Discovery in the Hunsrück: New Rotalge as a organic indicator of water quality!

Discovery in the Hunsrück: New Rotalge as a organic indicator of water quality!

In the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park, a significant discovery has recently been achieved: Scientists have identified a new type of red algae that is not only new, but also represents a completely new genre. This interesting discovery is a significant progress in the research of water quality in this protected area, since the new algae is considered an important bio -indicator of excellent water conditions, the botanist Dorothee Killmann from the University of Koblenz.

The alge, previously incorrectly referred to as Vosges-Frogsichlge, was correctly classified after intensive DNA analyzes and was given the name Hoefkenia Hunsrueckensis, in recognition of former Minister of Environment Ulrike Höfken, who was decisive for the creation of the national park. The official scientific description of this new species was published in August in the journal "Diversity", which underlines the important ecological role of this area.

more about the discovery

The discovery was carried out by a team around Eberhard Fischer, Dorothee Killmann, Burkhard Leh, Kai Müller and Dietmar Quandt. Killmann describes the process as a "discovery" and looks back proudly for the adventure that she and her team lay in front of them. The new algae is dominant in the moss area of the national park and is accompanied by two other red algae. The National Park, known for its rich organic diversity, offers numerous habitats in a confined space, which is home to a variety of species, including mosses, lichen, wild daffodils and even rare animal species such as the black woodpecker.

The area is not only a place of biodiversity, but has also produced significant discoveries in the past. Since 2015, the year of the official construction of the national park, the discovery of Hoefkenia Hunsrueckensis has been the second newly described species from this region. An earlier example is the Hunsrück-Warzenlichte, which was discovered there by Killmann and her colleague in the same year.

"Algae have always been my interest," reveals Killmann and explains that she and your colleague have been taking rehearsals for years, in the assumption that the algae you found was the Vosges-Froschlaichang. However, this only occurs in specific regions such as Brittany in West France and northeastern Spain. The new findings show that the team took a significant step in botany by not only corrected an error in previous identification, but also made a significant discovery for science.

The National Park as a biodiversity hotspot

The Hunsrück-Hochwald not only offers the newly discovered red algae, but also a variety of biotopes. The biologist Killmann describes the park as the "treasury", which includes old beech forests, natural stone slopes and ancient slope bogs. This diversity makes the national park an important habitat for many species, which underlines continuous research and the protection of these areas. Killmann is convinced: "There are certainly many other treasures in this national park that are waiting to be discovered."

To celebrate this significant discovery, the Rotalge Hoefkenia Hunsrueckensis will be presented on November 6th in a festival colloquium in the national park, in which both the former Environment Minister Höfken and the current minister Katrin Eder will take part.

The national park extends over an area of around 10,000 hectares, with 90 percent in Rhineland-Palatinate and 10 percent in Saarland. The discoveries that are made there are not only important for science, but also for the public perception of the importance of nature conservation in Central Europe. The new Rotalge will certainly serve as a prime example of the success of nature conservation efforts in the Hunsrück in the coming years.

These developments illustrate the urgency of maintaining such protected areas and promoting the respective biodiversity. The Hunsrück-Hochwald remains an important focus for science and offers exciting perspectives for further research.

for more information about this exciting discovery and developments in the national park, You can find a detailed report on www.sueddeutsche.de .