WEBINAR: Una Science Week results

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Science in the Spotlight: First results from the 2026 Una Science Week

Wednesday, 18 November 2026 | 18:00 CET | Online

In June 2026, an international team of scientists spent a week in the field during Una Science Week, studying the Una River and its tributaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One team rafted almost the entire 200 km of the river, taking samples along the way, from fast shallow reaches and tufa cascades to deep pools and calm stretches. There were 17 research focus areas across all teams, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, bats, the karst underworld beneath the river, and the surrounding community. The first results are now in.

In this open webinar, the researchers present their latest insights: the well-known species and the hidden ones, life above and below ground. Their findings show why the Una is one of Europe's most remarkable river systems:

• Water chemistry and river metabolism along the Una – Following gradients and finding discontinuities. Martin Dalvai Ragnoli, University of Innsbruck
• Living the Network - Danube Salmon in the Una River Basin – Kurt Pinter, BOKU University Vienna. The Una and its working network of tributaries are likely unique in Europe. They give the system a resilience that other European rivers have lost.
• Herpetofauna in the Una River Basin – Emina Šunje, University of Sarajevo. Highlights include Proteus bosniensis, a recently described olm found only in the Una and Sana drainages. Its very small range means it provisionally qualifies as Endangered (EN) under IUCN Red List criteria. The team also recorded 34 amphibian and reptile species, which is 61% of all those known in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 
• Take-away message – Ulrich Eichelmann, Riverwatch. The human side, current threats and the vision of a Una Wild River National Park. Not only a concept, but a living, participatory idea to positively impact the non-human and human communities of the Una River Basin.

A Q&A with the panel follows the talks.

Save the date! Registration opens soon, so check back here for the link.