Research and development activities
The Department of Biological and Ecological Sciences studies the ecological status of aquatic and riparian ecosystems. It assesses the ecological status of inland waters and the marine environment, monitors aquatic biological communities, and prepares scientific and technical foundations for maintaining and achieving the good status of water bodies. The Department’s work integrates sustainable water management, nature conservation, and biodiversity protection.
A key part of the Department’s activities is the development of methodologies, indicators, and standards for assessing the ecological and chemical status of waters. These scientific foundations enable consistent, reliable, and evidence-based water status assessments and provide the basis for preparing river basin management plans, monitoring their implementation, and supporting decisions on measures to improve the aquatic environment.
The Department prepares scientific and technical support for the implementation of national and European water legislation and contributes to procedures related to water management, the protection of aquatic ecosystems, and spatial planning. Its work supports evidence-based decision-making founded on harmonised methodologies and the long-term protection of the aquatic environment.
Due to the exceptional diversity of Slovenia’s aquatic ecosystems – ranging from Alpine torrents and karst springs to lowland rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and the Adriatic Sea – the Department continuously develops new approaches for assessing their status. Only methodologies tailored to specific water body types can provide reliable assessments of environmental pressures, identify effective measures, and ensure scientifically sound and legally robust water management.
Through participation in national and international research projects, the Department contributes to the development of new knowledge, methodologies, and innovative solutions for protecting the aquatic environment while strengthening the transfer of scientific knowledge into practice.
Modern water management is not limited to preparing plans; its success depends on the effective implementation of measures in practice. The Department therefore develops approaches that create a clear link between identified pressures on water bodies, the measures designed to address them, and their actual environmental outcomes. It prepares scientific and technical support that helps define priorities, evaluate the effectiveness of measures, and support decision-making at all levels of water governance.
The Department serves as a bridge between science, technical expertise, and practical implementation. Research results, methodologies, and standards are translated into guidance for water management, environmental permitting, spatial planning, river restoration, and the preparation of scientific and technical support for agriculture, energy, water engineering, spatial development, and nature conservation. The Department’s goal is to develop solutions that strengthen effective water management, increase resilience to climate change, and ensure the long-term protection of water resources and aquatic ecosystems.