Biodiversity Change
How will global environmental change affect marine biodiversity?
On the one hand, this includes the extent of the changes, both from a temporal and spatial perspective: Are species disappearing or are new ones being introduced? Does the number of individuals of a species change? Do species adapt to new living conditions in a special way?
On the other hand, the causes are also central: what mechanisms cause the diversity of a habitat to change, and can we recognize general patterns that allow us to predict this change?
Ecosystem Functions
How will changes in species composition affect functions of marine ecosystems?
For example, can they perform their function as oxygen or biomass producers to the same extent?
The aim is to formulate general principles on which the relationship between the diversity of a habitat and the ecosystem processes taking place is based. These principles in turn form an important basis for research field Conservation and Management.
Conservation and Management
How can we preserve the biodiversity of the oceans and how can species protection be integrated into the management of ecosystem functions and services?
The protection of marine biodiversity has so far mainly focused on area-based approaches, as is customary on land, and is often organized around individual sectors (e.g. fishing, tourism).
However, marine ecosystems are characterized by strong spatial and temporal changes in conditions and biodiversity, so that nature conservation and management must be based on concepts that go beyond territorial protection and take this dynamism and adaptability into account.