N a t u r e Research Centre VILNIUS 2015 UDK 502:001.891(474.5) Na251 Akademijos Str. 2, LT-08412 Vilnius Telephone: +370 5 272 92 57 Fax: +370 5 272 93 52 e-maill: [email protected] http://www.gamtostyrimai.lt/en ISBN 978-9986-443-84-1 © Gamtos tyrimų centras, 2015 The State Scientific Research Institute Nature Research Centre WELCOME, The State Scientific Research Institute Nature Research Centre (NRC) was es- and biomedicine sci- tablished on 31 December 2009 under the Resolution of the Government of the ences and cooperation- Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, No. 158-7186, 2009) by merging the In- based solutions to stitute of Botany, the Institute of Ecology of Vilnius University and the Institute scientific tasks are the of Geology and Geography. The research potential and the experimental basis fundamental principles of the three institutes were integrated to create an up-to-date scientific research underlying the activities infrastructure for investigations into present-day and past ecosystems, as well of the NRC. In twenty as studies and development of environmental protection technologies. Uphold- five laboratories of the ing 70-year-old traditions and experience, the newly established NRC not only NRC, scientists carry pursues and co-ordinates long-term scientific research in various fields of biotic out investigations into and abiotic nature and ensures the competence of Lithuania on the interna- environmental state tional stage, but also takes an active role in the development and implementa- quality, natural ecosys- tion of a conceptual framework for the protection of the living environment tems, habitats, species, structure of communi- and its sustainable development, as well as disseminating scientific knowledge ties and populations, regularities and mechanisms of functioning, sensitiv- of biotic and abiotic environment, thus contributing to the development of the ity, vulnerability, genetic diversity, adaptations, microevolution under con- knowledge economy and education of society. In co-operation with representa- ditions of global change and anthropogenic impact and the development tives of business, government and society, the Nature Research Centre conducts of theoretical fundamentals and projections. Of no less significance is the contracted scientific research and experimental development work, rendering research conducted in other areas of natural sciences covering a wide range recommendations concerning research methodology, etc. of issues, the most important of which are: the state, change and progno- Results of most recent investigations have shown the importance of interdis- sis of Lithuanian nature and its biological resources, their preservation and ciplinary and interbranch integration in solving a wide variety of scientific restoration and the scientific justification for their sustainable use; climate issues related to the assessment, prognosis and management of changes in change and prognosis; the earth’s surface and subsurface structure, its prop- biotic and abiotic nature and the ever increasing anthropogenic impact on erties and formation; the evolution of palaeoecological conditions; ground- the environment. Cooperation among representatives of different physical water and surface water systems; the state and dynamics of landscapes and NatuRE RESEARCH CENTRE 3 the geoenvironment and their interaction with human activity; and the sci- with colleagues from more than fifty countries: research projects and investi- entific justification for the sustainable exploitation of surface and subsurface gations are implemented in cooperation with partners from Baltic and Scan- resources on the territory of Lithuania. dinavian countries, Taiwan, the Ukraine, Turkey, Belarus, the USA, the UK, Mexico, Ecuador, Korea, Russia, Bulgaria, Mongolia, Poland, etc. To ensure high-level research and a high level of competitiveness, state-of- the-art scientific research facilities and infrastructure are required on the This publication reviews the research topics explored by the multidisciplinary premises of the NRC , including the Open Access Centre. Established for the staff of theC entre, along with research projects under implementation and their purpose of providing open access to R&D resources, the Open Access Cen- results and research methods employed. Additionally, this publication also high- tre, integrating scientific research laboratories, conducts both fundamental lights the specialist and technical research facilities available at the Centre. and applied research to meet the needs of business entities. We hope you will find this information interesting and that it will stimulate The multidisciplinary staff of the NRC is actively engaged in collaboration you to engage in collaboration with the research staff of the NatureR esearch with scientific research institutions of foreign countries and participates in Centre in the implementation of various ideas related to living and inani- international research programmes and projects. In its essence, research into mate nature investigations! the state, history and development prospects of both living and inanimate nature is international, and therefore does not recognize state borders, thus Prof. Dr. habil. Vincas Būda calling for joint efforts by researchers from different countries. The scientists Academician of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences of the Centre actively and successfully develop cooperation relationships Director of the Nature Research Centre 4 NatuRE RESEARCH CENTRE At a glance Name and address The State Scientific Institute Nature Research Centre, Akademijos Str. 2, 08412 Vilnius, Lithuania, www.gamtostyrimai.lt Founder Government of the Republic of Lithuania Mission The State Scientific Institute Nature Research Centre is a public legal entity operating as a state budget institution and performing long-term research and experimental (social and cultural) development activities according to research trends established in the Arti- cles of Association of the Nature Research Centre and significant for state, society, international communication and business. Employees 151 scientists (19 Chief Researchers, 51 Senior Researchers, 49 Researchers and 32 Junior Researchers), together with 185 engineers, biologists and employees of assistant departments (January 2015). PhD studies Five PhD studies programmes, i.e. Biology, Ecology and Environmental Science, Geology, Physical Geography and Zoology are im- plemented at the NRC. PhD students 35 PhD students study at the NRC (January 2015). Funding Ministry of Education and Science (55.0%). Research Council of Lithuania (18.5%). Third-party funding (state and private institutions) (26.5%). Annual budget Total annual budget – 6,985,400 EUR (3,832,700 EUR from programme funding, 1,311,200 EUR funding for the Research Council of Lithuania projects, 1,841,500 EUR from third-party funding (December 2014)). Main scientific Molecular biology and DNA sequencing, Chromatography, Chemical analysis, Microscopy and cytologic research, Isolation and stor- infrastructure age of microorganisms, Recirculated aquaculture system, Radioisotope research, Scanning electron microscopy, Magnetization re- search, Grain-size analysis, etc. Main partners The University of Aberdeen, UK; Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia; University School of Physical Education in Poznan, Poland; Saint Petersburg State University, Russia; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia; The AIT Austrian Institute of Tech- nology, Austria; Institute of Microbiology, NAS of Belarus; Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, Belarus; Institute for Nature Management, NAS of Belarus; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden; Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine; Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russia; Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Russia; University of Warsaw, Poland; University of Gdansk, Poland; Keele University, UK; Institute of Environmental Geochemistry, NAS of Ukraine; Institute of Geology at Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia; University of Tartu, Estonia; University of Latvia, Latvia; DTU Center for Nu- clear Technologies (DTU Nutech), Denmark; Institute of Geological Sciences, NAS of Armenia; Thűnen Institute for Fisheries Ecol- ogy, Germany; Alfred Wagener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany; Finish Environment Institute, Finland; Stokholm University, Sweden; University of Ostrava, Czech Republic; Kentucky University, USA; Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium; Bergen University, Norway; Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Belgium; University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; National Taiwan University, Taiwan; United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, USA. NatuRE RESEARCH CENTRE 5 Structure of the Nature Research Centre 6 NatuRE RESEARCH CENTRE The Institute of Botany country’s expertise in international scientific and management organizations The Institute of Botany is the main botanical research institution in Lithua- in realizing regional and global programmes on environmental protection nia conducting fundamental and applied research in botany, mycology, and use of natural resources. The researchers of the Institute contribute sig- microbiology, bacteriology and virology, as well as providing education and nificantly to the development and implementation of the StateE nvironmen- training to produce top-rank researchers and highly qualified professionals. tal Monitoring Programme and the National Strategy