Research

The discovery and analysis of traits under selection that may lead to speciation in wild non-model organisms belongs to the most challenging tasks in evolutionary biology. We are interested in evolutionary forces that drive genotypic and phenotypic diversification, both within and between populations. In this context, we analyse the impact of recent and historic environmental changes on the population structure of freshwater organisms that may lead to genetic substructuring, cladogenesis and finally speciation. The interaction of genotype and environment is thereby in our main focus. In detail we investigate how different environmental selective pressures establish divergent adaptive phenotypes within and between populations. Combining genetic analyses with classic behavioral and ecological studies in the natural environment and in the laboratory, we want to identify adaptive traits and investigate the mechanisms by which they are spread and maintained within natural populations.

Research areas

Behavioral ecology, behavioral genetics, conservation genetics, molecular evolution, parasite-host coevolution