Institute for Biodiversity

Genome report: sequencing of Helicoverpa- infecting Ophryocystis sp. confirms cryptic diversity and changes in gene content of Lepidoptera-infecting apicomplexan parasites

Apicomplexan parasites of insects represent a largely unexplored branch of the tree of life. Their small size and lack of informative phenotypic traits can obscure their diversity and many lineage-specific adaptations to different host species. To better understand how these para...

METimE: A maximum entropy framework with data-derived micro-scale dynamics

The Maximum Entropy Theory of Ecology (METE) derives probability distributions for micro-scale variables, such as species abundances and metabolic rates, solely from macro-scale observables like total abundance and species richness. While METE performs well in systems with relati...

Look good to die or look poor to survive: antler properties in a malnourished sika deer population

Abstract The antlers of male deer function as visual displays of power, and as physical weapons to stag opponents, thereby functioning as determinants of social rank. Thus, stags with long and “magnificent” antlers would have more chances for reproductive success. Cervid antlers...

Effects of fine-scale topographic variation on climatic connectivity in alpine landscapes

Abstract As climate change renders current habitats unsuitable for plant species, dispersal to favourable locations is an essential strategy for their populations’ persistence. In mountainous regions, climate warming may force species to move upward along elevational gradients or...

First European Identification of a Partial Tacheng Tick Virus 8-like Underscores the Hidden Burden of Tick-Borne Flavivirus-like Viruses

Tick-associated viruses are an underexplored component of global viromes, and highly divergent RNA viruses often remain undetected due to low abundance and sequence divergence. Tacheng tick virus 8 (TcTV8) is a poorly characterized RNA flavivirus-like virus originally reported fr...

Genomic insights into the persistence of Nubian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis) in conflict-affected South Sudan

Abstract Armed conflicts can severely disrupt wildlife conservation and management, yet their long-term genomic consequences remain poorly understood. South Sudan has experienced decades of conflict that have limited conservation efforts and prevented genomic assessment of its fa...

The Key Factor Toxicity: development and application of a toxic pressure characterization tool for surface and drinking water

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to ensure a status with sufficient good-quality water to sustain ecosystems and drinking water production. Water quality is, however, affected by complex mixtures of polluting substances, whose combined effects are poorly captured...

Grassland destruction causes shifts in plant traits that persist during recovery

Old-growth grasslands assemble over millennia and support high biodiversity and many ecosystem services, but continue to undergo widespread destruction for production of crops, timber, and minerals. How biodiversity recovers after grassland destruction and the functional conseque...

The secret of the saws: historical DNA analysis reveals global genetic diversity loss in a highly threatened species

Abstract Genetic diversity is critical to long-term survival of species but can be eroded by population declines driven by human pressures. Temporal genetic monitoring of threatened species can reveal changes in genetic diversity over time, providing key data for conservation. Sp...