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.
- 2021
- Published
Gone and forgotten: facilitative effects of intercropping combinations did not carry over to affect barley performance in a follow‑up crop rotation
Kumar, A., Rosinger, C., Chen, H., Protic, S., Bonkowski, M. & Temperton, V., 10.2021, In: Plant and Soil. 467, 1-2, p. 405-419 15 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Limited effectiveness of EU policies to conserve an endangered species in high nature value farmland in Romania
Loos, J., Gallersdörfer, J., Hartel, T., Dolek, M. & Sutcliffe, L., 10.2021, In: Ecology and Society. 26, 3, 11 p., 3.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Limited knowledge flow among stakeholders of critically endangered renosterveld in South Africa
Burghardt, S., Topp, E. N., Esler, K. J. & Loos, J., 10.2021, In: Ecology and Society. 26, 3, 17 p., 17.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Tree species richness promotes an early increase of stand structural complexity in young subtropical plantations
Perles-Garcia, M. D., Kunz, M., Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W. & von Oheimb, G., 10.2021, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 58, 10, p. 2305-2314 10 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Understanding relational values in cultural landscapes in Romania and Germany
Riechers, M., Balázsi, Á., Engler, J. O., Shumi, G. & Fischer, J., 10.2021, In: People and Nature. 3, 5, p. 1036-1046 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Dinotefuran alters Collembola-fungi-bacteria interactions that control mineralization of maize and soil organic carbon
Yu, Z., Schmidt, O., Zhao, Y., Liu, M., Kumar, A., Luo, Y. & Xu, J., 15.09.2021, In: Journal of Hazardous Materials. 418, 11 p., 126391.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
“Beyond nature and culture: relational perspectives on the Wadden Sea landscape”
Döring, M., Walsh, C. & Egberts, L., 01.09.2021, In: Maritime Studies. 20, 3, p. 225-234 10 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research
- Published
Biophysical variability and politico-economic singularity: Responses of livestock numbers in South Mongolian nomadic pastoralism
Engler, J. O., Wesche, K., Kaczensky, P., Dhakal, P., Chuluunkhuyag, O. & von Wehrden, H., 01.09.2021, In: Ecological Economics. 187, 13 p., 107073.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Leverage points to foster human–nature connectedness in cultural landscapes
Riechers, M., Pătru-Dușe, I. A. & Balázsi, Á., 01.09.2021, In: Ambio. 50, 9, p. 1670-1680 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Reprint of: Tree-tree interactions and crown complementarity: the role of functional diversity and branch traits for canopy packing
Hildebrand, M., Perles-Garcia, M. D., Kunz, M., Härdtle, W., von Oheimb, G. & Fichtner, A., 01.09.2021, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 55, p. 53-63 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
The patterns of curriculum change processes that embed sustainability in higher education institutions
Weiss, M., Barth, M. & von Wehrden, H., 01.09.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 5, p. 1579-1593 15 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
The significance of tree-tree interactions for forest ecosystem functioning
Trogisch, S., Liu, X., Rutten, G., Xue, K., Bauhus, J., Brose, U., Bu, W., Cesarz, S., Chesters, D., Connolly, J., Cui, X., Eisenhauer, N., Guo, L., Haider, S., Härdtle, W., Kunz, M., Liu, L., Ma, Z., Neumann, S., Sang, W., Schuldt, A., Tang, Z., van Dam, N. M., von Oheimb, G., Wang, M. Q., Wang, S., Weinhold, A., Wirth, C., Wubet, T., Xu, X., Yang, B., Zhang, N., Zhu, C. D., Ma, K., Wang, Y. & Bruelheide, H., 01.09.2021, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 55, p. 33-52 20 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Forestry contributed to warming of forest ecosystems in northern Germany during the extreme summers of 2018 and 2019
Blumröder, J. S., May, F., Härdtle, W. & Ibisch, P. L., 09.2021, In: Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 2, 3, 14 p., e12087.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Legacy effects of pre-crop plant functional group on fungal root symbionts of barley
Roy, J., van Duijnen, R., Leifheit, E. F., Mbedi, S., Temperton, V. M. & Rillig, M. C., 09.2021, In: Ecological Applications. 31, 6, 16 p., e02378.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
On the frontiers of collaboration and conflict: how context influences the success of collaboration
