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.
- 2006
- Published
Sphodrini
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. 284-297 14 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- 2005
- Published
Restoration ecology meets carabidology: effects of floodplain restitution on ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae)
Günther, J. & Assmann, T., 01.06.2005, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 14, 7, p. 1583-1606 24 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
The courtship behavior of Meloe decorus Brandt and Erichson and Sitaris muralis Foerster (Coleoptera: Meloidae)
Lückmann, J., 01.03.2005, In: Coleopterists Bulletin. 59, 1, p. 55-61 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Laufkäfer-Gemeinschaften (Coleoptera, Carabidae) xerothermer Sandrasen und ihre Abhängigkeit von Beweidungsmaßnahmen
Lehmann, S., Persigehl, M., Rosenkranz, B., Falke, B., Aßmann, T. & Günther, J., 02.2005, Weidelandschaften und Wildnisgebiete: Vom Experiment zur Praxis. Finck, P., Härdtle, W., Redecker, B. & Rickken, U. (eds.). Münster: BfN-Schriftenvertrieb im Landwirtschaftsverlag, p. 119-128 10 p. (Schriftenreihe für Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz; vol. 78).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Article in conference proceedings › Research
- 2004
- Published
Description of the first instar larvae of three species of Meloe with a key to the triungulins of Central European species of this genus (Coleoptera : Meloidae)
Lückmann, J. & Scharf, S., 25.06.2004, In: European Journal of Entomology. 101, 2, p. 313-322 10 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Fluctuations of carabid populations inhabiting an ancient woodland (Coleoptera, Carabidae)
Gunther, J. & Assmann, T., 01.03.2004, In: Pedobiologia. 48, 2, p. 159-164 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Die Bedeutung koprobionter Lebensgemeinschaften in Weidelandschaften und der Einfluss von Parasitiziden
Rosenkranz, B., Lehmann, S., Persigehl, M., Aßmann, T., Matern, A. & Günther, J., 2004, Weidelandschaften und Wildnisgebiete: Vom Experiment zur Praxis. Finck, P., Härdtle, W., Redecker, B. & Riecken, U. (eds.). Münster: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, p. 415-427 13 p. (Schriftenreihe für Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz; vol. 78).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
Heuschrecken-Gemeinschaften aus Sandrasen im Emsland (Nordwest-Deutschland): Beweidung und Restitution als Instrumente zum Schutz von Sandrasenökosystemen
Persigehl, M. & Aßmann, T., 2004, Weidelandschaften und Wildnisgebiete: vom Experiment zur Praxis ; Referate und Ergebnisse der gleichnamigen Fachtagung an der Universität Lüneburg vom 23. - 26. September 2003. Finck, P., Härdtle, W., Redecker, B. & Riecken, U. (eds.). Münster: BfN-Schriftenvertrieb im Landwirtschaftsverlag, p. 111-118 8 p. (Schriftenreihe für Landschaftspflege und NaturschutzHeft; vol. 78).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Article in conference proceedings › Research
- Published
Kolonisation restituierter Sandrasen im Darmstädter Flugsandgebiet und im mittleren Emsland durch Laufkäfer
Persigehl, M., Lehmann, S., Vermeulen, H. J., Rosenkranz, B., Falke, B. & Aßmann, T., 2004, Beweidung und Restitution als Chancen für den Naturschutz?. Strohschneider, R. (ed.). Schneverdingen: Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz, p. 161-177 17 p. (NNA-Berichte; vol. 17, no. 1).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Article in conference proceedings › Research
- Published
Leistus
Aßmann, T., 2004, Die Käfer Mitteleuropas: Bd. 2: Adephaga ; 1. Carabidae (Laufkäfer). Müller-Motzfeld, G. (ed.). 2., erw. Aufl. ed. München: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, p. 65-70 6 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research