening the mixed layer and increasing internal nutrient loading. Both increases and decreases of phytoplankton biomass after storms have been observed, but the precise mechanisms driving these responses remain poorly understood or quantified. In this study, we coupled a one-dimensio...

Environmental sciences depend heavily on observational data. Successful studies of ecological processes in lakes require in‐situ data that cover the relevant temporal scales from milliseconds to entire seasons. Temporal and spatial coverage requirements represent a non‐trivial challenge in lake sciences, which have traditionally used sampling campa...

• Freshwater cyanobacterial blooms have become ubiquitous, posing major threats to ecological and public health. • Decades of research have focused on understanding drivers of these blooms with a primary focus on eutrophic systems; however, cyanobacterial blooms also occur in oligotrophic systems, but have received far less attention, resulting in...

Extreme wind storms can strongly influence short‐term variation in lake ecosystem functioning. Climate change is affecting storms by altering their frequency, duration, and intensity, which may have consequences for lake ecosystem resistance and resilience. However, catchment and lake processes are simultaneously affecting antecedent lake condition...

Tropical high-altitude lakes are vital freshwater ecosystems for the functioning and dynamics of tropical high-altitude wetlands called páramos, found at over 3300 m above sea level. They play a major role in the hydrogeological cycle and provide important hydrological services such as water storage, and yet they are understudied. Describing the pa...

• Climate warming is causing changes in the physics of deep lakes, such as longer summer stratification, increased water column stability, reduced ice cover, and a shallower depth of winter overturns. An ultimate consequence of warming would be a transition to a different mixing regime. Here we investigate the role of physical, chemical, and biolog...

For many, 2020 was a year of abrupt professional and personal change. For the aquatic sciences community, many were adapting to virtual formats for conducting and sharing science, while simultaneously learning to live in a socially distanced world. Understandably, the aquatic sciences community postponed or canceled most in‐person scientific meetin...

Lake ecosystems are sensitive to local weather conditions, and especially to extremes such as storms and heatwaves. Here we provide an overview of the shorter and longer term effects on lake physics, chemistry and biology. Use of high frequency data from in situ sensors to monitor lakes has provided new insights into these impacts. Many knowledge g...

Numerical lake models are useful tools to study hydrodynamics in lakes, and are increasingly applied to extreme weather events. However, little is known about the accuracy of such models during these short-term events. We used high-frequency data from three lakes to test the performance of three one-dimensional (1D) hydrodynamic models (Simstrat, G...

In many regions across the globe, extreme weather events such as storms have increased in frequency, intensity, and duration due to climate change. Ecological theory predicts that such extreme events should have large impacts on ecosystem structure and function. High winds and precipitation associated with storms can affect lakes via short-term run...

This study deals with the impact of spatio-temporal heterogeneities on the assessment of lake ecological status according to the European water framework directive (WFD). A method, based on three-dimensional coupled hydrodynamic and ecological modeling, is presented to assess the variability of lake ecological status, and to locate the most represe...

Tropical high-altitude lakes are vital freshwater reservoirs in the Andean regions. They are heavily threatened by human activities that may alter their functioning and hamper the provisioning of key ecosystem services such as water supply. Despite their ecological and social relevance, we know little about these waterbodies, especially regarding t...

Freshwaters are among the most diverse and dynamic ecosystems globally, while also being among the most threatened systems. Freshwater biological field stations (FW‐BFS) are key facilities for research, monitoring, and education. However, high quality data and information on the status and roles of FW‐BFS are lacking. Based on the results of a ques...

This special issue of Inland Waters focuses on recent under-ice research in Lake Onego, Russia. Compared to open waters, research on ice-covered lakes is sparse because of the demanding work environment and logistics in the field (Kirillin et al. 2012). In the past, large lakes in particular, such as the European Lakes Onego (61°36′10.52′′N, 35°34′...

When sunlight penetrates the ice layer covering lakes in winter, it warms the top water layer and sets up convection, with several potentially contrasting effects on phytoplankton. While convective mixing keeps cells in suspension and prevents sedimentation losses, it may also transport phytoplankton well below the euphotic zone. We investigated di...

The frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events (ECEs) is expected to increase with climate change (IPCC, 2014). We are interested in how this affects lake ecosystems. For instance, storms induce mixing events and indirectly influence ecological relevant processes, such as deep-water oxygen concentration and nutrient upwelling. Numerical l...

Here we aim to incorporate trait-based information into the modern coexistence framework that comprises a balance between stabilizing (niche-based) and equalizing (fitness) mechanisms among interacting species. Taking the modern coexistence framework as our basis, we experimentally tested the effect of size differences among species on coexistence...

Lakes are vital components of the landscape that provide important ecosystem services. They act as sentinels of change, integrating information from atmospheric, terrestrial, and hydrological processes. To support sustainable lake management, lakes must be monitored to provide physical, chemical, and biological information. Monitoring strategies ra...

Under ongoing climate change and increasing anthropogenic activity, which continuously challenge ecosystem resilience, an in-depth understanding of ecological processes is urgently needed. Lakes, as providers of numerous ecosystem services, face multiple stressors that threaten their functioning. Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a persistent probl...

We examined the relationship between viruses and co-occurring bacterial communities across spatiotemporal scale in two contrasting freshwater lakes, namely meromictic Lake Pavin and dimictic Lake Aydat (Central France). Next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes suggested distinct patterns in bacterioplankton community composition (BCC) between t...

On‐going global warming and eutrophication are expected to promote cyanobacterial dominance worldwide. Although increased lake temperature and nutrients are well‐established drivers of blooms, the mechanisms that determine cyanobacterial biomass are complex, with potentially direct, indirect, and interactive effects. Cyanobacteria can produce toxin...

Cyanobacteria can form dense and sometimes toxic blooms in freshwater and marine environments, which threaten ecosystem functioning and degrade water quality for recreation, drinking water, fisheries and human health. Here, we review evidence indicating that cyanobacterial blooms are increasing in frequency, magnitude and duration globally. We high...

Lake biological parameters show important spatio-temporal heterogeneities. This is why explaining the spatial patchiness of phytoplankton abundance has been a recurrent ecological issue and is an essential prerequisite for objectively assessing, protecting and restoring freshwater ecosystems. The drivers of these heterogeneities can be identified b...

Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a) and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin) due to thei...

Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution ofcyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus onhepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g.,anatoxin-a) and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin) due to their p...

The vertical distribution of chlorophyll in stratified lakes and reservoirs frequently exhibits a maximum peak deep in the water column, referred to as the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM). DCMs are ecologically important hot spots of primary production and nutrient cycling, and their location can determine vertical habitat gradients for primary cons...

Chytridiomycota, often referred to as chytrids, can be virulent parasites with the potential to inflict mass mortalities on hosts, causing e.g. changes in phytoplankton size distributions and succession, and the delay or suppression of bloom events. Molecular environmental surveys have revealed an unexpectedly large diversity of chytrids across a w...

p>This review aims to summarise the outcomes of some recent European research concerning toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, with an emphasis on developments within the framework of the CYANOCOST Action (COST Action ES1105, Cyanobacterial Blooms and Toxins in Water Resources: Occurrence, Impacts and Management). State of the art research and manag...

The influence of aerosols on climate is highly dependent on the particle size distribution, concentration, and composition. In particular, the latter influences their ability to act as cloud condensation nuclei, whereby they impact cloud coverage and precipitation. Here, we simultaneously measured the concentration of aerosols from sea spray over t...

The composition and dynamics of plankton communities are critically affected by human-induced environmental changes. We analysed 33 years of phytoplankton monthly data collected in Lake Zurich (Switzerland), assigning organisms (genus level) to taxonomic groups (class, family), Reynolds associations and size categories. The aim was to understand ho...

Microbial populations which are resistant to antibiotics are an emerging environmental concern with potentially serious implications for public health. Thus, there is a growing concern in exploring the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in the environment with no limitations to the factors that contribute to their emergence. The aquatic environmen...

This is the Editorial to a Special Issue entitled “Cyanobacterial blooms. Ecology, prevention, mitigation and control”. The Special Issue is a product of a European COST Action, CYANOCOST. In this Special Issue, contributions describe methods currently available for the management of cyanobacterial blooms, a key issue threatening the ecological fun...

