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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

The 2025 #CAPSOLUTION expedition is finished! To sample microbes from 31 mountain lakes across the Alps, we drove 5400 km, hiked 130 km and climbed 10,000 m with our gear, braved snow- and thunderstorms, and filtered 4000 L of water. Well done everyone!! @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Locations of the 31 mountain lakes across five regions of the European Alps that we sampled this summer.

Thanks everyone for your time commitment and hard work - a truly collective effort!
With @maxemilschon.bsky.social, @lqueiss.bsky.social, @drjmpetersen.bsky.social, @sumayrasultanji.bsky.social‬, @hoeferlab.bsky.social, and the rest of the team.

Now the lab work begins!
Here are some of our microbial enrichment cultures from the mountain lakes.

The precious collection of filter concentrates for DNA sequencing, light/electron microscopy analysis, and virus isolation.

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Our final lakes for this expedition were the two largest of the Lacs de Vens in Mercantour National Park, France. One of the longer hikes, but as we stayed at the rustic hut (refuge) nearby, we could finish the filtration the following day. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Lacs de Vens with the perfectly situated refuge on the left.

The upper lake with its prime marmot real estate.

Our first attempt to sample the upper lake was cut short by a thunder/hail storm, that replaced the sunny skies within half an hour.

Our team for the last leg of the 2025 expedition!
With @sumayrasultanji.bsky.social‬ and @hoeferlab.bsky.social

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

The Grand Lac de Marinet (2540 m) near Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye is well worth a visit, and so is Lac d'Allos (2230 m) in Mercantour National Park. However, be prepared for long drives on narrow & windy mountain roads! #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Grand Lac de Marinet, which is fed by nearby rock glaciers - the southernmost in the French Alps.

Descending to Grand Lac de Marinet while the Aiguille de Chambeyron (3412 m) is towering behind us. With @sumayrasultanji.bsky.social‬ and @hoeferlab.bsky.social

Our filtration setup is butterfly approved!

The sampling spot at Lac d'Allos. Luckily, the thunderclouds just missed us.

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

In the French Alps, we visited the community of Ceillac (merci for the warm welcome!) and sampled Lac Sainte-Anne (2414 m) and the neighboring Lac Miroir (2215 m). A hot day for hiking with heavy equipment! #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Lac Sainte-Anne is a popular hiking destination in Queyras Regional Park. It has no apparent inlet or outlet, as these are located underwater.

The clear waters of Lac Sainte-Anne enabled efficient filtration.

Aerial perspective of Lac Miroir and its surrounding vegetation.

Lac Miroir challenged us with frequent filter changes. It was a busy afternoon for @sumayrasultanji.bsky.social‬, @hoeferlab.bsky.social, and the rest of the team!

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

The last two lakes we sampled in Switzerland were Lac des Vaux (2543 m) near Verbier, and the highly frequented Stellisee (2537 m) in Zermatt. Thanks to its accessibility and the views of the Matterhorn, we had a lot of outreach to do! #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Lac des Vaux is situated in the popular ski area of Verbier.
With @hoeferlab.bsky.social and @maxemilschon.bsky.social.

Lake Stellisee with the iconic Matterhorn (4478 m) in the back.

@hoeferlab.bsky.social explaining our research project to tourists!

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Lac de Louvie (2213 m elevation) was an incredibly stunning place to sample for microbes! Many thanks to altis.swiss for letting us use their maintenance cable car :) #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu @hoeferlab.bsky.social @maxemilschon.bsky.social

Lac de Louvie with the snow-covered Grand Combin in the background.

A somewhat tricky location for our setup, but it worked!

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

Switzerland welcomed us with summer weather and beautiful mountains! We started with the Lac de Champex (1467 m) which is influenced by human activity, and then hiked up to the Lacs de Fenêtre (2465 m) the next day. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu @hoeferlab.bsky.social

Lac de Champex in Champex-Lac, a popular tourist destination in summer and winter.

Keeping the samples cool was a new, but weclome challenge for us on this trip.

The largest one of the lacs de Fenêtre, with the Mont Blanc massif just visible on the far right.

Our fantastic sampling crew for the Swiss leg!

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

Lago Nero (black lake) di Cornisello at 2240 m was rather green when we sampled it. An algal bloom!! This meant changing filters every few minutes. That night, our faces were of similar color (stomach bug) and we skipped the last lake. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Lago Nero, one of the more accessible mountain lakes on our tour.

Impressive backdrop, but we had little time to admire it.

Millions of microscopic algae turned the waters green.

What species will it be once we analyze the filters in the lab?

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Also in Adamello-Brenta, the Tre Laghi are connected by small creeks. We sampled two of them under very different conditions! The upper lake (2289 m) with frequent filter changes in best weather, the lower one (2257 m) much faster in rain. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

The Tre Laghi: Upper on the right, middle on the left, lower in the distance.

Team member Tomás measuring physical water parameters such as temperature and pH.

Sampling in cold rain is not as much fun as it may look.

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 28/07/2025

Our next set of mountain lakes is located in Italy's Adamella Brenta Nature Park. Lago Serodoli (2370 m elevation) is just downstream of Lago Gelato (2388 m), which lived up to its name and made us shiver with ice-cold winds. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

With the Brenta Dolomites in view, it's a two-hour hike to the Serodoli/Gelato lakes.

Lago Gelato, icy cold even in late July!

Sampling polar waters can't be that different

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

The last two lakes in the High Tauern that we sampled were Dösener See (2270 m elevation, up to 44 m deep), and the shallow Stappitzer See (1273 m elevation) that serves as a contrast point to the mountain lakes above the treeline. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Dösener See with its active rock glacier in the background

Cows and ducks are frequent visitors here

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

At 2505 m elevation, Brunnkarsee is a spectacular mountain lake surrounded by rocks and sparse vegetation. The trail was steep and technically challenging with all the gear on our backs, but we returned just in time before the rain came. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

We are now in the High Tauern National Park in Austria. Fantastic landscapes, warm-hearted people, but the lakes are not that easy to reach! With Oberer Schwarzhornsee at 2650 m elevation, we sampled the highest lake on the tour. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Unterer Schwarzhornsee (2543 m elevation) with Großelend glacier in the background

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

The next two lakes on the sampling tour were Upper and Middle Plenderlessee in Austria. We got lots of water from the lakes, and also from the skies... Dinoflagellates live here! #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Catching a break from the rain at Mittlerer Plenderlessee

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

The weather improved for our next tour in the Stubai Alps to Blaue Lacke (2287 m), Grünausee (2335 m), and Freiger See (2500 m), three mountain lakes above the treeline. Strenuous hikes alternated with wet & cold weather during filtration. #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Grünausee with @lqueiss.bsky.social and @drjmpetersen.bsky.social

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Our home base for the first week was Lake Gossenköllesee at 2416 m elevation. The research station (Univ. of Innsbruck) sheltered us during an unexpected snowstorm in July. See pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33436089 for viruses from this lake! #CAPSOLUTION @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu

Advanced sampling conditions for @lqueiss.bsky.social @drjmpetersen.bsky.social

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fischerlab.bsky.social @fischerlab.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Last week, we started to collect samples from high-altitude Alpine lakes for the ERC-funded #CAPSOLUTION project! Throughout July and August, we will study the diversity of #viruses, #bacteria, and #protists in these extreme environments. #HorizonEU @erc.europa.eu @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social

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