Sonja Jähnig, the interim director of the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and professor of Aquatic Ecogeography at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany, visited the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology (IGA) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Institute of Hydrobiology of the CAS from May 3 to 15 to enhance research exchanges and collaborations on freshwater biodiversity research and conservation.

Professor Jähnig demonstrates her career development and connections with China.

Freshwater ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, and wetlands, harbor high levels of biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services. Meanwhile, freshwater habitats have been profoundly modified by human activities, leading to sharp biodiversity declines.

As an internationally renowned researcher in the field of freshwater ecology, Professor Jähnig focuses on global change effects in river ecosystems, large scale patterns of freshwater biodiversity, and river health.

Professor Jähnig's visits to IGA and IHB were supported by the Distinguished Scientist Program of the CAS President's Fellowship Initiative (PIFI).

In Changchun, the director of IGA, Professor Jiang Ming, welcomed Professor Jähnig and presented her with a PIFI certificate. Professor Jähnig gave a lecture on safeguarding freshwater ecosystems in an era of global change and had an in-depth discussion with researchers at IGA regarding on how to protect and restore river-floodplain connectivity, which is essential for wetland ecosystems in Northeast China.

Professor Jähnig receives her PIFI certificate.

After a week of research in Changchun, Professor Jähnig visited IHB in Wuhan, where she conducted her first postdoc between 2008 and 2009.

At IHB, she gave a presentation on global change impacts on freshwater ecosystems. She emphasized the importance of basin-scale management and enhancing links between human and freshwater ecosystems to balance the needs for economic development and biodiversity conservation, particularly for large river ecosystems such as the Yangtze River.

Prof. Jähnig explains the diverse links between human and freshwater biodiversity.

In alignment with the aims of the PIFI program, Professor Jähnig's visit to IGA and IHB has facilitated academic exchanges and research collaborations between researchers in CAS institutes and international scholars. These exchanges and collaborations will further benefit research advancement in freshwater ecology and biodiversity conservation, both in China and worldwide.