Latest Projects

Research project (§ 26 & § 27)
Duration : 2023-10-15 - 2025-10-14

Since 2008 (with one year of interruption), fecal samples have been collected and genetically analyzed in the Gesäuse National Park at Gscheidegg and in neighboring areas to study capercaillie genetic diversity. The present project will process the samples from the last 3 years, thereby supplementing the dataset of this long-term monitoring effort, and conduct comprehensive analyses on the genetic diversity of the studied population. Particular focus will be placed on addressing potential significantly decreasing trends in this important biodiversity indicator.
Research project (§ 26 & § 27)
Duration : 2024-01-01 - 2025-12-31

The random fluctuation of allele frequencies (genetic drift) can have a significant impact on evolution in small and fragmented populations and lead to an extinction vortex, a feedback loop between reduced population size, loss of genetic diversity and inbreeding. Since dry meadows and pastures in Austria are among the most species-rich habitats, but also among the most endangered due to changes in land use, we selected 14 rare "steppe plants" with occurrences in the Pannonian and partly also in the Alpine region for the survey of the state of genetic diversity: Artemisia pancicii; Astragalus exscapus; Crambe tataria; Dianthus serotinus; Dracocephalum austriacum; Iris humilis subsp. arenaria; Adonis vernalis; Phlomoides tuberosa; Carex supina; Linum flavum; Onobrychis arenaria; Oxytropis pilosa; Stipa capillata; and Pulsatilla grandis, P. oenipontana and P. vulgaris (species group). For the molecular genetic characterization of the populations and for a corresponding (long-term) comparison of genetic diversity (heterozygosity, gene flow, inbreeding), the occurrences are to be genotyped using RADseq. We expect that the data will provide valuable information for assessing the conservation status of the species themselves, but also of the habitats in which they occur. The data can be valuable as a basis for conservation decisions. For example, it can be used to assess which protected areas are characterized by high or low genetic diversity, what connections exist between protected areas or what contribution species conservation projects make to the preservation of genetic diversity. The project supports Austria's efforts as a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity to establish a national system for monitoring the status and development of biodiversity and its components by collecting data for indicator S.3.1 (status of genetic diversity of wild species) throughout Austria using a standardized design.
Research project (§ 26 & § 27)
Duration : 2017-03-01 - 2018-12-31

The von Bertalanffy equation was developed in the 1940s and has since been the almost universal biologically motivated model to describe the ontogenetic growth of different species; it is characterized by the metabolic exponents a = 2/3, b = 1. West et al. (1997, 2001) suggested another pair of metabolic exponents (a = 2/3, b = 1) and provided biological reasoning for this choice. This project proposes biological reasoning for yet two other exponent pairs based on the ideas of Bertalanffy and West about metabolism and on a model of Parks (1982) about the dependency of growth on food intake.

Supervised Theses and Dissertations