Schoon, M., Chapman, M., Loos, J., Ifejika Speranza, C., Carr Kelman, C., Aburto, J., Alexander, S., Baggio, J., Brady, U., Cockburn, J., Cundill, G., Garcia Lopez, G., Hill, R., Robinson, C., Thondhlana, G., Trimble, M. & Whittaker, D., 09.2021, In: Ecosystems and People. 17, 1, p. 383-399 17 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
sPlotOpen – An environmentally balanced, open-access, global dataset of vegetation plots
Sabatini, F. M., Lenoir, J., Hattab, T., Arnst, E. A., Chytrý, M., Dengler, J., De Ruffray, P., Hennekens, S. M., Jandt, U., Jansen, F., Jiménez-Alfaro, B., Kattge, J., Levesley, A., Pillar, V. D., Purschke, O., Sandel, B., Sultana, F., Aavik, T., Aćić, S., Acosta, A. T. R., Agrillo, E., Alvarez, M., Apostolova, I., Arfin Khan, M. A. S., Arroyo, L., Attorre, F., Aubin, I., Banerjee, A., Bauters, M., Bergeron, Y., Bergmeier, E., Biurrun, I., Bjorkman, A. D., Bonari, G., Bondareva, V., Brunet, J., Čarni, A., Casella, L., Cayuela, L., Černý, T., Chepinoga, V., Csiky, J., Ćušterevska, R., De Bie, E., de Gasper, A. L., De Sanctis, M., Dimopoulos, P., Dolezal, J., Dziuba, T., El-Sheikh, M. A. E. R. M., Enquist, B., Ewald, J., Fazayeli, F., Field, R., Finckh, M., Gachet, S., Galán-de-Mera, A., Garbolino, E., Gholizadeh, H., Giorgis, M., Golub, V., Alsos, I. G., Grytnes, J. A., Guerin, G. R., Gutiérrez, A. G., Haider, S., Hatim, M. Z., Hérault, B., Hinojos Mendoza, G., Hölzel, N., Homeier, J., Hubau, W., Indreica, A., Janssen, J. A. M., Jedrzejek, B., Jentsch, A., Jürgens, N., Kącki, Z., Kapfer, J., Karger, D. N., Kavgacı, A., Kearsley, E., Kessler, M., Khanina, L., Killeen, T., Korolyuk, A., Kreft, H., Kühl, H. S., Kuzemko, A., Landucci, F., Lengyel, A., Lens, F., Lingner, D. V., Liu, H., Lysenko, T., Mahecha, M. D., Marcenò, C., Martynenko, V., Moeslund, J. E., Monteagudo Mendoza, A., Mucina, L., Müller, J. V., Munzinger, J., Naqinezhad, A., Noroozi, J., Nowak, A., Onyshchenko, V., Overbeck, G. E., Pärtel, M., Pauchard, A., Peet, R. K., Peñuelas, J., Pérez-Haase, A., Peterka, T., Petřík, P., Peyre, G., Phillips, O. L., Prokhorov, V., Rašomavičius, V., Revermann, R., Rivas-Torres, G., Rodwell, J. S., Ruprecht, E., Rūsiņa, S., Samimi, C., Schmidt, M., Schrodt, F., Shan, H., Shirokikh, P., Šibík, J., Šilc, U., Sklenář, P., Škvorc, Ž., Sparrow, B., Sperandii, M. G., Stančić, Z., Svenning, J. C., Tang, Z., Tang, C. Q., Tsiripidis, I., Vanselow, K. A., Vásquez Martínez, R., Vassilev, K., Vélez-Martin, E., Venanzoni, R., Vibrans, A. C., Violle, C., Virtanen, R., von Wehrden, H., Wagner, V., Walker, D. A., Waller, D. M., Wang, H. F., Wesche, K., Whitfeld, T. J. S., Willner, W., Wiser, S. K., Wohlgemuth, T., Yamalov, S., Zobel, M. & Bruelheide, H., 09.2021, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 30, 9, p. 1740-1764 25 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Tectono-climatic controls of the early rift alluvial succession: Plio-Pleistocene Corinth Rift (Greece)
Hemelsdaël, R., Charreau, J., Ford, M., Sekar Proborukmi, M., Malartre, F., Urban, B. & Blard, P.-H., 15.08.2021, In: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 576, 21 p., 110507.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Nutrients addition regulates temperature sensitivity of maize straw mineralization
Auwal, M., Singh, B. P., Chen, Z., Kumar, A., Pan, S., Luo, Y. & Xu, J., 01.08.2021, In: Journal of Soils and Sediments. 21, 8, p. 2778-2790 13 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Reconciling conservation and development in protected areas of the Global South
Loos, J., 01.08.2021, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 54, p. 108-118 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Timing matters: Distinct effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application timing on root system architecture responses
van Duijnen, R., Uther, H., Härdtle, W., Temperton, V. & Kumar, A., 01.08.2021, In: Plant-Environment Interactions. 2, 4, p. 194-205 12 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Preserving Colias myrmidone in European cultural landscapes: requirements for the successful development from egg to higher larval stages at a Natura 2000 site in Romania
Nippen, P., Dolek, M. & Loos, J., 08.2021, In: Journal of Insect Conservation. 25, 4, p. 643-655 13 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Influence of altitude and longitude on vegetation in the dzungarian gobi and the south-western mongolian altai
Chuluunkhuyag, O., Chaoyan, L., Treiber, J., Batlai, O., von Wehrden, H., Feller, R. & Wesche, K., 08.07.2021, In: Phytocoenologia. 50, 4, p. 339-369 31 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Planung naturbasierter Lösungen in Flusslandschaften: Ein Handbuch für die Praxis
