Our research focusses at the interface of Evolutionary Ecology, Genetics and Functional Biodiversity research. We aim to understand the fundamental ecological, behavioral, chemical and genetic/genomic processes that drive and limit adaptive evolution to maintain ecosystem functions and wildlife health. Details on current projects, target species, methods and technologies used to achieve our goals, as well as on our team can be found here:

Prof. Dr. Simone Sommer	Conservation Genomics and EcoHealth
Prof. Dr. Manfred Ayasse (senior prof.)	Chemical Ecology
apl. Prof. Dr. Marco Tschapka	Tropical Ecology
Dr. Kirsten Jung (interim professorship)	Functional Biodiversity

Recently published research (2025)

Jetter K, Jani K, Wilhelm K, Stehle U, Chamedjeu R, Riedel C, Wilfert L, Schäfer P, Sommer S (2025) Fertilization impacts microbiomes along the grassland trophic chain. ISME Communications.

Melville DW, Meyer M, Risely A, Wilhelm K, Baldwin HJ, Badu EK, Nkrumah EE, Oppong SK, Schwensow N, Tschapka M, Vallo P, Corman VM, Drosten C, Sommer S (2025) Hibecovirus (genus Betacoronavirus) infection linked to gut microbial dysbiosis in bats. ISME Communications, 5(1). 
(https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycae154)

Meyer M, Eibner G, Heni AC, Wilhelm K, Sommer S (2025). Changes in biodiversity drive Trypanosome infections of wildlife in Panama. One Health, 21, 101113. 
(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101113)

Müller-Klein N, Risely A, Wilhelm K, Riegel V, Manser M, Clutton-Brock T, Silver L, Santos PSC, Melville DW & Sommer S (2025) Twenty years of tuberculosis-driven selection shaped the evolution of the meerkat major histocompatibility complex. Nat Ecol Evol. 
(https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02837-x)

 

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