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News from Two new papers published by researchers from Leipzig University and its partner institutions shed light on the complex relationships between biodiversity, soil and climate. They show how human influences and climate change are jeopardising our environment and emphasise the need for integrated solutions that promote sustainability and social justice.

Eleven mines and 57 recycling plants fewer: economic and ecological potential for savings on material consumption for electromobility in Europe The demand for electric vehicles which run on batteries is increasing worldwide. At the same time, resources of primary battery materials - i.e. those obtained from mining activities - are limited.

In a warming climate, cloud patterns change in such a way that they exacerbate global warming. A research group led by Johannes Quaas from Leipzig University and Hao Luo and Yong Han from Sun Yat-sen University in China has discovered that the cloud cover is increasingly showing asymmetrical changes: it decreases more during the day than at night.

Botanical gardens are found all'over the world and are home to plants from all'over the world. They are therefore ideal study platforms for researchers to find out how different plants react to changes - for example as a result of climate change. Numerous scientific studies are now being carried out in cooperation with botanical gardens, including the "PhenObs" project of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research Halle-Jena-Leipzig (iDiv) .

TUM Scientists Develop New Method for Early Detection of Climate Tipping Points Abrupt shifts within complex systems such as the Earth's climate system are extremely hard to predict. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) have now succeeded in developing a new method to anticipate such tipping points in advance.

Less waste, mild reaction conditions, and no harmful solvents - only a very thin layer of gold is necessary to sustainably convert alcohols into aldehydes through mechanochemistry. A gold-coated milling vessel for ball mills proved to be a real marvel in the research work by Inorganic Chemistry at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany: Without any solvents or environmentally harmful chemicals, the team led by Professor Lars Borchardt was able to use it to convert alcohols into aldehydes.

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications shows that grassland and arable land could better provide different services at the same time if the use of pesticides and mineral fertilizers is reduced. According to the researchers from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig University (UL) and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), these results also apply under possible future climate conditions.

Led by the University of Bremen, RWTH paleoclimate researcher Professor Thorsten Bauersachs and colleagues have now published their results on the glaciation of West Antarctica in the journal Science Advances. It has been more than 30 million years since West Antarctica was last largely ice-free. In the last 30 million years, however, it has been extensively glaciated.

International research team investigates benefits of forest proximity for cocoa cultivation   The diversity and ecological functionality of bird communities in tropical agroforestry systems are shaped by the surrounding landscape, in particular the extent and composition of the forest. An international research team led by the University of Göttingen has now investigated the composition and ecological traits of bird communities in 23 cocoa agroforestry systems in Peru.

International research team carry out Africa's first large-scale nutrient addition experiment with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium Tropical forests are highly productive ecosystems accounting for nearly half of the global forest carbon sink. If tropical forests can no longer remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the effects of climate change may become even more severe.

A study by researchers at the University of Bonn examines the ecological sustainability of children's and young people's diets Our diet puts a strain on planetary resources. Shifting to a sustainable diet that benefits both our health and that of the planet is therefore assuming increasing importance.

Fishing with rod and reel is much more than just a leisure activity: In many regions of the world, it makes an important contribution to their own diet with fish. This has been shown by an international research team, including Robert Arlinghaus, Professor of Integrative Fisheries Management at the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology (IGB) and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

A study carried out at the University of Bonn shows how organically and conventionally farmed plants develop differently Plants adapt genetically over time to the special conditions of organic farming. This has been demonstrated in a long-term study conducted at the University of Bonn. The researchers planted barley plants on two neighboring fields and used conventional farming methods on one and organic methods on the other.

Study on the acceptance of animals in urban environments How do city residents feel about animals in their immediate surroundings' A recent study by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the University of Jena and the Vienna University of Technology shows how different the acceptance of various wild animals in urban areas is.

From today's perspective, they look like a cross between a horse and a gorilla: clawed animals (Chalicotheriidae) had a massive body and a horse-like head; their arms were much longer than their legs and equipped with claws. They belonged to the group of odd-toed ungulates and are thus related to modern rhinoceroses, horses and tapirs.

Global warming leads to decline in humus Mountain meadows are unique ecosystems. A research team led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now discovered that climate change reduces the humus content as well as the nitrogen stores in the grassland soils of the Alps and disturbs the soil structure.

Around 550 million years ago, the Earth's surface was a barren land mass surrounded by oceans. Almost all lifeforms that had evolved up to that point existed exclusively in the oceans. Then, however, the first plants made their way onto land-not only making the Earth greener but also fundamentally transforming the atmosphere, the climate and overall conditions of life on our planet.

International research team generates first genomes of complex closest relatives of land plants Land plants cover the surface of our planet and often tower over us. They form complex bodies with multiple organs that consist of a broad range of cell types. Developing this morphological complexity is underpinned by intricate networks of genes, whose coordinated action shapes plant bodies through various molecular mechanisms.

Environmental changes influence microbial communities, which are crucial for the health of the earth and humans. For instance, altered eating habits with heavily processed foods can lead to disrupted gut flora, or intensive agricultural practices can disturb the carbon cycle in the soil, respectively.

Research team outlines ways to make oil palm cultivation more ecologically and economically sustainable Palm oil is a widely used ingredient in many foods and cosmetics. The boom in oil palm cultivation in Indonesia in recent decades has improved the living conditions of many farmers, but has led to a loss of biodiversity and the large-scale destruction of rainforests.