Detail eines Herbarbelegs

Senckenberg Jena Centre for Plant Form and Function (SJeP)

Senckenberg and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena are establishing a novel institute linking traditional natural-history collections with cutting-edge approaches in biodiversity and data science
Detail eines Herbarbelegs
Foto: Kristin Victor (FSU Jena)

Tearing down the walls between natural history, collections, data science and biodiversity research

FSU Jena Logo
Senckenberg Logo
iDiv Logo
Leibniz Gemeinschaft Logo
Arbeit mit Herbarbelegen
Foto: Sergey Pfaff (FSU Jena)
NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN THE ANTHROPOCENE
With >3.5 million specimens and a dedicated library, the Herbarium Haussknecht is ideally placed to study regional biodiversity change, including mosses. We will unlock this preasure chest by developing new research avenues to understand Anthropocene Biodiversity Change.
Aufbewahrung von Herbarbelegen
Foto: Jens Meyer (Universität Jena)
A UNIQUE HERBARIUM IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT
Herbarium curation, lab work and most of all people need an adequate home. Furthermore, we believe that collections and researchers should be in direct physical contact. Starting already in 2021, the herbarium is moving to new housing that meets current standards in curation and research.
Das neue Herbarium in der Carl-Pulffrich-Str. Jena
Foto: Anja Scholl
A NEW HOME FOR SJeP
The university has refurbished large tracts of a former industrial complex in the centre of Jena, and detailed planning for the remaining parts of the building is in progress. The strong commitment of both the federal state of Thuringia and the university has made this possible.
Herbarbeleg von Papaver rhoeas
Foto: Jan-Peter Kasper (Universität Jena)
RESEARCH
Biodiversity change is a key challenge of our time; we urgently need a better understanding of all its facets. Due to their wide taxonomical, spatial and temporal coverage, natural-history collections allow for comprehensive research to tackle that need. Revolutions in analytical technologies and digitization allow fuller use of the diversity of information retained in specimens.
Annotierter Herbarbeleg
Foto: Claus Weiland (SGN, Frankfurt a. M.)
DATA INTEGRATION IN THE DIGITAL ERA
IT-supported data retrieval, AI-aided analysis and rapidly growing
data interoperability not only allow vastly improved data exchange but also give unprecedented options for integrative research. With its Collectomics approach, Senckenberg seeks to develop collections into locally, regionally and internationally integrated virtual research platforms that support answering a wide range of questions in biodiversity science and beyond.

Our Mission

  • Our mission is to unite traditional natural history with modern, data-driven biodiversity science. We can advance this with new appointments and collaborations.
  • Locally: Four professorships plus associated staff from biological science and informatics will utilise the collection as a foundation of novel, interdisciplinary research.
  • Regionally: In addition to Jena University, the regions has a strong expertise in biological, computer and earth-system sciences, including the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, several Max-Planck Institutes (MPI -BGC, -CE, -), a Leibniz Institute (HKI) and the Institute of Data Science of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).
SJeP-Konzept SJeP-Konzept Illustration: Stefan Meyer (Universität Göttingen)