German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena-Leipzig
 

News

Europe’s biodiversity continues to decline at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic pressures and a warming climate (Picture: Janoka82 | Dreamstime)

Study identifies policy needs, challenges, and future pathways.  › more

02.07.2024 | Biodiversity Conservation, iDiv, Biodiversity and People, Media Release, TOP NEWS
Researchers in the Tropical Andes often struggle to share their unique insights into these complex ecosystems with the global scientific community. (Picture: Fernanda Lacerda)

Report by Jose Valdez, postdoctoral researcher of Biodiversity Conservation at iDiv and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) Despite hosting some of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems…  › more

26.06.2024 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
Climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by mid-century, according to a new study published in <em>Science</em> (Picture: Oliver Thier)

Largest modelling study of its kind, published in Science  › more

26.04.2024 | iDiv Members, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Media Release
Rewilding amphibians, such as the lemur leaf frog (<em>Agalychnis lemur</em>), stands to help restore aquatic ecosystems, according to the authors of a new study. (Picture: Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Researchers at iDiv propose a new strategy for rewilding amphibians in a recent study.  › more

17.04.2024 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Media Release
Bauxite mining in Western Chimpanzee habitat in Guinea. (Picture: Genevieve Campbell)

One-third of Africa’s great ape population faces risks related to mining  › more

03.04.2024 | Research, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, iDiv, Media Release
Henrique Pereira (Picture: Stefan Bernhardt / iDiv)

Ecologist Prof Henrique Pereira is part of the ECB's Motifs Advisory Group, which proposes motifs for the next generation of euro banknotes.  › more

26.03.2024 | Media Release, TOP NEWS, MLU News, Biodiversity Conservation
The Oder Delta area comprises diverse natural habitats and is particularly suitable for the natural comeback of wildlife. (Picture: Sandeep Sharma)

Survey shows positive attitudes towards rewilding in the Oder Delta region, but finds locals’ feelings are mixed.  › more

22.01.2024 | Biodiversity Conservation, iDiv, TOP NEWS, Research, Media Release
The Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve in the Tropical Andes (Ecuador) is the home of many animals, plants, insects &ndash; but also humans. Sustainable nature conservation in such areas requires cooperation among scientific, societal, economic, and political institutions (Picture: Francisco José Prieto Albuja)

A new approach to co-designing biodiversity indicators  › more

03.11.2023 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation
The Sri Lanka Hanging-Parrot (<em>Loriculus beryllinus</em>) lives only in Sri Lanka. It is globally a very rare species, meaning there are few individuals (Picture: Corey Callaghan)

Species observations have unveiled a potentially universal pattern  › more

04.09.2023 | Biodiversity Conservation, Biodiversity Synthesis, Media Release, TOP NEWS
At the Stakeholder Event, the project is connecting with stakeholders for building capacity for protected areas. (Picture: IIASA - Matea-Osti)

NaturaConnect Stakeholder Event in Brussels brings over 70 leading EU policy and governmental decision-makers  › more

01.03.2023 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation, Media Release
Camera traps, here at the Peneda-Ger&ecirc;s National Park in Portugal, are essential monitoring tools for detecting the presence of mammal species and other large animals. However, there is no global system of camera trap monitoring and only long-term data from a limited number of sites.&nbsp; (Picture: Zuleger et al. 2023 (CC BY 4.0))

Study finds that current monitoring data may be far too incomplete and deficient to provide a precise global picture of local biodiversity richness trends  › more

10.02.2023 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Media Release
A German case study focuses on &ldquo;urban rewilding&rdquo; as a nature-based solution in the Ruhrgebiet area (Picture: Peter Keil)

European project started to assess ecological restoration through rewilding  › more

02.01.2023 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
A group of the Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) in their tidal habitat of the Sundarban mangrove forest in Bangladesh. (Picture: Sandeep Sharma)

