OUR CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

URBAN COMMUNITY GARDENS

‘Forschen für Wildbienen’

How do urban gardens contribute to wild pollinator conservation? How can urban gardeners participate in pollinator conservation? In our research project Forschen für Wildbienen, we are investigating the relationships between pollinator diversity, pollination services and garden habitat management in urban community gardens. We work in 30 community gardens in Berlin and Munich Germany and use citizen science to engage gardeners in the research process. We use an inter- and transdisciplinary approach to understand the biodiversity, ecology and conservation of wild pollinators in urban gardens not only from a scientific perspective, but also to contribute to the social understanding of wild pollinators, with focus on bees.

Combining urban ecological research and citizen science, we will develop and implement conservation measures in gardening practice with gardeners and share recommendations for gardeners, politicians, urban planners and nature conservationists.

This research is funded by the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie.

BioDivHubs - Biodiversität ins Quartier

In the BioDivHubs project, we are working together with gardeners, residents, civil society organizations, science and other urban stakeholders to promote greater biodiversity in urban nature. We use community gardens as a starting point because they offer space for studies on biodiversity-promoting gardening practices, especially insect conservation. We are developing and implementing conservation measures that will be implemented in the community gardens and carried into the surrounding neighborhoods.

This research is funded by the Bundesamt für Naturschutz.

CityBees - Stadtbienen unter Stress?

Urbanization promotes two major environmental stressors, soil sealing and urban heat. The CityBees project aims to investigate, how urbanization affects bee and plant communities, their resilience, and the services they provide. As part of the project we are working with community gardens in Munich and Berlin, observing floral abundance and resources, as well as plant and pollinator biodiversity. This research is a collaboration with the Chair of Plant-Insect Interactions but also works closely with the BioDivHubs project in Munich and the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in Berlin.

This research is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

BioDiverCities

Wouldn’t it be great to have more green and biodivers cities, excessible for everyone? This project aims to investigate the mechanisms that determine urban biodiversity in different neighborhoods and predict how it will change in the future. The study focuses on three European cities—Berlin, Munich, and Zurich—with the aim of better understanding the complex relationships between biodiversity and various influencing factors such as vegetation cover, heat, pollution, and poverty. We will use advanced models, known as Spatial Models of Biodiversity, to combine biodiversity data with social and environmental factors. We will also examine various contributions of nature to people in cities in order to define their spatial distribution and their relationship to urban biodiversity. By unraveling the complex relationships between social factors and the natural environment, this study aims to pave the way for the realization of more inclusive, equitable, and resilient urban spaces.

This project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

URBAN PARKS

‘StadtOasen’

The significance of urban ecosystems is increasingly linked to aspects of biodiversity and urban climate adaptation, as well as to the health of people in the city. Our Urban Oases project explores how objective and subjective characteristics of Munich's parks are linked to the regulation of microclimate, thermal comfort and mental relaxation. We focus on the potential of small public green spaces and hypothesize that many small urban oases (<1ha) in aggregate have a great impact as nature-based solutions in urban climate adaptation and public health promotion.

Using an interdisciplinary approach with methods from forestry science, urban meteorology and empirical social research, we investigate the effects of urban oases on the immediate environment and human health, and determine which vegetation structures are beneficial for health and microclimate within oases. We derive evidence-based and target-oriented recommendations for the future development of green spaces in Bavarian cities and beyond.

This research is funded by the Bavarian State Ministries for Health and Care (StMGP) and for Environment and Consumer Protection (StMUV) under the Project „Klimawandel und Gesundheit“ (VKG).

CitySoundscapes - Soundscapes across cityscapes

The "CitySoundscapes" project brings together research from forestry, landscape ecology and environmental psychology to investigate how urban green spaces must be structured and distributed in the urban space in order to provide valuable living space and be effective as health resources for people. The focus here is on so-called “soundscapes”. In cities, people are exposed to many different acoustic stimuli. Some sounds, such as those from traffic, are perceived as noise, can trigger feelings of stress and anxiety and affect health. Green spaces can attenuate these disturbing noises and use natural acoustic stimuli to reduce stress and promote concentration. We are developing a biodiversity-related index for soundscapes with the help of field inventories, 3D mobile laser scanning and acoustic recordings. In addition, a real-world laboratory is to be developed in order to incorporate biodiversity-based health interventions into urban planning and management.

This research is funded by the BMBF-Forschungsinitiative zum Erhalt der Artenvielfalt (FEdA).

