Another attractive theory falls foul of the facts. A census of trees in rainforests on three continents has confirmed that competition plays a central role in structuring communities. This contradicts the so-called neutral theory in ecology, which views random fluctuations as the decisive factor. more

In a new position paper, launched in Brussels earlier this week, the League of European Research Universities (LERU), which represents leading research-intensive universities including LMU Munich, outlines its response to the European Commission’s request for submissions on the development of a European Research Area. more