We want to understand and protect the diversity of life on Earth by studying ecosystems, species interactions, and the drivers of biodiversity loss.
Our planet is exposed to severe anthropogenic pressures with profound impacts on the climate, global biogeochemical cycles, and ecosystems resulting in the reduction of natural habitats, loss of biodiversity, and critically altered environmental systems.
Within the focus area on biodiversity and ecosystems, our researchers develop a deeper understanding of these complex and interrelated environmental changes. To reach this goal, we are connecting expertise from all relevant areas—from natural to social scientists including specialists in environmental policy, law, and economics. This way, we are able to transcend disciplinary boundaries and develop integrated solutions to the pressing challenges posed by biodiversity loss.
Peatlands are powerful carbon sinks - if we let them stay intact. New research from ECH members shows how wetland farming - magic word: paludiculture - and microbial life can work together to reduce emissions without sacrificing land use. A story of science, sustainability, and the surprising appetite of microorganisms.
Beneath the surface of Croatia’s largest natural lake, a silent transformation is underway. In a new study, researchers from the University of Vienna and the Ruđer Bošković Institute reveal that climate change is salinising Lake Vrana - threatening freshwater ecosystems and amplifying global climate risks. What looks like a holiday paradise may be a warning sign.
The ocean stores many times more carbon than the atmosphere, yet many of the mechanisms behind its carbon cycles are not yet fully understood. For over three decades, Gerhard Herndl from the University of Vienna has been studying the microbial life in the deep sea and how it can help to explain where the carbon goes and how this influences the climate.
Gerhard Herndl of the Department of Evolutionary Biology is leading the Project NEREIDES.
Export of organic matter produced in the sunlit surface waters into the ocean’s interior removes about one third of the anthropogenically produced carbon dioxide. The amount of organic matter sinking into the deep ocean, however, is not sufficient to support the carbon demand of the heterotrophic food web in the ocean’s interior as revealed by several studies.
Stefan Dullinger from the Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research is leading the “MICROCLIM” project.
The diversity of organisms, one of the most striking features of life on Earth, is under threat, and climate change may become a major driver of the biodiversity crisis in the decades to come. However, climate effects on species will vary across ecosystems and regions.
Stephan Glatzel at the Department of Geography and Regional Research is part of AMooRe.
AMooRe will initiate the implementation of the Austrian “Moorstrategie 2030+” through development of best practice projects, stakeholder impact analysis, public relations & networking.
Shaul Pollak Pasternak at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CMESS) is leading this project.
Our planet was shaped by microbial activity throughout the eons, and to this day ecosystems are fueled by the activity of microbial decomposers.
Alice Vadrot at the Department of Political Science is leading the “MARCO-BOLO” project.
The MARCO-BOLO (MBO) project aims to structure and strengthen European coastal and marine biodiversity observation capabilities, linking them to global efforts to understand and restore ocean health, hence ensuring that outputs respond to explicit stakeholder needs from policy, planning and industry.
Gerhard Herndl at the Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecologyis leading the “DEPOCA” project.
There is a major mismatch between the organic matter supply and the organic matter demand of the heterotrophic organisms inhabiting the deep-sea.
Acharya, P., Yegon, M. J., Haferkemper, L., Misteli, B., Griebler, C., Vitecek, S., & Attermeyer, K. (2025). Leaf Conditioning and Shredder Activity Shape Microbial Dynamics on Fine Particulate Organic Matter Produced During Decomposition of Different Leaf Litter in Streams. Microbial Ecology, 88(1), 18. Article 18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-025-02515-2
García-Rodríguez, A., Lenzner, B., Velasco, J. A., Schertler, A., Omer, A., Seebens, H., Capinha, C., Gallardo, B., Dullinger, S., & Essl, F. (2025). The global distribution patterns of alien vertebrate richness in mountains. Nature Communications, 16(1), Article 1977. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57214-w
Ndlela, T., Beckedahl, H., Grundling, P. L., Glatzel, S., & Butler, M. (2025). Ecohydrological differences in peatlands under contrasting land use management systems in Eswatini. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 33(4), Article 50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-025-10065-0
Berner, R., Neumann, M., Müller, M., Hollaus, M., Maier, A., Zechmeister, T., & Glatzel, S. (2025). Prescribed burning as a potential regeneration technique for reed stands: a pilot study in the reed belt of Lake Neusiedl, Austria. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 33(4), Article 52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-025-10063-2
Markovski, M., Najdek, M., Zhao, Z., Herndl, G. J., & Korlević, M. (2025). Shift in the metabolic profile of sediment microbial communities during seagrass decline. Environmental Microbiome, 20(1), 93. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-025-00750-1
Masdeu-Navarro, M., Cabrera-Brufau, M., Xue, L., Rodríguez-Ros, P., Gardner, S. G., Bergauer, K., Posman, K. M., Archer, S. D., Herndl, G. J., Marrasé, C., Kieber, D. J., & Simó, R. (2025). The seascape of VOC production and cycling in a tropical coral reef. Elementa, 13(1), Article 00014. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2025.00014
Rasoulimehrabani, H., Riva, A., Inan, D., Hodžić, A., Hausmann, B., Nikolov, G., Khadem, S., Hieger, N., Wiesenbauer, J., Kaiser, C., Filz, V., Böttcher, T., & Berry, D. (2025). Lactulose selectively stimulates members of the gut microbiota, as determined by multi-modal activity-based sorting. Gut microbes, 17(1), Article 2525482. https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2025.2525482
Marañón-Jiménez, S., Luo, X., Richter, A., Gündler, P., Fuchslueger, L., Verbrigghe, N., Poeplau, C., Sigurdsson, B. D., Janssens, I., & Peñuelas, J. (2025). Warming Weakens Soil Nitrogen Stabilization Pathways Driving Proportional Carbon Losses in Subarctic Ecosystems. Global Change Biology, 31(6), Article e70309. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70309
Jeelani, N., Fischer, K., Thomas, C. L., Knorr, K. H., Lamentowicz, M., Gałka, M., & Glatzel, S. (2025). Investigating the impact of peatland degradation: A lipid biomarker analysis. Iscience, 28(6), Article 112604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.112604
Selak, L., Meier, D. V., Marinović, M., Čačković, A., Kajan, K., Pjevac, P., & Orlić, S. (2025). Salinization alters microbial methane cycling in freshwater sediments. Environmental Microbiome, 20(1), Article 73. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-025-00739-w
Our research newsletter ‘ECHO’ provides you with the latest and most exciting information from the fields of environmental and climate research.