Draußenunterricht - Biodiversität, Naturerleben und BNE

Does thinking outside the classroom will shape the future of our society? Studies on outdoor education in Germany indicate that regular teaching outside the school building, primarily in natural spaces, can increase physical activity, motivation to learn, and social skills, as well as improve the mental health and social interaction of children and young people. In view of global species extinction, it is essential to strengthen children's and young people's connection to nature and knowledge of species in order to promote long-term commitment to nature conservation. Direct experiences of nature promote emotional bonds and environmental awareness. The loss of such experiences not only reduces positive emotions and health-related effects, but can also lead to a cycle of alienation from nature. This project investigates how outdoor education can promote a connection to nature and species knowledge and what influence the structural and species diversity of the learning spaces used has on this. From this, design recommendations for the future establishment of further outdoor learning spaces can be derived.

This research is funded by the Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Heimat.

suds

Research Training Group Urban Green Infrastructure

The RTG UGI integrates urban planning and design, urban ecosystems, and human health with the concept of social-ecological-technological systems (SETS). The RTG conducts research in parks, green streets, and sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) in collaboration with urban communities and policymakers. The research is divided into three interactive and interdisciplinary clusters to educate motivated scholars equipped to approach urban-centered problems with advanced tools to understand and propose sustainable solutions for people and ecosystems.

In this research, UPE will conduct experiments in SUDS using different combinations of high-carbon organic soil amendments (HCAs) in combination with nutrients to improve soil structure and functionality in SUDS for contaminant remediation.

This research is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

ORCHARD meadows

StreuWiKlim

Orchard meadows are of high socio-ecological value as traditional, extensive agroecosystems. Climate change threatens the ecological and cultural function of these systems, yet which factors contribute to the resilience to climate change lack systematically studied.

Our project StreuWiKlim asks factors influence the resilience of orchards to changing climatic conditions with the goal to develop region-specific adaptation strategies. Using a Farmer Science approach, we will work together with orchard managers to identify the influences induced by climate change on orchard cultivation in Bavaria and to assess regional differences in order to develop sustainable adaptation strategies. We will examine to what extent different management practices, biodiversity and structural richness contribute to the resilience of orchard meadows to changing climate conditions and can therefore be recommended as adaptation measures.

This research is a collaboration with the HWST and funded by the Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten (StMELF)

URBAN GARDENS

Forschen für Wildbienen

ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH (CITIZEN SCIENCE)

gardeners act as important actors in urban nature conservation.

There is a lack of research that incorporates the role of gardeners in relation to their gardening practice, interest, and motivation to develop evidence-based, practice-oriented recommendations for conservation. We combine urban ecology research and Citizen Science to develop wild bee conservation strategies in urban community gardens. The results will be published and disseminated as recommendations for gardeners, politics, urban planning and nature conservation. The cooperation between scientists and gardeners is intended to promote the interest and motivation of urban residents for nature conservation beyond joint research.

Our pilot project in Berlin in 2020 was continued and extended to Munich in 2021. The ecological research currently takes place in around 15 community gardens in Berlin and around 15 community gardens in Munich.

Munich (Webkarte) // Berlin (Webkarte)

The aim is to investigate whether and how garden features and gardening practices can promote wild bee diversity and support plant pollination.

1. Gardeners will observe pollination on selected tomato, squash, bell pepper, and strawberry plants. They documented when their plant 1) flowers, 2) is pollinated, and 3) fruits. When they harvested, they measured the size of the fruit.

2. Scientists observe wild pollinators and documented plant, soil, and climate characteristics.

3. Scientists studied the social aspects of the project.

Project duration: 01.2021 – 09.2024

Partners: Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

Funding: Heidehof Stiftung, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie

Contact: Munich: garten@tum.de; Berlin: Gartenbestaeuber@mfn.berlin

Website: https://www.wildbienenforschung.de/

CityBees: City bees under stress? Interactive effects of urbanization factors on bees and pollination

what drives bee-plant interactions under stress in the city?

Cities are increasingly important areas for the preservation of biodiversity, ecological communities, and ecosystem services. At the same time, they place a unique combination of stressors on plants, animals, and the interactions between them. Bees comprise an invaluable pollinator group essential for both human food production and reproduction of wild or managed plant communities. While urbanization is predicted and, in some cases, demonstrated to negatively impact bee richness and diversity, these effects can be highly variable or even positive, likely due to differences such as bee functional traits or behavior. Similarly, pollination services and plant-pollinator networks may be impacted by urban stressors, however these relationships are even less understood.

