Since its founding in 2008, iNaturalist has become an important source of data for research. A study published in the journal BioScience with the participation of the Animal Ecology Working Group shows that observations by citizen scientists have been incorporated into over 5,000 publications. In 2022 alone, more than 1,400 studies based on this data were published, which is almost four per day. They provide insights into new species discoveries, invasive species, habitats, climate change, and animal behavior.

the study

Numerous guests and students listened intently as Kriegs, the director of the LWL Museum of Natural History, spoke about the development of mammalian fauna in the Münsterland region. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to biodiversity research, teaching, and nature conservation, Kriegs was awarded an honorary professorship in ecology and vertebrate faunistics. The Animal Ecology Working Group congratulates Professor Kriegs on this extraordinary achievement.

Northern Greece is more than just sun, sea, and tzatziki; it is also a European hotspot for biodiversity. For nearly two weeks, 25 landscape ecology students explored various habitats and documented more than 1,000 plant and animal species in coastal landscapes, river deltas, gorges, alpine regions, and pristine pine forests. After receiving intensive lessons in history, geography, and ecology, not to mention enduring long car rides, the students were eager to relax on the beach right in front of the hotel.

Zoropsis spinimana – this new spider resident is rapidly expanding its range from Southern Europe to the north, regularly making headlines along the way. A recent publication by the Animal Ecology research group shows how citizen science is helping to track its spread – and how media coverage influences reporting behavior on citizen science platforms. The editorial team of the University of Münster's wissen|leben magazine also found the topic intriguing and featured it in a dedicated article.
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During the several-week stay in Professor Corey T. Callaghan's working group at the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Centre, the focus was on the automatic identification of plant-pollinator interactions using citizen science images. Lectures and seminars with students facilitated scientific dialogue on this topic. A particular highlight was the organisation of a bioblitz, in which more than 100 participants explored the local biodiversity of the university's own 110 km2 DeLuca Preserve.

In a joint publication by the Remote Sensing and Modelling working group and ourselves, under the direction of our former Master's student Alina Krämer, we modelled the habitat suitability of the sand lizard at its north-western distribution limit. The results, based on citizen science data, have now been published in the Journal of Biogeography.

to the article

An unbalanced diet in humans can lead to exhaustion and illness. But do bumblebees become ill if they eat an unbalanced diet? In the current issue of the magazine “Palmengarten”, Dr. Hilke Hollens-Kuhr presents her research on the impact of environmental stressors, such as a lack of food in agricultural landscapes, on pollinators and their fitness. She reveals what role insect carousels play in the experiments and why it is important for bumblebees to eat as varied a range of food as possible, just as it is for humans.

to the article

As part of a research project about the future of invertebrate diversity in Berlin's wetland habitats", the Animal Ecology working group was on site in the German capital to map insects together with the public in a "Bioblitz". At different locations, numerous participants helped to collect as many insects as possible within 90 minutes and to identify them using books or an app. The aim is to compare this new data with older surveys of the fauna in wetlands and, if necessary, to derive measures for the conservation of these important green oases in Berlin from the results.

more about the project

On 17.05.2024, Tanja Straka gave her inaugural lecture at the University of Münster on the topic "From myths to insights: A journey around the world with urban bats". We are delighted to welcome our first habilitation candidate to the Animal Ecology working group and congratulate Tanja on her professional success. 

In Berlin, pioneering research into urban ecology has found surprising biodiversity in the city’s green spaces. An article in Science focuses on urban ecology research in Berlin.