(Dept. 5) Evolutionary and Integrative Ecology

The Department of Evolutionary and Integrative Ecology, which is located in both Friedrichshagen and Dahlem, advances the eco-evolutionary understanding of freshwater organisms in the Anthropocene. Our research has two overarching themes:

  • Evolutionary ecology and eco-evolutionary dynamics
  • Synthesis across scales, disciplines and actors

Within these themes, we address different research topics, varying from the ecological and evolutionary consequences of global change (e.g. biological invasions, climate change, pollution) to species interactions and long-term dynamics. Urban systems are of particular relevance here, as they integrate multiple dimensions of global change. Berlin is also a perfect place to study urbanisation! Species interactions we are investigating include competition, parasitism and predation, and interactions between species and different human actors are of high relevance as well.

We collaborate with researchers within and beyond IGB, nationally and internationally. Particularly strong connections are with Freie Universität Berlin and KU Leuven, as group leaders in the department hold professorships at these universities. We are active in the Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB) and play a leading role in the Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), both of which involve extensive collaboration with other Leibniz institutes and universities. International initiatives that we are strongly engaged in include the Alliance for Freshwater Life, Future Earth and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Contact persons

Research groups

Luc De Meester
Jonathan Jeschke
Michael T. Monaghan
Daniel B. Stouffer

Department members

Selected publications

People_and_Nature
September 2024
People and Nature. - 6(2024)4, 1681-1695

Reintroduced, but not accepted: Stakeholder perceptions of beavers in Germany

Maximilian Hohm; Simon S. Moesch; Jennifer Bahm; Dagmar Haase; Jonathan M. Jeschke; Niko Balkenhol

The authors conducted a scientific online survey among representatives of the general public, forestry and agriculture to find out their opinions on beavers in Germany. The majority of the general public have a positive view of beavers, while the agricultural and forestry sectors have a much more negative view. There are also regional differences. 

May 2024
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. - 22(2024)4, e2725

A scenario-guided strategy for the future management of biological invasions

Núria Roura- Pascual; Wolf- Christian Saul; Cristian Pérez-Granados; Lucas Rutting; Garry D Peterson; Guillaume Latombe; Franz Essl; Tim Adriaens; David C Aldridge; Sven Bacher; Rubén Bernardo-Madrid; Lluís Brotons; François Diaz; Belinda Gallardo; Piero Genovesi; Marina Golivets; Pablo González-Moreno; Marcus Hall; Petra Kutlesa; Bernd Lenzner; Chunlong Liu; Konrad Pagitz; Teresa Pastor; Wolfgang Rabitsch; Peter Robertson; Helen E Roy; Hanno Seebens; Wojciech Solarz; Uwe Starfinger; Rob Tanner; Montserrat Vilà; Brian Leung; Carla Garcia-Lozano; Jonathan M Jeschke

The study used a scenario-based approach to explore management options for invasive species in Europe. During two workshops involving a multidisciplinary team of experts, a management strategy arranged into 19 goals relating to policy, research, public awareness, and biosecurity was developed considering different future scenarios of biological invasions.

May 2024
Trends in Ecology and Evolution. - 39(2024)2, 106-108

Flagship events and biodiversity conservation

Ivan Jarić; Sarah L. Crowley; Diogo Veríssimo; Jonathan M. Jeschke

While flagship species are a highly effective approach in conservation, this article proposes the distinct but complementary concept of flagship events: natural or anthropogenic occurrences that attract public attention. Flagship events have high potential value for biodiversity conservation by engaging people with wildlife and helping to garner support for conservation efforts.

May 2024
Nature Climate Change. - 14(2024), 436-447

Interactions between climate change and urbanization will shape the future of biodiversity

Mark C. Urban; Marina Alberti; Luc De Meester; Yuyu Zhou; Brian C. Verrelli; Marta Szulkin; Chloé Schmidt; Amy M. Savage; Patrick Roberts; L. Ruth Rivkin; Eric P. Palkovacs; Jason Munshi-South; Anna N. Malesis; Nyeema C. Harris; Kiyoko M. Gotanda; Colin J. Garroway; Sarah E. Diamond; Simone Des Roches; Anne Charmantier; Kristien I. Brans

The study shows how interactions between climate change and urbanisation affect biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics. The authors point out that the interactions between these two drivers of global change can have far-reaching effects, and how this knowledge can inform urban planning.

February 2024
BioScience. - XX(2024)X, XX–XX

The potential of historical spy-satellite imagery to support research in ecology and conservation

Catalina Munteanu; Benjamin M. Kraemer; Henry H. Hansen; Sofia Miguel; E.J. Milner-Gulland; Mihai Nita; Igor Ogashawara; Volker C. Radeloff; Simone Roverelli; Oleksandra O. Shumilova; Ilse Storch; Tobias Kuemmerle

This study evaluated the spatial, temporal, and seasonal coverage of over one million declassified images from 4 US spy-satellite programmes, showing that this data spans nearly the entire globe and all seasons. Their use could lead to better mapping of the historical extent and structure of ecosystems and human impacts, and help reconstruct past habitats and species distributions.