Public evening lecture by Professor Dr. Christian Laforsch (University of Bayreuth, Chair of Animal Ecology) as part of the lecture series "Planet Earth 3.0 - Living in a changing world"

The pollution of the environment by microplastics, the potential risks for ecosystems and ultimately for our health, has recently become the focus of great public and scientific interest. The Collaborative Research Center Microplastics aims to gain a fundamental understanding of the processes and mechanisms that - depending on the physical and chemical properties of the plastics - determine the biological effects of microplastics, influence the environmental behaviour and migration of microplastics in and between environmental compartments and cause the formation of microplastics. These findings will provide a scientifically sound basis for the assessment of environmental risks and lead to the development of new, environmentally friendly plastics.

After studying biology at the LMU Munich, Christian Laforsch completed his doctorate there in 2003 with distinction: summa cum laude. This was followed by postdoctoral stays at the University of Leipzig and Lancaster University, UK. After his subsequent habilitation in evolutionary ecology at the LMU, he was employed as head of the limnological research station Seeon at the LMU. Since 2012, he has held the Chair of Animal Ecology I at the Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences at the University of Bayreuth. His research focuses on zoology and evolutionary ecology, in particular on phenotypic plasticity and the adaptation of animals to environmental changes. Other topics include coral reef ecology, the impact of multiple stressors on ecosystems and, in particular, the effects of microplastics on human and environmental health.

Moderation: Professor Dr. Alexander Wacker