Course title: Restoration of freshwater ecosystems
Lecturers: Martin Søndergaard (course responsible), Carl Christian Hoffmann, Esben Kristensen.
About the lecturers
All three lecturers work at Aarhus University in the Department of Freshwater Ecology (Silkeborg),
which has a long tradition for conducting applied research on the structure and functioning of
freshwater ecosystems. Martin Søndergaard has worked with lake ecology for more than 20 years
with focus on trophic interactions and eutrophication, implementation of the EU Water Framework
Directive and lake restoration. Carl Christian Hoffmann has worked for over 20 years with wetland
hydrology and biogeochemistry including the establishment of wetlands as a method to increase
nutrient retention. Esben Kristensen has worked with stream ecology and stream restoration for
more than 10 years.
About the course
The course will describe the most important restoration methods applied in Denmark and examine
the principles, mechanisms and prerequisites for their use. Experiences and conclusions from
restorations undertaken during the past 25 years will be presented and evaluated. During the
course visits will be paid to the localities where the described restoration interventions were
actually undertaken. Perspectives on the use of restoration in connection with the objective of the
Water Framework Directive of minimum good ecological state will be discussed and evaluated. At
the end of the course the participants will prepare a report based on a practical method of
restoration and the experience gained during the course.
Excursion
There will be one full day excursion on Thursday 18 August. Here we will visit a number of sites in
Jutland where lake, river and wetland restorations have been conducted. Bring rubber boots and
dress according to weather forecast.
Exam information
A written report which summarizes the knowledge obtained during the course and describes and
evaluates a specific restoration project. Each student makes their own report (maximum 30 pages),
which will be graded individually. The report should be submitted on Friday 26 August by 16:00 at
the latest. The report will be evaluated according to the 7 grade scale and the evaluation, marks
and official papers will be sent to each student’s current mailing address.
Time schedule and course outline (preliminary)
Date
Week 1 (lakes)
Monday 8 August,
9-12
13-15.30
Tuesday 9 August,
Wednesday 10 August,
9-12
Thursday 11 August,
9-12
13-15
Friday 12 August,
9-13
Week 2 (wetlands)
Monday 15 August,
9-13
Tuesday 16 August,
9-13
Wednesday 17 August,
9-13
Thursday 18 August ,
9-18
Friday 19 August ,
9-13
Week 3 (rivers)
Monday 22 August ,
9-13
Tuesday 23 August,
9-12
13-15
Wednesday 24 August ,
9-13
Thursday 25 August,
9-13
Friday 26 August,
9-16
Subject
Welcome and introduction to the
course, content and small test.
Welcome by AU (includes lunch and
campus tour)
No lectures, but prepare for the next
days (read papers, presentation)
Lectures and exercises (methods of
lake restoration and results)
Lectures and exercises (methods of
lake restoration and results)
Make a presentation
Summary of lake restoration,
questions. Exam preparation
References/
literature
Assignments
Present yourself and your
background (5 min)
1-14
Present a restoration project
from your home country (10-15
min each)
15-21
Lectures and exercises (Wetland
hydrology
Lectures and exercises
(Biogeochemical processes with main
emphasis on nitrogen removal and
phosphorus-retention plus
sedimentation)
Lectures and exercises
(Restoration/re-establishment of
wetlands in Denmark)
Excursion to lakes, rivers and wetlands
Summary of wetland restoration,
questions and examples
Exam preparation
To come
Introduction to streams, the need for
restoration and different restoration
methods.
Cost of restoration and how to
prioritize stream restorations.
Evaluation of past restoration projects
– what can we learn from them?
Summary of river restoration.
Exam preparation
Report preparation
Report delivery
Stream manager for a day –
implement a restoration project
in a catchment
List of literature (suggested readings, preliminary version)
Lakes:
1) Top-down control in freshwater lakes: The role of nutrient state, submerged macrophytes and water depth
Jeppesen E, Jensen JP, Sondergaard M, et al. 1997: HYDROBIOLOGIA Volume: 342 Pages: 151-164
2) Trophic structure, species richness and biodiversity in Danish lakes: changes along a phosphorus gradient
Jeppesen E, Jensen JP, Sondergaard M, et al. 2000: FRESHWATER BIOLOGY 45 : 201-218
3) Role of sediment and internal loading of phosphorus in shallow lakes
Sondergaard M, Jensen JP, Jeppesen E 2003: HYDROBIOLOGIA: 506: 135-145.