Report by Dr. Sandeep Sharma, Researcher of the Biodiversity Conservation research group at iDiv and MLU, and lead author of a new publication in Ecology and Evolution  › more

12.12.2022 | iDiv, TOP NEWS, Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation

Report by Dr Corey Callaghan, Assistant Professor at University of Florida, formally postdoctoral researcher at iDiv and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg  › more

14.11.2022 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
<em>NaturaConnect</em> will focus on six case studies to test and refine their approaches and inform local ongoing conservation efforts. One is the Carpathian-Danube region. (Picture: Ante Gugić)

International project NaturaConnect brings together the knowledge on how to protect biodiversity in Europe  › more

10.11.2022 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Media Release
Iberian wolf. (Picture: Adobe Stock)

Recent expansions mean little more than a stabilisation of the species  › more

29.09.2022 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Research
The following photos show examples of the region investigated in the study as well as animals living there. Here: Central Andean (Yungas) Montane &amp; Upper Montane Humid Forest. (Picture: Pat Comer, NatureServe)

New research offers a pathway to achieving the 30 by 30 target using ecosystem diversity across four South American countries  › more

19.07.2022 | Biodiversity Conservation, Media Release, TOP NEWS
Gollum from Lord of the Rings (Picture: Denys Korobov/Pixabay)

Report by Dr Jose Valdez, Postdoctoral Researcher of the Biodiversity Conservation research group at iDiv and Leipzig University, and senior author of a new publication in Frontiers in Ecology and…  › more

15.06.2022 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
Gardening can make an important contribution to the population development of plant species. The grape hyacinth (<em>Muscari botryoides</em>) is listed as "vulnerable" on the German Red List, but is often used as an ornamental and has increased its population by 65 percent in recent decades. (Picture: Wikimedia Commons)

Researchers recommend urban conservation gardening measures to reverse horticultural trends  › more

18.05.2022 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation, Media Release
Geographic distribution of threatened reptiles. Reptile species are considered threatened if ranked as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species&trade;. Species richness refers to the number of different species that occur in an area. Warmer (redder) colors denote a larger number of threatened reptile species.&nbsp; (Picture: Cox, N. and Young, B. E., et al. Global reptile assessment shows commonality of tetrapod conservation needs. Nature (2022))

Reptiles likely benefit from efforts to save other animals  › more

27.04.2022 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation, Media Release
Common Brimstone (<em>Gonepteryx rhamni</em>) (Picture: BIOCON/iDiv)

Based on a press release by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) National biodiversity monitoring programmes in Europe face many challenges: too little coordination, inadequate…  › more

31.03.2022 | Biodiversity Conservation, iDiv Members, TOP NEWS
Collage of plant species that are range-restricted to Europe but threatened in at least one country, with some of them being globally threatened. (Picture: Vlaev, Dimiter in Peev, D. et al. (eds) (2015): Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Vol. 1. Plants and Fungi. MoEW & BAS, Sofia [Single inset drawings; compiled by Staude, I.]. http://e-ecodb.bas.bg/rdb/en/)

Study closes gaps in the risk of extinction of plant species  › more

07.02.2022 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
The model area Oder Delta (Picture: Solvin Zankl / Rewilding Europe)

BMBF research project starts in the Oder Delta model area  › more

17.01.2022 | Biodiversity Conservation, iDiv Members, Media Release, TOP NEWS, UFZ News
In the Alps, plant communities on nutrient-poor sites, such as this calcareous grassland, are increasingly pressured by immigrating nitrophilous species but have not yet been displaced. Species numbers are actually increasing here at present. In the long term, however, they will decline, the researchers assume. (Picture: Harald Pauli/ÖAW)

New study shows: Europe's grasslands, forests and mountain summits are becoming increasingly similar in species composition  › more

10.12.2021 | Biodiversity Conservation, sDiv, Media Release, TOP NEWS
Scientists are calling for a new start in efforts to safeguard biodiversity. The photo shows a northern flicker lifting off (<em>Colaptes auratus</em> L.). (Picture: Marten Winter, iDiv)

