Our research program is divided into four thematic areas. In addition, Senckenberg runs the Research Infrastructure Program and the Science and Society Program.
Scientific estimates count between 8 and 20 million species on this planet – animals, fungi, plants, and bacteria. To date, only one tenth of these have been scientifically described. At the same time, species are rapidly becoming extinct – with a quarter of all species threatened in Europe alone. Every description of a species provides valuable knowledge about its role in the ecosystem and potential benefits for us humans.
We live in the age of humans, the Anthropocene. Our research field, “Biodiversity and Humans” links biological diversity with the impact of human activities. We work to document changes, understand their societal impacts, and identify solutions for conservation and sustainable use. The research is rooted in developing innovative methods, embedding results in a socio-ecological context, and generating systemic and transformative knowledge to guide real-world change.
How do organisms and ecosystems react to climate change? This is the core question of Senckenberg’s “Biodiversity and Climate” research field. We study how biological diversity – from genes to ecosystems – responds to global warming. Our research provides insights into the ecological and evolutionary adaptability of species and helps make future predictions on a warming planet.
For around four billion years, our earth has been shaped by powerful forces – plate tectonics, ice, water, and wind. Humans, by contrast are a relatively new element in the dynamic Earth system, yet we are not only shaped by the Earth – we are increasingly doing the shaping. The “Biodiversity and Earth System Dynamics” research field explores this complex interplay from a geoscientific perspective. We study geodynamic processes, global environmental changes, and their effects on the evolution of life and humans.
The Tibetan Plateau is studied by several Senckenberg scientists.