A bigger picture
We research the sea and its function for humans and the environment
The Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) is a research institute located in Oldenburg. It studies marine biodiversity and its importance for the function of marine ecosystems, the people linked to those ecosystems, and their governance. In doing so, it develops the basis for marine nature conservation and management.
Artist in Residence 2027: Call for Applications
The call for applications for the 2027 ArtWaves Artist-in-Residence Programme is now open.
ArtWaves brings artists and marine researchers together to explore marine biodiversity change and communicate science through art.
Application deadline: October 11, 2026
Oceans are not only the richest in species but also the largest habitat – due to their depth, oceans make up more than 90 percent of the total habitat on earth.
They regulate the climate, bind CO2 and are an important food source for humans. Every second breath we take contains oxygen from the ocean.
In order for the sea to continue to fulfil these functions, which are also important for humans, intact habitats are needed. And these in turn depend on marine biodiversity, i.e. the diversity of species, genetic variants of each species and ecosystems.
How strongly and in what form this biological diversity reacts to global warming and human-induced influences is still largely unclear today.
Marine ecosystems are changing – also and especially through human influence. According to a recent study, for example, only 13 percent of the oceans can still be described as wilderness.
What do the changes in marine ecosystems mean for us and what measures do we take to counter them?
Our approach is interdisciplinary: At HIFMB, scientific research goes hand in hand with social science expertise in the analysis of social and political processes.
Biodiversity Change
Quantifying & predicting biodiversity change
Ecosystem Functions
Understanding functional consequences of change
Conservation & Management
Maintaining biodiversity & functions and enabling socio-ecological management
From tooth fish to food webs, from molecular genetic tools to underwater acoustics: dive into our current research
Tipping Points: The Tip of the Issue
We began our journey in 2025 as the HIPP Cohort “Making Sense of Tipping Points for Biodiversity: Ecosystem and Societal Perspectives” as a group of researchers working from diverse perspectives including ecology, mathematics and human geography. The prominent use of the term ‘tipping’ in environmental sciences and policy considerations has been at the heart of our collective discussions and we argue that it warrants deeper consideration. Here, we share some thoughts on what this term means and promises within our various fields and for public environmental debate at large.
Did you know?
Unicellular plankton covers a size range that is comparable to the size difference between a small fish and a city like Oldenburg.
From Coral Reefs to Human Guts: Stress is Stress
What makes human guts and coral reefs similar? They have no shared microbial taxa, shared host(s), or timescales, but they are both extremely complex ecosystems that offer the same microbial readouts when they are disturbed, and that has implications on where we should NOT look for answers.
The Idea Behind HUMAN PROGRESS (HIPP27 Call)
The HIPP27 HUMAN PROGRESS Call explores how insights from the humanities and social sciences can contribute to research in the natural sciences and help address complex environmental challenges.
Rossella Alba Appointed Junior Professor of Marine Policy and Management
Dr. Rossella Alba has joined the HIFMB as Junior Professor of Marine Policy and Management. The professorship is a joint appointment with the Alfred Wegener Institute and the University of Oldenburg. She comes to HIFMB from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where she was a postdoctoral researcher, and holds a PhD in human geography from Trier University.
MEET THE TEAM
Our staff are the heart and driving force of our research.