Austrian Lake Ecosystems Case Study: Achievements, Problems, and Outlook after the First Year of Research

Fedra, K. (1980). Austrian Lake Ecosystems Case Study: Achievements, Problems, and Outlook after the First Year of Research. IIASA Collaborative Paper. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: CP-80-041

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Abstract

Among the various fields of research at the Resources and Environment Area of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), environmental systems have played a significant role ever since the establishment of the Institute. In 1977, as a result of an IIASA workshop on Water Quality Modeling, it was decided to focus particular attention on the water quality problems of natural lakes and man-made impoundments (storage reservoirs). It was felt that IIASA could make an important contribution to the use of models for water quality control and management purposes by attempting to bridge the gap between the natural sciences and policy-oriented disciplines.

Accordingly, two specialized workshops were convened. The first of these was the workshop on Geophysical and Ecological Modeling of Deep Lakes and Reservoirs (1977) and the second one was the workshop on Hydrological and Ecological Models of Shallow Lakes and Reservoirs (1978). Based on the discussions at these workshops, the needs for methodological developments and for comparative studies involving lake ecosystems in IIASA's National Member Countries were identified. In 1979 a case study on Lake Balaton was initiated as a comparative venture between IIASA and several Hungarian organizations, led by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In 1980 the set of IIASA's lake-related case studies was enriched by the initiation of a study on lake ecosystems in Austria. This work was started with the generous support of the Austrian "Fonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung" and was conducted in close collaboration with several Austrian organizations led by the Institute of Limnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

In this paper, Dr. Kurt Fedra, Principal Investigator for the Austrian Lake Ecosystems Case Study, reports on the project achievements, problems, and plans for further research a seen after the first year of the study. It contains a thorough description of the lake ecosystems studied as well as a discussion of methodological achievements and problems.

IIASA's studies on lake ecosystems are designed to enhance understanding, to extend and develop new methods of analysis, and to assist analysts and decision-makers concerned with the utilization of these systems and the preservation of their natural values. The implementation of these goals obviously calls for establishment of direct contacts, not only with the research community, but also with decision-makers interested in using the results of our analytical work. And this is why particular stress is laid in this paper on expanding collaborative ties with representatives of various scientific' disciplines and decision-making organizations. For the successful continuation of the Austrian Lake Ecosystems Case Study it is essential that we draw upon their joint knowledge.

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