# Biodiversity and ecosystem services

**Source**: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/research-and-innovation/focus-areas/strategic-research-areas/biodiversity-and-ecosystem-services
**Parent**: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/sitemap

[På svenska](https://www.lu.se/forskning/starka-forskningsmiljoer/strategiska-forskningsomraden/biologisk-mangfald-och-ekosystemtjanster)

We study how biodiversity and ecosystem services are affected by changes in land use and by climate change. The knowledge we gain contributes to sustainable solutions for nature and people.

A diversity of animals, plants, and other organisms, many of which are threatened by human activity, is valuable not only for its own sake but also for our survival. We would not be able to live without the important ecosystem services that nature provides, such as pollination, carbon sequestration and water purification.

## World-leading research environment

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing Climate (BECC) is a world-leading research environment. Researchers from the universities in Lund and Gothenburg collaborate within and across research fields in economics, social sciences, and natural sciences.

Researchers study the connections between climate change, land use, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. This work improves our understanding of how these factors may interact and contributes to solutions that can protect our planet.

Research areas include:

- ecosystem restoration and species recovery in a world impacted by climate change and changes in land use
- integration of nature conservation into agriculture and forestry
- ecosystem services such as pollination, soil carbon storage and natural pest control
- the carbon cycle
- national and international policy processes
- economic instruments.

## Application areas

Working closely with organisations inside and outside academia, researchers are developing new solutions in areas such as:

### Improved policy and decision-making tools

Researchers are providing more detailed insights for decision-makers in the public and private sectors through their analysis of patterns, trends and variations in biodiversity. This also applies to the resilience of ecosystems to climate change.

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### Effective strategies for biodiversity conservation

We need to learn more about how species respond to environmental stressors if we are to manage the combined effects of climate change, habitat degradation and habitat loss. Species may change their range, adapt or go extinct. It is therefore important that we improve our understanding of how these factors affect ecosystems in the long term.

Researchers can support the development of affordable and reliable biodiversity conservation strategies by filling these gaps in our knowledge.

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### Improved knowledge of how the carbon cycle reacts to climate change

Understanding the carbon balance and how it interacts with other biogeochemical cycles, including those of nitrogen and phosphorus, can help us better comprehend how climate change affects ecosystems and biodiversity.

Researchers are combining this knowledge with analyses of human behaviour and decision-making, empirical ecology and modelling based on studies of past ecosystems.

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## Research environments

The following links are to other websites.

- [Biodiversity data (SBDI)](https://biodiversitydata.se/)
- [Carbon cycle research (ICOS Sweden)](https://www.cec.lu.se/research/icos-sweden)
- [Climate research](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/research-and-innovation/focus-areas/strategic-research-areas/climate-research)
- [Environmental and climate science](https://www.cec.lu.se/)
- [Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator (LPJ-GUESS)](https://www.nateko.lu.se/lpjguess)
- [Sustainable finance and biodiversity (BIOPATH)](https://www.mistrabiopath.se/)
- [Sustainability studies](https://www.lucsus.lu.se/)
- [Sustainable land use (in Swedish)](https://www.luland.lu.se/)
- [Sustainable water use](https://www.lth.se/english/research/profile-areas/water/)
- [Water](https://www.lth.se/english/research/profile-areas/water/)

## Strategic research area

BECC, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing Climate, is a world-leading research environment and a strategic research area (SRA) in Sweden.

BECC contributes to knowledge about the connection between climate, land use, biodiversity and ecosystem services.

BECC is led by Lund University in close collaboration with the University of Gothenburg.

**Coordinator**\
Edith Hammer\
Phone: [+46 (0)46 222 45 36](tel:+46462224536)\
Mobile: [+46 (0)73 244 19 68](tel:+46732441968)\
edith [dot] hammer [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se (edith[dot]hammer[at]biol[dot]lu[dot]se)

**Research coordinator**\
Josefin Madjidian\
Phone: [+46 (0)46 222 98 15](tel:+46462229815)\
josefin [dot] madjidian [at] cec [dot] lu [dot] se (josefin[dot]madjidian[at]cec[dot]lu[dot]se)

### Website

[BECC – becc.lu.se](https://www.becc.lu.se/)

## Research database

Related researchers, projects and publications.

[Lund University Research Portal](https://portal.research.lu.se/en/organisations/becc-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-services-in-a-changing-climate)

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## Latest news in biodiversity and ecosystems

### [Lund University ranked best in the world in sustainability](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/article/lund-university-ranked-best-world-sustainability)

Lund University has climbed to first place in the world in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026. The ranking includes around 2,000 higher education institutions fr...

### [Surprising number of environmental pollutants in hedgehogs](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/article/surprising-number-environmental-pollutants-hedgehogs)

Lead, pesticides, brominated flame retardants, plastic additives, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and heavy metals. This is what researchers at Lund University in Sweden found w...

### [Lakes worldwide are changing colour – possibly due to human impact](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/article/lakes-worldwide-are-changing-colour-possibly-due-human-impact)

Over the last 40 years, the majority of the world’s lakes have changed colour, according to a new study. The research team analysed 32 million satellite observations from over 67,0...

[More news about Biodiversity and ecosystems](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/category/biodiversity-and-ecosystems)