The colour of dragonfly communities reacts to seasonal variation in solar radiation. Over the last 30 years, however, this colour pattern has changed – probably as a result of climate change.
For the second time in a row, the University of Bayreuth can be pleased about the worldwide reputation and strong impact of its research work: Prof. Dr Christian Laforsch and Dr Martin Löder have been honoured.
On land, in the air – and now also by water: Geographers of Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU) are broadening the scope of their research. Their equipment now includes a research boat with a high-precision depth sounder. It allows researchers to survey the bottom of lakes, rivers, and the sea. This technology has now been used for the first time in a research project in Kaunertal, Austria, where KU scientists have been studying the effects of climate change for several years.
Sharks have existed for millions of years, rarely develop cancer, and react sensitively to ecological changes. An international study led by Würzburg scientists shows that one explanation lies in the fish's genes.
Climate researchers around the world are sounding the alarm about exceeding critical temperature values on the Earth. If temperatures pass what are called tipping points, the results could be catastrophic. An international team of researchers, including members from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has now demonstrated in simulations that the temperature tipping point for the Greenland ice sheet can be exceeded in certain cases for a short time, as long as extreme countermeasures are taken afterwards. If the ice mass should melt entirely, the result would be a massive rise in the sea level.
New method for pollutants such as crude oil, glyphosate, microplastics and hormones
If you uncover a piece of soil in your garden with a spade, you will see a seemingly unspectacular crumbly structure when looking at the piece with your naked eye. "But the soil is subject to constant change – with immediate consequences for issues of food security or climate change", explains Prof. Dr. Nadja Ray. She holds the Chair of Geomatics and Geomathematics at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU).
A new study by Bayreuth scientists Dr. Franz-Sebastian Krah and Prof. Dr. Claus Bässler has shown that temperature has a significant influence on the timing and duration of fungal fruiting in key areas of the world. The research results were published in the journal "Ecology Letters" and shed new light on the global impact of climate change on occurrences of fungi in nature.
For several years, ecological research has argued that climate often has no determining influence on the distribution of forests and savannas in tropical regions. However, an international research team led by Prof. Dr. Steven Higgins at the University of Bayreuth has now succeeded in proving that it depends mostly on climatic factors whether regions in Africa are covered by forest or savanna. The study, published in "Science", thus confirms the dominant role of climate in the formation of global vegetation patterns.
Increasing heat and drought are changing forests faster than expected. Researchers at the University of Würzburg want to keep a better eye on these dynamics. The Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt) of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities is funding their project with 1.2 million euros.
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