School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
Organisation profile
Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.
Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.
Main research areas
Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.
Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.
Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.
We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.
Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.
Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.
With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.
Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses
In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.
- Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Learning from Indigenous Populations and Local Communities
Molnár, Z., Doormann, L., Reyes-García, V., Martín-López, B., Berkes, F. & Bodin, Ö., 20.09.2019, In: One Earth. 1, 1, p. 16-17 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Living on the edge: Rapid assessment of the mammal community in a coffee forest in south-western Ethiopia
Rodrigues, P., Dorresteijn, I., Senbeta, F. & Fischer, J., 06.2019, In: African Journal of Ecology. 57, 2, p. 279-285 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable
604 signatories, Kehoe, L., Reis, T., Virah-Sawmy, M., Balmford, A., Kuemmerle, T., Knohl, A., Antonelli, A., Hochkirch, A., Vira, B., Massa, B., Peres, C. A., Ammer, C., Görg, C., Schneider, C., Curtis, D., de la Peña, E., Tello, E., Sperfeld, E., Corbera, E., Morelli, F., Valladares, F., Peterson, G., Hide, G., Mace, G., Kallis, G., Olsson, G. A., Brumelis, G., Alexanderson, H., Haberl, H., Nuissl, H., Kreft, H., Ghazoul, J., Piotrowski, J. A., Macdiarmid, J., Newig, J., Fischer, J., Altringham, J., Gledhill, J., Nielsen, J., Müller, J., Palmeirim, J., Barlow, J., Alonso, J. C., Asencio, J. J. P., Steinberger, J. K., Jones, J. P. G., Cotta, B., Leonhardt, S. D., Wanger, T. C. & Coenen, J., 26.04.2019, In: Science. 364, 6438, p. 341 1 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Managing invasive species amidst high uncertainty and novelty
Larson, B. M. H., Kueffer, C., the ZiF Working Group on Ecological Novelty & Klein, A.-M., 05.2013, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 28, 5, p. 255-256 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Nachhaltige Wissenschaft in der akademischen Ausbildung: Das Programm einer transformativen Bildung an NaWis-Institutionen
Chrubasik, N., Ernst, A., Lang, D. J., Schneidewind, U., Simon, K.-H., Singer-Brodowski, M. & Vilsmaier, U., 06.2013, In: GAIA. 22, 2, p. 132-134 3 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement auf dem Vormarsch: Corporate Sustainability Barometer
Harms, D., Schaltegger, S. & Windolph, S. E., 26.11.2010, In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften. 24, 4, p. 10 1 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Nachhaltigkeit - zentrales Element des Lüneburger Studienprogramms
Michelsen, G., 06.2012, In: GAIA. 21, 2, p. 150-151 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Nachhaltig wachsen: Was macht grüne Unternehmen groß und stark?
Petersen, H., 01.05.2005, In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften. 20, 2, p. 15-16 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Neighbourhood Species Richness Reduces Crown Asymmetry of Subtropical Trees in Sloping Terrain
Perles García, M. D., Kunz, M., Fichtner, A., Meyer, N., Härdtle, W. & von Oheimb, G., 16.03.2022, In: Remote Sensing. 14, 6, 14 p., 1441.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Nuclear accidents call for transdisciplinary nuclear energy research
Gralla, F., Abson, D., Møller, A. P., Lang, D. J., Vilsmaier, U., Sovacool, B. K. & von Wehrden, H., 01.2015, In: Sustainability Science. 10, 1, p. 179-183 5 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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One planet: one health. A call to support the initiative on a global science–policy body on chemicals and waste
Brack, W., Barcelo Culleres, D., Boxall, A. B. A., Budzinski, H., Castiglioni, S., Covaci, A., Dulio, V., Escher, B. I., Fantke, P., Kandie, F., Fatta-Kassinos, D., Hernández, F. J., Hilscherová, K., Hollender, J., Hollert, H., Jahnke, A., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B., Khan, S. J., Kortenkamp, A., Kümmerer, K., Lalonde, B., Lamoree, M. H., Levi, Y., Lara Martín, P. A., Montagner, C. C., Mougin, C., Msagati, T., Oehlmann, J., Posthuma, L., Reid, M., Reinhard, M., Richardson, S. D., Rostkowski, P., Schymanski, E., Schneider, F., Slobodnik, J., Shibata, Y., Snyder, S. A., Fabriz Sodré, F., Teodorovic, I., Thomas, K. V., Umbuzeiro, G. A., Viet, P. H., Yew-Hoong, K. G., Zhang, X. & Zuccato, E., 01.12.2022, In: Environmental Sciences Europe. 34, 1, 10 p., 21.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Peer group influences on fifth graders' reading motivation
von Salisch, M., Philipp, M. & Gölitz, D., 01.06.2008, In: International Journal of Psychology. 43, 3-4, p. 214 1 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Pro & Contra: Kernenergie: Pro: Wichtig gegen den Klimawandel — Contra: Energiewende statt Atomkraft
von Weizsäcker, C. C. & Kemfert, C., 11.2022, In: Wirtschaftsdienst. 102, 11, p. 814-815 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Protokoll der 73. Jahresversammlung am 26. Juli 2024 in Oldenburg
Horn, K. & Härdtle, W., 2024, In: Tuexenia. 44, p. 375-377 3 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Reallabor versus Realexperiment: Was macht den Unterschied?
