Team > M. Sc. Lisa Albert

Faculty of Biology, Chemistry & Earth Sciences
Population Ecology

Doctoral student

Research project: subproject in BETA-FOR (DFG Research Unit FOR 5375/1)

Short description of the project BETA-FOR:

Forest homogenization is a huge problem in production forests nowadays. Due to the increased land use intensity (mainly timber production), formerly natural forest with different successional stages and thus a heterogenous ecosystem,  face now the problem of homogenization, resulting in negative effects on the biodiversity of the forest ecosystems. The consistent loss of the β-diversity and β-multifunctionality are indicators of increasing homogenous communities.

However, it is also possible to strengthen the positive effects of land-use in forests resulting in an increased heterogeneity. This is the aim of the BETA-FOR project (DFG Research Unit FOR 5375/1). Here, the Enhancement of Structural Beta Complexity (ESBC) leads to an increase in the structural heterogeneity with focus on canopy cover and deadwood amount and features. This project delivers insights on the relationship between biodiversity and multifunctionality of the ecosystem forest by doing a long-term monitoring across eleven sites throughout Germany. 18 taxonomic groups and 21 ecosystem functions are measured leading to a better understanding of multidiversity.

In my subproject I am investigating the ecosystem function seed removal. The diversity and composition of seed disperser communities and its interaction with plants is set into relation to the ESBC forest management. I expect to find that a high structural heterogeneity and resulting changes in the local microclimate increases the species turnover of invertebrate (gastropods and ants) as well as vertebrate (mainly birds and mice) seed dispersers. In conclusion I want to establish a better understanding on the differential effects of forest management on different seed disperser taxa resulting in altered communities and an increasing β-multidiversity.

Faculty of Biology, Chemistry & Earth Sciences
Population Ecology

M. Sc. Lisa Albert
Doctoral student

Animal Ecology I - Population Ecology
Building NW I, Room 5.0 01 06
University of Bayreuth
Universitätsstr. 30
95447 Bayreuth

Phone: +49 (0) 921 55 2646
Fax: +49 (0) 921 55 2784

E-mail: Lisa.Albert@uni-bayreuth.de