Fascinating fauna: Discover the University of Trier’s biodiversity project!

Fascinating fauna: Discover the University of Trier’s biodiversity project!

The University of Trier is launching a remarkable initiative aimed at promoting awareness of local biodiversity. Students and interested parties have the opportunity to discover fish, toads and newts from regional waters. This presentation takes place as part of a special exhibition organized by the University of Trier is organized.

In the university's aquarium and aquaterrarium, visitors can experience the fascinating fauna from the Moselle, Ruwer and Sauer. Many of these fish species are not rare, but unknown to the general public. Professor Dr. Henrik Krehenwinkel, a leading expert in biogeography, launched this initiative. The exhibition not only serves as information, but also as teaching material for students. The animals are looked after daily by Professor Krehenwinkel and student assistants.

Diverse options for those interested

Visits to the aquarium and aquaterrarium are open not only to the university community but also to external visitors. The doors are open Monday to Friday. A visit will be particularly exciting during the summer months, when the males shine in bright colors during the spawning season.

In addition to this exhibition, comprehensive biomonitoring will begin on campus in the summer semester. Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Krehenwinkel students will work on recording and analyzing biodiversity in the university ponds and the entire site. The aim is to develop concrete measures to increase biodiversity.

Legal framework and innovation in biodiversity monitoring

Biodiversity monitoring in Germany is subject to legal requirements in accordance with Section 6 Paragraph 2 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatschG). It is the responsibility of both federal and state authorities to define the monitoring and reporting obligations on biodiversity. How the monitoring center As explained, this is a continuously changing field that brings with it new challenges and developments.

The establishment of innovative methods, such as remote sensing or metabarcoding, are part of these developments and show how important new technologies are for data collection. The aim of these initiatives is to bring together and network various actors and activities in biodiversity monitoring in the long term. This is particularly relevant given the challenges posed by climate change and other environmental factors.

For further information about the initiative and the Research Center for Biodiversity Monitoring at the University of Trier, we recommend taking a look at the website Leibniz Center for Biodiversity Monitoring and Nature Conservation Research.