Evolution and Ecology
I work at the
Aquatic Ecology group of Piet Spaak, Eawag Dübendorf. My main project "The microevolutionary
impact of toxicants on natural populations of Daphnia" - which describes very well the purpose of my
work. To detect microevolution, I work with Daphnia clones hatched from resting eggs extracted from the sediment
of Greifensee. Right now, I put an emphasis on beta blockers and heavy metals and test how well natural
populations adapt to these antropogenic stressors.
The Resurrection Ecology Symposium 2009
On September 13-18, 2009, the fabulous Resurrection Ecology Meeting
will take place - and I look forward to it!
Daphnia pulicaria in Lower Lake Constance
Only very recently D. pulicaria was discovered to inhabit the Lower Lake. In cooperation with Hans Bernd
Stich, ISF Seenforschungsinstitut Langenargen, we explore its population dynamics and history.
Ephippia of all European Daphnia
In cooperation with Adam Petrusek, Charles University Prague, and Klaus Schwenk and Moritz Salinger, J. W. Goethe
University Frankfurt, we have developed a method to distinguish all 32 known Daphnia species of Europe by their
resting eggs.
My skills
- Molecular genetics: Microsatellite analysis, sequencing, and RFLP. Different protokolls for DNA extraction and preparation, operating of sequencers (ABI, CEQ, and ALF)
- Preparation of sediment cores, Life History experiments
- Practical courses, students and diploma student support - so to say...
- Other: RAPDs, Allozymes, primer design, protokoll optimization
- Guest-editor at Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society London - Series B