In our project area, we investigate the effects of global climate and land-use change on the biodiversity and range dynamics of vertebrates, especially of birds. We focus on ecosystem consequences of these changes at all organizational levels including geographic ranges, species diversity, community structure, and population dynamics. To account for the immense complexity of ecological systems, we explicitly use a pluralistic approach by working on different spatial and temporal scales and combining a variety of different methods such as field observations and experiments, telemetry, computer simulations, and phylogenetic and macroecological analyses.
Professor, Director "Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre"
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Macroecology, community ecology and Social-Ecological Systems
Influence of global change on animal communities in the tropics and in the temperate region
Relationships between animal communities, ecosystem functions and ecosystem services
Relationships between biodiversity and human well-being in Social-Ecological Systems
TEACHING: Courses at Goethe University Frankfurt in the MSc Ecology and Evolution and in the BSc Biology
MSc Ecology and Evolution and MSc Environmental Sciences: module “Community ecology, Makroökologie und Naturschutz”
Content: The module includes an introductory lecture, seminars on current scientific publications, and computer and field practicals. It gives an overview about theory, statistical methods and applications of community ecology and macroecology, as well as consequences for regional and global conservation prioritisation. The module includes an ornithological fieldwork practical outside Frankfurt (duration 1 week).
BSc Biology: specialisation module “Ökologie der Tiere” (animal ecology) – part “Makroökologie – Einfluss des Klimawandels auf Artverbreitungen” (macroecology – influence of climate change on species distributions)
Content: In our part of the module we investigate the potential effects of climate change on the distributions of different European bird species. We use species distribution models to project potential distributions of birds in dependency of climate scenarios for the end of the 21st century.
Contact: Thomas Müller, Phone: +49 (0)69 7542 1889 E-Mail: thomas.mueller@senckenberg.de