Parodi, O., Ober, S., Lang, D. J. & Albiez, M., 26.08.2024, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 33, 2, p. 216-221 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen der Verklappung von Ladungsrückständen fester Massengüter durch Seeschiffe
Schatz, V. & Wanner, L., 01.05.2023, In: Natur und Recht. 45, 5, p. 306-314 9 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Recommendations for evaluating temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants in breast milk
Gyalpo, T., Scheringer, M. & Hungerbühler, K., 01.07.2016, In: Environmental Health Perspectives. 124, 7, p. 881-885 5 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Recommendations for the evaluation of transdisciplinary research
Loibl, M. C., 01.11.2005, In: GAIA. 14, 4, p. 351-353 3 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Reduction of the Microbial Load of Digestate by the Cultivation of Galdieria sulphuraria Under Acidic Conditions
Pleissner, D. & Händel, N., 08.2023, In: Waste and Biomass Valorization. 14, 8, p. 2621-2627 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Reining in rascal geographies of neoliberalism in the periphery?
Challies, E., 07.2014, In: Dialogues in Human Geography. 4, 2, p. 131-136 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Reply to: Plant traits alone are good predictors of ecosystem properties when used carefully
van der Plas, F., Schröder-Georgi, T., Weigelt, A., Barry, K., Meyer, S., Alzate, A., Barnard, R. L., Buchmann, N., de Kroon, H., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Engels, C., Fischer, M., Gleixner, G., Hildebrandt, A., Koller-France, E., Leimer, S., Milcu, A., Mommer, L., Niklaus, P. A., Oelmann, Y., Roscher, C., Scherber, C., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Scheu, S., Schmid, B., Schulze, E. D., Temperton, V., Tscharntke, T., Voigt, W., Weisser, W., Wilcke, W. & Wirth, C., 03.2023, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 7, 3, p. 335-336 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Repurposing chemical waste: Sustainable chemistry for circularity beyond artificial intelligence
Zuin, V. G. & Kümmerer, K., 21.07.2022, In: Cell. 185, 15, p. 2655-2656 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Response to comment on "In situ air-water and particle-water partitioning of perfluorocarboxylic acids, perfluorosulfonic acids and perfluorooctyl sulfonamide at a wastewater treatment plant"
Vierke, L., Ahrens, L., Shoeib, M., Palm, W.-U., Webster, E. M., Ellis, D. A. F., Ebinghaus, R. & Harner, T. J., 11.2013, In: Chemosphere. 93, 9, p. 2207-2207 1 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Response to Turnhout et al.’s rethinking biodiversity: From goods and services to “living with”
Abson, D. & Hanspach, J., 05.2014, In: Conservation Letters. 7, 3, p. 334-335 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Revisiting Renewable Energies: Liberating, Pacifying, and Democratizing
Schaltegger, S., Linnenluecke, M. K., Dijkstra-Silva, S. & Christ, K. L., 07.2024, In: Business and Society. 63, 6, p. 1295-1301 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Root biology never sleeps: 11th Symposium of the International Society of Root Research (ISRR11) and the 9th International Symposium on Root Development (Rooting2021), 24-28 May 2021
