Final shot of half of the Core Team in Tulcea

The Tulcea finaleThe Tulcea finale

Location: Tulcea, Romania
At 10:00, the JDS2 Core Team headed toward Tulcea's County Hall for an event dedicated to the official end of the survey, headed by Romania's Lucia Ana Varga, ICPDR President for 2007 and Stat
Celebrating the last air-lift sampling on the Argus

The sampling is finished!The sampling is finished!

Location: St. Gheorghe, Romania
Early in the morning of the 27th, the ships went through a three-hour border check before passing again back into Romania from Ukraine.
The Szechenyi heads toward the Black Sea

Hello Ukraine and Black Sea!Hello Ukraine and Black Sea!

Location: Reni, Ukraine
Early in the morning on Sunday September 23, the JDS2 ships left Harsova, Romania with an ambitious plan to sample four sites in one day.
The zodiac helped back into waters by the Argus

Fish Team running out of airFish Team running out of air

After leaving Lom, Bulgaria on the 15th, the Fish Team headed for JDS Site 69 at Kozloduy. As the day included a fair amount of travel, little time was left for fishing.
Mary Craciun overloads colleague Gabriel Chiriac with samples

The Romanian connectionThe Romanian connection

The JDS2 will soon arrive at its final destination in Tulcea, Romania, after many days in Romanian waters. Above the water, Romanian scientists have been extremely active since the survey began.
Danube natural sand-bar

Around the water, not in itAround the water, not in it

The survey and assessment of the "hydromorphology" of the Danube is a new task for the JDS2.
Pipetting 10 ml water samples into vials for Enterococci and bacterial testing

Ecoli and chessEcoli and chess

Austria's Alexander Kirschner was the Core Team microbiologist on the Argus from the JDS2 launch in Germany until his departure in Belgrade, Serbia.
A warm welcome of bread and honey

A day on Bulgarian soilA day on Bulgarian soil

Location: Ruse, Bulgaria
On the morning of the 19th at the main harbour of Ruse, the JDS2 team was welcomed to Bulgarian land by an official delegation. It was headed by Ms.
Adult mayfly Ephoron virgo

Mayfly showerMayfly shower

The following is one of the main recollections of Austrian biologist and JDS2 Core Team member Patrick Leitner, who started with the JDS2 in Regensburg, Germany, and finished his part of the surve
Oscillatoria margaritifera 40

No more laboratory?No more laboratory?

Do river chemists have it easier than biologists?
New unidentifiable crustacean to be checked later!

Fierce winds and delicate snailsFierce winds and delicate snails

Location: Upstream Iskar, Bulgaria
On the evening of Sept.12, the JDS2 enjoyed a nice dancing event in Turnu Severin followed by the late-night packing of over two hundred samples -- preparing them for transport to the JDS2 labs the ne
Romanian National Fish Team leader Stefan Tolos presents a good-sized carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Fishing rodeoFishing rodeo

The JDS2 Fish Team continued to have their share of adventures from September 7 to 14, between Belgrade and Lom, Bulgaria.
Argus passes through the Iron Gate

Relaxing after the Iron GatesRelaxing after the Iron Gates

Location: Vrbica/Simijan, Romania
After waking up in Orsova, Romania this morning (Sept.11), the JDS2 team went on to sample Station 62, another site in the Iron Gate reservoir.
Romania´s Carmen Hamchevici getting samples ready in the rain

Samples away!Samples away!

On most days, the JDS2 team completes sampling at three stations.
Small church on Romania's Danube coast

Navigating the gorgeNavigating the gorge

Location: Iron Gate Reservoir, Romania

Early on the morning of the 10th, the JDS2 passed over the Serbian border and into Romania and was joined by the Romanian National Team.

Bela Csanyi and Richard Niederreiter bring in the core sediment samples

Hotspots and hormonesHotspots and hormones

Location: Banatska Palanka/Bazias, Serbia
Early September 7, after saying dovidjenja (goodbye) to Belgrade, the JDS2 sampled one of the Danube's most important tributaries, the Sava River (Station 51), as well as Danube stretches
Water hyacinth with lavender spike

Water garden favoritesWater garden favorites

Austrian biologist Brigitte Schmidt has had good luck in discovering some new recent finds during the survey.
Crayfish lunch for an invasive goby

Fishing for adventureFishing for adventure

The JDS2 Fish Team has had their share of interesting, and often unexpected, discoveries and adventures.

Philip Weller presents a JDS2 T-shirt to Serbia's Nikola Marjanovic

Thank-you SerbiaThank-you Serbia

Location: Belgrade, Serbia
The highlight on September 6 was the press conference in Serbia's capital city on the Danube, Belgrade.
Duckweed carpet near the Tisa mouth

Half-way there!Half-way there!

