Without data, it is difficult for scientists to know both the current and previous state of the environment (one might consider this the baseline state, but there can be issues with that – see our previous article on the blog!). This makes it difficult to identify potentially harmful changes that could be occurring or even monitor progress of implemented solutions. Missing or unavailable information also hinders the ability of researchers to model future scenarios and make predictions. Without data, scientists cannot make specialized recommendations or inform policymakers of risks associated with various pathways. Despite this importance, data scarcity remains a problem in environmental science [3], partly due to a lack of access to existing data as well as insufficient monitoring or interpretation capacity.

What can help address this problem?

Lack of access to existing environmental or ecological data can be solved by things like supporting data sharing and open data or following FAIR principles [4]. With data readily available, it can continue to be useful through time to a wider group who may provide reanalysis or reinterpretation. This can also allow for previously existing data to be integrated into new data, thus providing the opportunity for more robust results and conclusions. Additionally, in science it is important to make data available so that results can be replicated and trusted [4, 5]. Another part of the answer is to ensure that conditions are right for collection of new data [3]. This means enhancing capacity building and technology transfer, particularly for researchers in vulnerable areas.

Yet, the investigation of many environmental problems requires both the continual collection and interpretation of very large amounts of data, in some cases from very different parts of the world – which can be a struggle for even the best equipped teams of professional researchers, as they face limitations in their available time and numbers. In such cases, so-called citizen scientists can step in.

Citizen Science: the public can be part of the solution

An increase in the availability and sophistication of technology, data storage and sharing options via the internet, and education have opened possibilities for a wider range of participation in the scientific process. This has contributed to the growth of citizen science, which is a term that describes when the public engages in scientific research. Through citizen science, individuals across many sectors or areas can collaborate with scientists and/or each other to contribute to an increase in scientific knowledge across social science, the arts, technology, medicine, or natural science. It allows participants to take part in the scientific process and creates other co-benefits for citizen scientist participants as well as researchers [6, 8].

Citizen science can provide opportunity to fill gaps in data collection across time and space. In the environmental area, volunteers might participate by submitting observations or tracking abundance of species, taking samples to determine water quality, interpreting images, or other tasks. Yet, participants’ roles may extend past data collection as well. Citizens may help by identifying needs or problems that research could focus on, refining scientific questions, stimulating engagement within the public and among stakeholders, and otherwise providing input from perspectives that often go underrepresented, including from indigenous and local community members [6, 7]. For instance, in community-led citizen science (CCS), participants – aided by professional scientists – direct their own projects, which provides both scientific understanding as well as empowerment and local ownership of the initiative and its outcomes [6].

One important CCS example lies in the Amazon, where the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric project has severely impacted the flow of the Xinga river since 2016. This has resulted in the loss of breeding habitat and the decimation of fish populations on which local communities like the Juruna rely. The Juruna reached out to scientists to help them document changes in the river’s fish and turtle populations. This collaboration has resulted in not only scientific publications, but has additionally helped the Juruna to document what has been lost to them culturally so that their history is not forgotten. The data have been used to propose more ecologically-sound water regimes- though the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources is still reviewing the proposal- and have also fuelled lawsuits against Norte Energia, the company responsible for Belo Monte [9].

These projects are thus beneficial for both the participants and the professional scientists, resulting in opportunities for problem-solving, learning, and public action as well as the generation of data and the publication of research findings. Outcomes of citizen science can also inform management, conservation actions, education, or policy decisions [6, 7].

Nevertheless, it is important to note that methods of citizen science are not compatible with all research projects, particularly when an initiative requires expensive equipment, utilizes complex or rigorous methods for data collection, or calls for a large time commitment. Concerns may also arise about the data generated by citizen science. For instance, sampling bias may be a problem if data is collected opportunistically, leading to an overrepresentation of data from some areas versus others. Citizen scientists may make mistakes in identification, be inconsistent in following protocol or using equipment, or lack neutrality, which would all impact the data and how it can be used. However, by implementing sufficient training for participants, validation and filtering procedures, statistical approaches, and upholding inclusiveness, these issues can be minimized [6].

