Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)

Our colleague Moise Leance Sagbohan presented ZMT’s research on climate change and biodiversity at a workshop in Brazil, focusing on Amazonian countries’ vulnerability and readiness. The event led to a collaborative open letter to #COP30. Thanks to all involved! #ZMT

The 5th anniversary of the Climate Festival in Neue Vahr was a great opportunity to connect with the local community. Our colleague Achim Meyer represented Hashtag#ZMT and met Kathrin Moosdorf, Die Senatorin für Umwelt, Klima und Wissenschaft, who gave a welcoming speech. #ZMT #ClimateAction

Day 2 @ #TropEcS-Symposium – Coupling Components: How to link ocean, atmosphere, land, ecosystems & biogeochemistry in Earth system models? Talks on coastal dynamics, land-sea fluxes, biosphere interactions & food webs showed the need for connected modelling. #TropEcS2025 #ZMT

The #TropEcS Symposium brings together 100+ experts, early career researchers & partners from Germany and the tropics to explore how to better integrate tropical coasts into Earth system models - key for climate insights & policy. More: zac.leibniz-zmt.de/tropecs/ #ZMT #TropEcS

Congratulations to Dr. Lucy Atieno on her PhD defense at ZMT! Her work on tourism, gender & climate change on Kenya’s coast highlights why local and gendered voices must guide just, sustainable coastal futures. Wishing her all the best! #ZMT #PhDDefense #MarineScience #CoastalTourism

Twelve participants train at ZMT’s Scientific Diving Course, learning scientific diving skills. Trainee Konrad: „Rather take your time, before rushing into it. Be quick, but don’t hurry. “ Graduates are certified as “German Scientific Diver” and “European Scientific Diver.” #ZMT #ScientificDiving

UN ‘high seas’ treaty clears ratification threshold, to enter into force in January A landmark UN treaty to safeguard marine biodiversity on the high seas has now met the required 60 ratifications for entry into force, clearing the way for it to take effect in January 2026.

📢 Great news about the High Seas Treaty now ratified and entering into force in January. #BBNJ 👍👏🎉
🔗 news.un.org/en/story/202...

A small tropical fish with a brown and white striped body, blue spots on its face, and yellow fins swims among branching coral. The coral is light brown with fuzzy polyps and fills the foreground, while the background is dark, highlighting the fish’s colors.

🔬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬
An international team led by ZMT analysed 335 genomes of Caribbean hamlet fishes. Only one gene showed a clear link to differences between species. It's active in skin, eyes, and brain & may be tied to colour patterns and mate choice.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Happy to share that out doctoral candidate Leonie Dziomba is featured as part of the Leibniz Association’s anniversary series “30 at around 30”. Thanks to our colleagues at Leibniz for making this happen. We hope you enjoy reading the interview 👇👇👇🤩🤩🤩

The first #CREATE report in @allianz-meer.bsky.social #sustainMare examines governance effectiveness of the Whale Sanctuary in the German North Sea for harbour porpoise conservation, revealing strengths, weaknesses & policy recommendations. #ZMT ZMT #MarineConservation #Schweinswal

360 Coral Reefs – Life Below the Surface by The Jetlagged, originally created with ZMT for a research project, was later reworked into a FullDome version. The film won the Ocean Dome Award 2025 in Kiel and immersed thousands in reef life. #ZMT

Das sagt unser Wissenschaftlicher Geschäftsführer Prof. Dr. Raimund Bleischwitz zum weiteren Vorgehen: „Wichtig ist jetzt eine Verständigung mit China und Indonesien …“ – das vollständige Statement im Artikel:👇 #ZMT

ZMT joined the GEWOBA #CityTriathlon Bremen with five teams and two individuals. A day of swimming, cycling, and running focused on shared experiences, variety, and team spirit. #ZMT #CityTriathlon #Bremen #Teamwork #GEWOBA

From 28 July to 8 August, IOI Germany, ZMT, University of Bremen & IPB University held their first joint summer course in Bogor and online. Participants co-designed solutions for real marine & coastal challenges with international experts.
#ZMT #MarineResearch #Transdisciplinarity #OceanPolicy

Well done Dr. Guilherme Abuchahla! His PhD explored links between mangroves and land ecosystems in Brazil and Senegal. Using advanced lab methods, his research supports better understanding and management of coastal environments. All the best, Guilherme! #ZMT #PhDDefense #Küstenökosysteme #Mangroves

ZMT now hosts two Dadant US hives with gentle Buckfast bees from England. Beekeeper Dr. Sascha Bade moved them 3 km from their original site so they could settle well. As winter nears, each hive needs 15 kg of honey. Thanks to Elke Kasper for the connection. #ZMT

