Preserving diversity together

Research contributes to the conservation of biodiversity in many ways. Biodiversity conservation uses monitoring, analyses and models for species protection and ecosystem management. Breeding and reintroduction programmes save fish and vertebrate species threatened with extinction, sustainable agriculture and fewer pesticides promote biodiversity in cultivated landscapes. Biobanks preserve existing diversity by conserving it. Initiatives support a sustainable and diverse society, including human-nature partnerships.

Silvio Hildebrandt & Michael Roth (Dissertation Hildebrandt: Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen, IÖR and TU Dresden) | The beauty of landscapes is one of the most difficult protected goods in nature conservation to record and evaluate. For the graphic shown here, a large number of randomly selected landscape photos from all over Germany were brought together and around 44,000 subjective assessments of the beauty of the respective landscape sections were analysed in a survey with 3,557 participants and transferred to the total area of Germany. A neural network was used for statistical modelling. | Copyright: Silvio Hildebrandt, IOER
Conservation takes many forms beyond traditional protected areas: from customary marine territories to sustainably managed areas. Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) support various governance systems that contribute to biodiversity conservation, even if conservation is not their primary goal. Recognising these areas protects local communities, preserves traditional knowledge and improves livelihoods while ensuring long-term ecological sustainability. | Copyright: Stevanus Roni, ZMT
Designing the first partner city with nature – presentation of a role play by the Leibniz Junior Research Group URBNANCE | Copyright: Leibniz Biodiversity & DSMZ, Photographer: Stefan Zeitz
Agricultural robots, such as this one on a ZALF test field, remove weeds purely mechanically and thus make it possible to reduce the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides in agriculture. This protects biodiversity in the agricultural landscape. | Copyright: Kristina Backhaus, ZALF
ZALF's patchCROP landscape laboratory: Smaller field sizes and diversity in cultivation as well as digital tools such as drones and agricultural robots can help to support biodiversity in agriculture. | Copyright: Hendrik Schneider, ZALF
While mobile butterfly species are moving to cooler regions as a result of climate change, more specialised, site-loyal butterflies are trapped in their habitats. In the picture: Marginal Ringed Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria eunomia). | Copyright: Thomas Schmitt, SGN
Insight into the automated ampoule warehouse where the freeze-dried microorganisms are stored. From here, the bioresources are made available to researchers worldwide. | Copyright: DSMZ
In order to save the Northern White Rhinos from extinction, methods of assisted reproduction and stem cell research are being developed as part of the "BioRescue" project. The picture shows the examination of a rhino foetus. | Copyright: Jon A. Juarez, Leibniz-IZW
Biodiversity you can touch: Dr Jens Freitag, head of the managing office of the IPK Leibniz Institute, displays some of the more than 151,000 samples from the institute's gene bank during the Woche der Umwelt 2024 in Berlin. The seeds are stored there at minus 18 degrees Celsius. | Copyright: Leibniz Biodiversity & DSMZ, Photographer: Stefan Zeitz
In sustainable agriculture, flower strips help to promote biodiversity and improve the ecosystem. They provide habitats for insects and other animals and support species diversity. │ Copyright: Daniela Schimming, IAMO
"A Grammar of Daakaka" is the first comprehensive documentation of the endangered Oceanic language Daakaka, spoken by around 1,000 people on Ambrym (Vanuatu). Language loss often also means the loss of knowledge about local animal and plant species, as many names and ecological insights only exist in individual languages. Linguistic documentation thus helps preserve biocultural diversity. | Copyright: Publisher's website