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.
- Published
Microsatellites and allozymes as the genetic memory of habitat fragmentation and defragmentation in populations of the ground beetle Carabus auronitens (Col., Carabidae)
Drees, C., Matern, A., Rasplus, J.-Y., Terlutter, H., Aßmann, T. & Weber, F., 01.10.2008, In: Journal of Biogeography. 35, 10, p. 1937-1949 13 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Mythos Artenarmut: Biodiversität von Buchenwäldern
Aßmann, T., Drees, C., Schröder, E. & Ssymank, A., 2007, In: Natur und Landschaft. 82, 9/10, p. 401-406 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research
- Published
Nationale Verantwortlichkeit und Rote Listen - Carabus nodulosus als Fallbeispiel für die Zusammenführung von Verbreitungsdaten und Gefährdungssituation und die damit verbundenen Probleme
Aßmann, T. & Matern, A., 2004, Ermittlung der Verantwortlichkeit für die Erhaltung mitteleuropäischer Arten: Referate und Ergebnisse des Symposiums "Ermittlung der Verantwortlichkeit für die Weltweite Erhaltung von Tierarten mit Vorkommen in Mitteleuropa" auf der Insel Vilm vom 17. - 20. November 2003. Gruttke, H. (ed.). Bonn-Bad Godesberg: BfN-Schriftenvertrieb im Landwirtschaftsverlag, p. 235-254 20 p. (Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt; vol. 8).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
From Latreille to DNA systematics: Towards a modern synthesis for carabidology
Aßmann, T., Buse, J., Drees, C., Habel, J. C., Härdtle, W., Oheimb, G., Schuldt, A., Wrase, D. W. & Matern, A., 2008, Back to the roots and back to the future: Towards a New Synthesis between Taxonomic, Ecological and Biogeographical Approaches in Carabidology. Penev, L. D., Erwin, T. L. & Aßmann , T. (eds.). Pensoft Publishers Ltd., p. 41-76 36 p. (Pensoft Series Faunistica ; no. 75).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Article in conference proceedings › Research › peer-review
- Published
Biology and ecology
Aßmann, T., 2003, The genus carabus in europe: A Synthesis. Turin, H., Penev, L. & Casale, A. (eds.). Sofia [u.a.]: Pensoft Publishers Ltd., p. 287-306 20 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
The influence of habitat quality on populations: A plea for an amended approach in the conservation of Agonum ericeti
Drees, C., Vermeulen, R., Aßmann, T. & Matern, A., 2007, In: Baltic Journal of Coleopterology. 7, 1, p. 1-8 8 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research
- Published
Reproductive biology and strategies of nine meloid beetles from Central Europe (Coleoptera: Meloidae)
Lückmann, J. & Aßmann, T., 31.03.2006, In: Journal of Natural History. 39, 48, p. 4101-4125 25 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research
- Published
Inland sand ecosystems: dynamics and restitution as a consequence of the use of different grazing systems
Schwabe, A., Remy, D., Aßmann, T., Kratochwil, A., Mährlein, A., Nobis, M., Storm, C., Zehm, A., Schlemmer, H., Seuss, R., Bergmann, S., Eichberg, C., Menzel, U., Persigehl, M., Zimmermann, K. & Weinert, M., 01.01.2002, Pasture landscapes and nature conservation. Redecker, B., Härdtle, W., Finck, P., Riecken, U. & Schröder, E. (eds.). Springer Verlag, p. 239-252 14 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Article in conference proceedings › Research
- Published
Waldlaufkäfer im Naturschutzgebiet Lüneburger Heide: von der Verbreitung zur populationsbiologischen Analyse (Coleoptera, Carabidae)
Aßmann, T., Bresemann, J., Kopp, A., Persigehl, M., Rosenkranz, B. & Günther, J., 2001, Wald und Naturschutz: Forschungsergebnisse aus dem Niedersächsischen Forstamt Sellhorn. Wübbenhorst, J. (ed.). Schneverdingen: Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz, p. 119-126 8 p. (NNA Berichte; vol. 14, no. 2).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
Conservation biology
Aßmann, T., 2003, The genus carabus in europe: A Synthesis. Turin, H., Penev, L. & Casale, A. (eds.). Sofia [u.a.]: Pensoft Publishers Ltd., p. 427-438 12 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research