The benefits of citizen science are also being recognized by governments, who are increasingly supporting this approach. For example, in 2022 Germany introduced the Citizen Science Strategie 2030 (German language version here). This strategy includes recommendations and outlines opportunities to develop citizen science in Germany and interlink it within both science and society [10]. Though this method is not appropriate for every research question, it is increasingly recognized as a useful and enriching approach that can, when properly executed, produce a variety of rewards for stakeholders across disciplines.

If this article has made you interested in learning more about citizen science, you might be glad to know that the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich will be hosting a Citizen Science Summer School from 04.06.2023 – 09.06.2023. Applications are now open until 01.03.2023!

References

[1] IPCC, 2021: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 3−32. Link here.

[2] Pecl, G., Araújo, M.B., Bell, J.D., et al. 2017. Biodiversity redistribution under climate change: Impacts on ecosystems and human well-being. Science (355) 6332. Link here.

[3] Hochkirch, A., Samways, M.J., Gerlach, J. 2020. A strategy for the next decade to address data deficiencyin neglected biodiversity. Conservation Biology 35 (2): 502–509. Link here.

[4] Tedersoo, L., Küngas, R., Oras, E. et al. 2021. Data sharing practices and data availability upon request differ across scientific disciplines. Sci Data (8) 192. Link here.

[5] Miyakawa, T. 2020. No raw data, no science: another possible source of the reproducibility crisis. Mol Brain (13) 24. Link here.

[6] Fraisl, D., Hager, G., Bedessem, B., et al. 2022. Citizen science in environmental and ecological sciences. Nat Rev Methods Primers (2) 64. Link here.

[7] McKinley, D.C., Miller-Rushing, A.J., Ballard, H.L., et al. 2017. Citizen science can improve conservation science, natural resource management, and environmental protection. Biological Conservation (208): 15-28. Link here.

[8] ECSA (European Citizen Science Association). 2015. Ten Principles of Citizen Science. Berlin. Link here.

[9] Moutinho, S. 2023. “A river’s pulse”. Science (379) 6627: 18-23. Link here.

[10] Bonn, A., Brink, W., Hecker, S., et al. 2022. White Paper Citizen Science Strategy 2030 for Germany. Helmholtz Association, Leibniz Association, Fraunhofer Society, universities and non-academic institutions. Link here.

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The last one and a half years have drastically shown how vulnerable mankind is on earth. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the many problems we face today but also in the future. Since Covid-19 disease originates from zoonotic coronavirus, there is a strong linkage between humans, animals, and the environment. Experts suggest that the 2019 pandemic outbreak was not the last one to come [1]. In order to tackle the problem and to be prepared for the future an integrated perspective is required. This is where the One Health approach comes into play.

What is the One Health approach?

Created in 2005, the One Health concept incorporates a multisector expertise and follows a holistic and transdisciplinary approach [2]. Generally speaking, health refers to the wellbeing of the physical, mental, and social status. But because the health issues are broad and complex, the One Health approach primarily focuses on health crisis related to ecological and environmental drivers and underscores the interconnectedness of health between humans, animals, plants, and the environment where they inhabit. It holds that to achieve ultimate human health, animals, plants, and environmental health needs to be addressed as well. Health threats shared by people, animals and the environment including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety and food security, vector-borne diseases, and environmental contamination are all common One Health issues [3].

Example of One Health – Antimicrobial Resistance

One example of applying the One Health approach in combating global health crisis is addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In order to protect humans, livestock and agricultural production from bacterial infection, drugs containing antibiotics and antimicrobial agents have been widely used across the world. However, the pervading use of antimicrobial drugs has given rise to the microorganisms’ capability to adapt to those drugs. Consequently, the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria continue to harm human and animal health. What is worse, the antibiotics provide opportunities for zoonotic bacteria to develop resistance genes while transmitting to human bodies via food sources (e.g. meat products), direct animal contact, and contaminated environmental sources [4]. Facing the rapidly increasing threat posed by AMR, transdisciplinary collaboration and intersectoral countermeasures must come into force, such as the One Health approach.

Following this transdisciplinary approach, several organizations raise awareness of AMR. For instance, the World Health Organization developed the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS), which drives local, national, and regional action. Laying the main focus on the collection, analysing and sharing of AMR data on global level, decision making on different levels should get enhanced [4,5].

According to the latest report, 109 countries and territories worldwide have enrolled in the Surveillance System until May 2021. The Assessment shows that GLASS significantly helped to foster the development of national AMR surveillance systems. As next steps it is aimed to enhance the completeness and quality of data [6].