4) Lake and catchment management in Denmark
Jeppesen E, Sondergaard M, Kronvang B, et al. 1999. HYDROBIOLOGIA: 395 : 419-432.
5) Restoration of shallow lakes by nutrient control and biomanipulation-the successful strategy varies with lake size and
climate Jeppesen E, Meerhoff M, Jacobsen BA, et al. 2007: HYDROBIOLOGIA 581: 269-285 .
6) Water framework directive: Ecological classification of danish lakes
Sondergaard M, Jeppesen E, Jensen JP, et al. 2005: JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY 42: 616-629.
7) : Lake restoration: successes, failures and long-term effects
Sondergaard M, Jeppesen E, Lauridsen TL, et al. 2007: JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY 44: 1095-1105
8) Pike (Esox lucius L) stocking as a biomanipulation tool .2. Effects on lower trophic levels in Lake Lyng, Denmark
Sondergaard M, Jeppesen E, Berg S 2007: HYDROBIOLOGIA 342: 319-325.
9) Lake Restoration by Fish Removal: Short- and Long-Term Effects in 36 Danish Lakes
Sondergaard M, Liboriussen L, Pedersen AR, et al. 2008: ECOSYSTEMS 11: 1291-1305
10) Effects of hypolimnetic oxygenation on water quality: results from five Danish lakes
Liboriussen L, Sondergaard M, Jeppesen E, et al. 2009: HYDROBIOLOGIA 625: 157-172.
11) Lake restoration by dosing aluminum relative to mobile phosphorus in the sediment
Reitzel K, Hansen J, Andersen FO, et al. 2005: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: 39: 4134-4140
12) Factors affecting phosphate adsorption to aluminum in lake water: Implications for lake restoration
de Vicente I, Jensen HS, Andersen FO 2008: SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT: 389: 29-36
13) Lake restoration in Denmark
Sondergaard M, Jeppesen E.… 2000 Lakes & Reservoirs: Research & Management 5: 151–159.
14) Hypolimnetic nitrate treatment to reduce internal phosphorus loading in a stratified lake
Søndergaard M, Jeppesen E. 2000: Lake and Reservoir Management 16(3):195-204.
Wetlands:
15) Phosphorus Retention in Riparian Buffers: Review of Their Efficiency
Hoffmann, CC; Kjaergaard, C; Uusi-Kamppa, J, et al. 2009 J. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 38: 1942-1955.
16) Sediment deposition and net phosphorus retention in a hydraulically restored lowland river floodplain in Denmark:
combining field and laboratory experiments. Kronvang, B; Hoffmann, CC; Droge, R. 2009. MARINE AND
FRESHWATER RESEARCH, 60:638-646.
17) Re-establishing freshwater wetlands in Denmark
Hoffmann, CC; Baattrup-Pedersen, A. 2007. ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING 30: 157-166
18) Water exchange and deposition of sediment and phosphorus during inundation of natural and restored lowland
floodplains. Kronvang, B; Andersen, IK; Hoffmann, CC, et al. 2007. WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION,181: 115-121
19) Groundwater flow and transport of nutrients through a riparian meadow - Field data and modelling
Hoffmann, CC; Berg, P; Dahl, M, et al. 2006. JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY, 331: 315-335
20) Denitrification rates predicted by nitrogen-15 labeled nitrate microcosm studies, in situ measurements, and modeling.
Hoffmann, CC; Rysgaard, S; Berg, P. 2000. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 29: 202021) Denitrification as a sink for dissolved nitrous oxide in a freshwater riparian fen
Blicher-Mathiesen, G; Hoffmann, CC. 1999. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 28: 257-262.