#onexpedition Greetings from Indonesia: Our colleague Achim Schlüter is attending the 9th ESL IPB University Summer Course on “Ecotourism, Nature Conservation and Food Security,” bringing together participants from 25 countries. #ZMT #IPBUniversity #MarineGovernance #FoodSecurity

30 years of @leibniz-gemeinschaft.de For us at ZMT, 30 stands for the global goal of protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030 – central to the UN Biodiversity Agreement and BBNJ. Congrats to @leibniz-gemeinschaft.de on 30 years of strong partnerships and impactful, equitable research! 🌊 #30x30 #ZMT

🎨🐠 "Corals – Play of Colors in Art and Science" at Internationales Maritimes Museum Hamburg (IMMH) – until Aug 10, featuring 360° film & photos by ZMT. Photo credit: IMMH 🌊 #Corals #OceanScience #ZMT

New IUCN Task Force with ZMT co-chair Dr. Estradivari develops science-based criteria for sustainable fishing in Marine Protected Areas. It tackles inconsistent definitions of industrial fisheries to ensure ecologically sustainable use & support conservation globally. © Maren Kruse, ZMT #ZMT #IUCN

#Veranstaltungshinweis: Am 12. Juli um 11 Uhr spricht unsere Kollegin Wiebke Homes bei Wissen um 11 im Haus der Wissenschaft über Schweinswale in der Nordsee und den Effekt des Walschutzgebiets vor Sylt. Eintritt frei. #ZMT

Open call for our Summer Course on Transdisciplinarity
below and feel free to share! #ZMT #IOIGermany #IPBUniversity #Summercourse #CoDesigning

This bi-annual conference united over 350 marine social science researchers from all over the world to discuss for a week issues of people and the sea. ZMT co-organised this conference with Raymond Ayilu, Ph.D in the conference committee. #ZMT

An international team led by University of North Carolina Wilmington & ZMT examined reefs worldwide to find where fish communities appear most beautiful – important since fish beauty impacts people’s willingness to conserve these vulnerable ecosystems. Less than 7% of reefs are protected. #ZMT

Meereswissenschaften: Rückblick und Ergebnisse der UN-Meereskonferenz 2025 in Nizza Das Blau unseres blauen Planeten ist in Gefahr – durch den Klimawandel, die Umweltverschmutzung und die Überfischung. Das ist nichts Neues. Doch immer noch stehen sich maritime Wirtschaftsinteressen u...

"Wir hinken mit dem Wissen über die Meere hinterher."
Raimund Bleischwitz, Direktor des
@leibniz-zmt.de & Professor an der @unibremen.bsky.social im Interview mit Radio Eins über die Ergebnisse der dritten UN-Meereskonferenz.
www.radioeins.de/programm/sen...
#Meere #Umweltschutz #Nachhaltigkeit

ZMT International Scientific Advisory Board welcomes five new members and elects IDOS director Anna-Katharina Hornidge as new chair Das Leibniz-Zentrum für Marine Tropenforschung (ZMT) erforscht tropische und subtropische Küstenökosysteme und ihre Bedeutung für Natur und Menschen erforscht.

We are pleased to announce that IDOS Director @akhornidge.bsky.social has been elected Chair of the International Scientific Advisory Board of @leibniz-zmt.de. She will be joined by Professor Michael Obersteiner as Co-Chair: www.leibniz-zmt.de/en/news-at-z...

🌱 Gemeinsam für mehr #Biodiversität!
🔍 Welche Maßnahmen fördern Biodiversität in Deutschland wirklich?
Wir suchen Ideen & Menschen mit Erfahrung! Machen Sie mit bei der Umfrage zur #ZukunftswerkstattBiodiversität – bis 14. Juli!
👉 tinyurl.com/5n8879sb
#Biodiversität #Artenvielfalt #Mitmachen

We are happy to announce the next #MARUM Research Seminar with Prof. Dr. Nils Moosdorf, from @leibniz-zmt.de and @uni-kiel.de

🗓️ When: June 19th 2025, 14:15 CET
🗺️ Where: MARUM, room 2070

Find out more about it here ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Dates-Eve...

Our colleagues Prof. Dr. Oscar Puebla and Dr. Martin Helmkampf recently discussed the new fish species we introduced in an interview with Bremen’s regional TV buten un binnen. (in German only).
Feel free to check it out: www.butenunbinnen.de/videos/breme... #ZMT #ButenUnBinnen #hamlet

Prof. Dr. Achim Schlueter joined this year’s UN Ocean Conference in Nice, engaging with researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Swipe through the slides for his three key takeaways. #UNOC3 #ZMT