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.

  1. Published

    Resource use and competition between honey bees and wild bees in the Lüneburger Heath

    Hudewenz, A. & Klein, A.-M., 2012, GfÖ Conference book: Book of abstracts. Drees, C. & von Oheimb, G. (eds.). Gesellschaft für Ökologie, Vol. 42. p. 69 1 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; no. 42).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Schutz, Nutzung und nachhaltige Gestaltung – Geschlechteraspekte im Umgang mit Natur

    Katz, C. & Mölders, T., 2013, Geschlechterverhältnisse und Nachhaltigkeit: Die Kategorie Geschlecht in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 269-276 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesEducation

  3. Published

    Geschlechterverhältnisse & Nachhaltigkeit: Die Kategorie Geschlecht in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften

    Hofmeister, S. (Editor), Katz, C. (Editor) & Mölders, T. (Editor), 2013, Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Verlag Babara Budrich. 403 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Sugars and amino acid composition in nectar of two plant species along a plant diversity gradient

    Venjakob, C., Leonhardt, D. S., Scherber, D. C. & Klein, P.A.-M., 10.09.2012, In: Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie. 42, p. 54 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Predator assemblage structure and temporal variability of species richness and abundance in forests of high tree diversity

    Schuldt, A., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W. & Aßmann, T., 11.2012, In: Biotropica. 44, 6, p. 793-800 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Biodiversity buffers pollination from changes in environmental conditions

    Brittain, C., Kremen, C. & Klein, A.-M., 02.2013, In: Global Change Biology. 19, 2, p. 540-547 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Sight or scent: lemur sensory reliance in detecting food quality varies with feeding ecology.

    Rushmore, J., Leonhardt, S. & Drea, C. M., 03.08.2012, In: PLoS ONE. 7, 8, 11 p., e41558.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Niche segregation in microhabitat use of three sympatric Cyrtodactylus in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Central Vietnam

    Loos, J., von Wehrden, H., Dang, K. N. & Ziegler, T., 06.05.2012, In: Herpetological Conservation and Biology. 7, 1, p. 101-108 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Socio-economic Context of Forest Biodiversity Use along a Town–Forest Gradient in Cambodia

    Motzke, I., Wanger, T. C., Zanre, E., Tscharntke, T. & Barkmann, J., 2012, In: Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. SUPPL.25, p. 37-53 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review