Towards an integrative global change ecology: species responses, biodiversity variation, and societal challenges

How do species respond to climate change? How is biodiversity changing - so far, now and in the future? And which solutions are needed for the major ecological challenges of our time? These are the questions Prof. Christian Hof will address in his inaugural lecture as the new Chairholder of Global Change Ecology at the Biocentre of the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.

How biodiversity varies in space and time has been the subject of Christian Hof's scientific work since he studied biology in Marburg. After studying the diversity patterns of European dragonflies, he continued his research during his PhD at the University of Copenhagen and at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, where he focussed on the effects of climate change on global biodiversity. Stations as a postdoc at the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre in Frankfurt and as a junior research group leader at the Technical University of Munich expanded his scientific interests beyond macroecology and biogeography, e.g. to questions of macrophysiology, functional ecology and regional biodiversity research. One of Christian Hof's particular interests, especially for the development of the new chair, is the integration of data and methods from different disciplines and across different scales. In his opinion, the aim of the still young subject of global change ecology should be to contribute to understanding and thus overcoming the major ecological crises of our time. And this requires integrative, multidisciplinary and cross-scale approaches. Christian Hof will ask whether and how this can be achieved in his inaugural lecture on 20 November 2024 at 4:15 pm in lecture hall A 101 of the University of Würzburg's Biocenter. The lecture will also be accessible online via Zoom.

Following the lecture, all participants are cordially invited to a reception with drinks and snacks in the foyer of the Biocentre.

For better planning, please write a short email to gce@uni-wuerzburg.de in case you plan to attend lecture and reception.