Seminar Series: Environment & Biodiversity
Winter Semester 2025/26
Focus on Current Research: From evolutionary biology and ecology to climate change, environmental issues, and biodiversity trends.
The lectures are open to the public – welcoming university staff, students, and anyone interested.
Next lecture:
Friday, December 5, 2025, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Seminar Room 421, 2nd Floor
Takatoshi Higuchi
Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Japan; UMR BOREA, MNHN, Marine Station Dinard, France
Oceanographic and Geomagnetic Drivers of Japanese Eel Spawning Migration in the North Pacific
Silver-phase Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) migrate from continental growth habitats to tropical spawning grounds along the West Mariana Ridge, yet their migratory behaviour and orientation cues remain unclear. To elucidate these processes, we deployed pop-up satellite archival tags on 27 silver eels released in Japan’s coastal and offshore waters of the western North Pacific. Depth and temperature time series were used to examine vertical behaviour, and daily positions were reconstructed with a particle filter integrating in-situ temperature records with ocean reanalysis data.
Eels exhibited diel vertical migration, occupying shallower depths at night and descending during the day, with swimming depth correlated to solar and lunar altitude and ambient temperature. Mean swimming depth deepened from cold coastal to warm subtropical waters, suggesting that photic and thermal cues jointly regulate vertical movement to balance predation risk and physiological demands during migration.
Horizontally, coastal eels moved eastward along the Kuroshio, while offshore individuals swam south toward the spawning area. Active swimming bearings aligned with geomagnetic intensity gradients, and simulations showed that virtual migrants maintaining this orientation converged on the spawning site.
These results reveal integrated vertical and horizontal behavioural strategies coupling environmental sensing, thermal adaptation, and geomagnetic navigation during the Japanese eel’s spawning migration.
Research focus: Marine migrations of eels (Anguillidae)
Host: Priv.-Doz. Mag. Dr. Robert Schabetsberger
Other upcoming dates:
Friday, December 12, 2025, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Seminar Room 414, 1st Floor
Prof. Dr. Johannes Kollmann
Technical University of Munich
Challenges and opportunities in restoration ecology: the many cases of grassland improvements
Grasslands play a key role in dealing with current trends of global changes. They generate multiple ecosystem services and are endangered in many regions. In central Europe, grasslands are represented by different types, including sites for production, conservation, recreation, protection, infrastructure or flood mitigation. Different restoration measures are needed for degraded grasslands to generate a coherent system of green infrastructure in rural and urban landscapes. The presentation provides an overview of current research on this topic as local measure for dealing with global change.
Research focus: Restoration Ecology
Host: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jan Christian Habel
Friday, December 19, 2025, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Seminar Room HS 435, 3rd Floor
Mag. Dr. Leopold Slotta-Bachmayr (University of Salzburg – Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology)
Research area: Working dogs and fire blight
Dr. Noreen Mutoro (University of Salzburg – Department of Environmental and Biodiversity Sciences)
Research area: Mammalogy, tricho-taxonomy
Host: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Gabriele Berninger
Friday, January 9, 2026, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Seminar Room HS 435, 3rd Floor
David Baumgartner
University of Lausanne, Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach
Research focus: Ornithology, Bird Migration
Host: Sarah Marie Wagner, BSc. MSc
Friday, January 16, 2026, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Room 421, 2nd floor
Daria Shipilina, PhD
Uppsala University
Research Focus: Botany, population genomics
Host: Dominique Groffman, MSc.
Friday, January 23, 2026, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Room 424, 2nd floor
Prof. Dr. Anja Günther
University of Hildesheim
Research Focus: Behavioral ecology, ecophysiology, evolutionary ecology, rodents
Host: Dr. Sophie von Merten
Friday, 30 January 2026, from 9:00 a.m. – all day
NLW Faculty, Room C-006, 3rd floor
Presentations by students from the MSc–PhD Seminar Winter Semester 2025/2026 (courses 796.300 and 230.340)
Research Focus: Ecology and Evolution
Host: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ulrike Berninger
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Look back:
Friday, 28 November 2025, 2:00 p.m.
NLW Faculty, Seminar Room 413, 1st Floor
Dr. Marion Chatelain
University of Innsbruck
From flexibility to adaptation: How animals respond to urban environments
Urban environments present unique challenges and opportunities for wildlife, necessitating remarkable flexibility and adjustments. In this seminar, I will present my research on how animals, particularly birds and earthworms, respond to urban settings, focusing on the impact of metallic trace elements (MTEs) and the consequences of bird feeding. First, I will discuss the impact of MTE exposure on bird reproductive success and physiology, emphasizing the role of melanin as a potential detoxification mechanism. I will also present my findings on earthworm responses to MTEs, highlighting the importance of pollutant detection and habitat choice in coping with soil pollution in urban areas. In the second part, I will present my ongoing research on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of bird feeding, including results on foraging behaviour and its consequences on spatial genetic structure and phenotypic variations in great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) within the urban mosaic of Innsbruck.
Research Focus: Applied Animal Ecology
Host: Dr. Beate Anna Apfelbeck
Friday, November 21, 2025 | 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Seminar Room 413, 1st Floor
Kim Geraldine Mortega, Dr. rer. nat.
Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Research
Berlin as a Living Laboratory – Co-creating Urban Biodiversity Futures
Urban biodiversity is increasingly shaped not only by ecology but by the ways people live, learn, and co-create within cities. This talk presents emerging approaches in urban biodiversity research and environmental education that connect science, policy, and civil society through transdisciplinary collaboration. Using Berlin as a case study, I will show how cities can serve as “living laboratories” for exploring and implementing nature-based solutions, biodiversity restoration, and environmental justice. The presentation spans EU-level restoration projects, citizen-science initiatives, and creative educational formats that engage both children and adults. It highlights how biodiversity conservation, social participation, and aesthetic experience can be productively interlinked in urban environments.
