Research interests

• Behavioural Ecology
• Chemical Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Chemical communication
• Sexual selection
• Evolution of parental and biparental care
• Life-history theory
• Social insects

Publications

Scientific projects

I am broadly interested in chemical communication, recognition systems and the evolution of parental care.

1. Chemical communication

Chemical communication is the most ancient and widespread form of communication in the animal kingdom. Drawing on the perspectives of three different disciplines - behavioural ecology, chemical ecology and animal physiology - I hope to provide a synthesis of the ultimate and proximate mechanisms underlying chemical communication. Using the biparental burying beetle as model organisms, chemical signaling and recognition mechanisms is examined in three different signaler-receiver relationships:

(1) Interactions between the sexes

(2) Interactions between breeding partners (during the period of parental care)

(3) Interactions between parents and offspring

Collaborators:

A.-K. Eggert – Illinois State University

Wolf Haberer – University of Freiburg

Josef K. Müller – University of Freiburg

Volker Nehring – University of Copenhagen

Joachim Ruther – University of Regensburg

Scott K. Sakaluk – Illinois State University

Thomas Schmitt – University of Freiburg

2. The evolution of parental care

Description is coming soon.

If you are interested, please contact me.

Life history of burying beetles

The order Coleoptera is the most speciose order in the animal kingdom, exhibiting a wide array of fascinating adaptations. Their ecological interactions are mostly driven by semiochemicals, making them suitable model organisms for the study of chemical communication and recognition mechanisms. Burying beetles are of particular interest as they represent one of the few insects exhibiting elaborate biparental care. Therefore, chemically mediated interactions can be observed not only between mates, but also between breeding partners, and between parents and offspring. Burying beetles reproduce on small vertebrate carcasses. Usually a pair of beetles cooperate in preparing the carcass by stripping the body of fur or feathers, rolling it into a ball and treating it with antimicrobial oral and anal secretions, while burying the carcass. During this time, the female also lays her eggs in the soil near the carcass. Both parents tend the larvae by feeding them regurgitated digested carrion and defending the carcass from rival beetles and other organisms.