Understanding biodiversity, geo‑climatic interactions and sustainable ecosystems
Field site Jena Experiment
Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena)
This research focus brings together expertise from three faculties at the FSU, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, the Senckenberg Institute for Plant Form and Function Jena, and partners such as the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig/Halle. The aim is to understand the emergence, change, and preservation of biological diversity in close connection with geological,
climatic, and ecological processes.
"A very fascinating aspect of ecohydrology is that plant diversity affects seemingly abiotic factors, such as infiltration capacity, the energy balance or soil water retention, and in doing so increases ecosystem productivity, just like an engineer."
EXC 2051: Balance of the MicroversExternal link
This Cluster of Excellence explores the interactions of microbes with other organisms and their environment.
CRC 1127 ChemBioSys: Chemical Mediators in Complex BiosystemsExternal link
The Collaborative Research Center 'ChemBioSys' focuses on chemical mediators, which play a key role in the interactions between organisms in a biological community.
CRC 1076 AquaDiva: Understanding the Links Between Surface and Subsurface Biogeosphere(2023-2025)
The collaborative research center ‘AquaDiva’ investigated the connections of the above- and be-lowground biogeosphere.
IRTG 2324 TreeDì – Tree Diversity Interactions: The role of tree-tree interactions in local neighbourhoods in Chinese subtropical forestsExternal link
The aim of TreeDì – 林地 (lín dì, forest land) is to understand how tree-tree interactions in local neighbourhoods of varying diversity translate into the observed positive tree species richness effects on key ecosystem functions at the community scale.
RU 5000 Biotic interactions, community assembly, and eco-evolutionary dynamics as drivers of long-term biodiversity-ecosystems functioning relationshipsExternal link
The Jena Experiment investigates the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms linking biodiversity and ecosystem functioning through one of the world’s longest-running biodiversity experiments.
Thuringian Water Innovation Cluster (ThWIC)
The ThWIC Future Cluster, as part of the BMFTR’s Clusters4Future initiative, aims to develop solutions for the sustainable management of water.
USMILE - Understanding and Modelling the Earth System with Machine LearningExternal link
The EU-funded USMILE project will use machine learning to improve modelling and understanding of the Earth system.
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research iDivExternal link
iDiv is a global leader in biodiversity research.Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and Leipzig University run the iDiv research centre in cooperation with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ).