Research focus: Citizen Science, Urban Ecology, Bioacoustics
Host: Dr. Beate Anna Apfelbeck
Friday, November 14, 2025, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Seminar Room 424, 2nd Floor
Julia M.I. Barth
University of Basel, Switzerland
Why some cichlids are more diverse than others – the roles of mutation, demography, and ecology
African cichlid fishes exhibit remarkable diversity in morphology, ecology, behavior, and life-history traits. At the molecular level, it is genetic diversity that forms the foundation of this biodiversity. But what determines genetic diversity? Key factors include mutation, recombination, population size, and selection – yet, how these are shaped by ecology, life history, and demographic processes remains poorly understood. As the most direct source of new variation, germline mutations are critical drivers of evolution, though their role has been challenging to study. Here, by generating a comprehensive dataset of de novo mutation rate estimates derived from parent-offspring sequencing data, we show that cichlid mutation rates vary substantially among closely related species and have a positive relationship with genetic diversity. However, mutation rates alone cannot fully explain diversity patterns – other factors play equally important roles. Demographic instability, rather than stable population sizes, leads to higher genetic diversity. Ecological characteristics such as habitat depth or trophic level, along with life-history traits related to parental investment, further shape genomic variation. Understanding how these factors interact will reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptive radiations and provide crucial insights for conserving biodiversity in a changing world.
Research focus: Evolutionary Biology
Host: Sarah Marie Wagner, BSc. MSc
Monday, October 6, 2025, 4:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Room 424, 2nd floor
Prof. Dr. Rupert Seidl
Technical University of Munich
Subject:Disturbance and resilience of forest ecosystems in a changing world
Abstract: Forest disturbances, i.e., waves of tree mortality caused by drought, bark beetles, wildfire and windthrow, have increased considerably over past decades, and are expected to increase further in the future as climate change continues. These changes in the disturbance regime have substantial implications for forests and the ecosystem services they supply to society. The talk will review the current developments in forest disturbance regimes with a specific focus on Europe, and will discuss how resilient forests are to these disturbances. It will review our understanding of disturbance impacts, and give an outlook on potential future developments.
Research Focus: Ecosystem dynamics and forest management in mountain landscapes
Host: Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Biol. Dr. Stefan Dötterl
Friday, October 17, 2025, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Room 421, 2nd floor
Prof. Dr. Christoph Neinhuis
Technical University of Dresden
Tissue formation and adaptation in plants – from basic understanding
Abstract: Plant cell walls are the major structural elements that contribute to the stability and functioning of plants. While cellulose is the main fiber forming molecule coping with tension forces exerted by the turgor pressure various types of lignified cells and tissues such as wood are resistant against compressive forces as well. Apart from wood, lignification is often connected to specific functions and can be spatially and temporarily modified, examples of which will be presented.
Flagellaria is a climbing monocot that attaches to the surrounding vegetation via leaf tendrils. Anatomical and biomechanical methods such as three-point bending and torsion tests were used to study tissue development and its modification in the context of a climbing life form. Although F. indica lacks secondary cambial growth, the climbing habit is facilitated by a complex interaction of tissue maturation and attachment.
Apple fruit peduncles are highly modified stems that connect growing fruits securely to the branch while the weight, i.e., static and dynamic loads increase. We studied the tissue formation and modification during fruit development in peduncles, in which fibers contribute mainly to tensile strength and overall axial rigidity of the peduncles while sclereids increase bending stiffness.
Some Martyniaceae produce lignified capsules with hook-shaped extensions that are supposed to attach to feet of large mammals such as buffalos. We studied the development and anatomy of the unique fruit wall tissue and its mechanics under different load conditions. The tissue is characerised by longitudinally oriented fiber bundles that contribute to tensile strength while transversely oriented fibers absorb radial stresses upon bending and stabilize the longitudinal bundles against buckling. While the flexibility and high strain rates allow for proper attachment of fruits during dynamic locomotion, the high strength prevent an abrupt failure due to heavy loads exerted by the animal.
Peltate leaves have a specific morphology, since the petiole is inserted more or less centrally to the leaf lamina. In a broad comparative approach we studied about 500 peltate leaved species in terms of fiber arrangement in the connection between petiole and lamina. In total less than 10 types of fiber arrangement could be detected, that have been abstracted and will serve as models for future carbon fiber arrangements in modular carbon reinforced concrete constructions.
Research Focus: Botany, flower ecology
Host: Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Biol. Dr. Stefan Dötterl
Friday, October 31, 2025, 2:00 PM
NLW Faculty, Seminar Room 421, 2nd Floor
Daniel Dalton, PhD
Carinthia University of Applied Sciences
From Local to Global: Transformative Research and Stakeholder Collaboration in Conservation by the UNESCO Chair
Abstract: The UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Management of Conservation Areas was founded in 2019 at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, Villach, Austria. Since then, our research group has participated in more than 50 projects on regional, national, and international levels. The current talk will highlight key findings, transferrable experiences, and innovative approaches to conservation management and biodiversity monitoring. We discuss potential future directions of the research of the UNESCO Chair in Europe and beyond, including collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups to empower actors to participate in biodiversity conservation.
Forschungsfeld: Sustainable Management of Protected Areas
Host: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jan Christian Habel
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