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. 2007
  2. 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 contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. 2006
  4. Published

    Can management compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition in heathland ecosystems?

    Härdtle, W., Niemeyer, M., Niemeyer, T., Aßmann, T. & Fottner, S., 01.08.2006, In: The Journal of Applied Ecology. 43, 4, p. 759-769 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Vegetation responses to environmental conditions in floodplain grasslands: prerequisites for preserving plant species diversity

    Härdtle, W., Redecker, B., Aßmann, T. & Meyer, H., 02.05.2006, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 7, 3, p. 280-288 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. 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 contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Aphaenopidius

    Aßmann, T. & Lompe, A., 2006, Die Käfer Mitteleuropas; Bd. 2: Adephaga ; 1. Carabidae (Laufkäfer). Freude, H., Klausnitzer, B. & Müller-Motzfeld, G. (eds.). Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, p. 149 1 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearch

  8. Published

    Flusslandschaft Elbe zwischen Hitzacker und Gartow

    Härdtle, W. & Aßmann, T., 2006, Flora und Vegetation im nordöstlichen Niedersachsen: Sonderheft aus Anlass der 56. Jahrestagung der Floristisch-soziologischen Arbeitsgemeinschaft vom 09. bis 12. Juni 2006 in Lüneburg. Hassenstein, U. & Härdtle, W. (eds.). Lüneburg: Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein für das Fürstentum Lüneburg von 1851 e.V., p. 79-82 4 p. (Jahrbuch des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins für das Fürstentum Lüneburg von 1851 e.V.; vol. Sonderheft, no. 1/2006).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Für den Naturschutz? - eine carabidologische Langzeituntersuchung im Hofgehölz Möhr

    Drees, C., Aßmann, T., Matern, A. & Günther, J., 2006, 25 Jahre Naturschutzakademie - Zukunft durch Naturschutz. Strohschneider, R. (ed.). Schneverdingen: Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz, p. 37-39 3 p. (Mitteilungen aus der Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz; no. 1/2006).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  11. Published

    Leistus

    Aßmann, T., 2006, Die Käfer Mitteleuropas; Bd. 2: Adephaga ; 1. Carabidae (Laufkäfer). Freude, H., Klausnitzer, B. & Müller-Motzfeld, G. (eds.). 2., Nachdr. ed. Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, p. 65-70 6 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  12. Published

    Licinini

    Aßmann, T., 2006, Die Käfer Mitteleuropas; Bd. 2: Adephaga ; 1. Carabidae (Laufkäfer). Freude, H., Klausnitzer, B. & Müller-Motzfeld, G. (eds.). 2., Nachdruck ed. Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, p. 428-435 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch