Was ist die Seminarreihe Umwelt & Biodiversität?
Hier werden aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse aus den Bereichen der Evolutionsbiologie, Ökologie, zu Klimawandeleffekten, Umweltthemen und Biodiversitätstrends vorgestellt. Diese Seminarreihe ist eine öffentliche Veranstaltung, und richtet sich sowohl an das wissenschaftliche Personal als auch an Studierende sowie außeruniversitäre Gäste. Wir laden herzlich zur Teilnahme ein!
Termine im Wintersemester 2023/24!
Freitag, 6. Oktober 2023
Dr. Robert Schabetsberger
Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg
Fachbereich Umwelt und Biodiversität
From myth to rationality – The mysterious spawning migrations of tropical eels in the Indo-Pacific
The search for the spawning areas of catadromous eels (Genus Anguilla) has a history that began with Aristotle’s hypothesis that eels develop spontaneously from mud and so far has culminated with the discoveries of the European (1922) and Japanese eel (1991) spawning areas. Eels live up to several decades in freshwater before they travel across the ocean on a journey that sometimes takes months and ends at their spawning areas. Habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution and introduced parasites have driven several species to the brink of extinction. Throughout the Indo-Pacific eels are considered mythical creatures supporting subsistence fisheries. These areas have recently entered the global eel trade heedless of the contribution of these migratory fishes to the livelihoods of vulnerable human societies. Little is known about the marine phase of their life cycle. We investigated the spawning migrations of tropical eels and the oceanographic conditions along their migration routes. Genetic studies have shown that the different species hybridize. We have brought together an international team of biologists and oceanographers from Europe, Africa, and Japan. Learning about the locations of the spawning areas of these species and gathering new information about their population structures and potential levels of hybridization will be valuable new information that can help guide future conservation efforts.
Uhrzeit: 14:00 Uhr
Ort: HS 414, NLW-Fakultät, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 1. OG
Freitag, 20. Oktober 2023
Valentina Todisco, PhD.
Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg
Fachbereich Umwelt und Biodiversität
So familiar, yet so unknown: Taxonomy and DNA barcoding of the Palearctic Papilio machaon species-group
Swallowtail butterflies of the Papilio machaon species group provide a diverse and ideal model system to study hybridization. Species limits and systematic relationships have been notoriously difficult to resolve in this group in part due to a plethora of ecological races, color morphs, and incomplete reproductive barriers, as well as abundant natural hybridization. Although the evolution of the North American species has been studied extensively, studies on the Old World species are lacking. In the Palearctic region, four species are currently recognized within the P. machaon species complex: P. machaon, P. saharae and P. hospiton. Their distributions vary, some are widespread while others are more localized. Some of the species hybridize while others do not. Current environmental changes are modifying species distributions and consequently their biotic interactions. Studies have shown that, under future climate scenarios, species distributions will shift and shrink considerably. This can alter the gene flow between species and even cause extinctions. An adequate understanding of the hybridization processes is of utmost importance in predicting the effects of rapid environmental changes to species survival. In order to shed light on the taxonomy and evolution within the P. machaon species group, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was sequenced for 386 P. machaon, 11 P. saharae and 28 P. hospiton. Initial results reveal a complex genetic pattern consistent with the response of the species-group to the last glacial periods. A taxonomic revision of the species-group is proposed.
Uhrzeit: 14:00 Uhr
Ort: HS 421, NLW-Fakultät, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 2. OG
Gastgeber: Univ.-Prof. Jan Christian Habel
Freitag, 10. November 2023
Michal Goga, PhD.
Pavol Jozef Šafárik Universität in Kaschau (SK)
Institute of Biology and Ecology RNDr.
Application of lichen secondary metabolites in natural and medical sciences
Lichens represent a great source of bioactive compounds which are nature origin. Lichen secondary metabolites are mostly produced by fungal partner and there exists many reports about their biological and ecological potential. The process for isolation and identification of lichen substances is crutial, and right methods helps to get pure compounds. All process starts with collection of lichen material, TLC analysis of present compounds, column chromatography for collecting of fractions and NMR spectroscopy as well as HPLC analysis for identification of present compounds. The application of pure substances in natural and medicinal sciences is very requested and nowadays are lichen secondary metabolites still more in subject for scientists.
Uhrzeit: 14:00 Uhr
Ort: HS 421, NLW-Fakultät, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 2. OG
Gastgeber: Dr. Daniel Remias
Freitag, 17. November 2023
Univ.-Prof. Walter Hödl
Universität Wien
Department of Evolutionary Biology
From simple field observations to model species – confessions of a taxon-oriented curiosity-driven field biologist
An unexpected rapid phonotactic approach of a male Allobates femoralis started my curiosity-driven research on the bioacoustics of this poison frog species. Due to its stereotypic phonotactic response to playbacks of conspecific (Hödl, 1982) and a large variety of synthetic (Hödl, 1987) calls I introduced A.femoralis as a “handy fellow” to the herpetological and bioacoustic community at various scientific meetings. Rapidly this “handy fellow” became the main focus of my international research team forming a cohesive group out of a diverse collection of individual scientists.Important inputs from Adolfo Amézquita (evolutionary aspects), Peter Narins (robotics and sensory physiology), Albertina Lima and Pedro Ivo Simões (biogeography) Eva and Max Ringler (population biology) as well as Andrius Paukonis (cognition) clearly show that taxon-centered research can be a self-accelerating process. The valuable integration of various aspects led to more fruitful insights than would have been possible with a pure hypothesis-based approach, which sometimes may narrow the angle of view on a given research question. In 45 years of trying to understand a living organism in the field I have gained increasing confidence in my scientific approach to let organisms rather than prefixed hypotheses lead me to the important questions. And last but not least: Taxon-centered field research is simply scientific fun!
