Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate

Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate
Name	Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate
Established	2011
Director	Katherine J. Willis
Parent	University of Copenhagen
Affiliation	Danish National Research Foundation
Location	Copenhagen, Denmark

Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate. The Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate is a research center of excellence dedicated to understanding broad-scale patterns in biodiversity and the impacts of climate change on the biosphere. It was established as a Center of Excellence funded by the Danish National Research Foundation and is hosted by the University of Copenhagen. The center integrates large-scale data analysis, theoretical modeling, and field studies to address fundamental questions in macroecology, macroevolution, and biogeography.

History and establishment

The center was founded in 2011 following a major grant award from the Danish National Research Foundation under its prestigious Center of Excellence program. Its establishment was spearheaded by foundational scientists including Carsten Rahbek, who became its first director. The initiative built upon a strong legacy of ecological research within the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen and sought to create a world-leading hub for synthetic, large-scale biological research. The creation of CMEC coincided with a growing global scientific emphasis on understanding the planetary-scale consequences of anthropogenic environmental change.

Research focus and objectives

The core scientific mission is to uncover the fundamental principles governing the distribution of life on Earth across space and time. Key research themes include investigating the drivers of global patterns in species richness, the evolutionary origins of biodiversity hotspots, and the future impacts of global warming on ecosystems. Researchers employ approaches from phylogenetics, paleontology, and geographic information system analysis to test hypotheses. A central objective is to produce predictive models that inform international conservation policy and strategies for climate change mitigation.

Organizational structure and leadership

The center operates as an independent unit within the University of Copenhagen, primarily associated with the Natural History Museum of Denmark and the Department of Biology. It is led by a director, a position held successively by Carsten Rahbek and, later, Katherine J. Willis. Scientific activities are organized into cross-disciplinary research groups rather than traditional departments, fostering collaboration between experts in ecology, evolutionary biology, and climate science. The governance includes a steering committee and an international scientific advisory board featuring renowned scholars like Robert M. May.

Key research projects and findings

Notable projects have produced landmark *Science* and *Nature* publications on topics such as global avian biodiversity patterns and the resilience of Amazon rainforest ecosystems. Researchers have mapped the world's biomes with unprecedented detail using satellite data from NASA. Key findings include elucidating the role of Quaternary climate fluctuations in shaping contemporary species distributions and demonstrating the disproportionate threat of climate change to endemic species in biodiversity hotspots like the Cape Floristic Region. Work on anthropocene defaunation has also been influential.

Collaborations and partnerships

The center maintains a vast network of international scientific partnerships. It is a core node in global research consortia such as the IUCN and collaborates extensively with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, University of Oxford, and Stanford University. Within Europe, it is active in European Research Council projects and frameworks like Horizon 2020. Fieldwork collaborations span continents, involving organizations like World Wildlife Fund and various national parks agencies. It also partners with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change contributors to synthesize research for assessment reports.

Impact and recognition

Research from the center has significantly shaped modern macroecology and influenced global environmental assessments, including those of the IPBES. Its scientists are frequently recognized with prestigious awards such as the Linnean Medal and are elected to academies like the Royal Society and the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters. The center's data products and models are used by policymakers at the United Nations Environment Programme and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Its annual symposium, often held in Copenhagen, is a major event in the field, attracting leading figures from Harvard University to the Max Planck Society.

Category:Research institutes in Denmark Category:University of Copenhagen Category:Climate change research organizations Category:Ecological research institutes