Journeys through Time, Plants, and Sleep

Have you ever wondered what the landscape looked like when the first farmers settled in Bern? Or since when the vegetation, which is "normal" for us today, exists in this form? With the help of paleoecology, we take you on a journey through time and look thousands of years into the past to answer these questions. Did you know that lake sediments can act as a time capsule, preserving evidence of ecological processes that took place thousands of years ago? By studying these sediments, we can learn about the evolution of our environment and the impact that humans have had on it over time.

Plants are the basis of all life on our planet. Plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and water from the soil into the sugars we eat and the oxygen we breathe. Without plants, life on Earth would be very different. The climate crisis influences how plants “breathe” and affects natural ecosystems and our ability to grow food. Today, we will discuss how climate change affects plants, why grasses like the cereal crops maize, rice and wheat “breathe” more efficiently, and how plant science can help to “future-proof” our food supply.

Abstract coming soon