iDiv Newsletter Sept 2022

September 2022

News from iDiv

Senior Scientist Programme starts

In October 2022, the Senior Scientist Programme starts with five researchers. The programme addresses highly qualified scientists from any discipline who already have research experience, who are not professors or junior group leaders, and who will significantly advance iDiv’s integrative biodiversity research missions.

by Jan Schnitzler

Over the past few months, iDiv membership has grown again. We are pleased to welcome 22 new Associate Members. All have been recommended by the Membership Committee and approved by the Science Strategy Board (SSB). iDiv members now comprise 112 full, 41 associate and two honorary members.

by Melanie Eulitz

Since October 2020, the iDiv Postdoc Programme has supported Div postdocs in developing their career. Besides the opportunity to exchange ideas, network and establish new collaborations, the programme provides an integrative tool for all iDiv postdocs, regardless of research group or project. We encourage especially postdocs from member groups to join.

Nicole van Dam (Photo: S. Bernhardt)

Nicole van Dam becomes director of Leibniz institute IGZ

After eight-and-a-half years of being a core professor at iDiv, Nicole van Dam (iDiv, FSU), head of Molecular Interaction Ecology, will move to a new position. From 1 October onwards, she will be director of the Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ) in Großbeeren, close to Berlin. She will stay involved in iDiv as a professor at FSU Jena and a full iDiv member.

Ulrich Brose (iDiv, FSU)

Uli Brose new iDiv speaker for the FSU

From October onwards, Ulrich Brose (iDiv, FSU) will replace Nicole van Dam at iDiv’s Speaker's Board as FSU representative. Stan Harpole (UFZ, iDiv), Henrique Pereira (iDiv, MLU) and Christian Wirth (UL, iDiv) will remain in place. If you would like to learn more about iDiv’s governance, click here:

Alexandra Weigelt (UL, iDiv)

Female Scientist Career Fund (FSCF): New committee member and new funding call

The FSCF has a new committee member: Alexandra Weigelt (UL, iDiv) will replace Nicole van Dam (iDiv, FSU), who will leave iDiv. The FSCF invites all female iDiv researchers to apply for funding within the 22nd Regular Call for Activities between 5 October 2023 and 31 December 2023. Application deadline is 20 Sept.

Spotlight on

Solveig Richter (UL, iDiv) (Photo: Private)

Solveig Richter (UL, iDiv)

by Solveig Richter (UL, iDiv)

Since October 2020, I have been a Heisenberg Professor for International Relations and Transnational Politics at the Faculty for Social Science and Philosophy at Leipzig University. I am a trained political scientist with a specialisation in Peace and Conflict Studies. Since this year’s spring I am an associate iDiv member.

Projects

sPlot – The global vegetation database – initiative for increasing regional balance

by Gabriella Damasceno and Helge Bruelheide (MLU, iDiv)

As in many global biodiversity databases, data coverage is biased towards the global North. This is also true for sPlot, the world’s biggest vegetation database on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic plant diversity. The sPlot team has now started an initiative to increase the participation of researchers based in countries of the Global South.

By Abigail Moreno-Pedraza (iDiv, FSU)

Imaging through mass spectrometry is a powerful technique that enables the analysis and localisation of molecules directly from tissues. We're building up a LD-LTP-MS imaging infrastructure, that helps us improve our understanding of plant-herbivore interactions. But the system is flexible enough to be used for completely different research questions.

by Aletty Bonn (UFZ, iDiv, FSU)

The Citizen Science Strategy 2030 for Germany, that was, among others, coordinated by iDiv, is available in English now. We’re establishing and promoting an active exchange and collaboration in the field of citizen science within the iDiv consortium, as iDiv already offers many opportunities to engage in several ongoing citizen science projects. Just join us with your projects!

by Franziska Bucher (FSU)

Shifting the phenology to earlier or later dates bears a higher risk of frost damage for plants, as early or late frost events still occur and can potentially cause much damage. FRESH 2.0 will shed new light on how frost resistance drives phenological changes, shaping future plant communities as species prolonging their growth period will gain a competitive advantage.

Upcoming events

Roger Pielke Jr.

“Issue advocate or honest broker? The roles of researchers in communicating science” Talk by Roger Pielke, Jr.

by Volker Hahn

On 21 September, Roger Pielke Jr. will give a talk on advocacy and researchers' roles in politically charged issues, followed by a panel discussion. Pielke is a Professor at the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The political scientist has published several books, including 'The Honest Broker: Making Sense of Science in Policy and Politics'.

iDiv Postdoc retreat 2021

iDiv Postdoc Retreat on 6/7 October: Reflect and communicate your research

by Melanie Eulau

This year's Postdoc Retreat will take place on 6 and 7 October in Bad Kösen under the heading "Reflect and communicate one's own research." The first day will feature an exchange session and networking activities. On the second day, participants join a science communication workshop led by the biologist and science journalist Rebecca Winkels, who is Head of Communication and Strategy at “Wissenschaft im Dialog”. The event is limited to 15 participants. Apply now!

Publication Highlight

Neeraja Venkataraman (iDiv, MLU) (Photo: private)

Understanding the effects of harvesting activities on tree populations in the dry tropics

by Neeraja Venkataraman (iDiv, MLU)

Because of the high dependency of forests for rural livelihoods, it is important to investigate interactions between people and forests to achieve forest conservation and socio-economic progress. Our study aimed to understand the effect of branch harvesting activities on demography and population growth rate of tree species that are important to livelihoods in the Eastern Ghats India. The project was initiated by plant ecologist Tiffany Knight (UFZ, iDiv, MLU) and social scientist Gautam Yadama from the Boston College School of Social Work.

Edition: 3/22 (September 2022)Publisher:German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-LeipzigMedia and CommunicationsPuschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig / GermanyPhone: +49 341 9733197Email: presse@idiv.deWeb: www.idiv.de/pressEditors (if not specially designated): Sebastian Tilch, Volker Hahn, Jan Schnitzler, Melanie EulitzSupervising Chief Editors: Christine Fürst (MLU, iDiv), Jon Chase (iDiv, MLU)Associate Editors: Sonja Knapp (UFZ, iDiv), Martina Herrmann (FSU, iDiv), Miguel Mahecha (UL, iDiv)Lectorate/translation: Rebecca Didt

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iDiv is a research centre of the
DFG – Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

iDiv is a central facility of Leipzig University within the meaning of Section 92 (1) of the Act on Academic Freedom in Higher Education in Saxony (Sächsisches Hochschulfreiheitsgesetz, SächsHSFG). It is run together with the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, as well as in cooperation with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research –UFZ.The following non-university research institutions are involved as cooperation partners: the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI BGC), the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (MPI CE), the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVA), the Leibniz Institute DSMZ–German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB), the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) and the Leibniz Institute Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz (SMNG).