Fight for biodiversity: New research strengthens climate protection!

Fight for biodiversity: New research strengthens climate protection!

On April 1, 2025, the German Research Foundation (DFG) funded the “RESPECT” research group on biodiversity, land use and climate change with around 1.5 million euros for two more years. This initiative, which has been in existence for six years, is dedicated to studying the responses of species-rich habitats to changing environmental conditions, particularly in the tropical rainforests of Ecuador. The research group is coordinated by the Philipps University of Marburg and aims to develop options for sustainable ecosystem management. These findings are particularly relevant because the mountain rainforests and dry forests of South America are strongly affected by climate and land use change. 

Prof. Dr. Gert Bange, Vice President for Research at the Philipps University of Marburg, emphasizes the urgency of this research. The changes in these biodiversity hotspots not only influence the species-rich flora and fauna, but also have feedback effects on the atmosphere. RESPECT spokesperson Prof. Dr. Nina Farwig highlights the challenges that climate change poses to these fragile ecosystems and the need to better understand these effects.

The role of biodiversity in climate change

Biodiversity, i.e. the diversity of life in its various forms, plays a crucial role in the stability of our natural resources. It includes genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. But this diversity is increasingly threatened by human activities, particularly climate change, which is forcing ecosystems to adapt, often without ensuring their full functionality. In these contexts, the need to save biodiversity becomes increasingly clear, as it is essential for ecological services that secure our lifestyle. These include, for example, food security, the regulation of the water balance and the stability of the microclimate.

A report from the Federal Environment Agency describes the close interactions between climate protection and biodiversity protection and calls for these synergies to be taken into account in the management of terrestrial ecosystems. It should be noted that resilient, species-rich grassland areas actively contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change, such as drought events, and at the same time act as CO₂ storage.

Sustainable approaches to research

The RESPECT research group uses a trait-based approach known as Response Effect Framework (REF) and integrates land surface models (LSM) to predict ecosystem resilience to environmental change. In the current funding phase, specialist knowledge, collected data on hydroclimatic dynamics and ecosystem properties are being consolidated in order to further deepen hypotheses on ecosystem resistance. This is made possible through collaborations with several universities and research centers.

Climate change not only represents an enormous challenge for biodiversity, but also poses health risks. New species, such as the ragweed and the tiger mosquito, can potentially offer transmission routes for diseases that were previously unknown in our latitudes. To counteract this, nature conservation strategies must be further developed to effectively secure habitats while mitigating the effects of climate change.

Overall, it is clear that the conservation of biodiversity not only serves to protect species, but also makes a decisive contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, particularly through the protection of forests and moors. The need to better coordinate conservation measures was also highlighted in the findings of COP 9, where linking climate action and biodiversity protection is seen as essential.

These ongoing research advances are essential to developing sustainable solutions to the challenges of climate change and preserving biodiversity in times of rapid change.

The initiative highlights the urgent need for closer links between the disciplines of climate change and biodiversity conservation to promote a sustainable balance between human needs and the health of our ecosystems. Sustainable ecosystem management could ultimately be the key to tackling tomorrow's environmental problems.

For more information on the effects of climate change on biodiversity see here. The Federal Environment Agency has also published a detailed analysis of the interactions between climate and biodiversity protection, which you here can read. You can find out more about the projects at the Philipps University of Marburg here.