Thomas Preuss is elected member of the Editorial Board of the SETAC journal „Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry“ for the coming three years. He will be responsible for the topics Aquatic Environmental Toxicology, Hazard & Risk and Non-chemical Stressors.
With an Impact Factor of currently 2.8 ET&C is one of the higher ranking journals in the first quartile in environmental sciences. As it belongs to the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) – one of the largest professional organizations in environmental sciences worldwide – it is very prestigious.

Windfall areas are the result of storms that bend or uproot trees. In 2007, storm Kyrill toppled and uprooted trees in an area of about 123,500 acres, resulting in damage of approximately 1,5 billion dollars.  The damage is still visible today, as only about 55 percent of the affected sites have been reforested; for the other areas, reforestation through natural regeneration is hoped for. The Research Institute for Ecosystem Analysis and Assessment (gaiac), an RWTH-affiliated institute, is currently developing a simulation model to represent the natural regeneration of these areas. This model is a contribution to the “Virtual Forest NRW” project which receives 170,000 Euros in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Find further information on the homepage of RWTH Aachen University

Susanne Vaeßen receives funding by the German Environment Foundation (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, DBU) for her PhD thesis „Direct and indirect long-term effects of invasive signal crayfish on endemic fish populations“.

Within the three years of funding she will investigate the impact of invasive North American signal crayfish on endemic fish species. In the field she will determine indirect effects through competition for food regarding macrozoobenthos and macrophytes. Lab experiments are planned to elucidate direct interference, namely competition for shelter, aggression and predation.
Such investigations of negative consequences for fish have not been conducted yet. What is known so far is the catastrophic impact of spreading Signal crayfish on endemic crayfish species due to transmission of crayfish plague and a strong competition for resources.

Its tolerance to lower temperatures enabled the North American signal crayfish to spread throughout Europe and invade even the upper reaches of rivers. Furthermore, it exhibits high fertility, thus being highly competitive for resources.

The signal crayfish issue is currently getting worse due to the high passability of watercourses as required by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). This would further pave the way for the crayfish.

Markus Brinkmann received the SETAC GLB Young scientists award of EUR 1000 for his master thesis "Uptake and effects of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from sediment suspensions in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum)".

Being the first graduate of the masters course in ecotoxicology at RWTH Aachen University, he investigated  the uptake and effect of PAH in rainbow trout after getting into contact with resuspended river sediments, as occurs, e.g., during flood events. After examining the exposed fish he described especially genotoxic effects with a high relevance for health and spawner quality of fish stocks.

The investigations were carried out on a moderately contaminated sediment from the River Rhine at Ehrenbreitstein, Germany. Part of the sediment was used as is, another part was additionally spiked with a PAH mixture. Some fish were exposed to the sediment particles at 12 °C – which is the temperature optimum for rainbow trout – and others at 24 °C, hence, experiencing temperature stress. Markus Brinkmann could show a chronology of different biomarkers in response to the exposure. Beside oxidative stress (through lipid peroxidation) he determined elevated micronucleus rates in erythrocytes as a measure for genotoxicity.

In his PhD thesis the young scientist will continue to investigate particle-bound contaminants and their effects on fish. The work now focuses on dioxin-like substances such as PCB. Markus Brinkmann aims to define thresholds for contamination, above which effects in fish are likely.

The prize money will be used by Brinkmann for education in fisheries biology: he takes lessons for his electrofishing license and seminars in fishery management and aquaculture.