WELCOME TO SIL 100 - THE CENTENNIAL

Founded in 1922 by visionaries August Thienemann and Einar Naumann, the International Society of Limnology (SIL), established the science of inland waters, encompassing lakes and ponds, streams and rivers, surface and ground water, and wetlands. This comprehensive coverage embodies the founders’ broad perspective. What is more, the course was set to consolidate limnology as a systems science that draws on physics, chemistry, biology and increasingly the socioeconomic sciences, while recognizing the value of twinning curiosity-driven research and analyses of real-world problems. Perhaps most notable, however, SIL and its conferences stand out by being genuinely international in nature, aspiring to represent science and people from all continents, a hallmark of the society from its inception at the 1922 inaugural congress in Plön, Germany.

Today, we look upon a century of rich science and dedicated stewardship. That double foundational mission was as important then as it is now, with limnology having evolved from a peripheral discipline into a backbone of environmental science. This is engrained in our motto of the Centennial: The next 100 years – Sensing and Safeguarding Inland Waters. We invite you to share your enthusiasm, insights, worries and solutions pertaining to inland aquatic ecosystems by participating in SIL 100 – The Centennial. Let us build on the foundations laid by Thienemann, Naumann and others following in their footsteps, to propel limnological knowledge and the wise protection of inland waters.

We very much look forward to welcoming you in Berlin in August 2022!


Best wishes,

Rita Adrian

Mark Gessner

Lars Tranvik

                            Co-Chairs of the 36th Congress of the International Society of Limnology