Förderung: DFG, 2024-2027
PI: Severin Irl
Cross-scale determinants of plant diversity and endemism in quartz island archipelagos in southern Africa
The Quartz Islands II project is a joint research project of Prof. Dr. Severin Irl (University of Frankfurt) and Dr. Ute Schmiedel (University of Hamburg). The project is funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG) for three years and started in January 2024. Alexander M. Bürger and Katharina Meyer do their PhD theses within. Further researchers involved in this project are Dr. Pia Eibes and Dr. Jens Oldeland. Short project description by the DFG can be found here. The project is conducted in collaboration with CapeNature.
Project objectives:
We aim to understand the drivers of plant taxonomic and functional diversity, species composition and endemism on unique quartz islands – a unique system for terrestrial habitat islands. To achieve this, we use the highly suited model system that offers clear boundaries, a unique species composition with spectacular life forms in need of protection, as well as state-of-the-art sampling, plant functional trait analysis, greenhouse experiments and remote sensing techniques. We will apply different spatial scales from the subcontinental to island scale to the plot scale and individual level in order to better understand how taxonomic and functional diversity are connected by processes acting on different spatial scales. Our research efforts will culminate in a test of the edaphism concept for quartz islands in southern Africa.