Research "Conservation Genetics"

Team "Conservation Genetics" Dr. Kathrin Theissinger

Topics

Our team applies genetics and genomics methods as a tool to enable a better understanding and managing of natural populations, particularly with regard to biodiversity conservation, effective population sizes and invasive species management. We also address research questions concerning evolutionary ecotoxicology, i.e. the influence of pesticides in agriculture landscapes on the natural population structure. Moreover, we are investigating the influence of past and future climate change on the genetic diversity distribution of endangered species. A specific focus lies on Wildlife Forensics, i.e. the analysis of non-invasive DNA samples such as hair, feathers, faeces or buccal swabs.

Current projects

• Amphibians in agricultural landscapes: chemical landscape fragmentation implemented in a habitat modeling approach - (DFG-project; Christoph Leeb). more info
• eDNA detection of crayfish spores (Jörn Panteleit). more info
• Noble Crayfish Transcriptomics (Jenny Makkonen). more info
• Genetic identification of the crayfish plague (Aphanomyces astaci) (Anne Schrimpf, Jörn Panteleit, Nina Keller). more info
• Population management of noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) in Europe (Anne Schrimpf).
• Metabarcoding of macrozoobenthos in Bti-treated swamps (Anna Kästel, Jenny Makkonen). more info
• Effects of mining effluents on species composition and stress gene activation in aquatic macroinvertebrates (Jenny Makkonen). more info
  
• MaNaKa - Maßnahmenkatalog für erfolgreiche, nachhaltige Besatzmaßnahmen autochthoner Edelkrebspopulationen (Anne Schrimpf, Elena Adams). more info

Former Projects & Theses

• Amphibians in the agricultural landscape - direct and indirect effects on population connectivity and viability (Patrick Lenhardt). more info
• Development of a reliable, non-invasive method for wild boar (Sus scrofa) population size estimation (Karolina Kolodzieij). more Info
• Survival in the mud: The impact of Irrigation on the genetic Variability of Earthworms considering Operational Taxonomic units (Lena Bauer, Master thesis)
• Establishment of a non-invasive DNA sampling method for amphibians. (Antonia Müller, Patrick Lenhardt). more info
• Effizienz und Dynamik an der Amphibienschutzanlage der L356, Ramstein-Mackenbach (Antonia Müller, Diploma Thesis)
• DNA-based methods for freshwater biodiversity conservation - Phylogeographic analysis of noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) and new insights into the distribution of crayfish plague (Anne Schrimpf)
• Phylogeography of stone crayfish in Romania (Diana Popovici)
• Die abgrenzungsorientierte Beschreibung der Baumsteigerfrösche Epibetobates anthonyi und Epibetobates tricolorvor dem Hintergrund der genetischen Artzuordnung (Jan-Christopher Fischer, Bachelor thesis)
• Genetische Überprüfung der Artzugehörigkeit von Zoo- und privaten Zuchttieren der PfeilgiftfroschartenEpipedobates anthonyi und tricolor (Philipp Bodenseh, Bachelor thesis)
• Evaluierung verschiedener Erfassungsmethoden für Rehe (Capreolus capreolus) mithilfe der Kotgenotypisierung am Beispiel einer Population im Hunsrück (Charlotte Köhler, Diploma thesis)
• Genetische Charakterisierung deutscher Edelkrebszuchten (Astacus astacus L.) als Entscheidungsgrundlage für Wiederbesatzmaßnahmen (Doreen Roblick, Bachelor thesis)
• Phylogeographische Ausbreitungsmuster des Edelkrebses Astacus astacus (Crustacea: Decapoda) mittels Mikrosatellitenanalyse (Jennifer Dahlem, Diploma thesis)