Archive

Erik Frank, Anton Freund, Mona Garvert and Christof Weiß receive the Baldwin and Inge Knauf Sponsorship Awards 2026, each endowed with 50,000 euros, for outstanding achievements.

When oak trees are heavily damaged by caterpillars, they open buds later the following spring. An international research team has shown that this strategy is highly effective against their predators.

Leaf-cutter ants are considered a problem by cacao farmers in Peru. However, the damage they cause can be limited. This is shown by a new study from the University of Würzburg.

How can forest changes be recognised at an early stage and informed decisions made for climate-resilient forests? This question has been addressed by a project that is now providing an app for forest monitoring.

Drought significantly reduces the reproductive success of bumblebee colonies. This is shown by a new study conducted by a research team at the University of Würzburg. This also has consequences for plant pollination.

A large-scale experiment shows that warmth brings bees and wasps out of hibernation earlier – leaving some of them with poorer starting conditions. This is particularly true for species in cooler regions that emerge during spring.

Rainforest cleared for agriculture can regenerate: trees and animals return. This is shown by a new study published in “Nature”; researchers from the Würzburg Biocentre are involved.

A specific protein controls mRNA transport in fungi and distinguishes important from unimportant binding sites in the transported mRNAs. Researchers from Würzburg and Düsseldorf have discovered this mechanism.

A unique experiment tracks the evolution of plants in response to climate change - and defines the limits of adaptability. Researchers from the University of Würzburg are also involved.

Promoting diversity in commercial forests on the basis of ecological theories: This is the aim of a research group that has now been approved for further funding by the DFG. The group is headed by JMU forest ecologist Jörg Müller.

Rising temperatures are threatening dung beetle populations in the Amazon. The example shows a trend that could bring many insect species there to their heat threshold. Researchers from Würzburg and Bremen conducted the study.

Amazon mollies manage to maintain a healthy genome even without sexual reproduction. A new study, in which a team from the University of Würzburg was involved, shows which mechanisms are responsible for this.

Researchers at the University of Würzburg have identified a considerable number of wild bee species on the Hubland Campus. Some of the university's measures provide suitable habitats and thus promote biodiversity.

Villages can provide important habitats for insects. A new study by the University of Würzburg shows which areas in rural settlements are particularly rich in species – and where there is still room for improvement.

Up to half of the insects in the Amazon region could be exposed to life-threatening heat levels due to progressive, anthropogenic global warming. This is shown by a recent study by the universities of Würzburg and Bremen.