Host Institution
Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F)
The Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F) in Frankfurt am Main was founded in 2008 within the framework of the LOEWE Programme, a State Government of Hessen initiative for the development of scientific and economic excellence. Founding partners are: Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Goethe-University, Institute for Social-Ecological Research GmbH (all Frankfurt am Main), German Meteorological Services (Offenbach), EUMETSAT (Darmstadt). BiK-F closely cooperates with several small and medium-sized enterprises.
Objective:
The mission of BiK-F is to carry out internationally outstanding
research on the interactions of organismal biodiversity and climate.
Using a broad method spectrum of modern methods, the about 130
researchers document and analyse past and present patterns and processes
with the goal of providing reliable projections of future developments.
The
Centre integrates the multi-faceted expertise required for the in-depth
investigation and management of climate-related biodiversity changes,
including those that are relevant to the environment and health. It
closely cooperates with partners in academia, politics, development
agencies and environmental management in the region and worldwide, and
contributes to the goals of international agreements at global, European
and regional levels, e.g. the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and
the Fauna-Flora-Habitat and Water Framework Policies of the European
Union.
Research:
The scientific concept of the BiK-F follows a matrix structure along a
time axis, from Cenozoic diversification to adaptation in current
populations, and along a spatial axis from marine and terrestrial
systems in tropical, subtropical and temperate zones to alpine and polar
regions.
This scientific concept is implemented within six focal
areas of research:
- Evolution and Climate: Investigation of long-scale processes
- Biodiversity dynamics and climate: Investigation of species, area and ecosystem dynamics
- Adaptation and Climate: Investigation of rapid climate-driven adaptation processes
- Laboratory Centre: High-throughput facility for research in ecological genomics and molecular taxonomy
- Data and Modelling Centre: Integration of biological and climate data and development of new methods and models
- Knowledge Transfer and Social-Ecological Aspects of Climate-induces in Biodiversity: Research on environmental, economic and social impacts, consultation with stake-holders and management recommendations for policymakers
