Research

Africa’s great rivers sustain diverse ecosystems, thriving fisheries, and millions of livelihoods. However, changing river flows and hydro-morphological alterations—driven by water abstraction and infrastructure development—are transforming these river systems, with profound consequences for biodiversity, fish productivity, and human well-being. This project investigates how anthropogenic changes impact aquatic ecosystems, fisheries, and food security across major river basins. We track spatial and temporal changes in large African rivers, combining remote sensing, ecological monitoring, and hydrological modeling to assess the effects of flow alterations and land use change on river-floodplain connectivity, fish production, and water quality. Additionally, we conduct basin- and floodplain-level hydro-morphological assessments to evaluate how modifications in river structure, sediment transport, and habitat availability influence biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Our research integrates large-scale biodiversity and fisheries assessments, using extensive datasets on fish presence, distribution patterns, and key threats to evaluate biodiversity status and conservation priorities at the regional level. Furthermore, we map hydropower and renewable energy infrastructure, and study how river flow alterations affect aquatic ecosystems. This project focuses on multiple lines of evidence to provide a comprehensive understanding of the changing dynamics of African rivers. Our findings will support sustainable water and fisheries management, conservation strategies, and policy decisions, ensuring that Africa’s rivers remain vital lifelines for biodiversity and human well-being in a rapidly changing environment.

The project "Mission Soil & Water: Working together for healthy soil and water" shows how BOKU can contribute to finding transformative solutions for the sustainable use, protection and revitalisation of soils and waters together with society. To this end, BOKU's extensive expertise in the Soil and Waters missions will be linked and made visible internally for an exchange with society and thus positioned externally as a thematic beacon of transformation on a supra-regional level. In order to make the best possible use of BOKU's unique position and expertise in both missions, cross-mission goals that relate to both the Soil and Waters missions are also being pursued. To this end, inter- and transdisciplinary approaches will be applied and the universities' training programmes (doctoral schools) will be integrated into the activities. Principles of inter- and transdisciplinarity, co-creation, co-design and citizen science will be applied to approach the objectives of the missions, such as measures for the protection and remediation of waters and soils as well as measures for the sustainable use of these important natural resources. This supports the implementation of the missions at BOKU itself and in Austrian society.

DANUBElifelines supports the objective of the Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters’ to protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity. The key components of the project include knowledge creation, demonstrating effective solutions, as well as co-creation with stakeholders. The project generates new insights and perspectives on fish migration, habitat quality, and migration corridors improving the status of migratory fish species in the Danube River Basin. It demonstrates measures for protecting and restoring habitat availability, accessibility, and connectivity by removing barriers and pressures and implementing nature-based solutions. Engaging with local actors and national stakeholder groups, conducting training and communication activities, and developing an action plan and roadmap for the replication and scale-up of solutions are also integral parts. DANUBElifelines is based on a transboundary, multi-scale and -actor approach that covers several relevant migratory fish species. A basin-wide approach highlights the restoration and conservation needs of migratory fish and their habitats across the Danube River Basin. Furthermore, the project provides a portfolio of solutions for different river sections, including tributaries of the Danube, tailored to local needs and conditions covering the Upper Danube, the Middle and the Lower Danube/Delta. In these regions, integrated approaches are pursued, demonstration activities are learned from and applied, and the conservation of species such as Danube salmon, Pontic shad and sturgeons is improved. Key outputs include the Danube Fish Migration and Connectivity Atlas, identification of hotspot and strict conservation areas for migratory fish, efficiency of restoration measrues, mapping the contribution of the Danube Basin to the 25,000 km free-flowing rivers target, an action plan for habitat restoration and conservation, and guidelines and recommendations for replicability.