Location: Downstream Tisa/Upstream Sava - Belegis, Serbia
Today, exactly 1206 km from where the Danube meets the Black Sea (and the end of the survey), the Core Team opened a bottle of fine Serbian brandy (rakija travarica), celebrating the successf
Smooth border crossing from Croatia

Better bordersBetter borders

Location: Downstream Novi Sad, Serbia
Monday September 3 proved to be a particularly successful day. While only two sampling sites were planned, the JDS2 ships completed three, thanks largely to smooth passage between Croatia and Serbia.
Removing the heavy cylinder from the centrifuge

Multi-purpose MomirMulti-purpose Momir

Many members of the JDS2 team and crew are giving a 150% human effort on the expedition -- waking at dawn, and passing out around midnight.
A view of the sunset from the Argus air-lift sampler

Lows and highs on the DravaLows and highs on the Drava

Location: Drava, Croatia
On Saturday morning (September 1), the JDS2 had an extensive check-up by Hungarian Customs and Immigration at the Hungarian-Croatian border.
Austrian National Team on the Argus

Giving thanks to the national teamsGiving thanks to the national teams

The Danube is the most famous river. Then there are the hundreds of other rivers that flow into the Danube, resulting in the ‘Danube River Basin' covering an enormous area of Europe.
Sio River tests – colour means nutrient pollution

Rainbows and fish soupRainbows and fish soup

Location: Baja, Hungary
On August 31, three stations were sampled including #36 on the Danube at Paks, #37 on the Sio River and #38 on the Danube at Baja.
Romanian biologist Gabriel Chirac sampling bottom sediment under harsh conditions

Day of disastersDay of disasters

Location: Rackeve-Soroksar Danube Arm (start), Hungary
The morning after the big event in Budapest, the JDS2 team was relaxed and expecting that things would settle down a bit. Then it came.
Team Leader Béla Csányi gets a panoramic interview in Budapest

Sewage today, clean tomorrow?Sewage today, clean tomorrow?

Location: Budapest, Hungary
Standing next to a tent beside the Danube with the Hungarian Parliament across the river, photographer Bence Kovács is asked if he thought the Danube is in good shape.
Romania's Carmen Hamchevici processes suspended solids

The “Chemical Trio” gets a restThe “Chemical Trio” gets a rest

Location: Upstream end of Szentendre Island (arm), Hungary
Thanks to some escalated JDS2 efforts yesterday, today's Sunday programme was reduced to two sampling sites (in the Danube and Szentendre Arm) at the beginning of Szentendre Island near the imposi
Burbot (Lota lota)

Beware of Upper Danube fish invaders!Beware of Upper Danube fish invaders!

With early results in from the Upper Danube in Germany and Austria, the ‘JDS2 Fish Team' found plenty of species native to Danube waters such as bl

Meat-eating Utricularia

Meat-eating plants and moreMeat-eating plants and more

Location: Ipoly, Hungary

On August 24, sampling meant officially crossing the border between Slovakia and Hungary at Komarno/Komarom. During the day, Stations 20, 21 and 22 were sampled.

Carpet of Lemna and Salvinia in the Mosony Dunaj

Lots of LemnaLots of Lemna

Location: Moson Danube Arm, Hungary

The JDS2 first sampled Station 17 upstream from the enormous lock of the hydroelectric dam at Gabcikovo, Slovakia.

Commandos or JDS2 Fish Team?

Bratislava press conferenceBratislava press conference

Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

Today's highlight was the press conference held in Bratislava, Slovakia's capital.

Leaving Vienna and its Freudenau dam

On to BratislavaOn to Bratislava

Location: Morava, Slovakia

It was a late start from Vienna this morning, but well worth it.

Pröll and Weller on deck (Credit: Lebensministerium, Kern)

Austria"s Minister on-boardAustria

Location: Vienna, Austria

Press Conference

"The expedition is very rich in new data," said JDS2 Core Team Leader Béla Csányi. "We're finding animals never found before.

Team Leader Béla Csányi fills in lab protocols

More fridges and smooth sailing More fridges and smooth sailing

Location: Klosterneuburg, Austria

120 river km, four locks and three sampling stations - this was the ambitious goal set for August 18.

Assessing fish near the German-Austrian border

Hello Austria!Hello Austria!

Location: Jochenstein, Germany

After leaving Passau right on time, the Argus and Széchényi conducted sampling at the only station scheduled for August 17 near Jochenstein, Germany, accompanied by a Bavarian TV crew. Ms.

Sieving of sediment samples on-board

Back on scheduleBack on schedule

Location: Niederalteich, Germany
After a late arrival at Sampling Station 4 in Deggendorf, and late night discussions about reasons for the delays from the first few days, the expedition was finally coming up to speed.
Leaving Kelheim for Geisling on the 15th

A challenging start A challenging start

Location: Kelheim, Germany

After the Regensburg launch on August 14, the JDS2 Scientific Team set out for sampling station 2 in Kelheim on the Danube. This would be the first sampling stop for the Argus scientific ship.

Perfect... and sample!

Ships launched with major media turnoutShips launched with major media turnout

Location: Regensburg, Germany

The official launch of JDS2 was held today with a press conference in Regensburg, Germany, and the international distribution of a press release.

View of Sampling Site 1

The sampling begins!The sampling begins!

Location: Upstream Iller, Germany
Today, the JDS2 International Team began work at the first of the 97 sampling sites.
Not enough room for the Széchényi to pass

Széchényi held up in DeggendorfSzéchényi held up in Deggendorf

Increased water levels resulting from heavy rains caused the JDS2 cargo and accomodation ship Széchényi to stop today at Deggendorf, Germany, about 70 km downstream from the JDS2 launch

Loading the Argus

Loading up the shipsLoading up the ships

From August 5 to 7, the laboratory ship Argus, and cargo carrier and sleeping base ship Széchényi, were loaded up with four truckloads of scientific equipment, sampling vessels and consumables i