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THE BIOCENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WÜRZBURG

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JMU's Main building. (Photo: Daniel Peter)

The University of Würzburg ranks among the top contributors to "Nature" journals: It's among the 100 highest performing institutions worldwide and among the top four in Germany. The University also belongs to a leading group in the U-Multirank.

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Microscopic colour image showing cells with normal (green dots) and abnormal (yellow dots) stress granules. (Photo: Buchberger team)

When cells become stressed, they activate specific response patterns. Würzburg researchers have identified new details of these responses, which can help to get a better understanding of neurodegenerative diseases.

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The ground beetle Copper Greenclock (Poecilus cupreus). (photo: Fabian Bötzl)

A high abundance of flowering grasslands in agricultural landscapes is beneficial: These grasslands provide shelter for predatory beetles and spiders and help farmers control pests.

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Ants do not always take the shortest route when they are in a hurry. Their navigational system occasionally makes them take detours to speed up their journey.

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The effects of climate change are felt especially in the Alps. How capable are insects, which are important pollinators, of adjusting to this development? A new junior research group is looking into this question.

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Processes in a leaf pore (stoma) of grasses. When the leaves open and close, a shuttle service takes ions to and fro between guard cells and subsidiary cells. (Picture: Dietmar Geiger)

Cereal is much more drought-tolerant than other plants. Researchers from Würzburg have now found out why that is so. Their insight could help breed crops that are more resistant to drought.

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Desert ants (Cataglyphis) at the nest entrance.

Desert ants use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation, a new study has found which was conducted by scientists of the University of Würzburg. This provides ants the cue to find their way back to the nest.

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Picture: Silk proteins undergo phase and structural transitions in a spider’s spinning gland before they form a solid fibre used to build a web.

Web spiders produce silk threads that are, based on their mass, stronger than steel and at the same time much more elastic. These remarkable properties raise the interest of engineers and basic researchers.

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A honeybee on a cornflower

Scientists from the University of Würzburg have investigated the impact of a new pesticide on the honeybee. In high doses, it has a negative impact on the insects' taste and cognition ability.

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Salvage logging in the Bavarian Forest National Park

An increasing proportion of the world's protected forests are subject to extensive logging activities. The practice is called "salvage logging" and allegedly aims to protect e.g. areas of windthrow against bark beetle infestation. However, a Würzburg study has found that this instrument is used far too often.

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Plants whose direction of growth is switched from vertical to horizontal

The hormone auxin is a key regulator of plant growth and development. But how it sets these processes in motion has been unclear. Scientists from the University of Würzburg have now uncovered central details.

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Diversity illustration

Crop variety in agriculture has a positive impact on the natural enemies of aphids. Farmers can use this insight to keep aphids at bay and cut down on pesticides.

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