Research interests

• Habitat use
• Energetics 
• Thermoregulation 
• Community ecology
• Forest-dwelling bats
• Conservation

 

 

Scientific projects

The two main current research projects deal with forest-dwelling bats, in particular with the Bechstein`s bat Myotis bechsteinii and with bats in cultural landscapes like orchards.

Study sites of the forest-dwelling bats are in Luxemburg and in different woodlands in Germany (e.g. nationalpark “Kellerwald-Edersee”). Main goals of the studies are habitat use like roost site selection and fidelity, core foraging areas, prey selection and amount of prey. Furthermore thermoregulation and energetics of female and male bats are in focus.

Further project contents deal with the significance of different structures in open cultivated landscapes like orchards and small pasturages for bats (e.g. Myotis emarginatus, Myotis nattereri, Plecotus auritus).

In total all projects focus on the impact of habitat destruction, fragmentation and landscape management practices (forest harvesting) on the population density and distribution of bats. For further details see the homepage of the Institute of Animal Ecology and Nature Education.