Reproductive Biology
The Mammalian Ecology Group studies the mating system of bats, shrews, dormouse and voles with the help of behavioural and molecular biological research methods such as telemetry, measurement of the testosterone-level and paternity analysis using microsatellites. The focus is on the analysis of the different reproductive strategies, mating behaviour, reproductive success and the isolation and migration effects on populations.
As part of the research focus ‘reproductive biology’ we will compare the reproductive success of different male bat groups by paternity analysis. Another molecular biological approach is the clarification of isolation and migration effects on bats and small mammal populations. To this end, DNA samples of bats and small mammals are collected and analyzed. In addition, the reproductive strategies of different species of bats will be investigated in the field. Further, the seasonal changes of the testosterone-level in regard to the thermoregulatory behaviour is examined in detail. The knowledge of the reproductive biology of Central European bats are so far incomplete and concrete information on mating events only exist for few species. In continuation of previous researches basic information on the reproductive biology of central European bats is collected. So far, it was shown that male bats pursue different reproductive strategies depending on the habitat conditions and we explore these in terms of reproductive success.