Freshwater experiments throughout Europe

Freshwater experiments will be carried out across Europe to examine how streams and lakes react to climate change. The field experiments will start this year. Throughout Europe the same tests will be done. Such a large freshwater experiment has never been done before. Changes in water temperature, water flow and nutrients will be monitored. As part of the stream experiments, in 2011 and 2012 by-passes will be constructed to allow sections of streams to stagnate and dry up. This is designed to measure the effects of summer droughts. The research project will be led by Alterra, part of Wageningen UR. The institute devised and designed all experiments.

Forests make heatwaves initially warmer

Grasslands evaporate more at higher temperatures and stop only when no more water is available. Forests, in contrast, respond to higher temperatures by evaporating less, which leaves more water at their disposal. During brief heatwaves, therefore, the greatest warming is found above forests, but during prolonged heat waves forests continue their evaporation for longer, so the net effect is ultimately one of cooling in relation to the surroundings. This emerged from research by Ryan Teuling (Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR) and colleagues, which was published in Nature Geoscience.

Lipdub Wageningen University on You Tube

Wageningen University recorded a university Lipdub coordinated by the Student Recruitment Department. University Lipdubs are a creative way to present the university
and a real hype amongst international universities. The concept of a Lipdub to record a music video in one shoot, without cutting and pasting.
150 enthusiastic students, a lecturer and a concierge participated in the Lipdub of Wageningen University on the song Tik Tok from singer Ke$ha.