Outlook

Most likely the Covid-19 pandemic has not been the last zoonotic disease posing a threat to humans. Close collaboration of different domains will be a key contribution for solving and preventing further crisis. The One Health Approach seems therefore a good possibility to tackle health related challenges in the future. Especially the holistic approach entails many opportunities for solutions on the global, national and local level. However more applicable frameworks should be provided, in order to enable a better implementation by different stakeholders with varied interests and interpretations of the One Health approach. Effective performance of One Health initiatives at all levels could hardly be achieved without developing more coherent and endurable frameworks for the increasingly diversified practitioners.

References

[1] Zowalaty, M. E., & Järhult, J. D. (2020). From SARS to COVID-19: A previously unknown SARS- related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) of pandemic potential infecting humans – Call for a One Health approach. One Health, 9, 100124. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100124

[2] Destoumieux-Garzón, D., Mavingui P, Boetsch G, Boissier J, Darriet F, Duboz P, Fritsch C, Giraudoux P, Le Roux F, Morand S, Paillard C, Pontier D, Sueur C and Voituron Y (2018). The One Health Concept: 10 Years Old and a Long Road Ahead. Front. Vet. Sci. 5:14. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00014

[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018). National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. One Health Basics. Last viewed 23.07.2021 from https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/basics/index.html

[4] Schneider, M. C., Munoz-Zanzi, C., Min, K and Aldighieri, S. (2019). “One Health” From Concept to Application in the Global World. Global Public Health. doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190632366.013.29

[5] WHO (2021). Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS). Last viewed 27.07.2021 from https://www.who.int/initiatives/glass

[6] Global antimicrobial resistance and use surveillance system (GLASS) report 2021. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

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We would like to advertise the application deadline this summer for an attractive and intense international MSc study program in Global Change Ecology at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. Either you in person or bachelor students and graduates around may be interested in this qualification.

The program is devoted to understanding and analyzing the most important and consequential environmental concern of the 21st century; namely, the ecological consequences of Global Change, especially the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. One of the program’s focus is the linking of natural science and socio-economic perspectives. The international program is realized in close contact with research institutions, NGOs and companies and administration. Our study program has been acknowledged by the United Nations as an observer organization. During the last years, we received applications from more than 70 countries.

Teaching language is in English. There is no application fee and accepted candidates do not have to pay tuition fees.

Applicants from any academic background that is related to the scope of this study program are welcome to apply. Applications can be uploaded on the Online Application portal.

The deadline is 15th of June 2021. Please check the link below for application details.

https://www.bayceer.uni-bayreuth.de/gce/en/lehre/gru/html.php?id_obj=39882

We encourage and appreciate you to disseminate this information! Our coordinators will be happy to assist candidates in their application if something is unclear.

Best wishes,

Carl Beierkuhnlein
Head of the graduate program (M.Sc.) “Global Change Ecology” (within the Elite Network of Bavaria)

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           Themed “Ecological Models and Beyond”, the EcoSum Autumn School covers topics since Bayesian inference and ecological networks to evolution and eco-anthropology. As the global pandemic is still on its peak, the school was developed virtually, however, this did not prevent the science school to be a success.

The Virtual Autumn School

            The Ecology Autumn School lasted for one week, from November 16^th until November 20^th, with an average workload of 6 hours per day. In order to make this school virtually, organisers had a great insight in regards to the use of online platforms. Slack was constantly used to make announcements, distribute courses’ materials and messaging between participants. Zoom was the lecture room. While Mural served as the colourful board, where we all could work on and develop ideas. The whole environment of the school was always dynamic, interactive, science-centred and very friendly.

           The week started with a very enlightening lecture and R session with Jim Clark (Clark Lab – Duke Trinity College) on Bayesian Inference, followed by a very interesting and dense lecture on process-based modelling and ecology given by Xavier Morim (CEFE – CNRS). Already on Tuesday, we had one of the highlights of the week: the Ecological networks session with Elisa Thébault (IEES Paris – CNRS). This day was very well balanced with lecture in the morning and the practical part in the afternoon. We had the chance to work on different questions in break out rooms, go through the R scripts together, understand the content that was lectured in the morning and present our results. This whole structure made the beginning of the school very exciting!

