Selected publications

The authors used stable isotope and stomach content analyses to investigate whether European perch alter their diet composition as a consequence of an infection with eye flukes. The study shows for the first time that fish feed more selectively as infection intensity increases, allowing the parasites to modulate top-down effects of their host on lower trophic levels.

When a species colonizes an urban habitat, differences in the environment can create novel selection pressures. The authors tested for consistent urban selection signals in multiple populations (213 complete genomes) of the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), a species that colonized South American cities just a few decades ago.

Female moles not only have ovarian, but also testicular tissue that produces male sex hormones – which lets them diverge from the categorization into two sexes. A team led by Berlin researchers Stefan Mundlos and Darío Lupiáñez describes which genetic modifications contribute to this singular development.

The authors have investigated the relationship of bird families. For the first time, they have been able to clarify the relationship of all families of non-passerine birds and almost all families of passerine birds by transcriptomic data. The new family tree is based on gene sections (3‘‑UTRs) that do not code for proteins, but contain sequences that are specific to the families and their genera.

Fishing primarily removes larger and more active fish from populations. It thus acts as a selection factor that favours shy fish, as this study led by IGB shows. 

The authors used a spatially explicit population dynamics model for the barbel to investigate the functional dependencies of sub-habitats. They showed that revitalising only spawning or only juvenile habitats is not effective; the functional unit and a minimum size of habitats are essential. The model helps to predict the revitalisation success on the basis of the size.

The literature on global trends in recreational fishing, the determinants of participation and its social embedding in the public eye are reviewed across the world. In western countries, a sustained shift in public values from anthropocentric to more biocentric viewpoints is documented. This shift elevates biodiversity conservation toward a key goal of contemporary fisheries management.

The study showed that immunostimulation via gills is possible with fulvic acid, and the high phenolic content improved overall health and stress resistance of fish.