EUPHORIA: CONTINENTAL-SCALE PHENOLOGY OF FRESHWATER MACROPHYTES AND LINKS TO ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING

Phenology, the timing of seasonal life-cycle events, is a key but overlooked dimension of freshwater macrophyte ecology. Shifts in the onset, peak, and duration of growth stages can alter primary production, nutrient uptake, habitat provisioning, and species interactions, yet broad-scale assessments of macrophyte phenology are almost absent. Here we present the EUPHORIA (European Plant Phenology Research in Aquatic Systems) project, a continent-wide, collaborative network that quantified phenological traits of common native and non-native macrophytes across European lakes, rivers, and wetlands. From April to October 2025, more than 100 early-career researchers applied standardized protocols to track key events (growth, flowering , peak biomass, senescence) and linked them with climatic conditions, water depth and water quality (including nutrient availability) along latitudinal and climatic gradients. We will present first results on the spatial variation in phenological traits and on correlations between traits, temperature and light conditions across sites. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of freshwater plant responses to environmental change and improve predictions of macrophyte dynamics under future climate scenarios. By providing a continental scale assessment, EUPHORIA offers valuable insights for conservation and management strategies in European freshwater ecosystems.

Presentation Preference: Standard Oral (12 Minutes)

Primary Presenter: Benjamin Misteli, Wassercluster Lunz (benjamin.misteli@wcl.ac.at)

Authors:

Benjamin Misteli, WasserCluster Lunz -Biologische Station  (benjamin.misteli@wcl.ac.at)

Alice Dalla Vecchia, University of Parma  (alice.dallavecchia@unipr.it)

Silvia Cannucci, University of Siena  (silvia.cannucci2@unisi.it)

EUPHORIA Project Team, FreshProject, European Federation for Freshwater Sciences  (euphoria.freshproject@gmail.com)

Anne Lewerentz, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)  (anne.lewerentz@kit.edu)