Scientists propose framework for national-level implementation of global biodiversity goals  › more

23.11.2021 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Biodiversity and People, iDiv, iDiv Members
Research on traffic accidents currently focuses mainly on carnivore mammals, ungulates, marsupials and turtles. (Picture: Pixabay)

Traffic probably poses one of the greatest risks to animal populations. However, we currently know very little about this issue.  › more

05.10.2021 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Media Release
Over the last decade, rewilding has emerged as a pragmatic way of restoring natural processes and enabling wildlife to comeback across European landscapes. (Picture: Staffan Widstrand / Rewilding Europe)

Scientists have developed a new way of evaluating rewilding progress  › more

13.09.2021 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
The scarce fritillary (<em>Euphydryas maturna</em>) feeds exclusively on ash trees and needs moist, light forests as a habitat. The species scored lowest among the 158 species studied for urban affinity and is likely to continue to decline in Europe. (Picture: Julia Whittman, @birdingjulia CC BY 4.0)

Researchers record adaptability of 158 butterfly species to urbanisation  › more

31.05.2021 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, iDiv Members
Summer marine phytoplankton bloom in the Baltic Sea captured by Envisat's MERIS on 13 July 2005. (Picture: ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO)

How to measure biodiversity using satellites  › more

13.05.2021 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
Rice field in Sumatra. (Picture: Nico Boersen, Pixabay)

Ensuring sustainability of crop and timber production would mitigate the greatest drivers of terrestrial wildlife decline  › more

08.04.2021 | Research, iDiv, TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation, Media Release
Observing animals obviously belongs to those ecosystem services that directly depend on the presence of species. However, these species provide a number of other services, such as pest control, seed dispersal, etc. (Picture: Pixabay)

Biodiversity doesn’t feature enough in large-scale assessments of ecosystem services  › more

05.03.2021 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, iDiv Members
The global biodiversity strategy is currently being renegotiated (here at the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Feb. 2020 in Rome) (Picture: IISD/Mike Muzurakis (enb.iisd.org/biodiv/post2020/oewg/2/24feb.html))

Researchers propose necessary corrections in global biodiversity policy  › more

26.01.2021 | Biodiversity Conservation, Media Release, iDiv Members, TOP NEWS
EuropaBON is supposed to bring together a wide range of different actors in a network across Europe. This involves monitoring data from volunteer ornithologists to remote sensing data. (Picture: S. Kadrijevic - AdobeStock)

Information system on Europe’s biodiversity and ecosystems for policy makers  › more

26.11.2020 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
New study outlines the scientific basis for redesigning a new set of biodiversity goals. (Picture: Pixabay)

New publication in Science with iDiv contribution  › more

23.10.2020 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation, Media Release
Rope bridges can effectively help primates to cross transportation or service corridors. Colobus monkey (Colobus angolensis palliatus) in Diani, Kenya. (Picture: Andrea Donaldson / Colobus Conservation)

Evidence-based conservation is key to curb primate population declines  › more

26.08.2020 | Biodiversity Conservation, Media Release, Sustainability and Complexity in Ape Habitat, TOP NEWS
In these times of human retreat, we get a glimpse of how much nature the upcoming UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration can bring us. (Picture: AB Photography/stock.adobe.com)

A comment by Prof Dr Henrique Pereira  › more

20.05.2020 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
While some small-ranged species have disappeared, widespread, nitrogen-loving, and occasionally exotic species are on the rise. (Picture: Martin Adámek / Czech Academy of Sciences)

More nitrogen in the soil: common plant species on the rise  › more

13.04.2020 | Biodiversity Conservation, MLU News, sDiv, Media Release, Research, iDiv, TOP NEWS
Restoring ecosystems through rewilding allows wildlife to return. (Picture: Stefano Unterthiner / Rewilding Europe)

