International Society of Limnology
Professional services
UnclaimedAn international scientific society advancing the study, communication, and responsible management of inland waters.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The International Society of Limnology (SIL) is an international learned society devoted to limnology, the multidisciplinary study of inland waters. Its scope encompasses lakes, rivers, reservoirs, wetlands, and related freshwater systems, examining their physical, chemical, biological, geological, and management dimensions. Rather than operating as a commercial consumer brand, SIL functions as a professional and scholarly network for researchers, educators, water managers, and other specialists whose work concerns freshwater environments. August Thienemann and Einar Naumann founded the organization in 1922 under names commonly rendered as the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology and Societas Internationalis Limnologiae. The founding reflected the increasing internationalization of freshwater science and the need for a permanent forum where limnologists could exchange observations, methods, and theories across national boundaries. Over time, the society became associated with international congresses, scholarly publishing, and the circulation of information within the limnological community. SIL's central public-facing activity has been its congress program. Meetings have been held at regular intervals in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, giving scientists opportunities to present research and discuss freshwater problems across different climatic and geographic settings. The congress series also provides a historical record of the development of limnology as a global discipline. By 2008, the society was reported to have approximately 2,800 members, although membership figures can change and no current total is supplied here. The society has supported several forms of scholarly communication. Its publishing activities have included the journal Fundamental and Applied Limnology: Archiv für Hydrobiologie, formerly known as Archiv für Hydrobiologie; irregular communications under the title Mitteilungen; the book series Limnology in Developing Countries; and proceedings from its congresses. The traditional proceedings series, Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie, was discontinued and replaced by the peer-reviewed journal Inland Waters. Inland Waters was launched at the 31st SIL Congress in Cape Town in 2010, with its first publication appearing in 2011. The journal was designed for continuing online publication as papers were accepted alongside quarterly print issues, with electronic access available to members and subscribers. SIL's disciplinary role extends beyond basic research. Limnology provides evidence relevant to freshwater pollution, eutrophication, biodiversity, hydrology, climate effects, water-resource planning, and ecosystem management. Through its congresses and publications, the society helps connect specialized fields and supports the international exchange of knowledge about inland-water systems. The organization marked its centenary at a meeting in Berlin in August 2022, underscoring its longevity within the history of environmental and aquatic science.
History
The International Society of Limnology was established in 1922 by August Thienemann and Einar Naumann. Its original organizational identity was expressed through names translated as the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology and Societas Internationalis Limnologiae. The society emerged during a period when limnology was becoming a distinct scientific field concerned with the integrated study of inland waters. Its international structure was intended to encourage communication among specialists working on the physical, chemical, biological, geological, and practical dimensions of freshwater systems. From its earliest years, SIL used recurring international congresses as a principal mechanism for scientific exchange. The first congress was held in Germany in 1922, followed by meetings in Austria in 1923, the Soviet Union in 1925, Italy in 1927, Hungary in 1930, the Netherlands in 1932, Yugoslavia in 1934, France in 1937, and Sweden in 1939. The Second World War interrupted the sequence, which resumed in Switzerland in 1948. Subsequent congresses were held across Europe and later in the United States, Canada, Japan, Israel, New Zealand, Brazil, Ireland, Australia, Finland, South Africa, Hungary, Italy, China, South Korea, and Germany. The geographic spread of these meetings reflects the society's effort to serve a worldwide research community rather than a single national school of limnology. SIL also developed a publishing program to preserve and distribute research. Its principal journal was Archiv für Hydrobiologie, which was later known as Fundamental and Applied Limnology: Archiv für Hydrobiologie. The society additionally issued irregular communications under the title Mitteilungen, published the Limnology in Developing Countries book series, and made congress research available through proceedings. The proceedings traditionally appeared as Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie. As scholarly publishing practices evolved, SIL discontinued that series and replaced it with Inland Waters, a peer-reviewed journal launched at the 31st congress in Cape Town in 2010. The first issue or publication year for the new journal was 2011. Its stated publication model combined continuing online publication as manuscripts were accepted with quarterly paper issues, and electronic access was made available to members and subscribers. The society's work has relevance to both fundamental science and environmental policy. Inland waters are central to drinking-water supplies, food production, biodiversity, transport, recreation, and regional economies, while also being vulnerable to pollution, habitat change, invasive species, eutrophication, and climate-related pressures. By bringing together researchers who study different components of aquatic systems, SIL provides an institutional setting for interdisciplinary discussion and for comparing freshwater conditions across regions. A membership figure reported for 2008 placed the organization at approximately 2,800 members. No current membership total is established in the supplied material. The society reached its 100th anniversary in 2022 and celebrated the milestone at a Berlin meeting in August of that year. Its continuing identity is that of an international scientific society supporting limnological research, professional communication, scholarly publishing, and periodic global congresses.
- 2022
Centenary meeting in Berlin
[1]SIL celebrated its 100th anniversary at a meeting in Berlin, Germany, in August 2022.
- 2011
First publication of Inland Waters
[1]Inland Waters began publication following its launch at the 2010 congress.
- 2010
Inland Waters launched
[1]The new peer-reviewed journal was introduced at the 31st SIL Congress in Cape Town as a replacement for the discontinued congress-proceedings publication.
- 2008
Membership reported at approximately 2,800
[1]A reported membership figure placed SIL at about 2,800 members.
- 1948
Congress series resumes after wartime interruption
[1]Following the 1939 meeting in Sweden and the interruption caused by the Second World War, the congress sequence resumed in Switzerland.
- 1922
Society founded
[1]August Thienemann and Einar Naumann founded the organization as an international association for theoretical and applied limnology.
- 1922
First international congress
[1]The first listed SIL congress took place in Germany, establishing the recurring meeting tradition that became central to the society.
Products and positioning
A global scholarly organization and convening platform for research and professional exchange concerning inland waters.
Peer-reviewed journal · 2010
Inland Waters
Inland Waters is the society's peer-reviewed journal focused on research concerning inland aquatic systems. It was introduced at the 31st SIL Congress in Cape Town in 2010 and began publication in 2011. It replaced the society's former congress-proceedings publication, Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie. The publication model described for the journal combines online publication as accepted manuscripts become available with quarterly print issues, while electronic access is offered to members and subscribers.
Scientific journal
Fundamental and Applied Limnology: Archiv für Hydrobiologie
Fundamental and Applied Limnology: Archiv für Hydrobiologie is a scholarly publication associated with the society and covering both foundational and applied dimensions of limnology. It was previously published under the shorter title Archiv für Hydrobiologie, with the title change recorded as occurring before 2007. The journal represents SIL's continuing role in disseminating specialist research on inland-water science.
Book series
Limnology in Developing Countries
Limnology in Developing Countries is a book series associated with SIL's publishing activities. Its subject focus connects limnological knowledge with inland-water research and conditions in developing countries, extending the society's information-sharing role beyond journal articles and congress presentations.
Scientific congress · 1922
SIL International Congress
The SIL International Congress is the society's recurring global meeting for presenting research, discussing methods and findings, and connecting specialists in limnology. Since the inaugural meeting in 1922, congresses have been hosted across multiple continents. The program has served as an important forum for integrating physical, chemical, biological, geological, and management perspectives on inland waters.
Brand decisions
2010
Replace congress proceedings with a peer-reviewed journalStrategyBackground
SIL had historically disseminated congress material through the Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie proceedings series.
Action taken
The society discontinued the proceedings publication and introduced Inland Waters at its 31st Congress in Cape Town. The new journal began publishing in 2011.
Aftermath
The change gave SIL a continuing peer-reviewed journal with online and quarterly print publication rather than relying on the earlier proceedings format.
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