Schröter, B., Brillinger, M., Gottwald, S., Guerrero, P., Henze, J., Ott, E., Schmidt, S. & Albert, C., 01.07.2021, 1 ed. München: Oekom Verlag. 117 p.Research output: Books and anthologies › Book
- Published
The effect of industrialization and globalization on domestic land-use: A global resource footprint perspective
Dorninger, C., von Wehrden, H., Krausmann, F., Bruckner, M., Feng, K., Hubacek, K., Erb, K. H. & Abson, D. J., 01.07.2021, In: Global Environmental Change. 69, 21 p., 102311.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Aquatic and terrestrial proxy evidence for Middle Pleistocene palaeolake and lake-shore development at two Lower Palaeolithic sites of Schöningen, Germany
Krahn, K. J., Tucci, M., Urban, B., Pilgrim, J., Frenzel, P., Soulié-Märsche, I. & Schwalb, A., 07.2021, In: Boreas. 50, 3, p. 723-745 23 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Local and landscape responses of biodiversity in calcareous grasslands
Loos, J., Krauss, J., Lyons, A., Föst, S., Ohlendorf, C., Racky, S., Röder, M., Hudel, L., Herfert, V. & Tscharntke, T., 07.2021, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 30, 8-9, p. 2415-2432 18 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Terry Erwin’s legacy: from taxonomy and natural history to biodiversity research and conservation biology
Assmann, T., 16.06.2021, In: ZooKeys. 1044, p. 23-39 17 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
The ground beetle tribe platynini bonelli, 1810 (Coleoptera, carabidae) in the southern levant: Dichotomous and interactive identification tools, ecological traits, and distribution
Assmann, T., Boutaud, E., Buse, J., Drees, C., Friedman, A. L. L., Harry, I., Khoury, F., Orbach, E., Renan, I., Schmidt, C., Schmidt, K., Wrase, D. W. & Zumstein, P., 16.06.2021, In: ZooKeys. 2021, 1044, p. 449-478 30 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
What shapes ground beetle assemblages in a tree species-rich subtropical forest?
Zumstein, P., Bruelheide, H., Fichtner, A., Schuldt, A., Staab, M., Härdtle, W., Zhou, H. & Aßmann, T., 16.06.2021, In: ZooKeys. 2021, 1044, p. 907-927 21 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Rhizosphere microbiome modulated effects of biochar on ryegrass 15N uptake and rhizodeposited 13C allocation in soil
Fu, Y., Kumar, A., Chen, L., Jiang, Y., Ling, N., Wang, R., Pan, Q., Singh, B. P., Redmile-Gordon, M., Luan, L., Li, Q., Shi, Q., Reid, B. J., Fang, Y., Kuzyakov, Y., Luo, Y. & Xu, J., 06.2021, In: Plant and Soil. 463, 1-2, p. 359-377 19 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Tree diversity promotes predatory wasps and parasitoids but not pollinator bees in a subtropical experimental forest
Guo, P. F., Wang, M. Q., Orr, M., Li, Y., Chen, J. T., Zhou, Q. S., Staab, M., Fornoff, F., Chen, G. H., Zhang, N. L., Klein, A. M. & Zhu, C. D., 06.2021, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 53, p. 134-142 9 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Forests, farms, and fallows: The dynamics of tree cover transition in the southern part of the uluguru mountains, tanzania
Mpanda, M., Kashindye, A., Aynekulu, E., Jonas, E., Rosenstock, T. S. & Giliba, R. A., 28.05.2021, In: Land. 10, 6, 15 p., 571.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Human-nature connectedness as leverage point
Riechers, M., Balázsi, Á., García-Llorente, M. & Loos, J., 13.05.2021, In: Ecosystems and People. 17, 1, p. 215-221 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research
- Published
Energy conservation attitudes and intentions: investigating place attachment in Eastern Transylvania, Romania
Klaniecki, K., Duse, I. A., Engler, J. O., Leventon, J. & Abson, D. J., 05.05.2021, In: Psyecology. 12, 2, p. 177-201 25 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Evidence for the age and timing of environmental change associated with a Lower Palaeolithic site within the Middle Pleistocene Reinsdorf sequence of the Schöningen coal mine, Germany
Tucci, M., Krahn, K. J., Richter, D., van Kolfschoten, T., Álvarez, B. R., Verheijen, I., Serangeli, J., Lehmann, J., Degering, D., Schwalb, A. & Urban, B., 01.05.2021, In: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 569, 110309.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Just another buzzword? A systematic literature review of knowledge-related concepts in sustainability science
Apetrei, C. I., Caniglia, G., von Wehrden, H. & Lang, D. J., 01.05.2021, In: Global Environmental Change. 68, 33 p., 102222.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Biochar decreased rhizodeposits stabilization via opposite effects on bacteria and fungi: diminished fungi-promoted aggregation and enhanced bacterial mineralization
