Biodiversity

discovering & preserving

Marine biodiversity encompasses the diversity of life in the oceans and seas, from tiny microorganisms to large marine mammals. It includes the genetic diversity within species, the diversity of species themselves and the diversity of habitats, such as coral reefs, deep-sea trenches and mangroves. This biodiversity is crucial for the functioning of ecosystems, oxygen production and climate regulation. It also provides livelihoods for millions of people, for example through fishing and tourism. The threats to marine biodiversity are numerous, including overfishing, pollution, climate change and habitat loss. The protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity is therefore crucial to ensure the health of the oceans and the quality of life on Earth.

Typical questions are:

What will the future of biodiversity be like in a changing world?
What is the role of deep-sea communities in regulating biochemical fluxes on the sea floor?
Will the ecological services provided by the ocean remain under a warmer climate?

Cold-water corals off Ireland at a water depth of 750 meters, photographed with the diving robot MARUM-CHEROKEE, Photo: MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen

Selection of current research projects

Colourful coral diversity in the Red Sea. Photo: Anna Roik, annaroik.org

AGELESS

New concept for the protection of marine biodiversity

Research in the Arctic. Photo: MARUM – Centre for Marine Environmental Sciences; University of Bremen, V. Diekamp

SEA-Quester

SEA-Quester is investigating marine carbon cycling in novel ecosystems in the polar seas that are emerging due to climate change

SPP 2299

Tropical climate variability & coral reefs

(funded by DFG)

Current news

Showing 41-44 of 71 items.

After a discussion round, there was a lively exchange with the guests in the audience. Photo: MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen; V.Diekamp

Feb 23, 2024

"MARUM im Dialog" successfully launched

The new event format „Blickpunkt Meer – MARUM im Dialog“ ("Focus on the Sea - MARUM in Dialogue") has now been successfully launched with an event on the ...

Prof. Kai Bischof from the University of Bremen and MARUM during field work at Kongsfjord, Spitsbergen. Photo: Simon Jungblut/University of Bremen

Feb 15, 2024

Kick-off Meeting for a New Polar Research Project

The seasonal aspects of Arctic warming are the focus of the new YESSS research project. The team observes life cycles, foraging and wintering of selected ...

Planktonic foraminifera are microorganisms that live in the uppermost water layers of all oceans. When they die their small calcareous shells sink to the seafloor and remain preserved in the sediments there. The fossil foraminifera document the conditions in the oceans and their study enables a view into the past. Photo: MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen; M. Kucera

Dec 5, 2023

Why regional differences in global warming are critical

Tiny fossils in marine sediments verify that climate models provide accurate calculations of average ocean temperatures during the last glacial maximum ...

The gutless marine worm Olavius algarvensis under the microscope. It is about two centimeters long and only 0.5 milimeters wide, and lives in between the sand grains (shown on photo) next to seagrass beds in the Mediterranean Sea. Photo: Rebekka Jahnke / Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology

May 4, 2023

Gutless marine worms on a Mediterranean diet: Animals can synthesize phytosterols

Phytosterols are good for your health, but humans and other animals are not able to make them themselves. To acquire phytosterols, humans are increasingly ...