Prof. Dr. Claus Bässler began his academic career at the Weihenstephan University of Applied Sciences with a degree in forestry. After additionally studying environmental sciences with a focus on ecological environmental protection at the University of Rostock, he completed his doctorate at the Technical University of Berlin. He finally completed his habilitation at the Technical University of Munich before going to the Goethe University in Frankfurt as Professor of Conservation Biology. In Bayreuth, Prof. Dr. Claus Bässler has now taken up the professorship for fungal ecology. "To my knowledge, the University of Bayreuth is the first university to offer a professorship in fungal ecology. I see this as special, as the fungal organism kingdom plays a much smaller role in our university landscape in teaching and research compared to plants and animals," he says. "There have always been chairs for animal and plant ecology but not for fungal ecology. And personally - I am a fungal ecologist at heart. For this reason, I am very happy to strengthen animal and plant ecology with fungal ecology to make ecology even more visible in Bayreuth."

Bässler researches the effects of anthropogenic actions on fungal diversity at different spatial and temporal scales. The focus here is on climate change and land use." I am particularly interested in how we have to treat our forests in times of climate change in order to maintain wood use and the preservation of fungal diversity in equal measure," he says.

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He already has collaborations in mind: "Here, we will work on questions such as how plastic affects different fungal life forms. Bässler is also planning research in the area of fungus-plant-animal interactions. "Fungal communities are crucial to the functioning of the world's ecosystems, especially through their interactions with plants and animals."

Prof. Dr. Claus Bässler wants his teaching to provide a solid education in the field of mycology/fungal ecology. "This should facilitate the later direct involvement of students in research, e.g. in the context of theses and doctorates. In doing so, I would like to awaken enthusiasm in students specifically for fungal ecology." His intention is to qualify young scientists so that they can later take on leading positions in science in the field of mycology/fungal ecology. In addition, competence in the field of applied fungal ecology and nature conservation is to be imparted to a broad student body so that they are attractive for a broad field of employers in the official and association-oriented environment.

Jennifer Opel

Jennifer OpelDeputy Press Officer

University of Bayreuth
Phone: +49 (0)921  - 555357
Mail: jennifer.opel@uni-bayreuth.de

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