New publication from the Sparkling Science project ‘Aquirufa’

In a recent publication in the scientific journal International Microbiology, researchers report on the discovery and categorisation of new bacterial species. The article is entitled: ‘Biodiversity of strains belonging to the freshwater genus Aquirufa in a riparian forest restoration area in Salzburg, Austria, with a focus on the description of Aquirufa salirivi sp. nov. and Aquirufa novilacunae sp. nov.’

As part of Aquirufa, students and researchers are investigating microbial diversity in small bodies of water in Austria. The study that has now been published focuses on water bodies in a renaturalised alluvial forest area near Salzburg. There, Aquirufa salirivi and Aquirufa novilacunae, two previously unknown species of the freshwater bacterial genus Aquirufa, were identified and scientifically described.

This discovery shows the enormous potential that small bodies of water harbour for biodiversity research. At the same time, the publication emphasises the added value of citizen science for research: without the active cooperation of pupils and teachers, many of the samples studied would not have been collected and analysed.

More information on the Aquirufa project can be found here.

Click here for the publication.