The International Society for Salt Lake Research (ISSLR) mourns the passing, on 15 July 2026 after a long illness, of Professor Nikolai V. Aladin (1954–2026), Chief Researcher and Head of the Brackish-Water Hydrobiology Group at the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a towering figure in saline lake science and a cherished member […]
Why the ecosystems we ignore may disappear before we learn their true value Imagine a lake where you can neither drink the water, nor fish commercially. You would probably conclude that such a place does not deserve much attention. That is exactly how saline lakes have been regarded for many years — despite the fact […]
This post rounds up notable saline lake science and news coverage from June and July 2026 — spanning new hydrology findings, renewed concern over dust-driven health impacts, and a fragile recovery story, from Central Asia to the Middle East to North America. The Caspian Sea: the world’s largest inland sea keeps shrinking The period’s biggest […]
Globally, saline lakes are facing severe environmental stress, primarily driven by climate change and human water overuse. However, there are also pockets of progress, with major restoration initiatives and international cooperation emerging in response to these crises. Below is a breakdown of recent developments that received attention in mass media in April 2026. Global & […]
As saline lakes across the Americas decline, migratory birds are increasingly concentrating at the Great Salt Lake (Utah, USA)—a worrying trend that underscores the critical role these ecosystems play in sustaining avian populations. Biologist Kyle Stone of Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources reports that with the Salton Sea and Mono Lake shrinking, “more of the […]
Great Salt Lake: To Preserve and Protect in Perpetuity – How Are We Doing? Part 2 Every two years, FRIENDS hosts the Great Salt Lake Issues Forum. The forum’s goal is to encourage constructive dialogue about the future of the Lake’s ecosystem and its resources, and to illuminate the complexities involved in research, management, and […]
As saline lakes worldwide face mounting pressures from climate change, water diversion, and land-use shifts, March 2026 has brought a wave of significant developments centered on the Great Salt Lake (Utah, USA)—along with new global research that places these challenges in a broader context. Utah’s High-Stakes Voluntary Rescue Plan The Great Salt Lake, already reeling […]
The International Society for Salt Lake Research (ISSLR) brings attention to two recent pieces in Nature that underscore a critical, often overlooked reality: the world’s saline lakes are not uniformly shrinking. While catastrophic drying dominates the narrative, rapid expansion is wreaking equal havoc elsewhere. In a book review published on 9 March 2026 (Nature 651, 301-302), science writer […]
This text is translation of the section “Analysis of research trends based on the special issues of the conferences organized by the International Society for Salt Lake Research” from the paper Egorov A. N., Yaskelyaynen D. D., Zadereev E. S. Current challenges in the study of salt lakes. Transactions of the Karelian Research Centre RAS. […]
2025 has been a year of significant progress, strategic renewal, and impactful global engagement for the International Society for Salt Lake Research (ISSLR). The Society strengthened its governance, set the course for future gatherings, and actively advanced the conservation and sustainable management of saline ecosystems on the world stage. 1. Renewed Leadership: Election of the […]