On the other hand, urban areas often boast highly diverse and heterogeneous plant communities due to local management in areas like gardens, parks, or road margins. This management can provide floral resources across space and time that may mitigate negative impacts of urbanization or interact with urban stressors in their impacts on pollinators and pollination services.

Urban gardens create a unique framework in which to investigate these questions regarding plants, pollinators, local habitat management, and landscape-level characteristics across urban areas.

In the CityBees project, we work with urban community gardens across the cities of Munich and Berlin to understand how urbanization shapes bee and plant communities, their resilience, and the services they provide. We take a trait-based approach aimed at teasing apart (1) how two major urban environmental stressors, impervious surface and urban heat, impact inter- and intra-specific variation and interactions between bees and plants; (2) how these relationships influence associated functions in the pollination services provided to plants by bees, and provisioning resources provided to bees by plants; and (3) how landscape-scale stressors interact with local habitat and resource management in structuring these systems.

This research is a collaboration with the Professorship for Plant-Insect-Interactions (PI Prof. Sara Leonhardt) and is led by two PhD candidates, Alex Zink (UPE) and Gaya ten Kate (PII), as well as supported by technicians Agata Cybinska (UPE), Regina Hüttle (UPE) and Michael Miesl (UPE). The research also works closely with the BioDivHubs Project in Munich and the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in Berlin.  

Partner

• Professorship for Plant-Insect Interactions (PI Prof. Sara Leonhardt)

Funding

DFG – Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 

Timespan

10.2023 till 10.2026

Team and Contact

Alex Zink (PhD, TUM-UPE): alex.zink@tum.de

Gaya ten Kate (PhD, TUM-PII): gaya.ten.kate@tum.de 

Monika Egerer (PI, TUM-UPE): monika.egerer(at)tum.de 

Sara Leonhardt (PI, TUM-PII): sara.leonhardt@tum.de

BioDivHubs – bringing biodiversity into the neighborhood

research supporting evidence-based conservation interventions for biodiversity

The "BioDivHubs - Biodiversity in the Neighborhood" project uses a bottom-up approach in which gardeners and residents work together with civil society organizations, scientists and other urban stakeholders to promote greater biodiversity in urban nature. Community gardens are the starting point for the project activities.

Together with the gardeners, we will identify and test biodiversity-promoting gardening practices, especially for insect conservation. The measures will be implemented in the community gardens and carried out in the surrounding neighborhoods. These include, for example, biodiversity-promoting greening of balconies and terraces, insect-friendly perennial beds, sand arias and stone structures in schoolyards or in inner courtyards of residential buildings and much more.

In order to support people in the neighborhoods in greening their urban living, working and learning environment, so-called BioDivHubs are being set up in four model neighborhoods including Ackermannbogen, Englschalking, Giesing, and Isarvorstadt as instruments for raising awareness, involving, advising and supporting people in the neighborhoods. As central points of contact, the BioDivHubs offer workshops, guided tours and online question and answer sessions as well as instructions and brochures on biodiversity-promoting horticultural measures. Through suitable campaigns and forms of participation, people in the neighborhood are encouraged to take part in the creative process of finding measures and to implement these measures under guidance. In the BioDivHubs, interdisciplinary cooperation creates learning spaces and networks that are close to people's lives. The neighborhood committees and district-related representatives of the city administration and local institutions are also involved via the BioDivHubs.

Network partners

• BürgerStiftung München

• Green City e.V.

• Münchner Umwelt-Zentrum e.V.

• Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

Funding

Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV)

Duration

01.06.2023 until 31.05.2028

WEBSITE

https://www.biodivhubs.net/

Team and contact

David Schoo (WiMi, TUM-UPE): david.schoo(at)tum.de 

Monika Egerer (PI, TUM-UPE): monika.egerer(at)tum.de  

STADTOASEN // CITY OASES

ecological research

We use field inventories, terrestrial laser scanning, and microclimate monitoring to investigate the relationship between plant species composition, structural complexity, and meteorological aspects of urban green spaces.

social research

We use qualitative and quantitative approaches to investigate the health benefits (cooling, stress reduction, restoration, nature experience) of urban green spaces, and how such benefits are linked to natural elements of the space.

participatory research

We use crowd sourcing and citizen science to investigate how citizens use urban green spaces, and what citizens want from urban green spaces in the context of climate change and health benefits.

