Landscape Ecology
The Mammalian Ecology Group analyzes the species diversity and population structure of bats, shrews, dormouse and voles using methods in the field and laboratory as well as GIS-based habitat analysis (e.g. capture-recapture studies, call analyses and GEPARD). We focus on investigations of habitat structure, habitat quality, reproductive success and modeling of isolation and migration effects on populations.
Within the landscape ecology research we carry out GIS-based habitat analyses on selected species of mammals, in order to prepare habitat models. The questions are related to usage, isolation, and migration of populations and the relationship of species diversity with habitat structure. We use the GEPARD modeling tool that relies on R-statistics. For this approach we resort to existing databases but also acquire new data by catching and marking further species. So far, no comparable habitat analysis and modeling was conducted on central European mammals.
The knowledge of species-specific habitat requirements of mammals is a prerequisite for effective protection of endangered species. Using GIS-based landscape ecological analysis we already identified sex-specific differences in habitat selection of mammals, especially bats, and documented evidence of the influence of habitat quality on reproduction rate, size and density of nursery colonies. Through advanced, GIS-based habitat analysis we want to characterize the habitat structures which are responsible for specific habitat selection.