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THE BIOCENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WÜRZBURG

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Radar can be used to survey the diversity of species in forests. The picture shows a complex mixed mountain forest.

With freely available radar data from satellites, biodiversity in forests can be analysed very well. In Nature Communications, researchers report that biodiversity even of tiny insects can be reliably modelled from space.

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A pantaloon bee with pollen baskets visiting blue weed: multiple bee species contribute to pollination services in agricultural landscapes.

Around 20 percent of the world's agricultural areas yields less than it did 20 years ago. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO, humans are the culprit: we have not done enough to protect biodiversity.

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Pflanzen schützen sich vor Pilzen und anderen Krankheitserregern (Pathogenen), indem sie ihre Stomata verschließen.

Using special receptors, plants recognize when they are at risk of fungal infection. This new finding could help cultivate resistant crops and reduce pesticide usage.

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Spruces killed by bark beetles in the Bavarian Forest National Park

Removing dead trees from the forests and reforesting on a large scale: this is the German Federal Government's strategy against "Forest Dieback 2.0". Ecologists from the University of Würzburg call for other solutions.

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A spider’s web together with the molecular structure of the investigated domain

Scientists from the University of Würzburg have discovered that spider silk contains an exceptional protein. It generates high bonding strength by making use of an amino acid scientists have hitherto paid little attention to.

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A solitary bee leaves an artificial nest. The individual breeding chambers are separated and each contains only one larva. This prevents direct contact with sisters or mothers.

More than 90 percent of all bee species are not organized in colonies, but fight their way through life alone. They are also threatened. Scientists from Würzburg demand more research on the ecology of these insects.

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Gas exchange through the stomata: Carbon dioxide is taken in; at the same time a hundred water molecules (H2O) escape for each CO2 molecule that is taken up.

Plants face a dilemma in dry conditions: they have to seal themselves off to prevent losing too much water but this also limits their uptake of carbon dioxide. A sensory network assures that the plant strikes the right balance.

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Three examples of the animal species filmed at Kilimanjaro (from left): an Abbott’s duiker, a blue monkey and a black serval.

Numerous large mammals have been documented with video traps on Mount Kilimanjaro by a research group of Würzburg University. The protected areas of the mountain are of tremendous importance for the biodiversity of this animal group.

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Epichloë hypha between plant cells.

Stories of mass poisoning incidents of livestock due to toxic grasses made headlines especially overseas. Animal ecologists from Würzburg have studied whether this hazard is also lurking on German pastures.

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Global warming can disrupt the mutualistic interactions of plants and pollinators as in the case of the European orchard bee, the red mason bee and the pasque flower.

Plants rely on bees for pollination; bees need plants to supply nectar and pollen. Scientists from the University of Würzburg have studied how climate change affects these mutualistic interactions.

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Venus flytrap

Venus flytraps are capable of detecting the movements of even the smallest insects. This mechanism protects the plant against starving from hyperactivity as a new study conducted by scientists from Würzburg and Cambridge reveals.

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The European spruce bark beetle

Bark beetles are currently responsible for killing an unprecedented number of trees in forests across Europe and North America. Researchers are therefore urging to step up research into bark beetles – also in view of climate change.

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A ball-rolling dung beetle (Photo: Chris Collingridge)

When the South African dung beetle rolls its dung ball through the savannah, it must know the way as precisely as possible. Scientists have now discovered that it does not orient itself solely on the position of the sun.

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Cells divide after activation of YAP (green staining) – but only if the MMB protein complex is intact. Image: AG Gaubatz

When two proteins work together, this worsens the prognosis for lung cancer patients: their chances of survival are particularly poor in this case.

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The activity of the TPC1 ion channel in the vacuole membrane (yellow) is essential for the excitability of the vacuole. On the left is a plant cell, in the middle the vacuole with chloroplasts (red) and a 3D reconstruction of the TPC1 crystal structure.

Researchers have filled two knowledge gaps: The vacuoles of plant cells can be excited and the TPC1 ion channel is involved in this process. The function of this channel, which is also found in humans, has been a mystery so far.

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