Cities will be particularly affected by the impacts of climate change, e.g. due to heavy precipitation or longer periods of heat. In this context, urban green spaces including trees, park areas and forests will become enormously important in several aspects. Depending on their vegetation structure and size, these green spaces have different biophysical effects and contribute, among other things, to temperature mitigation. In recent years, the urban ecological importance of urban green spaces has been linked to aspects of biodiversity and urban climate adaptation, as well as to the health of people in the city, whose demand for recreation in urban green spaces is increasing. Urban green space can mitigate different impacts of climate change in cities, contributing directly and indirectly to the health of residents.

The StOasenWandel project focuses on the social-ecological, health- and climate-related importance of small green spaces. The importance of size and structure are investigated in terms of micrometeorological and health factors. We hypothesize that many small urban green spaces (<1ha) in our growing and warmer cities play an important role in urban climate adaptation and health care, and in aggregate have a greater impact than one large space.

The aim of the project is to investigate which effects urban green spaces can have on the immediate environment and human health, and which vegetation structures are beneficial for preventive health care and the measured and perceived microclimate. We intend to derive evidence-based recommendations for future green space development.

Project duration: 05.2022 – 09.2025

Partners: Professorship for Forest and Agroforestry Systems (Annighöfer) and Chair for Forest and Environmental Policy (Suda); Core team: Peter Annighöfer, Michael Suda, Sophie Arzberger, Stefanie Burger, Birgit Probst

Funding: Bayerisches Ministerium für Gesundheit und Pflege (StMGP), and Bayerisches Ministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz (StMUV)

Contacts at UPE: Stefanie Burger (Project researcher; stefanie.burger@tum.de) and Monika Egerer (PI; monika.egerer@tum.de)

Website: www.stoasen.de

CITY SOUNDSCAPES

Recognizing urban nature as a critical habitat for biodiversity and a contributor to human well-being, the project underscores the significance of implementing biodiversity-based health interventions as a cost-effective strategy to improve the overall health of urban populations. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the CitySoundscapes Project integrates insights from forestry, landscape ecology, and environmental psychology. The primary focus of the project is the exploration of "soundscapes" within urban environments – the auditory landscape that significantly influences human experiences. In cities, diverse acoustic stimuli impact residents with specific sounds, such as traffic noise, inducing stress and anxiety. Urban green spaces emerge as potential solutions, capable of mitigating disruptive noises and offering a natural acoustic environment conducive to stress reduction and cognitive performance.

The aim of the CitySoundscapes Project is to provide valuable insights into the strategic structuring, equipping, and distribution of urban green spaces. These spaces are envisioned not only as essential habitats for biodiversity but also as effective contributors to the well-being of city dwellers. By establishing living labs and integrating biodiversity-based health interventions into urban planning and management, the project seeks to contribute to a holistic understanding of how urban environments can be optimized to simultaneously support biodiversity conservation and enhance the health and well-being of urban populations.

Project duration: 01.06.2023 – 31.05.2024 (phase 1); 01.10.2024 - 31.09.2027 (phase 2)

Partners: Staff from the following research groups and institutes

Technische Universität München, Professorship for Urban Productive Ecosystems, Professorship for Forest and Agroforest Systems, Chair for Strategic Landscape Planning and Management, Chair for Terrestrial Ecology

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research

Technische Universität Berlin, Department of Engineering Acoustics, Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Technical Acoustics

Funding: BMBF-Forschungsinitiative zum Erhalt der Artenvielfalt (FEdA)

Contact: Leonie Schulz (Project coordinator; leonie.schulz@tum.de) and Monika Egerer (Pl; monika.egerer@tum.de)

Website: https://www.feda.bio/de/projekte/biodivgesundheit/citysoundscapes-beziehungen-zwischen-biodiversitaet-geraeuschkulissen-und-gesundheit/

SUDS: SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

(techno)soils

We experiment with different high-carbon organic soil amendments (HCAs) that are abundant and cheap in cities (e.g., biochar, compost) to investigate the potential of soil combinations to improve soil carbon sequestration and the associated formation of soil structure, which is critical for water infiltration and contaminant binding.

water dynamics

We assess the role of different soil amendment combinations to improve the removal of heavy metals and biocides, and analyze the physico-chemical mechanisms responsible for pollutant removal. Then we will investigate the remobilization potential of pollutants in soil remediation strategies.

plant & animal communities

We analyze the potential of HCA soil remediation strategies for above-ground plant communities and below-ground microbial communities. With this knowledge, we will implement strategies in Munich to test how improved soil structure and function can promote plant functional diversity but also reduce contaminant risk.

