Our working group focuses on research related to biodiversity, evolution and ecology of plants. The activities range from classic taxonomy and molecular systematics to vegetatation ecology and patterns of plant diversity. In the field of classic taxonomy and molecular systematics we are interested in the diversity of living organisms, their genetic relationship and the driving evolutionary processes. Our research in vegetation ecology and biodiversity aims to understand evolution, dynamics and spatial patterns of biological diversity and their environmental drivers. We use both basic and applied research approaches to develop concepts for sustainable land use management in African dry lands that are subject to global change.

• Biodiversity / plant diversity monitoring
• Global network of standardised biodiversity monitoring (BIOTA Biodiversity Observatories)
• Vegetation ecology in arid and semi-arid systems in Africa
• Impact of land use on species composition, diversity and rangeland quality
• Ecological restauration of degraded dryland ecosystems
• Molecular systematics, e.g. of Aizoaceae and Lauraceae
• Websites and data management for biodiversity research

• BIOTA AFRICA: (Weblink) BIOTA AFRICA is an interdisciplinary and integrative research initiative that analyses the change of biodiversity on the African continent.
   
• IMPETUS Maroc: (Weblink) The interdisciplinary research project IMPETUS examined since mid-2000 the main aspects of the water cycle of two river catchments in Benin and Morocco. From 2000 until 2006 we were responsible for the botanical component of the project in Morocco. Our studies on Moroccan dry land vegetation have continued from 2006 to 2010 within the project BIOTA Maroc
   
• The Future Okavango (TFO): (Weblink) The TFO project analyses ecosystem functions and services within the trans-boundary Okavango basin with its variety of ecosystems linked by the central lifeline of the Okavango river. The Okavango Basin is a global hot-spot of accelerating change and land use conflicts which has a high international visibility and high potential transferability of results to other tropical and sub-tropical regions. The TFO project will link high-level inter- and trans-disciplinary research with trans-boundary stakeholder and land user requirements.
   
• MECHAL: (Weblink) The integrative research project aims to identify, evaluate and, where appropriate, adjust existing strategies to cope with droughts in order to develop farming practices adapted to changing climatic conditions in semi-arid areas of South Africa and Ethiopia through an action research approach.
   
• African Plant Initiative (API):  The African Plants Initiative (API) is a collaboration among more than 50 institutions in Africa, Europe, and the United States. API's long-term goal is to build a comprehensive online research tool aggregating and linking presently scattered scholarly resources about African plants, thereby improving access for students, scholars, and scientists around the globe.
   
• GBIF Germany: (Weblink) The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an international non-profit organisation to provide free and universal access to data regarding the world's biodiversity.
   

• Improved DNA based assessment of biodiversity and its ecosystem service with regard to economically important plant and animal groups and conservation goals.
• Systematic ecosystem & biodiversity conservation planning: Vegetation inventories, impact assessment and mitigation scenarios.
• Integrated resource management & Ecological restoration
• Documentation of local environmental knowledge and local level monitoring of rangeland and lifestock quality

• Postgraduate programmes: supervision and special training courses for Master and PhD students will be provided in cooperation with other African and German research institutes
• Grass root capacity development: para-ecologist programme in southern Africa based on our experiences with the BIOTA para-ecologist programme

• Scientific and administrative coordination of Regional Science Service Centre Southern Africa
• Maintenance of the SASSCAL website
• Supply of databases and database management tools for biodiversity research e.g. BIOTABase, BIOTACollection, Photoguide to Plants of Southern Africa