IMPRS doctoral thesis defenses

Genomic signals of selection in the adaptive history of owls (Strigiformes)

Doctoral defense by Pamela Espindola Hernandez
Doctorate under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Bart Kempenaers, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen.

Memory in dolphins and parrots: a comparative perspective

Doctoral defense by Sara Torres Ortiz
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Auguste von Bayern and Prof. Dr. Manfred Gahr, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen. [more]

Convergent evolution of nectarivores: digestive enzymes and other adaptations to sweet diets

Doctoral defense by Daniel Mendez Aranda
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Maude Baldwin at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen. [more]

Pleiotropic effects of a supergene underlying male alternative reproductive tactics

Doctoral defense by Lina Giraldo-Deck
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Clemens Küpper at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen. [more]

The molecular basis of sweet and umami taste perception in frugivorous and nectarivorous birds

Doctoral defense by Glenn Cockburn
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Maude Baldwin at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology [more]

Plasticity, personality and stability: hidden levels of variation in bird song

Doctoral defense by Alexander Hutfluss
Doctorate under the guidance of Niels Dingemanse at the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich. [more]

Evolutionary genetics of reproductive performance in the zebra finch

Doctoral defense by Yifan Pei
Doctorate under the guidance of Wolfgang Forstmeier and Bart Kempenaers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology. [more]

New perspectives on avian REM sleep

Doctoral defense by Gianina Ungurean
Doctorate under the guidance of Niels Rattenborg at Max Planck Institute for Ornithology. [more]

The Role of Habitat Configuration in Shaping the Outcomes of Social Interactions

Doctoral defense by Peng He
Doctorate under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Damien Farine at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior [more]

Causes, patterns and consequences of movement in Arctic avian predators

IMPRS: Doctoral defense by Teja Curk
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Kamran Safi and Prof. Martin Wikelski at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior [more]

Individual variation in behaviour: adaptive mechanisms and ecological drivers

Doctoral defense by Alexia Mouchet
Doctorate under the guidance of Prof. Niels Dingemanse at Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich [more]

Belowground functional traits of plants as drivers of biodiversity and plant strategies

Doctoral defense by Tom Lachaise
Doctorate under the guidance of Prof. Mark van Kleunen at University of Konstanz [more]

Deep representation learning and statistical physics in animal signal-receiver dynamics.

Doctoral defense by Ian Etheredge
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Alex Jordan MPI of Animal Behavior [more]

Drought Effects on Soil Microorganisms and Ecosystem Services under Organic and Conventional Farming: A Field-Based Investigation with Rainout Shelters

Doctoral defense by Dominika Kundel
Doctorate under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Mark van Kleunen, University of Konstanz [more]

Collective movement and social decision-making in the Vulturine Guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum)

Doctoral defense by Danai Papageorgiou
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Damien Farine, MPI of Animal Behavior [more]

Generation of transgenic zebra finches by the culture and genetic modification of germline stem cells

Doctoral defense by Ivana Lis Gessara
Doctorate under the guidance of Prof. Manfred Gahr at the MPI for Ornithology and Prof. Martin Wikelski, MPI of Animal Behavior [more]

Theoretical and empirical investigation of echolocation in bat groups

Doctoral defense by Thejasvi Beleyur
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Holger Goerlitz at the MPI for Ornithology and Prof. Iain Couzin, MPI of Animal Behavior [more]

Environmental influence on Eurasian blackbirds – A field study of physiology and decision making in a small partially migratory songbird

Doctoral defense by Nils Linek
Doctorate under the guidance of Dr. Jesko Partecko and Prof. Wikelski of the MPI of Animal Behavior [more]
Doctorate with Prof. Dr. Martin Wikelski and Prof. Dr. Iain Couzin, MPI of Animal Behavior + University of Konstanz [more]

COLLECTIVE COMPUTATION ACROSS SCALES OF BIOLOGICAL ORGANISATION

Doctoral defense by Vivek Sridhar
Doctorate with Prof. Dr. Iain Couzin, MPI of Animal Behavior + University of Konstanz [more]

