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. 2014
  2. Published

    Exploring plant community assembly for its potential for grassland restoration: the role of traits and functional diversity in assembling grasslands

    Weidlich, E. W. A., Conradi, T., Kollmann, J. & Temperton, V. M., 2014, Integrating ecological knowledge into nature conservation and ecosystem management: GfÖ 2014, 44th Annual Meeting; Book of Abstracts. Mantilla-Contreras, J. & Pätsch, R. (eds.). Gesellschaft für Ökologie, p. 117 1 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; vol. 44).

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

  3. Published

    Gamma GAMM applied on tree growth data

    Zuur, A. F., Fichtner, A., Ieno, E. N. & Saveliev, A. A., 2014, A beginner's guide to generalized additive mixed models with R. Zuur, A. F., Saveliev, A. A. & Ieno, E. N. (eds.). 1 ed. Newburgh: Highland Statistics Ltd., p. 217-239 23 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Heidelandschaften: Anpassungsstrategien des Naturschutzes und des Managements

    Meyer-Grünefeldt, M. & Härdtle, W., 2014, Klimawandel in der Lüneburger Heide: Kulturlandschaften zukunftsfähig gestalten. Urban, B., Becker, J., Mersch, I., Meyer, W., Rechid, D. & Rottgardt, E. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, Vol. 6. p. 57-59 3 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 6).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Holocene climatic and environmental history of the north-west German coastal area constructed from a 20 m section of the Garding-2 research drill core.

    Proborukmi, M. S. & Urban, B., 2014, Abstract Book 9th European Palaeobotany - Palynology Conference. p. 220-221 2 p.

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

  6. Published

    Klimaschutz: Beispiel Moorrenaturierung

    Oheimb, G., Köbbing, J. F. & Groth, M., 2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin: Springer Spektrum, p. 455-471 17 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Klimawandel und Moorvegetation

    Urban, B., Schmidt, S., Jensen, K., Hölzer, A., Hansen, S. & Tucci, M., 2014, Klimawandel in der Lüneburger Heide: - Kulturlandschaften zukunftsfähig gestalten. Urban, B., Becker, J., Mersch, I., Meyer, W., Rechid, D. & Rottgardt, E. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 59-62 4 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 6).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    KLIMZUG NORD - Klimaanpassung in der Metropolregion Hamburg: Beispiele für inter- und transdisziplinäre Forschung in Modellgebieten

    Becker, J., Keienburg, T., Kittel, A., Knieling, J., Kretschmann, N., Kruse, E., Mersch, I., Nehlsen, E., Prüter, J., Urban, B. & Zimmermann, T., 2014, Wege zur Anpassung an den Klimawandel: Regionale Netzwerke, Strategien und Maßnahmen. Biebeler, H., Bardt, H., Chrischilles, E., Mahammadzadeh, M. & Striebeck, J. (eds.). Köln: Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln Medien GmbH, p. 85-104 20 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Kohlenstoffdynamik und organische Substanz in Ackerböden

    Schmelmer, K. & Urban, B., 2014, Klimawandel in der Lüneburger Heide: Kulturlandschaften zukunftsfähig gestalten. Urban, B., Becker, J., Mersch, I., Meyer, W., Rechid, D. & Rottgardt, E. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 41-44 4 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 6).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    LAND: Klimaangepasste Kulturlandschaft - Leistungsfähiger Naturhaushalt und umweltschonende Landbewirtschaftung.

    Urban, B., Rechid, D. & Mersch, I., 2014, Kursbuch Klimaanpassung: Handlungsoptionen für die Metropolregion Hamburg. K.-N. V. (ed.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 52-55 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to scientific reportsResearch

  11. Published

    Landwirtschaft: Flächenproduktivität sichern

    Grocholl, J., Eiben, E., Mensching-Buhr, A., Mersch, I., Riedel, A., von Haaren, M., Schulze, S., Schmelmer, K. & Urban, B., 2014, Kursbuch Klimaanpassung: Handlungsoptionen für die Metropolregion Hamburg. K.-N. V. (ed.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 56-59 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to scientific reportsResearch

  12. Published

    Landwirtschaftliche Beratung mit dem Modell CANDY-Carbon Balance

    Schmelmer, K. & Urban, B., 2014, Klimawandel in der Lüneburger Heide: Kulturlandschaften zukunftsfähig gestalten. Urban, B., Becker, J., Mersch, I., Meyer, W., Rechid, D. & Rottgardt, E. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 45-47 3 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 6).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Local neighborhood competition following an extraordinary snow break event: Implications for tree-individual growth

    Lang, A. C., Härdtle, W., Bruelheide, H. & Oheimb, G., 2014, In: iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry. 7, 1, p. 19-24 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  14. Published

    Middle Pleistocene lake shore environments and archaeological sites of Schöningen, Lower Saxony, Germany

    Urban, B., van Kolfschoten, T. & Serangeli, J., 2014, Abstracts: 2014 Burgos 1-7- Sept. UISPP, Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques; XVII World UISPP Congress. Universidad de Burgos, Vol. 17. p. 861-862 2 p.

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

  15. Published

    Modeling High Aswan Dam Reservoir Morphology Using Remote Sensing to Reduce Evaporation

    Elba, E., Farghaly, D. & Urban, B., 2014, In: International Journal of Geosciences. 5, 2, p. 156-169 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Modellierung von klimainduzierten Veränderungen des Bodenwasserhaushalts von Auenböden an der unteren Mittelelbe.

    Scharnke, M., Krüger, F., Urban, B. & Schneider, W., 2014, Klimafolgenanpassung im Biosphärenreservat Niedersächsische Elbtalaue: Modellregion für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Prüter, J. & Keienburg, T. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 35-43 9 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 5).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Naturschutz in der Kulturlandschaft 2050 - Interaktion von Natur, Klima und Mensch

    Schoenberg, W., Fiencke, C., Jensen, K., Ludewig, K., Schmidt, S., Vanselow-Algan, M., Härdtle, W., Krüger, F., Meyer-Grünefeld, M., Rottgardt, E. M., Runge, K., Urban, B., Keienburg, T., Prüter, J., Schreck, C. & Reusch, H., 2014, Kursbuch Klimaanpassung: Handlungsoptionen für die Metropolregion Hamburg. K.-N. V. (ed.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 70-73 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to scientific reportsResearch

  18. Published

    Ökosystem und Biodiversität

    Aßmann, T., Drees, C., Härdtle, W., Klein, A.-M., Schuldt, A. & Oheimb, G., 2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 147-174 28 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesEducationpeer-review

  19. Published

    Palynological record of the Quaternary deposits of Garding-2 research drill core, North-west Germany.

    Proborukmi, M. S. & Urban, B., 2014, The Quaternary of the Urals: global trends and Pan-European Quaternary records. Borodin, A. V., Markova, E. A. & Strukova, T. V. (eds.). Ural Federal University, p. 120-122 3 p.

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

  20. Published

    Plutella xylostella (L.) infestations at varying temperatures induce the emission of specific volatile blends by Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh

    Truong, D. H., Delory, B. M., Brostaux, Y., Heuskin, S., Delaplace, P., Francis, F. & Lognay, G., 2014, In: Plant Signaling and Behavior. 9, 11, 10 p., e973816.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Schadstoffregime in Auenböden der Elbe

    Krüger, F. & Urban, B., 2014, Klimafolgenanpassung im Biosphärenreservat Niedersächsische Elbtalaue: Modellregion für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Prüter, J., Keienburg, T. & Schreck, C. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 63-70 8 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 5).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review