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Creating knowledge since 1502
Tree diversity helps reduce heat peaks in forests
A forest with high tree-species diversity is better at buffering heat peaks in summer and cold peaks in winter than a forest with fewer tree species. This is the result of a study led by researchers from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Leipzig University, and the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. The study was carried out in a large-scale planted forest experiment in China, and has been published in the journal Ecology Letters. It provides yet another argument for diversifying tree species in forests, especially under ongoing climate change.
Protecting crops: Researchers open up new avenue to combat a widespread plant virus
New RNA-based active agents reliably protect plants against the Cucumber mosaic virus, the most common virus in agriculture and horticulture. They were developed by researchers at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. The active ingredients have a broad spectrum effect; a series of RNA molecules support the plant's immune system in combating the virus. In laboratory experiments, 80 to 100 per cent of the treated plants survived an infection with a high viral load, as the team reports in "Nucleic Acids Research". Their paper has been selected as a "breakthrough article" by the journal. The researchers are now working on transferring the idea from the laboratory into practice.
New study refutes habitat fragmentation claim
Large, undisturbed landscapes are better for biodiversity than fragmented landscapes. This is the result of a new study in "Nature" led by the University of Michigan, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. The researchers compared data from more than 4,000 animal and plant species at 37 locations worldwide. The results contradict the controversial theory that it is better for species conservation to protect many smaller, separate areas.