Computer Vision and Deep Learning Methods forMeasuring and Modeling Animal Behavior

Doctoral defense by Jake Graving
Doctorate under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Iain Couzin MPI of Animal Behavior [more]

Reproductive isolation and life-history divergence between outcrossing and recently evolved selfing populations of Arabidopsis lyrata

Doctoral defense by Courtney Gorman
  • Date: Feb 3, 2021
  • Time: 03:00 PM - 05:30 PM (Local Time Germany)
  • Speaker: Courtney Gorman
  • Location: Online
Doctorate with Dr. Marc Stift, University of Konstanz [more]

Dynamics of toxic cyanobacteria in lakes and artificial water reservoirs

Doctoral defense by Barbara Weisbrod
Doctorate with Prof. Dr. Daniel Dietrich, University of Konstanz [more]

The link between social environment and patterns of extra-pair paternity

Doctoral defense by Kristina Beck
Doctorate with Prof. Bart Kempenaers, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology and LMU Munich [more]

Genetic Basis of Color Pattern Evolution in East African Cichlids

Doctoral defense of Sabine Urban
Doctorate with Axel Meyer, University of Konstanz [more]

Coexistence of alien and native plants

Doctoral defense of Zhijie Zhang
Doctorate with Mark van Kleunen, University of Konstanz [more]

Fitness consequences of physiological responses to environmental variation in wild great tits.

Doctoral defense by Lucia Mentesana
Doctorate with Ela Hau, MPI for Ornithology [more]

Migration and survival in a changing world: Insights on a long-distance avian migrant.

Doctoral defense by Yachang Cheng
Doctorate with Andrea Flack and Martin Wikelski MPI of Animal Behavior [more]

Physical Causal Cognition in Parrots

Doctoral defense by Laurie O'Neil
Doctorate with Auguste von Bayern and Manfred Gahr, MPI for Ornithology, Seewiesen [more]

The sensory biology of evasive flight in eared moths

PhD defense by Theresa Huegel
PhD with Holger Görlitz, Research Group Acoustic and Functional Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]
PhD with Simone Pika, Humboldt Research Group „Evolution of communication“, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Evolution of sex-roles in black councils Centropus grill and white-browed councils C. Superciliosus

Defense of Ignas Safari Mng'anya
Doctoral thesis done under the guidance of Dr. Wolfgang Goymann, Seewiesen [more]

Rhythms of the Night: New Insights into the Neurophysiology of Avian Sleep

Defense by Jacqueline van der Meij
Supervisors Niels Rattenborg from the Avian Sleep group in Seewiesen and Gabriël Beckers from the University of Utrecht, The Netherlands. [more]

From emitters to receivers: call-based communication in groups of zebra finches.

PhD defense by Mauricio Nicolas Adreani
Department Gahr MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Adult neuroplasticity under the influence of vocal motor skill practice and sex hormones: new findings and new tools

PhD defense by Mariana Diales da Rocha
PhD with Manfred Gahr, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Darwin’s naturalization hypothesis: phylogeny, enemy release and multi-trophic interactions.

PhD defense by Eva Maria Malecore
PhD with Mark van Kleunen, Ecology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Odour-background segregation and source localisation using fast olfactory processing

PhD defense by Aarti Sehdev
PhD with Paul Szyszka + Giovanni Galizia, Neuroethology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Odor Source Separation and Olfactory Learning in Drosophila

PhD defense by Yunusa Garba Mohammed
PhD with Paul Szyszka + Giovanni Galizia, Neuroethology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Understanding predator foraging behaviour

PhD defense by Stephen Lang
PhD with Damien Farine, Department of Collective Behaviour, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Mate choice and the evolution of female promiscuity in a socially monogamous species

PhD defense by Daiping Wang
PhD with Wolfgang Forstmeier and Bart Kempenaers, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Coding of spatial and temporal frequency in bat biosonar

