About IBER

The Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBER-BAS) was founded on 1 July 2010 by merging the former Institute of Zoology, Institute of Botany and Central Laboratory of General Ecology - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

The institute carries out research in pure and applied aspects of ecology, biodiversity, nature conservation and sustainable use of biological resources. It has highly-qualified research staff. It trains PhD students in botany, mycology, zoology, enthomology, wildlife parasitology, ecology, hydrobiology, conservation biology, environmental genetics, evolutionary biology and other closely related scientific areas. It provides scientific service and methodological support to the state institutions and non-governmental structures.

The institute also represents Bulgaria in the European Research Area in the directions corresponding to its research profile.

Priority directions are:

• Structure and functioning of biotic communities, ecosystems and landscapes

• Diversity of organisms and their ecological and evolutionary relationships at all levels, from genes to ecosystems

• Origin, development and dynamics of the biota and its components (flora, mycota and fauna)

• Scientific basis for nature conservation: identifying threats and developing methods for their elimination or mitigation

• Development of approaches and methods for sustainable management of protected nature objects

• Development of approaches and methods for sustainable management of biological resources, including studies on resource importance of species and communities not used till now

• Ecology and biology of species of economical and social importance, including development of methods for assessment; limiting impacts and regulating density of invasive species, pests, parasites and other organisms of importance for medicine, nature conservation, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, hunting; managements of biological resources

• Scientific basis of ecological risk assessment, the quality of environment, elaboration of approaches and methods for biodiversity assessment, biomonitoring and safety systems

IBER-BAS has well-equipped laboratories for various floristic, faunistic and ecological studies: chemical, phytochemical, molecular, genetic, karyological, biotechnological, parasitological, light-microscope laboratory and others

IBER-BAS has several experimental field stations: Srebarna Biosphere Reserve, Kalimok Protected Area, Sozopol (Black Sea coastal area), Atanasovsko Lake Reserve, Beglika Site, Parangalitsa Biosphere Reserve and Plana Mt.

The scientific staff of IBER comprises 132 persons.

 IBER-BAS is a member of the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF).