The Animal Ecology Working Group offers a repertoire of domestic and international excursions. However, since these can only take place at specific times during and outside the semester, we conduct only a selection of the offered trips each year. Here we provide information about all potential excursions; the actual offered field trips will be communicated via the Learnweb. In addition to the courses organized by us, there are also so-called one-day self-managed excursions that can be carried out on your own.
South Tyrol: fascinating contrasts in an autonomous region
About 40 percent of the land area lies at an altitude above 2000 meters. Embedded in the valleys of the Alps are mountain meadows, floodplains, dry grasslands, and chestnut forests, where we encounter both montane and Mediterranean plant and animal species. On our eight-day excursion, we expect a diverse program that not only deals with the unique history of the autonomous region but also with the current political, economic, and cultural situation. The focus of the excursion will be on hikes and biodiversity surveys in various habitats.
This includes visits to the Ultental, the Pustertal, and the Vintschgau. We will be staying in the Eisack Valley – more precisely in Brixen, one of the oldest cities in the region. From there, we will visit Bolzano and Merano and travel to the largest high alpine pasture in Europe, the Seiser Alm. In good weather, we can undertake a hike in the Villnöss Valley to the Zendleser Kofel (2422 meters). Agriculture plays an important role in South Tyrol, so we will extensively deal with viticulture, visit an organic winery, and taste the wine.
The excursion requires a certain basic fitness, and participants should be able to tolerate car rides on winding mountain roads. We expect active participation, and especially during the biodiversity surveys and learning about species, a high level of motivation is important to us. This also includes students undertaking their own hikes in small groups and independently conducting bioblitzes.
North Sea: exploring the Wadden Sea National Park and its surroundings
Mudflats, salt marshes, moors, heaths, marshes, and geest – on this six-day excursion to the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park, the focus is on the North Sea ecosystem with its diverse habitats. During our stops in Burhave on the Jade Bay, in Cuxhaven, and on Helgoland, we particularly learn about the adaptations of flora and fauna to the constant changes in the landscape due to tides, storm surges, and ice ages. We experience firsthand the difference between mud and sand flats on a mudflat hike and get to know specialists of this habitat.
A visit to a dike sheep farm informs us about the reality of agriculture far from any dike romanticism, while in Bremerhaven at the Alfred Wegener Institute, we delve into the exciting everyday life of polar research. The excursion ends with a day trip to Helgoland, which, besides the unique seabird cliffs, offers fascinating insights into the island's history. Throughout the excursion, we will observe birds daily to improve our ornithological species knowledge.
Daily long walks require corresponding physical fitness and a joy of hiking. A special interest in bird watching is also expected. This excursion offers the opportunity to extensively get to know the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea, its ecosystems, and their inhabitants.
The federal capital is world-famous as the birthplace of urban ecology and the "Berlin School of Urban Ecology." During this six-day excursion, we learn why urban ecology originated in Berlin and still holds a special position in this discipline. We experience concepts such as "ecological novelty" firsthand in the parks, lost places and industrial wastelands of the city, explore natural habitats like the Jewish Cemetery, and visit an organic farm in the city. A focus is on the adaptation of animals to the urban environment and the specific urban biodiversity. In particular, we will expand our species knowledge of birds, bats, and insects (bees, grasshoppers, and butterflies) – both during the day and into the late evening.
As we will be walking a lot, spending some time on public transport, and organizing evening events, this multi-day excursion requires physical fitness, endurance, and some resilience to city life. We also expect a strong interest in urban ecology and learning species knowledge.
The island of Helgoland, located in the middle of the North Sea, is a "mecca" for bird enthusiasts. The red sandstone cliffs are the only breeding ground for numerous seabirds in Germany: Northern gannets, common murres, razorbills, northern fulmars, and kittiwakes feel at home here. The five-day excursion focuses on the island's ecology and the specialization of many animal species. The emphasis is on discovering and identifying the birdlife, but we will also observe other marine animals such as grey seals, harbor seals, or mollusks. The topic of bird migration will accompany us on the excursion, and in this context, we will gain insights into the research at the Helgoland Bird Observatory. On Helgoland's Dune, we will be able to observe grey seals and harbor seals, and with a bit of luck, we might even spot porpoises on the ferry or during sea watching. Visits to an oyster and lobster farm, as well as a civil defense bunker from the island's eventful history, offer a change from bird watching. There will also be plenty of time to explore the island on our own and enjoy Helgoland's unique charm.
Even though Helgoland is a fascinating island, participants should be particularly enthusiastic about ornithology – beginners are welcome. Physical fitness and weather resistance are absolutely necessary.
Eleven nature parks, three biosphere reserves, and one national park occupy a third of the land area in Brandenburg – in hardly any other federal state is species richness and abundance higher. On this 12-day excursion, we discover the various habitats and last refuges of native flora and fauna on land and water. With a stop at the bird paradise Gülper See, we head to the far east of Brandenburg, to the "Lower Oder Valley" National Park, Germany's only floodplain national park and a biodiversity hotspot. During hikes, a nocturnal canoe trip, and faunal surveys, as well as a side trip to the Polish Warta Mouth National Park, we will get to know typical insect and bird species. From there, we will also visit the Schorfheide Biosphere Reserve, including a visit to Chorin Monastery and the eco-village Brodowin, focusing on organic farming and Germany's oldest nature reserve, Plagefenn. After further program highlights, such as a hike in the UNESCO World Heritage beech forest Grumsin and the Seelow Heights, we continue to the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve, which we explore by canoe, on foot, or by bike. In the museum village Lehde, we learn more about Sorbian culture and enjoy Spreewald gherkins. Finally, we visit the Niederlausitzer Landrücken Nature Park, where we hike through the nature paradise Grünhaus, a former open-cast mine, and learn about the history and present of lignite mining at the legendary F60 visitor mine.
As we will be traveling a lot on foot, by bike, or by kayak/canoe during this excursion, all participants should be fit and weather-resistant – we will carry out the program in all reasonable weather conditions. A strong interest in insects and birds is required, as well as the willingness to independently conduct program points, such as surveys or bioblitzes. We also expect participants to handle unexpected events calmly, e.g., if program points need to be shifted to early morning or late evening hours due to heat periods.
Animal Ecology offers one-day excursions that can be undertaken alone or in a group without a lecturer. Some of them are in Münster and the surrounding area, others are easy to reach by regional or long-distance transport. The self-drive excursions are designed to allow students with missing excursion days or regular work alongside their studies a flexible organization. The procedure for each excursion is described in detail on a corresponding supplementary sheet. As proof, some questions must be answered in an excursion report, and in some cases species lists are also required.