Carley, C. N., Chen, G., Das, K. K., Delory, B. M., Dimitrova, A., Ding, Y., George, A. P., Greeley, L. A., Han, Q., Hendriks, P. W., Hernandez-Soriano, M. C., Li, M., Ng, J. L. P., Mau, L., Mesa-Marín, J., Miller, A. J., Rae, A. E., Schmidt, J., Thies, A., Topp, C. N., Wacker, T. S., Wang, P., Wang, X., Xie, L. & Zheng, C., 01.09.2022, In: The New phytologist. 235, 6, p. 2149-2154 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Science Communication as a Collective Intelligence Endeavor: A Manifesto and Examples for Implementation
Holford, D., Fasce, A., Wulf, M., Kause, A., Tapper, K., Demko, M., Lewandowski, S., Hahn, U., Abels, C. M., Ahmed, A.-R., Sameer, A., Boender, S. T., Bruns, H., Fischer, H., Gilde, C., Hanel, P. H. P., Herzog, S. M., Lehmann, S., Nurse, M. S., Orr, C., Pescetelli, N., Petrescu, M., Sa, S., Schmid, P., Sirota, M. & Wulf, M., 08.2023, In: Science Communication. 45, 4, p. 539-554 16 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Second comment on 'The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions'
Pedersen, R. L. & Lam, D. P. M., 13.06.2018, In: Environmental Research Letters. 13, 6, 5 p., 068001.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Stellungnahme zu Walentowski H. et al. 2010. Sind die deutschen waldnaturschutzkonzepte adäquat für die erhaltung der buchenwaldtypischen flora und fauna? Eine kritische bewertung basierend auf der herkunft der waldarten des mitteleuropäischen Tief- und hügellandes. Forstarchiv 81, 195-217
Meyer, P., Schmidt, M., Blick, T., Brunet, J., Dorow, W. H. O., Hakes, W., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hertel, D., Knapp, H. D., Leuschner, C., Oheimb, G., Otte, V. & Schmidt, W., 03.2011, In: Forstarchiv. 82, 2, p. 62-66 5 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Sufficiency as a "Strategy of the Enough": Curbing ecological crises and injustices. A summary of the German Advisory Council on the Environment's discussion paper
Michaelis, J., Vogel, B., Strunz, S., Lucht, W., Dahms, H., Dornack, C., Geissler, A., Hertin, J., Hoffart, F., Kemfert, C., Klein, M., Köck, W., Lage, J., Marquard, E., Schmalz, S., Settele, J., Sommer, B., Weiss, S. & Wiegand, S., 29.10.2024, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 33, 3, p. 275-281 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Sustainability economics - General versus specific, and conceptual versus practical
Baumgärtner, S. & Quaas, M., 15.09.2010, In: Ecological Economics. 69, 11, p. 2056-2059 4 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Systematic distributions of interaction strengths across tree interaction networks yield positive diversity–productivity relationships
Yu, W., Albert, G., Rosenbaum, B., Schnabel, F., Bruelheide, H., Connolly, J., Härdtle, W., von Oheimb, G., Trogisch, S., Rüger, N. & Brose, U., 01.2024, In: Ecology Letters. 27, 1, 11 p., e14338.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Tagungsbericht: Energie-Konferenz - Standortnachteil Deutschland: Sind die Industriestrompreise in Deutschland missbräuchlich überhöht?
Guerra González, J., 01.03.2011, In: Natur und Recht. 33, 3, p. 199-200 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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The coronavirus pandemic as an analogy for future sustainability challenges
Engler, J.-O., Abson, D. & Wehrden, H., 01.01.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 1, p. 317-319 3 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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The elephant in the room: How do we regulate gas transportation infrastructure as gas demand declines?
