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Science

Our knowledge contributes to biodiversity preservation

National
research institute

Naturalis is the Dutch national research institute for biodiversity. With one of the largest natural history collections in the world, our labs and our biodiversity data, we offer a unique scientific infrastructure: a veritable time machine that enables scientists to map the biological and geological diversity of the past, present and future. Scientific biodiversity research is fundamental to the protection of the natural riches of our Earth.

Naturalis helps talented biodiversity researchers get their scientific careers off to a flying start. Our PhD students and postdocs have access to unique tools in our collection and research facilities, and our close collaboration with academic institutions ensures that they will have good career prospects in the long term. Interested?

Research Coordination Office

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News
from Naturalis

Bombus gerstaeckeri (male) seen visiting its host plant, Aconitum napellus, showed considerable increase in elevation range. Photo © Nicolas J. Vereecken.
November 17th, 2020

Bumblebees are moving up and that’s not a good thing

As the climate warms, plants that thrive at cooler temperatures are increasingly moving uphill. Their pollinators move up as well - if they succeed, at least. Researchers at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands compared their findings from the…
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Dr. Arjen Speksnijder will still work togheter with his Naturalis colleagues in his new function
November 2nd, 2020

New Leiden Lectorate

The University of Applied Sciences Leiden and Naturalis are working together on a new lectorate in Metagenomics, in order to research the relationship between biodiversity and the health of humans, plants and ecosystems. The new lector is Arjen Speksnijder…
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Expanding
frontiers of knowledge

Continually expanding the frontiers of knowledge is vital, including by documenting plant and animal species and the relationships between them over millions of years of evolution. Over 120 scientists at Naturalis are constantly working towards this aim. We develop new technologies that allow researchers to identify and monitor species much faster. In doing so, we make a major contribution to the fundamental knowledge that is crucial to preserving biodiversity.

waterkevers
Planten en schimmels

Research
and scientific infrastructure

At Naturalis, over 120 researchers (40 FTE permanent academic staff, among them 10 professors, 1 lector and dozens of PhD students and postdocs) are working on scientific issues in the field of biodiversity on land and at sea worldwide: mapping species and their cohesion, the changing living environment and the influence of climate change. Our natural history collection, the labs and data specialists offer valuable scientific resources and infrastructure.

Researchers and specialists

Naturalis conducts research
worldwide

Services
we offer

Laboratories

Naturalis laboratories

The Naturalis laboratories offer a wide range of opportunities to perform biological or geological scientific analyses. A group of 8 research technicians with specialist knowledge annually support 80 students, 60 internal research projects, 10PhDs, 40…
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Online access
to our collection and collection data

Catalogue of Life 
One worldwide name list of all animals, plants and fungi that have been described by scientists.
Linnaeus
Are you  a species specialist working to make taxonomic knowledge and type information available online? Please consider the software-as-a-service package Linnaeus.
BioPortal 
As a researcher or collection manager, you can quickly browse the Naturalis digital collection.
Netherlands Biodiversity API/Data Services
For software developers or bio-computer scientists, we built an API to provide access the digital collection information from Naturalis.

Bio Portal

Bachelor
and Master

The research groups at Naturalis offer  bachelor- and master courses at Dutch universities and applied universities. We also offer many projects for Bachelor and Master internships.

Education:  bachelor- and mastercourses
Research: bachelor- and master projects

Academisch onderwijs
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