In a world ever more perturbed, day after day, biodiversity is a concern of prime importance in the XXI
st century. What is biological diversity? How did it develop and evolve? How and why to protect it, and what are the priorities?
The Biodiversity Research Centre regroups scientists from UCL involved in the study of biodiversity, sensu lato (i.e. in the fields of biodiversity, ecology and evolution). By study of biodiversity is meant the study of the diversity of life at its various scales (from genes to ecosystems), the analysis of the stucture both within and between these scales, and the unraveling of their functioning. Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between organisms, and between organisms and thir environment. Evolutionary biology focuses on the process by which individuals, and as a consequence their populations, are modified through time. Evolution is the central framework in biology to explain and understand life and biodiversity on Earth, including our own species Homo sapiens. It is an essential framework for applied studies in ecology and conservation biology.
The Biodiversity Research Centre focuses on both basic and applied research.
