Earth’s living nature is currently exposed to major global environmental changes (global change), driven by the large and still rapidly increasing human population and its resource use. Global environmental changes includes habitat destruction (e.g., the ongoing tropical deforestation), biological invasions (e.g., Iberian slug, giant hogweed, and mink in Denmark), pollution, as well as the large ongoing changes in atmosphere and climate. Exemplifying the consequences, 25% of the World’s mammal species are already now threatened, and the future climate changes threaten to strongly worsen the situation. Our research in climate and environment provides us with an understanding of how global environmental change affects biodiversity and ecosystems: To what extent does biodiversity depend on climate, and by which mechanisms does climate affect biodiversity? Which impacts have past climate change such as ice ages had on biodiversity? How big a threat do the future changes in environment and climate constitute to biodiversity and ecosystems? How are individuals and populations affected by climatic and environmental stress? What are the impacts of habitat destruction on populations, species, and ecosystems? How are anthropogenic substances transported by, absorbed, and processed in living organisms, and with which effects?

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