Scientists and NGOs present policy papers.  › more

18.03.2020 | Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS
Natural grazing is a key ecological process that helps a myriad of species of half-open landscapes, and supports natural and mosaic forest landscapes less prone to fire. (Picture: Juan Carolos Muñoz Robredo / Rewilding Europe)

The rewilding of European ecosystems can help to tackle both the current climate and biodiversity emergencies.  › more

17.01.2020 | iDiv, Biodiversity Conservation, MLU News, Media Release, TOP NEWS
In a rapidly urbanising world, the conversion of natural habitats into urban areas leads to a significant loss of biodiversity. (Picture: allemii / Pixabay)

Researchers assess direct and indirect effects of urban growth on a global scale.  › more

09.12.2019 | Research, Media Release, iDiv, Biodiversity Conservation, sDiv, TOP NEWS
Under climate change, projected sea-level rise increases risk to 500 million people worldwide by 2050. (Picture: David Shepherd / Pixabay)

Where people’s needs for nature are greatest, nature’s ability to meet those needs is declining  › more

08.10.2019 | iDiv, Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Research, Media Release
A prime example of a successful rewilding project in Germany is the Oder river delta (picture: Zolvin Zankl / Rewiling Europe).

Restoration success depends on regeneration potentials  › more

26.04.2019 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation
Arctia dejeani is a medium-sized macro-moth, which is only occurs on the Iberian peninsula. It is one of the spiecies investigated in the study (picture: Henrique Pereira).

New puzzle piece in scientific debate  › more

10.04.2019 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation
The global distribution of the match of biodiversity above the ground (mammals, birds, amphibians and plants) and below (soil invertebrates, fungi and bacteria). Dark areas have high biodiversity above and in the soil; light yellow areas have high above-ground biodiversity but low diversity in the soil; blue areas have low above-ground biodiversity, but species-rich soil communities; and light areas are species-poor above and below the soil surface. (Picture: Conservation Biology)

Research team evaluates global biodiversity data – with surprising resultsLeipzig. After conducting comprehensive studies, an international team of researchers led by Leipzig University and the iDiv…  › more

13.03.2019 | iDiv Members, GEO BON, Biodiversity Conservation, Experimental Interaction Ecology, Media Release, sDiv, TOP NEWS
Data to assess distributions and trends varies vastly among groups of organisms. Many tropical butterflies like the blue-frosted banner (Catonephele numilia) often only have a few records (picture: Walter Jetz).

Developed under the auspices of the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON)  › more

11.03.2019 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation, sDiv, Biodiversity Synthesis, Macroecology and Society, Media Release
Population and economic growth are driving the transformation of diverse natural areas into agricultural land - despite an improved environmental balance of land use. (Picture: guentermanaus – stock.adobe.com)

Population and economic growth offset improvement of environmental balance of land use  › more

04.03.2019 | Biodiversity Conservation, TOP NEWS, Media Release
Members of the GEO BON delegation including iDiv scientists (from left to right) Néstor Fernández, Henrique Pereira, Laetitia Navarro and HyeJin Kim (photo: Henrique Pereira)

Wide range of activities of iDiv scientists  › more

28.11.2018 | TOP NEWS, iDiv, GEO BON, Biodiversity Conservation, iDiv Members

Area of habitat larger than New Zealand could be lost to urbanisation over next 20 years   › more

15.11.2018 | TOP NEWS, Media Release, Biodiversity Conservation, sDiv
The Millingerwaard area is well on its way to a wilder future (Photo: Ark Nature/Rewilding Europe).

Two new iDiv publications take a closer look at rewilding.  › more

16.10.2018 | TOP NEWS, Biodiversity Conservation, sDiv
These two individuals of cod are both mature, yet they substantially differ in size (photo: Jan Dierking).

How trait variability within species can be incorporated in Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs).  › more

17.09.2018 | TOP NEWS, GEO BON, Biodiversity Conservation, Computational Forest Ecology, iDiv Members
Share this site on:
iDiv is a research centre of theDFG Logo
toTop