Rosenow, J., Lowes, R. & Kemfert, C., 19.07.2024, In: One Earth. 7, 7, p. 1158-1161 4 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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The Future We Want: A Global Expert Discussion on the Future of Rio+20 Efforts on Higher Education
Rowland, P., Carteron, J., Denby, L., Klepper, A., Mader, C., Sjerps-Jones, H., Smith, K. & Tilbury, D., 01.02.2013, In: Sustainability: The Journal of Record. 6, 1, p. 42-47 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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The madrid statement on poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)
Blum, A., Balan, S. A., Scheringer, M., Trier, X., Goldenman, G., Cousins, I. T., Diamond, M., Fletcher, T., Higgins, C., Lindeman, A. E., Peaslee, G., Voogt, P. D., Wang, Z. & Weber, R., 01.05.2015, In: Environmental Health Perspectives. 123, 5, p. A107-A111 5 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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The role of emerging scientists in restoration ecology: insights from a SER2023 conference workshop
Weidlich, E. W. A., Amaral, V., Lengefeld, E., Reis, B. P., Garbowski, M., Martelli, E., Moraes, L. F. D. & Murphy, S. D., 03.2025, In: Restoration Ecology. 33, 3, 5 p., e14318.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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The self-sabotage of conservation: Reply to Manfredo et al.
Ives, C. D. & Fischer, J., 06.12.2017, In: Conservation Biology. 31, 6, p. 1483 - 1485 3 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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The urgent need for designing greener drugs
Brodin, T., Bertram, M. G., Arnold, K. E., Boxall, A. B. A., Brooks, B. W., Cerveny, D., Jörg, M., Kidd, K. A., Lertxundi, U., Martin, J. M., May, L. T., McCallum, E. S., Michelangeli, M., Tyler, C. R., Wong, B. B. M., Kümmerer, K. & Orive, G., 08.2024, In: Nature Sustainability. 7, 8, p. 949-951 3 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Thinking beyond Western commercial honeybee hives: towards improved conservation of honey bee diversity
Matias, D. M. S., Borgemeister, C. & von Wehrden, H., 01.12.2017, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 26, 14, p. 3499 - 3504 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Towards a global understanding of tree mortality
International Tree Mortality Network, Senf, C., Esquivel-Muelbert, A., Pugh, T. A. M. & Klipel, J., 03.2025, In: New Phytologist. 245, 6, p. 2377-2392 16 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Towards more sustainable curricula
Zuin, V. G. & Kümmerer, K., 01.02.2021, In: Nature Reviews Chemistry. 5, 2, p. 76-77 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Trace Metal Dynamics in Floodplain Soils of the River Elbe: A Review (vol 38, pg 1349): A review
Schulz-Zunke, C. & Krueger, F., 03.2013, In: Journal of Environmental Quality. 42, 2, p. 622-622 1 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Transdisziplinäre Forschung mit transformativem Anspruch Zehn Jahre NaWis: Rückblick und Vorausschau
Lang, D. J., Renn, O., Rehm, A. & Ernst, A., 25.03.2021, In: GAIA. 30, 1, p. 51-53 3 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Tree diversity increases forest temperature buffering via enhancing canopy density and structural diversity
Schnabel, F., Beugnon, R., Yang, B., Richter, R., Eisenhauer, N., Huang, Y., Liu, X., Wirth, C., Cesarz, S., Fichtner, A., Perles-García, M. D., Hähn, G., Härdtle, W., Kunz, M., Castro-Izaguirre, N., Niklaus, P. A., von Oheimb, G., Schmid, B., Trogisch, S., Wendisch, M., Ma, K. & Bruelheide, H., 01.03.2025, In: Ecology Letters. 28, 3, p. 1-11 11 p., e70096.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Virtual participatory mapping of nature-based solutions in the Grande de Tárcoles River basin, Costa Rica: Connecting diverse knowledge systems in a context of physical immobility
Schröter, B., Gottwald, S., Castro-Arce, K., Hartkopf, E., Aguilar-González, B. & Albert, C., 10.05.2023, In: Science of the Total Environment. 872, 162195.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Wasserstoff: Grün und effizient!
Kemfert, C., 01.12.2020, In: Wirtschaftsdienst. 100, 12, p. 906 1 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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We have to talk! Claims of early career researchers to transform circular economy research
Beyeler, L., Eimterbäumer, M., Jürgens, M., Böckel, A., Schoch, K., Bichler, R. M., Straub-Mück, M., Molnár, M. & Jaeger-Erben, M., 07.2025, In: Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 221, 3 p., 108423.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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We Need Qualitative Progress to Address the Food-Biodiversity Nexus: A Reply to Seppelt et al.
Fischer, J., Abson, D. J., Bergsten, A., Collier, N. F., Dorresteijn, I., Hanspach, J., Hylander, K., Schultner, J. & Senbeta, F., 09.2017, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 32, 9, p. 632-633 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research