Chen, Z., Kumar, A., Fu, Y., Singh, B. P., Ge, T., Tu, H., Luo, Y. & Xu, J., 05.2021, In: Biology and Fertility of Soils. 57, 4, p. 533-546 14 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Effects of local neighbourhood diversity on crown structure and productivity of individual trees in mature mixed-species forests
Georgi, L., Kunz, M., Fichtner, A., Reich, K. F., Bienert, A., Maas, H.-G. & von Oheimb, G., 26.04.2021, In: Forest Ecosystems. 8, 1, 12 p., 26.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Key advantages of the leverage points perspective to shape human-nature relations
Riechers, M., Loos, J., Balázsi, Á., García-Llorente, M., Bieling, C., Burgos-Ayala, A., Chakroun, L., Mattijssen, T. J. M., Muhr, M. M., Pérez-Ramírez, I., Raatikainen, K. J., Rana, S., Richardson, M., Rosengren, L. & West, S., 25.04.2021, In: Ecosystems and People. 17, 1, p. 205-214 10 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
A review of fire effects across South American ecosystems: the role of climate and time since fire
Giorgis, M. A., Zeballos, S. R., Carbone, L., Zimmermann, H., von Wehrden, H., Aguilar, R., Ferreras, A. E., Tecco, P. A., Kowaljow, E., Barri, F., Gurvich, D. E., Villagra, P. & Jaureguiberry, P., 23.04.2021, In: Fire Ecology. 17, 1, 20 p., 11.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Corridors as a tool for linking habitats – Shortcomings and perspectives for plant conservation
Travers, E., Härdtle, W. & Matthies, D., 01.04.2021, In: Journal for Nature Conservation. 60, 125974.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Ecosystem services from forest and farmland: Present and past access separates beneficiaries in rural Ethiopia
Schultner, J., Dorresteijn, I., Manlosa, A. O., von Wehrden, H., Hylander, K., Senbeta, F. & Fischer, J., 01.04.2021, In: Ecosystem Services. 48, 101263.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Interactions between species richness, herbivory and precipitation affect standing biomass in Mongolian rangelands
Ahlborn, J., Wesche, K., Lang, B., Oyunbileg, M., Oyuntsetseg, B., Römermann, C., French Collier, N. & von Wehrden, H., 01.04.2021, In: Applied Vegetation Science. 24, 2, 12 p., e12581.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Plant intraspecific competition and growth stage alter carbon and nitrogen mineralization in the rhizosphere
Sun, Y., Zang, H., Splettstößer, T., Kumar, A., Xu, X., Kuzyakov, Y. & Pausch, J., 01.04.2021, In: Plant, Cell and Environment. 44, 4, p. 1231-1242 12 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Soil chemical legacies trigger species-specific and context-dependent root responses in later arriving plants
Delory, B. M., Schempp, H., Spachmann, S. M., Störzer, L., van Dam, N. M., Temperton, V. M. & Weinhold, A., 04.2021, In: Plant, Cell and Environment. 44, 4, p. 1215-1230 16 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Drivers and Barriers of Implementing Sustainability Curricula in Higher Education - Assumptions and Evidence
Weiß, M., Barth, M., Wiek, A. & Wehrden, H., 12.03.2021, In: Higher Education Studies. 11, 2, p. 42 - 64 23 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Transfer › peer-review
- Published
Tree species richness modulates water supply in the local tree neighbourhood: evidence from wood δ13C signatures in a large-scale forest experiment
Jansen, K., von Oheimb, G., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W. & Fichtner, A., 10.03.2021, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B . 288, 1946, 8 p., 3100.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Seasonal and Spatial Detection of Pesticide Residues Under Various Weather Conditions of Agricultural Areas of the Kilombero Valley Ramsar Site, Tanzania
Materu, S. F., Heise, S. & Urban, B., 09.03.2021, In: Frontiers in Environmental Science. 9, 16 p., 599814.Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research
- Published
The concept of resilience in recent sustainability research
Nüchter, V., Abson, D. J., von Wehrden, H. & Engler, J. O., 01.03.2021, In: Sustainability. 13, 5, p. 1-21 21 p., 2735.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Similar yield benefits of hybrid, conventional, and organic tomato and sweet pepper varieties under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions
Ficiciyan, A. M., Loos, J. & Tscharntke, T., 19.02.2021, In: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 5, 11 p., 628537.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review