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The research focus of the Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity encompasses the interrelations between organisms and their environment, the compilation and explanation of organismic diversity as well as the effects of global change. In this context, we use a broad methodological spectrum for the investigation of animals, plants and communities in field and laboratory experiments - which, for example, includes field and aquatic biology, (eco-physiology, morphological-systematic, molecular biological and phylogeorgraphic, evolutionary genetic and ecotoxological techniques. Our common goal is to make a contribution to the surveying, analysis and protection of biological diversity on the earth (biodiversity) with our research.

Questions about the evolution of humankind are examined, just as are the pollution of the environment or the development of plant and fungal diversity of tropical biotopes. Basic and applied research augment each other and result in cross-linkage of our work groups in research associations within and outside the university. Via co-operation professorships there is a particularly intensive co-operation with the Senckenberg Research Institute. Our institute with its staff members currently engages in academic teaching in the in the Bachelor’s Curriculum in Biological Sciences and in Bioinformatics, in the Master’s Curriculum in Ecology, Evolution, in Environmental Sciences and in Bioinformatics as well as in numerous other courses of study with biology as a minor subject as well as in all teacher training programmes for the field of biology.