Ecosystem Services and Climate


The RA “Ecosystem Services and Climate” examines biodiversity in the context of the Anthropocene and studies the mutual effects and interactions of society and biodiversity.  

Biodiversity changes, climate change, and changes in society alter our socio-ecological systems – what is the ultimate effect of this? And how does an understanding of ecosystem functions, ecosystem services, and socio-ecological systems enable us to develop decision-making criteria for sustainable solutions?

This Research Activity closely cooperates with the ISOE (Institute for Socio-ecological Research), incorporating extensive, trans-disciplinary research. This strategic partnership allows for case studies to derive action and management concepts in the Anthropocene, with regional focal points in Europe, Central Asia, and southern Africa, and it also embeds socio-ecological approaches in other RAs within the research program.

Speaker

Prof. Dr. Flurina Schneider
Speaker
Thomas Mueller
Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller
Professor for Movement Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation, Head of Research Group 'Movement Ecology'
Sprecher

Research interests

From basic everyday foraging behaviors to extraordinary long-distance migrations: animal movements are important for species survival, ecosystem functioning, and biodiversity. My research bridges across theoretical and applied aspects of movement ecology, from the behavioral underpinnings and social interactions to ecosystem functions and macro-ecological patterns. I am particular interested in studying the exceptional challenges that an increasing human footprint poses for movements of wildlife, which ultimately leads to the question of human wildlife coexistence. To that end, I pursue an integrated social-ecological research program to better understand human wildlife interactions and develop sustainable conservation recommendations.

External links

List of publications on Google Scholar

Selected publications

Tucker, M. , … , and T.Mueller. 2018.  Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements. Science, 359, 466-469.

Bracis C. and T. Mueller. 2017. Memory, not just perception, plays an important role in terrestrial mammalian migration. Proceedings B, 284, 20170449.

Teitelbaum C.S., S. Converse, W. Fagan, K. Böhning-Gaese, R. B. O’Hara, A. Lacy, and T. Mueller. 2016. Experience drives innovation of new migration patterns of whooping cranes in response to global change. Nature Communications, 7,12793.

Teitelbaum C.S., W.F. Fagan, C.H. Fleming, G. Dressler, J.M. Calabrese, P. Leimgruber, and T. Mueller. 2015. How far to go? Determinants of migration distance in land mammals. Ecology Letters, 18, 545–552.

Mueller T., R. B. O’Hara, S. J. Converse, R.P. Urbanek, W. F. Fagan. 2013. Social Learning of Migratory Performance. Science, 341, 999-1002.
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