Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration
Research
Why and how to do research on biodiversity and ecosystem restoration?
Biodiversity is declining and ecosystem are degraded globally at alarming rates (IPBES 2019). Our research aims to help reverse this trend by focusing on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration. We address biodiversity dynamics from different four theoretical and applied key perspectives, primarily focusing on plants—Earth’s primary food producers—but also including insects and soil organisms that often interact with plants. All our projects touch one or all of these perspectives, see "Projects” for the research projects we are currently and have been in the past involved with.
Understanding Plant Biodiversity Change
We study the mechanisms driving plant biodiversity shifts at the community level. By examining community assembly processes, functional traits, and biotic interactions e.g. with soil organisms, we aim to identify the key drivers of biodiversity change, such as land use. Our work integrates biotic interactions and ecosystem processes to scale findings across different ecosystems. Using experimental and observational studies, along with large existing datasets, we aim to pinpoint the most important biodiversity drivers.
Exemplary literature:
Neuenkamp, L., Moora, M., Öpik, M., Davison, J., Gerz, M., Männistö, M., Jairus, T., Vasar, M. and Zobel, M. (2018), The role of plant mycorrhizal type and status in modulating the relationship between plant and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities. New Phytol, 220: 1236-1247. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14995
Pärtel, M., Tamme, R., Carmona, C.P. et al. Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity. Nature 641, 917–924 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5
Assessing the Ecosystem Consequences of Biodiversity Loss
Once we understand the drivers of biodiversity change, we explore their impacts on other organism groups such as mycorrhizal fungi dependent on plant diversity, ecosystem functions and services. This helps us assess the broader value of biodiversity, not only to ecosystems but also to humans. Such assessments are essential for informing strategies to halt or reverse biodiversity loss, a topic central to both scientific discourse and broader public discussions.
Exemplary literature:
Freitag, M., Hölzel, N., Neuenkamp, L., van der Plas, F., Manning, P., Abrahão, A., Bergmann, J., Boeddinghaus, R., Bolliger, R., Hamer, U., Kandeler, E., Kleinebecker, T., Knorr, K.-H., Marhan, S., Neyret, M., Prati, D., Le Provost, G., Saiz, H., van Kleunen, M. … Klaus, V. H. (2023). Increasing plant species richness by seeding has marginal effects on ecosystem functioning in agricultural grasslands. Journal of Ecology, 111, 1968–1984. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14154
Klinger, Y.P. *, Kunze, S.*, Hölzel, N., Freitag, M., Klaus, V.H., Kleinebecker, T., Prati, D., Neuenkamp, L. (2025) Impact of land-use intensity, productivity, and aboveground richness on seed rain in temperate grasslands. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2025.109690 *equal contributions
Evaluating Conservation and Restoration Measures
After identifying key biodiversity dynamics and their ecosystem consequences, we focus on solutions. Our research evaluates both traditional and novel approaches to halt biodiversity loss and restore ecosystem functions. This applied approach links scientific knowledge with practical strategies for ecosystem restoration, an urgent topic recently highlighted by the EU Law of Ecological Restoration.
Exemplary literature:
Boltersdorf, S. H., Pesch, R., & Werner, W. (2014). Comparative use of lichens, mosses and tree bark to evaluate nitrogen deposition in Germany. Environmental Pollution, 189, 43-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2014.02.017
Jongen, M., Albadran, B., Beyschlag, W., & Unger, S. (2022). Plant and Soil, 472(1), 295-310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05233-z
Prangel, E., Reitalu, T., Neuenkamp, L., Kasari-Toussaint, L., Karise, R., Tiitsaar, A., ... https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2024.109139
Neuenkamp, L., García de León, D., Hamer, U. et al. Comprehensive tools for ecological restoration of soils foster sustainable use and resilience of agricultural land. Commun Biol 7, 1577 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07275-2
Considering the Broader Ecological Context
We take an ecosystem-wide approach to understanding biodiversity dynamics. This includes assessing the abiotic environment—climate, soils, water availability—and the broader ecological context in which biodiversity changes occur, and the challenges that come with such interdisciplinary research. Our research spans multiple ecosystems, including natural, rural, and urban environments, to develop conservation and restoration strategies that work across diverse landscapes.
Exemplary literature:
Jongen, M., Förster, A.C. & Unger, S. Overwhelming effects of autumn-time drought during seedling establishment impair recovery potential in sown and semi-natural pastures in Portugal. Plant Ecol 220, 183–197 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-018-0869-4
Fischer, L. K., Neuenkamp, L., Lampinen, J., Tuomi, M., Alday, J. G., Bucharova, A., ... & Klaus, V. H. (2020). Public attitudes toward biodiversity‐friendly greenspace management in Europe. Conservation Letters, 13(4), e12718. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12718
Neuenkamp, L., & McGale, E. (2023). Empowered through our diversity: How to bring in a new age of plant science collaboration. Plants, People, Planet, 5(6), 821-827. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10390