News

Scientists from the Leibniz Biodiversity Research Network, including researchers from IGB, have compiled an inventory on the conservation of nature as the basis of human life. The "10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Research" are intended to stimulate dialogue, but also formulate concrete recommendations for politics and society.

Anyone who discusses the importance of biodiversity quickly ends up in a debate about values shaped by ethics and economics. Seven IGB scientists draw attention to aspects that are still often overlooked. They research genetic diversity, interactions between different species and across ecosystems, biological invasions and the smallest and most diverse organisms that colonise freshwaters.

When the last individual dies, species not only disappear from our planet. They also disappear from our collective memory. This phenomenon is called "societal extinction". Researchers have now studied the process and published their results in the scientific journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution.

Hydroelectric turbines put fish at risk of severe injury during passage. To support an informed debate on the sustainability of hydropower, reliable data of turbine-induced fish mortality are pivotal. A team of researchers has now provided a first global analysis. On average, 22.3 percent of all fish passing through turbines got killed or showed severe, potentially lethal injuries.

Jonathan Jeschke took over as head of the new IGB Department of Evolutionary and Integrative Ecology on 1 January 2022. In an interview, he tells us why integration is his guiding principle, what new methods and approaches he is pursuing, and how he would like to promote young scientists in particular.

Sonja Jähnig has been appointed Head of Department at IGB since 1 January 2022. In an interview, the professor talks about her personal goals, what each of us really should know about rivers and lakes, and why water bodies are often overlooked.

Light pollution is a serious threat to all levels of biodiversity – from genes to ecosystems. An international team of researchers has identified 11 urgent research questions that need to be addressed in order to mitigate the effects of light pollution on biodiversity.

Justyna Wolinska has successfully passed the six-year tenure track phase, and has now been jointly appointed to a permanent professorship for Aquatic Evolutionary Ecology by IGB and Freie Universität Berlin.