Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research

Full success: Public lecture with Stefan Rahmstorf

The Scientists4Future Community Bayreuth invited to the public lecture of Prof. Dr. Stefan Rahmstorf on January 11, 2023: "The climate crisis between doomers and skeptics: What does science say?" given in German language. The event was well attended, the Audimax was packed, and the subsequent "Get together" with the various local climate and environmental initiatives was used by many people for networking. Read the advance interview with the climate scientist on "ubt aktuell" and find the video record and a photo galery on the S4F website:

University of Bayeuth brings together expertise on the topic of soil (5th of December 2022)

The researchers at the University of Bayreuth are bringing together knowledge about soil in a unique way. They want to sensitise the public to the topic of soil health on World Soil Day on 5 December.

BayCenSI: Opening ceremony on 1 December 2022

On 1 December, the ceremonial opening of BayCenSI, the new Center for Stable Isotope Research in Ecology and Biogeochemistry at the University of Bayreuth, will take place as part of the BayCEER Colloquium at 12.15 pm in lecture hall H8 (GEO building). In addition to the presentation of the BayCenSI by laboratory director Dr. Alexander Frank and BayCenSi director Prof. Dr. Johanna Pausch, there were also words of welcome from the Chancellor of the University of Bayreuth, Dr. Nicole Kaiser, and BayCEER director Prof. Dr. Stefan Peiffer, framed by a musical programme. The subsequent festive reception provided space for exchange between those present.

Forum Waldkontroversen 2022 diskutierte Hoffnungsträger Holz

Das vierte Forum Waldkontroversen fand am 11./12. November mit rund 120 Gästen an der Universität Bayreuth statt. Neben Interessierten aus Forst, Naturschutz und Forschung waren diesmal auch Fachleute aus Holzverarbeitung und Architektur mit im Boot, denn Thema war der "Hoffnungsträger Holz".

Carnivorous plants change their diet: traps as toilet bowls

In tropical mountains, the number of insects declines with increasing altitude. This intensifies in high altitudes competition between plant species that specialize in catching insects as an important source of nutrients. How creatively some of these plant species have reacted to this situation is shown by an international research team with Prof. Dr. Gerhard Gebauer from the University of Bayreuth in the "Annals of Botany". In mountain regions on Borneo, some species of the pitcher plant Nepenthes have changed their diet: With their traps, which originally served to capture insects, they catch the excrement of mammals and are thus even better supplied with nutrients than before.

Young scientist at the University of Bayreuth featured as "Highly Cited Researcher 2022”

Dr. Martin Löder, environmental researcher at the University of Bayreuth, has been featured as a "Highly cited researcher 2022" by the U.S. company Clarivate. This is shown by the ranking "Highly cited researchers 2022" published by the US company Clarivate. The internationally renowned ranking identifies those researchers whose scientific publications from the period 2011 to 2021 are cited most frequently to date. The Bayreuth scientist is a member of the Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER) and the DFG Collaborative Research Center 1357 "Microplastics" at the University of Bayreuth. Here he has been teaching and researching at the Chair of Animal Ecology I since 2014.

Microplastics in human tissue samples: International study warns against drawing premature conclusions

The distribution of microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment, the potential of human exposure and particle uptake, and the absorption of these particles into tissues are topics that are being intensively researched worldwide. An international research group of the EU project "PlasticsFatE" under the leadership of Prof. Dr Christian Laforsch at the University of Bayreuth has evaluated international research literature on these issues. The results presented in the journal "NanoImpact" show: Concerning the risks for humans, the evidence is less certain than the broad spectrum of publications might suggest.