idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
How can the Baltic Sea be effectively protected and its ecological status improved? This question lies at the heart of the new German-Danish Interreg project, RECOVER, which is developing a digital twin of the south-western Baltic Sea. Using microalgae as sensitive bioindicators, the projects’ aim is a system that will provide near-real time assessments of the environmental health of the Baltic Sea under increasing anthropogenic pressures and of effective restoration measures. Funded by the Interreg programme, the project runs until 2028 and involves businesses, policymakers, farmers, fishermen, local authorities and the public throughout German-Danish border region.
Like all marine ecosystems, the Baltic Sea plays a vital role in regulating the climate and supporting coastal life. It absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2), provides food and oxygen, and shapes the quality of life for communities in the region. However, it is under severe pressure. Eutrophication, warming, algal blooms, and areas of low or zero oxygen levels pose a threat to this sensitive, semi-enclosed sea. The EU Nature Restoration Law requires member states to implement measures to restore at least 20 per cent of degraded marine habitats by 2030. This is a particularly challenging task in the German-Danish border region because ocean currents do not follow political boundaries. Nutrients introduced in Germany can have a noticeable effect in Denmark shortly afterwards, and vice versa.
The new Interreg Deutschland - Danmark project RECOVER examines how Germany and Denmark can improve the management of the western Baltic Sea in the future, including Kiel Bay and the Great and Little Belt. “The project focuses on microalgae because they are highly sensitive indicators of ecosystem health,” explains Prof. Dr Anja Engel, project lead and Head of the Marine Biogeochemistry Research Division at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. “Each species reacts differently to nutrients, light, salinity and warming. If we understand how the biodiversity of microalgae changes under complex environmental pressures, we can also assess whether restoration measures in the Baltic Sea are successful.”
Monitoring microalgae
Over the next three years, the RECOVER project will lay the groundwork for a digital twin of the western Baltic Sea: a virtual model that visualises environmental developments and can detect emerging pressures at an early stage. To this end, researchers will use among others high-resolution camera systems to record species and abundance of microalgae in real time. Modern environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses will also be employed. These methods detect genetic traces of organisms in water samples, providing insights into overall biodiversity.
Microalgae form the base of the food web and play an important role in carbon uptake. At the same time, toxic or widespread species can pose health risks, reduce oxygen levels and even cause fish kills. One example are Cyanobacteria, commonly known as “blue-green algae”, which frequently appear in summer. Currently, monitoring across the region is patchy, and laboratory analyses take time, delaying important decisions to improve ecosystem health. RECOVER aims to address this issue.
Real-time data for a healthier sea: The Baltic Sea in a digital model
To ensure that reliable water-quality data is available across the German-Danish border region, the RECOVER team is developing robust, low-cost sensors that can easily be used by trained citizens to measure nutrients, temperature, oxygen and the green pigment in algae – chlorophyll a.
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) are developing an AI-based system to process biological signals from algae and convert them into useful information. All the measurements will feed into a simulation platform, representing environmental conditions and algal dynamics in the border region. “We combine cutting-edge sensor technology with artificial intelligence to monitor the ocean more comprehensively than conventional methods allow,” says Associate Professor Jacek Fiutowski from the Mads Clausen Institute. “Instead of conducting expensive and time-consuming analyses, we obtain real-time data that flows directly into the digital twin.”
From data to action: Protecting the Baltic with public participation
The digital twin is intended for more than just research. RECOVER aims to translate the “warning signals” sent by algae into a format that is understandable for policymakers, fisheries, coastal communities and the wider public, thereby strengthening awareness of the Baltic Sea’s condition. To this end, the project is creating a participatory platform to support the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and best practice in Baltic Sea management. Representatives from politics, business, agriculture, fisheries, municipalities and civil society are actively involved in assessing the effectiveness and feasibility of potential protection measures. The project aims to raise awareness of the value of marine ecosystems and foster a better understanding of the ecological health of the Baltic Sea. Research institutions, universities and numerous network partners on both sides of the border are working together.
“RECOVER cannot save the Baltic Sea on its own, but it provides policymakers with the knowledge and tools they urgently need,” says Anja Engel. “We are combining expertise across borders and developing technical solutions that enable effective management.”
By the time the project concludes in 2028, a range of practical applications will be ready for implementation, including affordable sensors, AI models that can predict algal blooms and an interactive platform that will enable everyone to explore the future of the Baltic Sea – a digital twin that reveals what is otherwise invisible.
About: Interreg project RECOVER
Name: REsilience of COastal Vital Ecosystems through innovative management solutions in the Danish-German border Region (RECOVER)
Duration: October 2025 – September 2028
Budget: €2.3 million
Lead institution: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Danish partners: University of Southern Denmark (SDU, three institutes)
German partner: Kiel University (CAU)
21 network partners from industry, administration and civil society
Study area: South-western Baltic Sea, including Kiel Fjord, the Great Belt and the Little Belt
Funding: Interreg Deutschland-Danmark, supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Project partners
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel coordinates the project and contributes expertise in marine research, camera-based microalgae measurement, and physical-biogeochemical modelling.
The Mads Clausen Institute (MCI) in Sønderborg develops sensors and AI-assisted tools that translate biological signals from algae into usable data.
The Nordcee Lab at SDU in Odense provides expertise in eDNA-based analysis of microalgal communities.
The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Institute develops AI models and visualisation tools that make complex oceanographic data accessible to the public.
The Center for Ocean and Society (CeOS) of the priority research area Kiel Marine Science at Kiel University and the Department of Political Science at SDU jointly study societal acceptance of restoration measures.
Network partners
1. Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature of Schleswig-Holstein, Department V5: Nature Conservation, Marine Protection and Biodiversity
2. City of Kiel
3. Eckernförde Touristik & Marketing GmbH
4. Ostsee-Holstein Tourism
5. Naturpark Schlei e.V.
6. Shaping an Ocean Of Possibilities (SOOP) for science-industry collaboration
7. ACO Ahlmann SE & Co. KG
8. Marine Biology Station Laboe
9. Verein Jugendsegeln e.V.
10. District of Schleswig-Flensburg
11. City of Flensburg
12. Faaborg-Midtfyn Municipality
13. Avernakø Residents’ Association
14. Geopark – The South Funen Archipelago
15. LAG Småøerne Association
16. VandCenter Syd A/S
17. Clean – The Danish Water & Environmental Cluster
18. WaterCareGuard
19. Copenhagen Nanosystems A/S
20. Jürgensen Marine Environment
21. Aabenraa Municipality
https://www.geomar.de/n10114 – images for download
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