           On Wednesday, we were introduced to Macroevolutionary models by Hélène Morlon (IBENS – Ecole Normale Supérieure) and then we dived into Paleo-biogeography with Ignacio Quintero (IBENS – Ecole Normale Supérieure). It was possible to learn new concepts, definitions, models and databases, besides bringing the linkage between modelling and paleo-biogeography. And who doesn’t like evolution history? Fabien Condamine’s (ISEM – CNRS) session about evolutionary biogeography on Thursday morning was the perfect follow up from Quintero’s lecture of the previous day. We were introduced to hierarchical vicariance models, the Dispersal-Extinction-Cladogenesis (DEC) model and presented empirical case studies.

           Thursday also marked the day of the Virtual Roundtable, the event that I was very curious about when I first looked at the program. Beforehand, we had to read a specific paper in preparation for the roundtable. Once we were there, we were divided in groups and we had to discuss among ourselves about the paper, organise our ideas on a board on the Mural platform, and we would get back to the main room for more discussion. The paper was about climate change and ecological restoration. We discussed about issues that can rise from how we express scientific knowledge to the general public, and how sometimes journalism tend to fall on sensationalism, which can cause more issues in certain spheres and practices due to influence and lack of understanding of the scientific aspect. Concomitantly to the discussions, we structured a diagram on how modelling, scientific writing and better communication between science, journalism and general public should be developed to prevent more ecological problems.

           After a very productive and interactive Thursday, Friday came bringing a feeling of “I want more” and “I cannot believe this is the last day”, with two very interesting sessions. In the morning with Samuel Roturier (TESS – Univ. Paris Saclay) lecturing about Eco-anthropology, where he presented a practical case of integration between science and society in the Boreal forest, about the science of snow, the Sami people and the process of co-production. Finally, in the afternoon, Adrien Comte (CIRED – AgroParis Tech) did the last lecture of the EcoSum Autumn School 2020, talking about Ecological economics, coral reefs, ecosystem services and climate change.

A Science School to remember!

            Even though it was a pity not being able to visit the Grenoble Alpes, the Virtual EcoSum Autumn School was a great experience. Everything was well explained and presented. Regardless of which level of ecological modelling expertise you are, everyone was always helpful and friendly, making this a good introduction to the challenging and, yet, exciting world of modelling. All the activities were well developed, showing how much the organisers took the time to plan and make everything work. And we even had the chance to talk about our personal experiences related to isolation during the covid-19 pandemic. In summary, great content delivered, materials, modelling, knowledge exchange, group work and networking! The 2020 edition marks the beginning of a promising and solid Science School for the EcoSum Initiative Team. And I only have one thing to say: SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

EcoSum Iniative Website: https://leca.osug.fr/Autumn-School-Ecological-Models

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Think nature and sports at the same time

In a well-attended lecture hall, Prof. Dr. Manuel Steinbauer gave the audience several examples of how the dynamics of ecological systems and the influence of human activities have changed over time. In the future, the former GCE student will research the effects of outdoor sports on nature and how the potential of sports can be used to raise people’s awareness of environmental issues. When asked about the relevance of the interdisciplinary topic “Sport Ecology”, Prof. Steinbauer emphasized two reasons: On the one hand, our society would tend to “think” about nature and sports at the same time, i.e. if we are planning a nature trip, this is often planned as a sporting event. For example, we travel to the Alps because we want to hike or ski there. On the other hand, sports offer a great potential to bring people closer to nature conservation issues.

From GCE to systems paleobiology to sports ecology

Sport ecology was not always the research focus of the interdisciplinary scientist who grew up in Middle Franconia.In 2004, he began his bachelor’s degree in geoecology at the University of Bayreuth and continued his studies from 2006 to 2009 with the then new master’s program Global Change Ecology. This was followed by his doctorate in 2013 and a three-year postdoctoral stay at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. From 2017 to 2019, Prof. Steinbauer was a professor for “System Paleobiology” at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. In August 2019, he accepted the call from the University of Bayreuth and returned as a professor for “Sport Ecology”.
Looking back on his time as a GCE student, the 36-year-old particularly emphasized the unique experiences gained through participation in international environmental and scientific conferences as well as the good methodological training provided in the program.
From the coming winter semester, Prof. Steinbauer will teach the new GCE students as a professor.

