COMMENTARY Rump & Salzmann, a subsidiary of the multi-billion-dollar Knauf corporation, warns of falling branches on this sign at Blossenberg. Barely 15 meters away stands a nature reserve sign. While the owl on a red background instructs walkers to stay on the paths, the R&S sign implies: Forest and mountain are ours; here we are allowed to blast, excavate, and break. Picking a rare plant is therefore… Read more »
Large, colorful butterflies attract far more attention than their inconspicuous relatives. Not only do laypeople look longer, but researchers and conservationists also favor the spectacular species. This is shown in an international study with the participation of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig, published in the journal Current Biology. In contrast, the inconspicuous butterflies are more frequently found on the Red Lists. This imbalance must be addressed… Read more »
It happened without much fanfare: One by one, the signs in the gypsum karst landscape nature reserve near Ührde disappeared – signs that, among other things, prohibited visitors from disturbing plants and animals or leaving the paths – and just as quietly, the mining company Rump & Salzmann replaced them with signs warning of falling branches. Mind you: These are still… Read more »
Anyone traveling through the districts of Goslar and Göttingen with their eyes open will have frequently noticed a slogan emblazoned in large letters on various trucks: "No house without gypsum." But how much truth is there to it? Absolutely none. It's a blatant marketing lie by the raw materials industry, which has operated virtually unchallenged in southern Lower Saxony… Read more »
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, nature conservation is on the brink of collapse, and no one seems willing to put a stop to it. The nature parks, once the region's green showcase, are being bled dry by ruthless budget cuts. Those in charge remain silent or cite empty coffers, while conservationists desperately sound the alarm. Not only is nature being destroyed here, but also an economic factor that sustains the state… Read more »
Natural vegetation, particularly in regions heavily impacted by human activity, often lacks many species that might be found in their original habitat. This so-called "dark biodiversity" was analyzed globally in a new study led by the University of Tartu (Estonia) and published in "Nature." Scientists from the University of Potsdam contributed to the study… Read more »
Researchers investigated knowledge about native plants, birds, and butterflies and found a correlation between age and the willingness to protect flora and fauna. Knowledge of common animal and plant species, the connection to nature across generations, and their willingness to actively protect nature all decrease from older to younger people. This is a key finding of the study… Read more »
A study published in the journal "PeerJ" has produced the first comprehensive global analysis of oases. Based on 1.657 research papers, 1.344 oases in 30 countries were identified, providing a livelihood for around 400 million people in Asia and North Africa alone. Despite their ecological and cultural importance, less than 0,5 percent of these areas are protected, even though numerous animal species live there… Read more »
The "Mushrooms of Germany" portal will make it easier to record observation data on fungi and use it for scientific research and nature conservation. The new portal contains data on fungi native to Germany, including well-known edible mushrooms, but also on lesser-known and microscopic species. The data portal is technically developed by the Red List Centre and supported by the German Society for… Read more »
In the most comprehensive global analysis of genetic diversity to date, an international team of experts has found that genetic diversity is declining at an alarming rate worldwide. Only immediate conservation measures can help slow this trend, the scientists write. The groundbreaking study, “Global meta-analysis shows action is needed to halt genetic diversity loss,” which has just been published in the journal Nature,… Read more »
