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Biodiversity

The study of biodiversity addresses the variety of living organisms and their variation in time and space. Biodiversity is under threat globally, with human activities accelerating extinction rates, affecting the tightly intertwined domains of human activity and nature. In addition to classical methods, it is now possible to map the biodiversity of specific environments by using advanced technology to sequence the DNA in combination with informatic tools.

At the Department of Biology, we aim at increasing our understanding of biodiversity, from minor genetic variations right up through to taxonomic and ecosystem-level variability. Our research contributes to the ongoing discovery of new life forms, from novel microorganisms in the ocean floor to new plant life in tropical rainforests. We examine biodiversity through an evolutionary lens to determine how the organisms we observe came about. For instance: How did biodiversity arise? And what are the conditions necessary to maintain it? In addition, we work on describing the role of biodiversity in threatened ecosystems, and predicting how biodiversity and the ecosystems will change in the future.

Contact a researcher in Biodiversity

Research areas

Biodiversity
Evolution
Plants, flowers and trees
Taxonomy
Tropical ecosystems

Research areas

Biodiversity
Conservation
Genetics and molecular evolution
Tropical ecosystems

Trine Bilde

Professor, Centre Director

Research areas

Behaviour and etology
Spiders
Evolution
Genetics
Population biology
Selection
Ecology
Zoology

Research areas:

  • Terrestrial Ecology
  • Climate change
  • Remote sensing
  • Biodiversity conservation

Research areas

Biodiversity
plant diversity
palms (Arecaceae)
Evolution
phylogenomics
Tropical ecosystems
tropical rain forest
Ecology
macroecology
biogeography

Research areas

Biodiversity
Macroecology

Research areas

Biodiversity
Zoology
Biogeography
Evolution
Animal evolution
Phylogeography
Animals
invertebrates
meiofauna
tardigrades
Rotifera
Cycliophora
horseshoe crabs
life cycle
Xenoturbella
Biology
Climatic changes

Kurt Thomas Jensen

Associate Professor Emeritus/Emerita

Research areas

Benthic fauna
Benthos
Populations
Macroparasites
Invasive species
Marine biology
Marine ecology

Research areas

Plant adaptation to the environment
Evolution
Genetics

Research areas

Biodiversity
Benthic fauna
Marine biology
Climatic changes
Marine biology
Population biology
Ecology
Marine ecology
Wetlands
Intertidal flats
Ecological networks and interactions
Parasitism

Research areas

Biodiversity
Ecology
Global climate change
Macroecology
Environmental geography
Plant community

Maya Pasgaard

Assistant Professor

Research areas

Nature protection and restoration
Society and citizens
Power and politics
Learning and knowledge sharing
South Africa
Biodiversity

Research topics:

(1) Impact of environmental factors and biogeochemical processes on nutrient and carbon retention and export in stream ecosystems
(2) Impact of climate change on Arctic stream ecosystem functioning 
(3) Biogeochemical links between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
(4) Macrophyte and biofilm ecology

Research areas

Heredity and environment
Fruit flies
Animal adaptation to the environment
Evolution
Genetics
Insects
Selection
Stress and evolution genetics

Research areas

Biodiversity
Biogeography
Climatic changes
Macroecology
Nature conservation
Nature management
Mammals
Plants, flowers and trees
Tropical ecosystems
Ecology
Ecoinformatics
Nature parks
Forest
Landscape
Nature protection and management
Effects of climate on animals and plants
Climate changes and biodiversity
Biodiversity

Research areas:

  • Environmental DNA
  • Ecology
  • Evolution
  • Entomology

Research areas

Biodiversity
Plant community
Vegetation ecology
Macroecology
Spatial modelling
Evolution
Taxonomy
Tropical ecosystems
Latin and South America in general
SDG 15 - Life on Land