{"id":9724,"date":"2024-06-18T14:29:54","date_gmt":"2024-06-18T13:29:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.idiv.de\/?page_id=9724"},"modified":"2025-11-25T17:40:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T16:40:52","slug":"forschungsprojekte","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.idiv.de\/de\/forschung\/kernforschungsgruppen\/biodiversitaet-und-naturschutz\/forschungsprojekte\/","title":{"rendered":"Forschungsprojekte"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/div>\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n <\/g>\n <\/g>\n <\/svg>\n H. Pereira<\/span><\/a> \n <\/div>\n
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Forschungsprojekte<\/h1>

Unsere Forschung zielt darauf ab, die Muster und Prozesse des globalen Biodiversit\u00e4tswandels zu verstehen, mit dem Ziel, die Umweltpolitik und das Management von \u00d6kosystemen zu beeinflussen.<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Nachfolgend finden Sie eine Auflistung der laufenden und abgeschlossenen Forschungsprojekte mit einer englischen Beschreibung<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n On this page <\/p>\n Laufende Projekte<\/a>\n Vergangene Projekte<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Laufende Projects<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n \n
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\n Urban Biodiversity: Assessing Arthropod Communities Across Urban Gradients using novel molecular methods \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n
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Anthropic stressors, including deforestation, agricultural intensification and urban expansion, pose significant threats to overall biodiversity. While research has demonstrated that urban environments can support substantial insect diversity, studies have largely focused on pollinators (such as bees), due to their direct benefits to humans. Soil-dwelling arthropods, despite their essential roles in soil health and ecosystem functioning, remain especially understudied. To address this gap, this project aims to explore patterns of taxonomic and functional arthropod diversity within above- and below-ground communities in urban environments by investigating differences in community composition and traits along an urbanisation gradient.<\/p>\n

The project employs a novel combination of citizen science and advanced molecular techniques, including metabarcoding and eDNA metabarcoding, recently developed at iDiv. In 2022-2023, schools in Berlin, Leipzig and Halle, conducted 400 pitfall trap experiments in gardens and schoolyards to understand the effects of urbanisation on arthropod morphospecies richness and activity. This citizen science approach not only engages the public and fosters interest in science and biodiversity\u2075, but also facilitates sampling in areas typically inaccessible to researchers.<\/p>\n

This project has three primary objectives that will also form the foundation of a PhD proposal: (i) analyse species richness, community composition, and ecological connectivity along urban gradients. This objective involves above- and below-ground biodiversity patterns, exploring taxonomic and functional diversity responses, and examining their correlations with environmental factors such as soil moisture, temperature and impervious surface coverage. (ii) Develop a non-invasive DNA extraction pipeline from preservative liquids: The study aims to optimize DNA metabarcoding techniques using preservative liquids\u2076 such as propylene glycol, which is less harmful to health and the environment compared to ethanol. This approach allows precise, non-destructive sampling of arthropods and microorganisms while ensuring the preservation of bulk samples. (iii) Guide Biodiversity Conservation in Urban Areas: By linking biodiversity data with urbanisation gradients this project aims to develop management strategies for small urban spaces to reconcile urban human living with biodiversity.<\/p>\n

Project PIs:<\/strong> Mari\u0301a Me\u0301ndez Camarena, Julie Koch Sheard, Panagiotis Theodorou, Aletta Bonn, Nico Eisenhauer, Henrique M. Pereira<\/p>\n

Funding:<\/strong> Flexpool Support Funds 2025<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n European Topic Centre Biodiversity and Ecosystems (ETC-BE) \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n
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The European Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Ecosystems (ETC BE) is a consortium of 24 European research institutions, organizations and national agencies with expertise in terrestrial, aquatic and marine biodiversity and ecosystems. Coordinated by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), the ETC-BE supports the European Environment Agency (EEA) in its mission to implement EU directives, strategies and policies and to provide information to policymakers and the public.<\/span><\/p>\n

In particular, our team collaborates in the implementation of EU biodiversity legislations, their data flows and data reporting (e.g. Nature Directives, Invasive Alien Species, Nature Restoration Law, Natura 2000), as well as in the maintenance and further development of Information Systems (e.g. BISE).<\/span><\/p>\n

Our group leads tasks related to:<\/span><\/p>\n