This text was written for the Elite Network Bavaria.
English editing kindly done by Taylor Blair

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“Agroecology is a key tool in the transition to sustainable food.”

FAO

“The future of agriculture is not input-intensive but knowledge-intensive. We need the integrated approach that agroecology can offer.”

José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General

On November 25^th, 2018, Agriculture Day was celebrated at the United Nation Conference on Biodiversity COP-14 in Sharm El Sheikh. Under theme of Agriculture Day various sessions were organized and one such session was about ‘Agro-ecological approaches and biodiversity-friendly practices to increase productivity ‘. The session was moderated by Emile Frison from IPES-Food and included panelists from Government of France and Bolivia, Friends of the Earth International, Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE) and Forest Peoples Program (FPP). The session began with panel members presenting initiatives taken by their respective governments and organizations. Mr. Jean Lanotte, from the Government of France (Ministère de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation) highlighted his government’s agroecology policy which aims at reducing use of pesticides, promoting agroforestry and organic agriculture, conducting training of farmers and building an Agriculture Observatory of Biodiversity. Georgina Catacora-Vargas from Government of Bolivia said her country has regulatory framework on agroecology since 2006 and current focus is on education and the inclusion of the tourism sector for the adaptation of the agroecology law. Other panel members mainly from civil society organisations emphasized on connecting agriculture to local culture and moving political systems from large agricultural systems and investing more in agroecology.

“Agroecology offers a unique approach to meeting the needs of future generations while ensuring no one is left behind.”

FAO

From the presentations, reports and facts presented during this session, I learned that agroecological approaches are bottom-up and territorial processes, that can deliver contextualized solutions to local problems. Agroecological systems works on maximizing synergies between different components (soil, water, plants, animals, livestock’s, trees, human resource) of agriculture for achieving greater resource use efficiency and resilience. The knowledge of agroecology can transform food and agricultural systems, addressing the root causes of problems in an integrated way and providing holistic and long-term solutions. For instance, the farmers in Netherlands have developed a mechanism of exchanging their live stock produce for green manure. The grass/clover mixture is sheared several times a year by a local organic livestock farmer in exchange for the manure. Moreover, these farmers do not use pesticides, ploughing is done with a special eco-plough and weed management is done by use of machinery only in the early stages of crop growth. The growing innovations in agroecology are useful in conservation of above and below ground biodiversity. Agriculture is clearly a crucial sector to achieve the sustainable use and the conservation of biological diversity and agroecological approaches are therefore critical in implementation of post 2020 framework.

References:

• Dalgaard, Tommy, and Nicholas Hutchings, John Porter. “Agroecology, Scaling and Interdisciplinarity.” Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 100(2003): 39-51.
• Rio Convention Bulletin 26 November 2018 Vol. 200 No. 47
• FAO’s work on Agroecology A pathway to achieve SDGs
• FAO. Agroecology Knowledge Hub. Available at: http://www.fao.org/agroecology/en/

The post “Agroecology in post 2020 Biodiversity Framework” – Why is it important? appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

First of all, we have a huge advantage today: modern technology. Almost everybody has a smartphone – and we can use it for more than just texting. There is a free app called Codecheck. The use of this app is very simple and can make your life a lot easier if you are trying to track down certain ingredients. You have to scan the bar code or the QR-code on the back of the product you want to check, and within some seconds the result appears on the screen of your smartphone. It gives all information about the name and the price. Scrolling down, you get a list of all the ingredients. The app rates the ingredients as critical, uncritical and gives you further information about why a certain “critical” ingredient is rated like this. For example, it tells you if it is problematic for people with allergies. So, using this advantage of modern technology, you can track down palm oil when you are shopping. Also, it tells you if the product can be combined with a certain diet like vegan, gluten free, vegetarian or else. Codecheck gives you information about seals of approval or environmental standards as well. Lastly, it lists pros and cons of the product which come from the evaluation of other people using the app – you can evaluate the product yourself if you want, too.

Secondly, there are also palm oil free products right in front of our noses when we go to the supermarket. It might not stare you in the face right away – but take one step closer to the shelves and scan carefully. In one of the Rewes in Bayreuth, for instance, there is a whole shelf with products that don’t contain palm oil. Different kinds of spread  such as chocolate spread – you see, there is a solution for all Nutella lovers-, peanut butter or vegetable spread. The shelf is right next to the shelf with bread, close to the section with all the organic and fair-trade products.

