Sustainable management of lakes requires us to overcome ecological, economic, and social challenges. These challenges can be addressed by focusing on achieving ecological improvement within a multifaceted, co‐beneficial context. In‐lake restoration measures may promote more rapid ecosystem responses than is feasible with catchment measures alone, even if multiple interventions are needed. In particular, we identify restoration methods that support the overarching societal target of a circular economy through the use of nutrients, sediments, or biomass that are removed from a lake, in agriculture, as food, or for biogas production. In this emerging field of sustainable restoration techniques, we show examples, discuss benefits and pitfalls, and flag areas for further research and development. Each lake should be assessed individually to ensure that restoration approaches will effectively address lake‐specific problems, do not harm the target lake or downstream ecosystems, are cost‐effective, promote delivery of valuable ecosystem services, minimize conflicts in public interests, and eliminate the necessity for repeated interventions. Achieving optimal, sustainable results from lake restoration relies on multidisciplinary research and close interactions between environmental, social, political, and economic sectors.This article is categorized under: Science of Water > Water Quality Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness

Loess is a highly porous and easily erosive aeolian sediment covering approximately 10% of the Earth’s surface. The weak vegetation cover and high wind speeds in many of these regions make loess sediment the main source of dust in the atmosphere. Dust particles deteriorate air quality and affect soils, crops, water systems, and animal and human health. The commonly used method for combating desertification is revegetation. However, planting various vascular plant species in loess landscapes did not show any long-lasting positive effects. This study aims to assess the potential of cyanobacterial strains for the restoration of exposed loess surfaces through the assisted development of biological loess crusts (BLCs). Isolated cyanobacterial loess strains were screened for the traits (toxicity, biomass and polysaccharide production) desirable for their use in restoration purposes. By simulating semi-arid environmental conditions in specially designed chambers, the potential of cyanobacterial loess strains for assisted development of BLCs and the mechanisms of loess stabilization have been evaluated by chlorophyll a accumulation and microscopic examination. It was confirmed that cyanobacteria have the ability to interact with loess particles resulting in BLC formation, which keeps the particles immobilized and the sediment below the particles stabilized.

The paper presents the results of a three-year study of composition and dynamics of the phytoplankton community and physico-chemical characteristics of the Danube River, at the border site with Hungary near Bezdan. During winter and autumn period, an increase of primary and secondary nutrients’ concentrations were recorded, and a decrease during the vegetation period which was directly related to phytoplankton production. Phytoplankton was characterized by a high floristic diversity, with the presence of 164 taxa from 7 algal divisions and Cyanobacteria, of which silicate and green algae are the most represented, with an absolute dominance of centric diatom species (abundance and biomass). The highest phytoplankton production was observed in the spring period, during low water level conditions, lower concentrations of suspended solids in the water and increased transparency. During 2022 absolute maximums of phytoplankton abundance and biomass were recorded, when intensive phytoplankton production was continued throughout the summer.

U radu su prikazani rezultati jednogodišnjeg ispitivanja sastava i dinamike zajednice fitoplanktona i fizičko-hemijskih karakteristika reke Tamiš, na graničnom lokalitetu sa Rumunijom Jaša Tomić i na lokalitetu Pančevo pre uliva u Dunav, u 2024. godini. Povećane koncentracije nutrijenata, indikatora organskog zagađenja, vrednosti ukupnog organskog ugljenika na lokalitetu Pančevo ukazale su na umeren ekološki potencijal (III klasa), dok je na lokalitetu Jaša Tomić dokazan dobar i bolji ekološki potencijal (II klasa) reke Tamiš. Na osnovu ispitivanja fitoplanktonske zajednice ekološki potencijal reke Tamiš na oba lokaliteta je umeren (III klasa), sa pojavom „cvetanja“ vrste Stephanocyclus meneghinianus na lokalitetu Pančevo u septembru mesecu.