In 2000, the European Parliament set out the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) for managing and protecting water bodies. Classification of water bodies into ecological status is a key issue for the implementation of that framework. For lakes and reservoirs, the assessment of this status is based on biological (e.g., phytoplankton), physico-c...

Recent technological developments have increased the number of variables being monitored in lakes and reservoirs using automatic high frequency monitoring (AHFM). However, design of AHFM systems and posterior data handling and interpretation are currently being developed on a site-by-site and issue-by-issue basis with minimal standardization of pro...

Nuisance, toxic cyanobacterial blooms are a persistent and globally expanding problem. Prevention of blooms requires that external and internal sources of nutrients are managed to levels where development of cyanobacterial blooms is restricted. Control of blooms, in which their presence is reduced to a level where they no longer pose a risk through...

This is the Editorial to a Special Issue entitled “Cyanobacterial blooms. Ecology, prevention, mitigation and control”. The Special Issue is a product of a European COST Action, CYANOCOST. In this Special Issue, contributions describe methods currently available for the management of cyanobacterial blooms, a key issue threatening the ecological fun...

The quality of ecosystem services provided by lakes is related to the ecosystem structure and functioning. Protecting water bodies is becoming a global goal that requires monitoring for water quality assessment. In 2000, the European Parliament set out the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), a framework for managing and protecting water bodie...

The quality of ecosystem services provided by lakes is related to the ecosystem structure and functioning. Protecting water bodies is becoming a global goal that requires monitoring for water quality assessment. In 2000, the European Parliament set out the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), a framework for managing and protecting water bodie...

According to the European Water Framework Directive, water quality assessment is based on biological and physico-chemical parameters sampled at a unique station. However, in large lakes, these parameters exhibit important spatio-temporal heterogeneities. Understanding the dynamic of these heterogeneities and to what extent they alter the water qual...

Evolution by niche construction occurs when organism-mediated modification of the environment causes an evolutionary response. Physicists have postulated that evolution in general, and evolution mediated via feedbacks between organisms and their environment in particular (i.e. evolution by niche construction), could increase the capacity of biologi...

The occurrence of emerging biological contaminants including antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and Faecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) is still little investigated in developing countries under tropical conditions. In this study, the total bacterial load, the abundance of FIB (E. coli and Enterococcus spp. (ENT)), Pseudomonas spp. and ARGs (blaTEM, bl...

This file includes Tables A and B; Figures A, B and C. (PDF)

In 2000, the European Parliament set out the European Water Framework Directive for managing and protecting water bodies. Classification of water bodies into ecological status is a key issue for the implementation of that framework. For lakes, the assessment of this status is based on biological (e.g., phytoplankton), physical-chemical and hydro-mo...

In 2000, the European Parliament set out a framework (European Water Framework Directive) for managing and protecting water bodies in Europe. Classification of water bodies into “ecological quality status” has been a key issue for implementation of that framework. In France, the assessment of the ecological quality of lakes is based on four measure...

Artificial mixing has been used as a measure to prevent the growth of cyanobacteria in eutrophic lakes and reservoirs for many years. In this paper, we give an overview of studies that report on the results of this remedy. Generally, artificial mixing causes an increase in the oxygen content of the water, an increase in the temperature in the deep...

Maintaining the health of aquatic systems is an essential component of sustainable catchment management, however, degradation of water quality and aquatic habitat continues to challenge scientists and policy-makers. To support management and restoration efforts aquatic system models are required that are able to capture the often complex trajectori...

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) receive the effluents from various sources (communities, industrial and hospital effluents) and are recognized as reservoir for antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) that are associated with clinical pathogens. The aquatic environment is considered as a hot-spot for horizontal gene transfer and lake sediments offer th...

Many freshwater and marine algal species are described as having cosmopolitan distributions. Whether these widely distributed morphologically similar algae also share a similar gene pool remains often unclear. In the context of island biogeography theory, stronger spatial isolation deemed typical of freshwater lakes should restrict gene flow and le...

Analysing and interpreting long‐term phytoplankton time series present a number of challenges, arising from potential historical inconsistencies in data collection and taxonomic identification of organisms. In a previous paper, Pomati et al . (2012) found a remarkable increase in phytoplankton diversity that coincided with oligotrophication and war...