An intact natural environment is the basis for a healthy life. However, the majority of our habitats have been severely damaged by human influences such as changes in land use, environmental pollution, the spread of invasive species and climate change. At the Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Nature Conservation Science (zbm), our scientists are investigating the causes and consequences of the decline in biodiversity on meadows and fields, in moors, forests and heathland.
Search for drivers of species decline
They analyse the interactions between land use and plants and animals in scientific experiments, using new and automated methods for species detection and DNA metabarcoding. They use statistical models to read trends and identify the drivers of species decline. In doing so, they combine data from theory-based small-scale experiments with applications in agriculture and nature conservation at landscape level and incorporate research data from mineralogy and geology-palaeontology.
From knowledge to action
With proposed solutions for the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources, they enter into discussions with climate researchers, political stakeholders, NGOs and representatives of agricultural and environmental policy.
Prof. Dr. Christoph Scherber
- Head of Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring (zbm)
Phone: +49 228 9122 450
E-Mail: c.scherber@leibniz-lib.de
Sections | of 5
Center for Biodiversity Monitoring & Conservation Research (zbm)
Metabarcoding - Bonn
Center for Biodiversity Monitoring & Conservation Research (zbm)
Nature conservation ecology - Bonn
Center for Biodiversity Monitoring & Conservation Research (zbm)
Applied & Experimental Ecology - Bonn
Center for Biodiversity Monitoring & Conservation Research (zbm)
Geology-Palaeontology - Hamburg
Center for Biodiversity Monitoring & Conservation Research (zbm)
Mineralogy - Hamburg
Publications
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2025/12
Pesticides have negative effects on non-target organisms
Nature communications, 1, 16
2024/12
The Field Automatic Insect Recognition‐Device—A Non‐Lethal Semi‐Automatic Malaise Trap for Insect Biodiversity Monitoring: Proof of Concept
Ecology and Evolution, 12, 14
2024/12
Comparing and Transect Methods for Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment in Lakes and Ponds
Molecular Ecology resources
2024/7
Synchronised monitoring of plant and insect diversity: a case study using automated Malaise traps and DNA-based methods
Biodiversity Data Journal, 12
2024/4
Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture
Science, 6691, 384
2024/3
The FAIR-Device-a non-lethal and generalist semi-automatic Malaise trap for insect biodiversity monitoring: Proof of concept
bioRxiv
2024/3
Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity. (2024). 10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2024 (Version 1). Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
2024/0
Diversification mitigates pesticide but not microplastic effects on bees without compromising rapeseed yield in China
bioRxiv
2023/12
taxalogue: a toolkit to create comprehensive CO1 reference databases
11
2023/12
Species richness promotes plant productivity by suppressing plant antagonists
2023/11
Recommendations for effective insect conservation in nature protected areas based on a transdisciplinary project in Germany
1, 35
2023/7
Multispecies crop mixtures increase insect biodiversity in an intercropping experiment
3, 4
2023/6
Convergent patterns in multitrophic biodiversity effects on yield across ecosystems
11, 66
2023/4
Microhabitat conditions remedy heat stress effects on insect activity
13, 29
2023/3
The impact of pesticides on non-target organisms
2023/1
Metabarcoding of trap nests reveals differential impact of urbanization on cavity‐nesting bee and wasp communities
23, 32
2023/0
Trophic interactions affecting biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships
2022/12
Improving insect conservation management through insect monitoring and stakeholder involvement
2, 32
2022/12
Agroecology – Reconciling biodiversity and production in farming systems
65
2022/11
Plant genetic diversity affects multiple trophic levels and trophic interactions
Nature communications, 1, 13
2022/11
The lipidome of an omnivorous insect responds to diet composition and social environment
11, 12
2022/6
Intercropping drives plant phenotypic plasticity and changes in functional trait space
Basic and applied ecology, 61
2022/3
Towards a multisensor station for automated biodiversity monitoring
Basic and applied ecology, 59
2022/1
A universal insect trait tool (ITT, v1.0) for statistical analysis and evaluation of biodiversity research data
2022/0
Analyzing Bird and Bat Activity in Agricultural Environments using AI-driven Audio Monitoring
2022/0
Understanding and monitoring chemical and biological soil degradation
Advances in understanding soil degradation
2021/10
Who is the culprit: Is pest infestation responsible for crop yield losses close to semi‐natural habitats?
Ecology and Evolution, 19, 11
2021/10
Crop diversity effects on temporal agricultural production stability across European regions
Regional Environmental Change, 96, 21
2021/8
Functional trait dimensions of trophic metacommunities
Ecography, 10, 44
2021/6
Intercropping in high input agriculture supports arthropod diversity without risking significant yield losses
Basic and applied ecology, 53