Alpstream – Alpine Stream Research Center https://www.parcomonviso.eu/alpstream-en Our research group is composed of river ecologists and zoologists with extensive experience in riverine and freshwater lotic ecosystems. We have strong expertise in the taxonomic identification of benthic diatoms and macrobenthos and in biomonitoring approaches based on these organisms. Our recent research has focused on the impact of climate change and extreme events, such as droughts and floods, on the functionality of rivers and the composition of benthic communities, as well as the effect of reservoirs and wastewater treatment plants. We have access to an outdoor alpine eco-hydraulics experimental facility, enabling us to conduct various experiments and simulate floods and droughts. We also have experience in the small-scale cultivation of benthic diatoms and in the use of diatoms for bioremediation applications targeting excess nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) and arsenic. In addition, we are currently investigating the role of diatoms in plastic degradation under laboratory conditions, as well as the role of periphyton communities — with a focus on diatoms and bacteria — in plastic degradation in open-air experiments.