"10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science”, ranging from climate stress for German forests, the restructuring of agriculture to the corona virus that has jumped from animals to humans, are now published for the first time. More than 45 experts from the Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity and colleagues have compiled this inventory on the preservation of nature as the basis of human life. In the run-up to the World Summit on Nature – the UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming, China – the report is intended to invite dialogue, the researchers say. At the same time, they voice clear policy demands.

A scientific team from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and Leipzig University conducted a comparative analysis of lipid profiles of sperm to obtain insights into their susceptibility to damaging oxidation as well as the antioxidant potential in the semen of different species. The team found that there were major differences in the composition of lipids in sperm and seminal fluid, with more closely related species such as domestic cattle, domestic pig and domestic horse showing similarities in lipid profile. This contrasts with the lipid composition of erythrocytes and blood plasma from different species, which is relatively uniform. The results help to improve our understanding of the effect of oxidative stress on reproductive processes and improve assisted reproduction measures in future. They were published in the scientific journal "PLOS ONE".

Many bat species seasonally migrate over long distances across Europe, using the coastline of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as corridors. Coastal areas are also suitable locations for wind turbines, which can be fatal for bats. An investigation led by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) on how common noctules use the air space in coastal regions shows that onshore wind turbines at the coast are increasingly restricting the habitat available to migrating bats. Therefore, the remaining refuges should be protected when deciding on areas designated for wind energy production, and new turbines should not be erected near foraging grounds or day roosts, the scientists conclude in the paper published in the "Journal of Environmental Management". Otherwise, the expansion of wind power in Germany will have negative consequences not only for native bats, but also for migrating bats from north-eastern Europe.