SIL is an international scientific society. Members come from 70+ countries and increasingly from tropical regions. Scientific credibility is an essential underpinning for SIL. • SIL is concerned with all aspects of lakes, rivers and wetlands, i.e. all freshwater and inland saline ecosystems. • Fundamental knowledge of the structure, function and temporal change of inland aquatic ecosystems is essential for the diagnosis and solution of problems. Such knowledge is the key for the protection and sustainable use of these ecosystems worldwide. • SIL holds congresses every two years in various countries. These well attended congresses have workshops, plenary speakers, contributed sessions, and provide scientific excursions to diverse aquatic habitats in the host country. • SIL publishes a scientific journal, Inland Waters, and other scholarly publications. The journal provides a worldwide overview of limnological research and thinking. • SIL has Working Groups dedicated to exploring new ideas and methods, fostering communication, promoting limnology, and protecting the inherent qualities of all inland aquatic ecosystems.
