Archive News

May 22, 2025With its work, Eawag has made a decisive contribution to achieving a great deal for biodiversity in recent years. Water pollution from nutrients – one of the main causes of biodiversity loss – has decreased significantly in Switzerland, and the restoration of numerous Swiss lakes has improved the quality of habitats for many living organisms. Nonetheless, the challenges remain.

May 21, 2025Tyre abrasion gets from the road into adjacent soils and affects soil organisms. A joint study by the Ecotox Centre, the aquatic research institute Eawag and the EPFL now shows that earthworms avoid soil that is heavily contaminated with tyre particles. However, the particles had no negative effects on the survival and reproduction of the animals.

May 13, 2025The year 2024 was very warm and very wet, especially in early summer. This led to a welcome replenishment of groundwater reservoirs and record hydropower production, but also to severe flooding. In Bern, the focus was on the further expansion of hydropower and the pollution of water resources by pesticides and the "eternal chemicals" PFAS.

May 9, 2025The diversity of whitefish species in Swiss lakes is unique and plays a central role in lake ecosystems. A comprehensive Eawag report now summarises the results of 150 years of research on these fish. They make it clear that the mechanisms and environmental conditions that have contributed to their development must be taken into account in order to preserve this species diversity. Last but not least, protecting whitefish diversity helps to preserve the natural yield potential of lakes as a source of food for humans.

April 15, 2025To enhance biodiversity in water and on land, we need high-quality, interconnected natural areas. Here the cooperation of different stakeholders is essential.

April 3, 2025To predict toxic algal blooms, researchers from Eawag recommend a combination of species identification and chemical measurements. Now, a new study confirms that there is no magic formula and that, instead, specific indicator molecules are needed for each lake.

March 26, 2025Not only are the numbers of species declining, but the composition of species communities is also changing. This is shown by a new study published in the journal “Nature”.

March 11, 2025Storage hydropower plants contribute to the energy transition, but also affect river ecosystems. Sustainable management should not only account for individual hydropeaking events, but also their cumulative effects.

February 13, 2025Each year, tens of thousands of chemicals enter the market and ultimately the environment. While most of these compounds undergo safety testing before approval, their long-term effects on wildlife remain difficult to predict. To better estimate their potential threat for ecosystems, researchers at Eawag have explored biochemical signatures that indicate the level of chemical stress suffered by fish.

February 11, 2025The public can take part in a survey to decide on the names of two fish species discovered by Bárbara Calegari and her colleagues. In this interview, the biologist explains where they live and how to make the diversity of our waters visible.