Professorship for Ecology, especially Animal Ecology

Organisational unit: Professoship

Organisation profile

The Animal Ecology group is led by Prof. Dr. Thorsten Aßmann and is affiliated with the Institute of Ecology, Faculty of Sustainability at Leuphana University Lüneburg.

Research focuses on the influence of invertebrates on ecosystem functions (species as ecosystem engineers, herbivory, predation), large-scale distribution patterns of species and species groups (biodiversity) and their characteristics, in the Palaearctic and worldwide (macroecology), Molecular ecology (population genetics, phylogeography, conservation genetics and landscape genetics), conservation biology (conservation genetics, consequences of habitat fragmentation, restoration ecology) Biospeleology (biogeography, adaptive mechanisms), taxonomy and systematics of insects (especially ground beetles).

We teach the basics of ecology and other fields of biology. Lectures and seminars are supplemented by identification exercises and field trips.

Main research areas

The working group Animal Ecology focuses on

  • the role of invertebrates in ecosystem functioning
    (including habitat engineering, herbivory, predation)
  • large-scale distribution patterns of biodiversity and species traits in the Palaearctic and worldwide
    (macroecology)
  • molecular ecology (population genetics, phylogeography, conservation genetics and landscape genetics)
  • conservation biology (conservation genetics, fragmentation biology, restoration ecology)
  • biospeleology (biogeography, adaptation)
  • taxonomy and systematics of insects (especially carabids beetles)
    (classical and modern approaches: morphology, morphometry, DNA technics)

Projects are performed mainly in Germany, the Middle East (especially Israel), Spain, and China.

  1. Published

    Belowground carabid beetle diversity in the western Palaearctic: Effects of history and climate on range-restricted taxa (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Schuldt, A. & Assmann, T., 20.05.2011, In: ZooKeys. 100, SPEC. ISSUE, p. 461-474 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published
  3. Published

    Poleward range expansion without a southern contraction in the ground beetle Agonum viridicupreum (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Drees, C., Brandmayr, P., Buse, J., Dieker, P., Gürlich, S., Habel, J. C., Harry, I., Härdtle, W., Matern, A., Meyer, H., Pizzolotto, R., Quante, M., Schäfer, K., Schuldt, A., Taboada Palomares, A. & Aßmann, T., 20.05.2011, In: ZooKeys. 100, SPEC. ISSUE, p. 333-352 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Saproxylic beetles: Their role and diversity in European woodland ecosystems. Proceedings of the 5th Symposium and Workshop on the Conservation of Saproxylic Beetles

    Buse, J., Alexander, K. N. A., Ranius, T. & Aßmann, T., 2009, Sofia/Moscow: Pensoft Publishers Ltd. 236 p. (Pensoft Series Faunistica; vol. 89)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  6. Published

    Saproxylic beetles in the Gartow region of Lower Saxony, a hotspot of invertebrate diversity in north-western Germany

    Buse, J., Gürlich, S. & Aßmann, T., 2009, Saproxylic Beetles : Their role and diversity in European woodland and tree habitats; Proceedings of the 5th Symposium and Workshop on the Conservation of Saproxylic Beetles. Buse, J., Alexander, K. N. A., Ranius, T. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Pensoft Publishers Ltd., p. 77-103 27 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Relict species research: Some concluding remarks

    Habel, J. C., Schmitt, T. & Aßmann, T., 2010, Relict species: Phylogeography and Conservation Biology. Habel, J. C. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Heidelberg [u.a.]: Springer, p. 441-442 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  8. Published

    Population genetics and ecological niche modelling reveal high fragmentation and potential future extinction of the endangered relict butterfly Lycaena helle

    Habel, J. C., Augenstein, B., Meyer, M., Nève, G., Rödder, D. & Aßmann, T., 2010, Relict species: Phylogeography and Conservation Biology. Habel, J. C. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Heidelberg [u.a.]: Springer, p. 417-439 23 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  9. Published

    Review: Refugial areas and postglacial colonisations in the Western Palaearctic

    Habel, J. C., Drees, C., Aßmann, T. & Schmitt, T., 2010, Relict species: Phylogeography and Conservation Biology. Assmann, T. & Habel, J. C. (eds.). Heidelberg [u.a.]: Springer, p. 189-197 9 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  10. Published

    Relict species: Phylogeography and conservation biology

    Habel, J. C. & Aßmann, T. (Editor), 2010, Heidelberg [u.a.]: Springer. 449 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

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