Research & Teaching

In my current research I mainly focus on environmental impacts of land use and climate change at different spatial scales on ecosystem processes and the occurrence of vertebrates and invertebrates in temperate European ecosystems, but also in semi-arid rangelands of Southern Africa and tropical forest fragments of East Africa. In the long run I aim to find trade-offs between human needs, environmental functionality and biodiversity conservation.

Key aspects

  • Agroecology
  • Movement Ecology
  • Ecosystem services and disservices
  • Land-use change
  • Organic farming
  • Agri‐environmental schemes
  • Small and medium sized mammals, birds, pollinators, other arthropods
  • Seed predation, seed dispersal

Research

Research

Movement Ecology

Studies on the impact of spatio-temporal variability in land use and management on animal behaviour, movement, dispersal and re-colonization abilities, as well as patterns of species distribution covering different trophic levels.

Local and landscape scale effects on biodiversity

Studies on the effects of farming practice and landscape composition and configuration on vertebrate and invertebrate diversity and ecological functioning, such as seed predation and biological weed control.

Ecosystem functions of rare arable plants

Studies on the ecosystem functions of rare arable plants to provide arguments for nature conservation and management recommendations.

Wildflower patches in cities an their ecosystem functions

Studies on the potential of established wildflower patches along roads to provide foraging and nesting habitats and essential resources for pollinators along a gradient of urbanization.

Teaching

Teaching

My teaching comprises a variety of different topics and various teaching methods for Bachelor and Master students. Thereby I’m covering theoretical topics in the form of lectures and seminars dealing with a huge variety of ecological topics, exercise courses, such as analysis of environmental data and excursions or field courses.

I motivate my students in different topics, such as data acquisition, data analysis or literature reviews and good scientific practice. I’m competent in the entire range of teaching methods. However, for me it is of special concern to steadily refine and improve my teaching skills. Therefore, I’m steadily attending advanced training courses.

Teaching profile

Master’s program “Environmental Planning and Engineering Ecology” and Master’s programs “Nature conservation and Landscape Planning” and “Engineering Ecology” (TUM):

  • Lecture “Movement Ecology” (2012 – 2017)
  • Seminar “Population Biology and Nature Conservation” (2013 – 2017)
  • Exercise course “Movement Ecology” (2012, 2013)
  • Lecture and exercise course “Applied Environmental Statistics Using R” (2013 – 2017)
  • “Interdisciplinary project work”, supervision of research oriented topics and field work, such as studies on the movement behaviour of European brown hares (2012 – 2019)

Bachelor’s program “Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning” (TUM):

  • 4th semester course “Landscape Planning”, supervision of project work to study responses of populations to landscape changes (2019)
  • 6th semester course in “Landscape Planning”, supervision of research oriented topics and field work, such as effects of rare arable plants on flower visitors (2013 – 2019)
  • 2nd semester course “Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning” and related lecture “Basic Principles in Ecology, Landscape Planning, and Conservation” (2013 – 2017)

Interdisciplinary teaching activities, TUM (M.Sc. and B.Sc.):

  • Excursion “Basics in Restoration Ecology” (2014 – 2019), selected dates
  • Lecture “Society and Landscape” (2012 – 2016), selected dates

Further activities:

  • Coordination of the major study area “Landscape Ecology” for the Master’s program “Environmental Planning and Engineering Ecology” (2013 – 2018)

Teaching at the Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany 2007 – 2010:

  • Course work “Nature conservation in agricultural landscapes” (M.Sc. Agricultural Sciences, 2008, 2009), selected dates
  • Exercise course “Ecology of agroecosystems”, supervision of research oriented topics (B.Sc. Agricultural Sciences, 2008 – 2010)
  • Exercise course “Agroecology and biodiversity” (B.Sc. Agricultural Sciences, 2010)

Supervision (since 2008):

  • 3 PhD students (2 ongoing/1 completed), mentor for one PhD student
  • 28 M.Sc. thesis (0/28)
  • 17 B.Sc. thesis (0/17)
  • 48 undergraduate project works or internships (M.Sc. und B.Sc.) (0/47)

Training courses

Basic-level certificate of learning and teaching in higher education of the Bavarian Universities, ProLehre, Department for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Technische Universität München (TUM), Germany (07/2013 – 02/2015) including following courses:

  • Teaching Skills (didactic tasks, teaching methods, designing and using visual aids for teaching situations, leading groups and discussions, communication techniques)
  • Designing and Conducting Examinations (planning, conducting, and grading examinations)
  • Roles of a lecturer (What expectations and behavior patterns are linked to my role(s) as a teacher?)
  • Supporting students during their studies (components of the learning process, motivating students)
  • Supervision of degree projects (How and when should students be supported? How to deal with problems?)
  • Legal aspects of teaching at universities (personal liabilities, organization of universities)