Institute of Ecology
Organisational unit: Institute
Organisation profile
The Institute of Ecology is the biological and natural science department of Leuphana University of Lüneburg. Research focuses on the effects of global changes such as climate change and land use change on organisms and communities biodiversity loss as well as on biological and chemical processes. In cooperation with the human sciences, socio-economic factors of ecosystem research are considered.
Main research areas
Research foci at the Institute of Ecology are the effects of global change such as climate change and land use change on organisms and their communities and on biological functional and chemical processes. The focus is on the causes and effects of declining animal and plant populations as well as current biodiversity loss and the associated changes in abiotic and biotic ecosystem functions. In collaboration with human science research groups at Leuphana University, socio-economic factors of ecosystem research are also jointly considered.
Experimental research takes place both in laboratories, in greenhouses and in open spaces at Leuphana University. Further, many investigations take place in cultivated landscapes and in urban areas. The field studies are carried out in various countries of the temperate and Mediterranean latitudes and the tropics and sub-tropics, but also regionally, e.g. in Lüneburg and the Lüneburg Heath. Research cooperations exist with many different national and international universities and non-university institutions such as local nature conservation organizations and schools. Particularly noteworthy are the cooperations with the Alfred Töpfer Academy for Nature Conservation and the biosphere reserve administration Niedersächsische Elbtalaue.
The courses range from basic and advanced courses in various sub-fields of ecology and biology, including the performance of experiments in laboratory practicals and in the field, to interdisciplinary courses in the Bachelor's and Master's programs.
In interdisciplinary courses, contents from the fields of landscape ecology, botany, soil ecology, zoology, genetics and nature conservation are linked together, as well as courses that combine different disciplines of the natural sciences with those of the human sciences.
- 2025
- Published
Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory
Nelson, R. A., Sullivan, L. L., Hersch-Green, E. I., Seabloom, E. W., Borer, E. T., Tognetti, P. M., Adler, P. B., Biederman, L., Bugalho, M. N., Caldeira, M. C., Cancela, J. P., Carvalheiro, L. G., Catford, J. A., Dickman, C. R., Dolezal, A. J., Donohue, I., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Elgersma, K. J., Eskelinen, A., Estrada, C., Garbowski, M., Graff, P., Gruner, D. S., Hagenah, N., Haider, S., Harpole, W. S., Hautier, Y., Jentsch, A., Johanson, N., Koerner, S. E., Lannes, L. S., MacDougall, A. S., Martinson, H., Morgan, J. W., Olde Venterink, H., Orr, D., Osborne, B. B., Peri, P. L., Power, S. A., Raynaud, X., Risch, A. C., Shrestha, M., Smith, N. G., Stevens, C. J., Veen, G. F. C., Virtanen, R., Wardle, G. M., Wolf, A. A., Young, A. L. & Harrison, S. P., 12.2025, In: Communications Biology. 8, 1, 10 p., 444.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Variation in wood density across South American tropical forests
Author Collaboration für "Variation in wood density across South American tropical forests", Sullivan, M. J. P., Phillips, O. L., Galbraith, D., Almeida, E., de Oliveira, E. A., Almeida, J. & Klipel, J., 12.2025, In: Nature Communications. 16, 1, 12 p., 2351.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Ecological assessment of forest management approaches to develop resilient forests in the face of global change in Central Europe
Huth, F., Tischer, A., Nikolova, P., Feldhaar, H., Wehnert, A., Hülsmann, L., Bauhus, J., Heer, K., Vogt, J., Ammer, C., Berger, U., Bernhardt-Römermann, M., Böhme, M., Bugmann, H., Demant, L., Buse, J., Dörfler, I., Ewald, J., Feldmann, E., Fichtner, A., Gossner, M. M., Grams, T. E. E., Häberle, K.-H., Hagge, J., Hartmann, H., Herzog, S., Kahmen, A., Kohnle, U., Krabel, D., Krämer-Klement, K., Kreyling, J., Manthey, M., Mellert, K., Meyer, P., Mölder, A., Muffler-Weigel, L., Ohse, B., Opgenoorth, L., Rewald, B., Rothe, A., Ruehr, N., Scharnweber, T., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Schmeddes, J., Schmerbeck, J., Schmidt, M., Seidel, D., Thomas, F. M., Tiebel, M., von Oheimb, G., Wagner, S., Weigel, R., Wilmking, M., Zang, C. & Schuldt, B., 08.2025, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 86, p. 66-100 35 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Unveiling disparities between planned and perceived equity arrangements in protected area co-governance: Evidence from the North Luangwa Ecosystem in Zambia
Kachali, R. N. & Loos, J., 01.07.2025, In: Environmental Science and Policy. 169, 9 p., 104068.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Home ranges of Sand Lizards, Lacerta agilis (Squamata: Sauria: Lacertidae), along railway tracks
Janssen, A., Staab, M. & Rödel, M.-O., 15.05.2025, In: Salamandra. 62, 2, p. 240-255 16 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Assessment of genetic diversity among seed transfer zones for multiple grassland plant species across Germany
Durka, W., Michalski, S. G., Höfner, J., Bucharova, A., Kolář, F., Müller, C. M., Oberprieler, C., Šemberová, K., Bauer, M., Bernt, M., Bleeker, W., Brändel, S., Bucher, S. F., Eibes, P. M., Ewald, M., Goldberg, R., Grant, K., Haider, S., Harpke, A., Haun, F., Kaufmann, R., Korell, L., Kunzmann, D., Lauterbach, D., Leib, S., Lenzewski, N., Loritz, H., Madaj, A. M., Mainz, A. K., Meinecke, P., Mertens, H., Meyer, M. H., Musche, M., Ristow, M., Rosche, C., Roscher, C., Rutte, D., Schacherer, A., Schmidt, W., Schmoldt, J., Schneider, S., Schwarz, J. H., Skowronek, S., Socher, S. A., Stanik, N., Twerski, A., Weiß, K., Weiß, M., Wille, A., Zehm, A. & Zidorn, C., 01.05.2025, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 84, p. 50-60 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Canopy functional trait variation across Earth’s tropical forests
Author collaboration for "Canopy functional trait variation across Earth’s tropical forests", Aguirre-Gutiérrez, J., Rifai, S. W., Deng, X., ter Steege, H., Thomson, E., Corral-Rivas, J. J. & Klipel, J., 01.05.2025, In: Nature. 641, 8061, p. 129-136 8 p., 16024.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Germination changes can restructure communities through priority effects
Temperton, V. M., 05.2025, In: Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 40, 5, p. 426-427 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
- E-pub ahead of print
Structure and dynamics of secondary and mature rainforests: insights from South Asian long-term monitoring plots
Murali, A., Kasinathan, S., Bhat, K., Ratnam, J., Sankaran, M., Mudappa, D., Raman, T. R. S. & Osuri, A. M., 30.04.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Plant Ecology and Diversity.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
How to promote spider diversity of heathlands: impact of management intensity
Matevski, D., Temperton, V. M., Walmsley, D., Haerdtle, W., Daniels, J. & Boutaud, E., 04.2025, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 34, p. 1057-1070 14 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review