Adaptation and Climate (Project Area C, Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BIK-F)
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In July 2008, the Hessen State Initiative to Support Scientific and Economic Excellence (LOEWE) established a new interdisciplinary research center- The Biodiversity and Climate Research Center - BiK-F in Frankfurt am Main. The scientific concept of the research center possesses a matrix structure with time-process axis and a spatial axis. On the time-process axis is a large scale (Evolution and climate), medium scale (biodiversity dynamics and climate) and small scale processes (adaptation and climate) were examined. On the spatial axis marine and terrestrial systems are available in the form of tropical / subtropical, temperate and alpine / polar climates. This scientific concept was implemented into six research areas (project areas), covering a total of 25 project groups. One of these project areas is concerned with adaptation and climate. Within this project area C, the following projects can be found:
Objectives:
How do species and communities respond to impending climate change? To answer this question, the Project Area C investigated mainly processes that occur as a result of ecological and ecophysiological adaptations (Akklimatisationen) or can be caused by rapid genetic selection within a few generations. Studies, both in the terrestrial environment (examples mainly of forests and soil) and in the aquatic environments (lakes, rivers, marine plankton) were conducted.
Key factors in the future due to climate change in terrestrial ecosystems will be increased temperature and increased drought, in aquatic ecosystems it will be an increase in temperature and changes in the water regime. For both groups ecosystems were also examined as to how climate change works in combination with other stressors (eg, environmental chemicals, invasive species). A central question is whether and how the upcoming climate changes are evolutionarily compensated in a reasonable time (decades to centuries) of species and communities.
Methodical field analysis, laboratory experiments and semi-field analysis (mesocosm experiments) were used. Here, on the one hand, biologically and genetically well-known model species were studied (eg species of Quercus, Panicum, Daphnia, Chironomus), on the other hand were selected major taxonomic units (eg Calanoidea, Coleoptera) and communities (eg forest insects, soil organisms).
Specific questions include
South Hessian Rhine river plain ("Forest of the future")
Small-scale geographical classification of natural landscapes: Rüsselsheim, Lampertsheim ("Forest of the future")
It will explore climate change impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (forest management, water)
involved: Specifically for the project "The Forest of the Future": Hessen-Forst, the Northwest German Forest Research Institute (NW-FVA, Göttingen), the Hessian State Office for Environment and Geology (HLUG, Wiesbaden), the ECT Ecotoxicology GmbH (Florsheim), the city Rüsselsheim and other partners
involved: Specifically for the project "The Forest of the Future": Hessen-Forst, the Northwest German Forest Research Institute (NW-FVA, Göttingen), the Hessian State Office for Environment and Geology (HLUG, Wiesbaden), the ECT Ecotoxicology GmbH (Florsheim), the city Rüsselsheim and other partners
J. W. Goethe - Universität Frankfurt
Biologie-Campus, Haus A
Siesmayerstrasse 70-72
60323 Frankfurt am Main