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Biology – life on our planet

In the broad field of biology, our researchers study everything from small cells to large ecosystems. Research projects include the forces of evolution, unsung heroes of the soil, how animals navigate and seeking answers to the mystery of ageing.

Researchers holding an owl. Photo.
In a multi-year project, our researchers are studying the health and nesting behaviour of tawny owls in Skåne. Photo: Kennet Ruona

Animals with unique abilities

How do birds, insects and some other animal groups manage to keep a straight course over long distances? The fascinating ability of animals to navigate is being investigated by our researchers in the field and through laboratory studies, in terms of both animal behaviour and the physiology of their built-in biological compasses.

Another group of researchers is delving into the seemingly hidden communication of the insect world. Odour secretions, known as pheromones, help insects find food, mating partners and egg-laying sites. Knowledge of these pheromones can be useful for insect pest control, for example.

Ants carrying leaves. Photo.
Insight into the fascinating world of insects. Photo: Zdeněk Macháček.

In the animal world, we are conducting research on the functioning of the eye and the sense of sight, as well as ecological adaptations of these senses, and also on the evolution of vision, colour vision, night vision and the processing of sensory information by the brain during movement. Other researchers in our organisation are studying how animals master the art of flight. This is studied in an advanced wind tunnel that has been in operation at the Department of Biology for many years.

The world of plants and life below the surface

In the field of plant science, our researchers are involved in the study of evolutionary processes and the distribution of plants. They also focus on the interaction between plants and between plants and their surroundings. Research is conducted both in the field and at the molecular level. Among other things, researchers are investigating how and why plants are stressed and how stress can be avoided.

We also conduct research in aquatic ecology. Here we explore the interactions and functions of seas, lakes and rivers. The studies cover many different types of organisms and processes in areas such as migration, chemical communication, biogeography, predator-prey interactions, biogeochemistry, life history, ecotoxicology, adaptations, hybridisation, speciation and evolution. The issues are fundamental in nature or are linked to ecosystem services and natural resource management.

Another of our research groups is dedicated to soil organisms and key processes in this underground world. This includes studying how soil organisms are structured and interact with each other, and how they affect global cycles of key elements such as carbon and nitrogen. Our researchers also investigate how degradation mechanisms work and can be affected by pollution, and how biodiversity, productivity systems and ecosystem processes respond to climate and land use change.

Fungus in the forest. Photo.
Our research studies life in nature from different angles. Photo: Manuel Barroso Parejo.

From the forces of evolution to the value of ecosystems

All life is the result of millions of years of evolution. Through studies of genomes, comparative phylogenetics, population studies and mathematical modelling, our researchers are able to understand the drivers of evolution. Here we study the causes of adaptations and differences between species and populations, and between males and females, as well as the conditions that create biodiversity. This knowledge can be used, for example, to assess the effects of climate change on species and ecosystems.

A reptile's eye. Photo
Millions of years of evolution in a single moment. Photo: Samuel Scrimshaw.

Our researchers are also specifically looking at how human activities affect biodiversity and ecosystems and their valuable services. Such research results can be used to improve understanding of how best to integrate nature conservation with agricultural and forestry production.

Genes, cells and bacteria

In molecular genetics, we study how organisms adapt to low-oxygen environments and how microbes and cells communicate with each other. Our researchers are also seeking answers to the mystery of ageing by studying the caps at the very end of chromosomes, known as telomeres.

Last but not least, in the field of microbiology, our researchers are studying Gram-positive bacteria which are of great medical, ecological and industrial importance. Interactions between hosts and parasites are also being studied for a better understanding of the host immune system.