Urbanization has disrupted or replaced natural hydrological processes due to the regulation of urban watercourses, sealing, and degrading of natural soils. This results in reduced infiltration and frequent flooding, and the accumulation of pollutants from traffic, building materials, and industrial processes. Current technical solutions lead stormwater runoff via the sewer system out of the cities and discharge it into sewage treatment plants or surface waters. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) that manage stormwater on-site may be a potential solution to absorb large amounts of stormwater, deal with pollutants, prevent erosion, and be planted with low maintenance plant communities that support biodiversity. However, there is a lack of understanding of the techno-ecological characteristics of SUDS as elements of green infrastructure that provides multiple functions and ecosystem services. Implementing large-scale SUDS programs requires new knowledge about the distribution and functional properties of soils relevant for plant systems and hydrological cycling.

This research combines expertise in wastewater treatment and urban drainage with ecology, soil science, and vegetation management to create SUDS that improve water purification, carbon sequestration, and above- and below-ground biodiversity. We will conduct technical and semi-technical experiments using high-carbon organic soil amendments (HCAs) in combination with nutrients to improve soil structure and functionality for contaminant remediation, water conservation and supporting above- and below-ground biodiversity and function. Knowledge will be used to implement and test SUDS in the City of Munich in final stages of the project.

Project duration: 04.2022 – 09.2026

Team: PIs: Prof. Dr. Brigitte Helmreich, Prof. Dr. Dr. Ingrid Kögel-Knabner, Prof. Dr. Johannes Kollmann, Prof. Dr. Michael Schloter; Doctoral Candidates: Nadja Berger, Natalie Páez-Curtidor, Lauren Porter, Swanandee Nulkar; Research Affiliates: Dr. Franziska Bucka, Dr. Stefanie Schulz, Dr. Leonardo H. Teixeira

Funding: German Research Foundation DFG.

Contact: Lauren Porter (Project researcher, PhD Candidate; lauren.porter@tum.de), Ingrid Kögel-Knabner (PI: koegel@tum.de), and Monika Egerer (PI; monika.egerer@tum.de)

Website: https://www.gs.tum.de/en/grk/urban-green-infrastructure/cluster-and-subprojects/cluster-3/ (Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Stephan Pauleit)

ORCHARD MEADOWS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE

environmental conditions

We will assess agroecosystem diversity and complexity, and monitor local meteorological conditions in relation to different (animal) biodiversity and ecosystem services relevant to fruit production and climate resilience.

farmer science

Participatory research such as Farmer Science enhances the collaboration between orchard managers and researchers. We work with orchard managers to better leverage and promote local expertise and knowledge.

resilient best-practices

Our goal is to provide evidence-based best management practices that may increase the resilience of Streuobstwiesen and the biodiversity therein and ecosystem services provided under climate change.

Traditional orchard meadows – in German, ‘Streuobstwiesen’ – are of high socio-ecological value as traditional, extensive agricultural systems. The combination of grassland and woody plants harbors considerable plant and animal biodiversity. They also provide important ecosystem services aside from fruit production; this includes regulatory services such as microclimate and water balance regulation. Furthermore, they are important in terms of recreation, landscape appearance, cultural heritage, and varietal diversity.

In the context of climate change, we know very little about the effects of e.g., changes in hours of sunshine and solar radiation, spring and fall temperatures, milder winters, and increasing dry spells on fruit production. Characteristics such as high varietal diversity, animal and plant species diversity, tree age diversity, and extensive land use suggest high climate resilience. Yet, we lack systematic assessments across regions of various environmental conditions of how observed changes are related to regional climate parameters, management measures and stand parameters such as biodiversity and structural complexity.

Together with 40 orchard managers across 4 regions in Bavaria, the project StreuWiKlim aims to: (1) assess the impacts of climate change on orchard cultivation in Bavaria; (2) identify factors that influence the climate resilience of Streuobstwiesen; and (3) develop region-specific adaptation strategies. We will examine to what extent different management practices, biodiversity as well as structural complexity contribute to the resilience of orchard meadows to changing climate conditions. We use participatory research approaches or Citizen Science to leverage the knowledge diversity of different stakeholder groups, where we see that farmers themselves have immense local expertise as land users, and are the ones who can benefit the most from research findings. In this project, knowledge generated through 'Farmer Science' is a cornerstone of the research process.

Project duration: 10.2022 – 09.2025

Partners: Prof. Dr. Markus Reinke & Rebekka Honecker; Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT); Team: Niclas Hoegel, Rebeekka Honecker, Susanne Raum, Markus Reinke, Monika Egerer.

Funding: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten

Contact: Niclas Hoegel (Project coordination and PhD candidate, niclas.hoegel@tum.de)

Website: https://www.streuwiklimprojekt.de/