Senior Scientist Gruppe
Molekulare Biodiversitätsdynamik
We are developing and adapting molecular approaches to study the structure, composition and functions of hard-to-observe organisms. An important component of the group’s work is to generate long community time series data with ancient environmental DNA preserved in lake sediments, and to interpret these. We seek answers to important questions in ecology, such as losses of intraspecific genetic diversity, effects of the Great Acceleration on taxonomically diverse communities, impact of land use intensification on the functioning of soil invertebrate communities, or effects of global warming on microscopic fungal communities.
I find it important to educate young colleagues about obtaining molecular biodiversity data. This is probably the most efficient through hands-on experience, and field courses are are excellent platforms for this. The BiodivGenomics Field Course initiated with Markus Pfenninger and Barbara Feldmeyer was first organized between 20-30. July 2019 in the Eastern Carpathians of Romania, and I am planning to continue it in the future.