Uhrzeit: 14:00 Uhr
Ort: Grüner Hörsaal, NLW-Fakultät, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 2. OG
Gastgeber: Univ-Prof. Jan Christian Habel
Freitag, 24. November 2023
Dr. Sophie von Merten
Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg
Fachbereich Umwelt und Biodiversität
Big challenges for small mammals – How shrews and mice deal with global challenges
Wildlife is confronted with a rapidly changing world. Two of the most impacting drivers are climate change and urbanisation. While species can adjust to variable situations, the recent environmental changes confront them with new challenges due to their unprecedented speed. Currently, I am studying the influence of urbanisation on animal behaviour and physiology using small mammals as model system. With my collaboration partners in Portugal and Poland, I am looking at general differences between rural and urban populations and also focussing on the impact of specific drivers such as light and sound pollution. We found behavioural and physiological differences between rural and urban small mammals, analysed the influence of artificial illumination on the foraging strategies of shrews and studied the impact of traffic noise on stress levels and vocalisation in shrews. Apart from presenting these recent and ongoing projects, I will introduce previous projects which led me to my current research interests and give a short outlook on some ideas for my future work here in Salzburg.
Uhrzeit: 14:00 Uhr
Ort: HS 435, NLW-Fakultät, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 3. OG
Gastgeber: Assoz.-Prof. Peter Steinbacher
Freitag, 1. Dezember 2023
Prof. Frank E. Zachos
Naturhistorisches Museum Wien Säugetiersammlung | 1. Zoologische Abteilung
University of the Free State Bloemfontein, South Africa – Department of Genetics
A (hopefully) fresh look at the species problem – What is it really about, and why does this matter?
The species problem – the vexing questions of what makes a species and whether there is a one-size-fits-all species concept (spoiler: there isn’t) – as well as the ensuing, seemingly endless taxonomic debates of whether X and Y are one or two species have been with us for decades, with no definitive answer in sight. In my talk, I will briefly introduce the problem, then discuss it based on an analysis of the twofold nature of taxonomy itself (grouping vs ranking) and highlight the importance of taxonomy and taxonomic decisions for other disciplines such as ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation. Species are the most important currency in many research questions, but a closer look unfortunately shows that the concept might not live up to the challenge. This has important ramifications for taxonomy and beyond, and it may be time to rethink our obsession with species and species numbers and instead find alternative ways of quantifying biodiversity. The aim of this talk is not to deliver you from the confusion about species, but rather to make you a little more precisely confused than you were before.
Uhrzeit: 14:00 Uhr
Ort: Grüner Hörsaal, NLW-Fakultät, Hellbrunner Str. 34, EG
Gastgeber: Univ.-Prof. Jan Christian Habel
Freitag, 15. Dezember 2023
Dr. Leopold Slotta-Bachmayer
Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg
Fachbereich Umwelt und Biodiversität
Gastgeberin: Univ.-Prof. Ulrike Berninger
Freitag, 12. Januar 2023
Univ.-Prof. Jussi Grießinger
Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg
Fachbereich Umwelt und Biodiversität
Ecoclimate research at the Roof of the World: How interdisciplinary approaches can help to disentangle global change impacts on different geospheres
High Asia’s natural environment, also known as the Third Pole, has been characterized by profound environmental changes over the last three decades. The well-known massive changes in its (melting) cryosphere can be directly interlinked to a significant increase in winter temperatures and reduced snowfall. Due to the scarcity of available climate station data, it still remains unclear how the underlying warming trend can be classified in a longer and higher spatio-temporal context – which calls for highly resolved climate proxy data to reliably quantify it. Largely neglected by the public at large, however, are the dramatic changes to the biosphere, which is undergoing a rather fast and unprecedented change. For example, site conditions for woody plants change in a very short time, but they are rarely able to react quickly through adaption. A drastic decline in suitable habitats and a lack of resilience (time) is therefore expected. However, the changes in the hydrosphere and biosphere also affect the livelihoods of the people living in these regions. The lecture will give an overview of the scientific challenges of climate research in High Asia, but also provide insights into the complex causal chains between nature and humans through different case studies.
Uhrzeit: 14:00 Uhr
Ort: HS 421, NLW-Fakultät, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 2. OG
Gastgeberin: Univ.-Prof. Ulrike Berninger
Vorschau
Freitag, 19. Januar 2023: Prof. Christine Schmitt (Universität Passau)
Freitag, 26. Januar 2023: Vazrick Nazari, PhD. (University of Padova)
Freitag, 26. Januar 2023: Ganztägiges Seminarprogramm (09:00 bis 17:00 Uhr) im Rahmen des DissertantInnenseminars (Ökologie und Evolution) (796.300) sowie des Masterarbeitsseminars (230.340), Raum C 3.006, 3. OG.
Details folgen in Kürze…
