The DFG research group BioGeoChemistry of the Wadden Sea received the award for its outstanding marine research. Spokesperson Prof Dr Jürgen Rullkötter accepted the award at Hamburg City Hall. What exactly the prize recognises and what the researchers discovered in the mudflats.
It was awarded for the first time - the North German Science Prize. And it went to the University of Oldenburg. The DFG research group BioGeoChemistry of the Wadden Sea received the prize for its outstanding marine research. Prof Dr Jürgen Rullkötter, Director of the Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) and spokesperson for the DFG research group, accepted the award at Hamburg City Hall at the end of November.
This year's prize, which is endowed with 50,000 euros, recognises outstanding northern German co-operation in marine research. "The DFG Research Unit BioGeoChemistry of the Wadden Sea convinced us, among other things, because the partners involved have regulated their collaboration with binding cooperation agreements and thus created sustainable scientific structures," explained Hamburg's Senator for Science, Dr Dorothee Stapelfeldt, at the award ceremony.
The Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen and Senckenberg am Meer (Wilhelmshaven) are involved in the DFG research group BioGeoChemistry of the Wadden Sea under the leadership of the university. The high-calibre jury received a total of 14 entries from all areas of marine research, three of which were nominated for the final round. The prize is awarded by the science ministries of the states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen and Hamburg.
The BioGeoChemie des Watts research group was established in 2001 by the German Research Foundation (DFG) to learn more about the hydrodynamic and biogeochemical processes in the tidal flats. "In-depth knowledge of the physical, biological and chemical processes taking place in the Wadden Sea is one of the prerequisites for adequately protecting this unique landscape and being able to better assess changes resulting from climate change and rising sea levels," emphasised Rullkötter.
In intensive field and laboratory work, the scientists investigated the current systems in the back mudflats of the island of Spiekeroog. They also investigated the transport of particulate and dissolved material in the water column, the production of biomass by plankton and the conversion of dead biomass by microorganisms. The group's most striking research instrument: the yellow research measuring pole - a permanent measuring station in the mudflats south-west of Spiekeroog.
The scientists designed the measuring station in such a way that it transmits reliable measurement data from the Spiekeroog mudflats in all weather conditions - even during extreme storms and ice. It provides oceanographic and meteorological data and - uniquely for the German Wadden Sea - has also been measuring chemical data such as nutrient salt content in the water since it was set up in 2002. Among other things, the data collected has been incorporated into high-resolution mathematical models of important ecological processes - such as predictions of current conditions or sediment transport.
Rullkötter sees the success of the research group primarily in the close cooperation between the participating Institutes: "From the outset, we designed the group in such a way that the scientists and research institutions inspire each other." For example, the marine physics working group at the University of Oldenburg developed innovative research equipment, while the two geochemical working groups at the Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) analysed the inorganic and organic samples.
The Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology focussed on mass transport and microbial processes. The researchers found high microbial turnover rates in the sediment in the Spiekeroog mudflats. This makes the sand plate a highly active bioreactor for the remineralisation of dead organic material. At the same time, they discovered a high number and diversity of microorganisms that can neutralise toxic sulphur compounds on the sediment surface and even use them for growth. Senckenberg am Meer, with its many years of expertise working in tidal basins of north-west German back tidal flats, dedicated itself to researching the sediment and morphodynamics in the back tidal flats of Spiekeroog. "This success would not have been possible without the perfect cooperation of all those involved, who contributed their respective expertise to the field of research," says Rullkötter.