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Creating knowledge since 1502
New study refutes habitat fragmentation claim
Large, undisturbed landscapes are better for biodiversity than fragmented landscapes. This is the result of a new study in "Nature" led by the University of Michigan, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. The researchers compared data from more than 4,000 animal and plant species at 37 locations worldwide. The results contradict the controversial theory that it is better for species conservation to protect many smaller, separate areas.
Boosting evolution: How humans unintentionally altered the skulls of pigs
Short snouts and a flat profile - within a span of 100 years, humans have significantly changed the shape of the skulls of German domestic pigs. According to a team from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), this is likely down to new breeding practices introduced at the beginning of the 20th century. Their findings have been published in the journal "Royal Society Open Science". The researchers analysed 3D scans of 135 skulls of wild boars and domestic pigs from the early 20th and 21st centuries. Surprisingly, the same effects can even be observed in species that were kept separately.
People prefer meat alternatives if they are significantly cheaper than real meat, study shows
Only a few people fundamentally oppose eating plant-based meat alternatives, a recent survey of 2,100 customers in the US shows. The study published in "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" (PNAS) was conducted by marketing researchers from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Humboldt University Berlin and Georg August University Göttingen. According to the results, the price of meat alternatives is the most decisive factor for their acceptance, while similarity to meat did not matter that much. Although, when both options were priced the same, respondents often favoured the animal product.
New study in "Nature": How rapid temperature changes influence biodiversity
Biodiversity has changed faster in places where temperatures have also changed quickly. This is the result of a new study published in the scientific journal "Nature". Researchers from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig and Friedrich Schiller University Jena were also involved in the work.