Research

At first glance, my research projects appear to be very diverse, but all of them have centred on two key questions:

1. How do genotypes and environments influence the behaviour of individuals?

2. Conversely, how does the behaviour of individuals influence the structure and dynamics of populations and ecosystems?

Within this conceptual framework, I am particularly interested in:

• The ecology and evolution of mating systems, brood care and rearing of offspring

• Relationships between genetics, environmental conditions, ultimate fitness and proximate mechanisms such as energy balance, hormones and communication

• Ecological stability and evolutionary potential for speciation in an unusual parasite–host system

To investigate these topics, I employed a combination of comparative field studies, experiments, genetic and physiological analyses, and mathematical modelling. Depending on the specific research question, I studied suitable model species, primarily the birds and amphibians shown below. I have also carried out and supervised various smaller projects – ranging from aggression in fish to the management of wild boar.