Thirdly, we wrote about the problems with daily cosmetics and hygienic products. Liquid soap, for example contains palm oil. But you could switch to products that either use organically produced palm oil or – even better – palm oil that doesn’t come from monocultures but from mixed cultures or palmoil free products. You can find a variety of these alternative soaps at dm drug stores. Also, the German website Utopia gives good overviews of alternative, environmentally sound products: One of their entries is about palm oil free curd soaps, they also provide the link to the web pages/stores that sell them.

We hope that this blog entry will help others to reduce their consumption of vegetable oils, more specifically palm oil. If you know any other alternatives, ways to check ingredients of grocery, cosmetics or something else, feel free to comment on this page. Let’s start to accumulate the knowledge to make this world a better place.

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“In La Palma, we want the students to get in touch with science from a to z”, Irl says. The 34-year-old professor has been part of the annual La Palma Summer School for 10 years. “For us, this summer school is really important because we accompany the students’ working groups from the creation of a research concept to the final presentation about the whole project.” During the two weeks, there were also professors and specialists from other European countries supporting the students with their projects.

The biggest part of the work is done by the students in a self-directed way which can, according to Severin Irl, also cause problems during the working process or with the results themselves. “Actually, we just throw the students into the cold water and want them to learn how to swim”, Irl says and laughs. Sometimes, students who participated in the La Palma Science School are choosing a scientific career after experiencing this special research training. “This research project is one of the most important ones for the department of Biogeography here in Bayreuth because we are working together intensively with the students during the whole time.” The project takes two semesters in total, from the first approaches in methods to the final written paper. “As they are dealing with the project for such a long time, some students even kind of adopt it as their baby”, Irl says, a with a twinkle in his eye.

26-year-old Dagmar Hanz is one of the PhD students in the department of biogeography in Bayreuth. She is funded by the Ecopotential project, we recently wrote about. This year, she was also part of the research group on the Canary Island. “We are cooperating a lot with the local authorities, our results often help them with nature conservation projects on the island”, she says. “I am glad to have been part of the Science School, it was really good to actually use various methods. In university, we read about them, but experiencing them is something completely different.”

La Palma is an excellent spot for the research which aims at studying plants and their multifaceted interactions with the environment. This is mainly because the island is very mountainous and therefore has a broad variety of climate and vegetation zones: you can find steep coasts with species adapted to salty and dry conditions (such as sea lavender), dry regions that are crowded by succulents, and even dense laurel forests which grow due the humid trade winds. Also, you can find lots of endemic species there. Even though the island is not big, roughly 40 kilometres long and 30 kilometres broad, it takes quite a while to circle it. “The roads in La Palma are in some parts steep and extremely curvy. It took us up to five hours to circle the island once”, says Dagmar Hanz and laughs.

“Another important factor is that – compared to some of the other Canary Islands like Tenerife or Gran Canaria – mass tourism has not had such a huge impact on La Palma yet”, Severin Irl says. It is still quite untouched in some areas which often brings surprises: This year, the research team might have stumbled upon a new species of carline thistles in the far North of La Palma. “We have identified it as a species from the genus Carlina but we are not sure yet about the species’ name”, Irl says. “Every year again, La Palma is just beautiful.”

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We breath the air she provides,

We eat the fruits from the fields and trees around us.

And yet, we take her for granted.

She satisfies our thirst for water,

She eases us with a light rustling of green leaves when we are out of balance,

She consoles us with salty air when our hearts lust for freedom,

And yet, we take her for granted.

We heist her most precious treasures,

We spill her veins with dirty oil,

We poison her oceans with deadly plastics,

You see? We take her for granted.

She will, at some point, not longer, forgive us

The crimes and harms we throw upon her.

She will, one day, not longer, hold her anger

And show us how small and dependent we are.

She will, soon enough, unleash her forces

To conquer back her dignity and pride.

We can still change the fortune ahead,

We can still act and become better in treating our Mother,

We can still make up for our mistakes of the past

And not take her for granted no more.

Today on her day, we don’t take her for granted.

Let’s make everyday like today.

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