PhD defense by Leonie Baier
PhD with Lutz Wiegrebe, Division of Neurobiology, LMU Munich, and Holger Goerlitz, Research Group Acoustic and Functional Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Immunology going wild: genetic variation and immunocompetence in the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

PhD defense by Elinor Jax
PhD with Robert Kraus, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Molecular profiling of sex-specific development of song and the song control nucleus HVC of songbirds

PhD defense by Meng-Ching Ko
PhD with Manfred Gahr, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Ontogeny of Cognition and Communication in Corvids

PhD defense by Miriam Sima
PhD with Simone Pika, Humboldt Research Group „Evolution of communication“, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Chemical cues and how ants use them to recognize colony members

PhD defense by Stefanie Neupert
PhD with Christoph Kleineidam, Neuroethology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Adaptive causes of among-individual differences in behaviour: from theory to data

PhD defense by Maria Moiron
PhD with Niels Dingemanse, Research Group "Evolutionary Ecology of Variation", MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen / "Behavioural Ecology", LMU [more]

The evolution of social dominance in house sparrows

PhD defense by Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar

Vocal communication in zebra finches: a focused description of pair vocal activity

PhD defense by Pietro D'Amelio
PhD with Manfred Gahr, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Biogeography and conservation of the neglected biodiversity

PhD defense by Alaaeldin Soultan
PhD with Kamran Safi, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Age-associated variation in reproduction and consequences of mating strategies in male house sparrows, Passer domesticus

PhD defense by Antje Girndt

The anatomy and the effect of serotonin and its corresponding receptors on olfactory learning and memory in Drosophila larva

PhD defense by Annina Huser
PhD with Andreas Thum, Neurobiology, University of Konstanz + Genetics, University of Leipzig [more]

Causes and consequences of seasonal changes in the braincase and brain size of the common shrew Sorex araneus

PhD defense by Javier Lázaro Tapia
PhD with Dina Dechmann, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Exploring the origin and maintenance of biodiversity: insights from the bilaterally asymmetrical cichlid fish Perissodus microlepis

PhD defense by Francesca Raffini
PhD with Axel Meyer, Zoology and Evolutionary Biology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Effect of noise on vocal behaviour, physiological systems and reproductive success on birds

PhD defense by Adriana M. Dorado-Correa
PhD with Henrik Brumm, Research Group Communication and Social Behaviour, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Using high resolution multi-photon imaging to study olfactory coding in insects

PhD defense by Georg Raiser
PhD with Giovanni Galizia, Neurobiology, University of Konstanz [more]

Shifts in invasion potential of alien ornamental plants under climate change

PhD defense by Emily Haeuser
PhD with Mark van Kleunen, Ecology lab, University of Konstanz [more]
PhD with Axel Meyer, Zoology and Evolutionary Biology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

The first steps of plant mating system evolution

PhD defense by Samuel Carleial Fernandes
PhD with Mark van Kleunen, Ecology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Coping with change and changing to cope: Estimating the effects of anthropogenic land use change from animal movement

PhD defense by Anne Scharf
PhD with Kamran Safi, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Molecular bases of morphological diversity in cichlid fishes

PhD defense by Ralf Schneider
PhD with Axel Meyer, Zoology and Evolutionary Biology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Behavioural rhythms and parental cooperation in biparentally incubating shorebirds

PhD defense by Martin Bulla
PhD with Bart Kempenaers, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Studying individual vocal communication in group-living songbirds

PhD defense by Lisa Gill
PhD with Wolfgang Goymann, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Testing the relative roles of competition and plant-soil feedback in explaining commonness and rarity in alien and native plant species

PhD defense by Gregor Müller
PhD with Mark van Kleunen, Ecology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

A hitchhikerꞌs guide to waterbird migration

PhD defense by Mariëlle van Toor
PhD with Kamran Safi, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

On the ecology and evolution of partial migration: a field study on migrants and residents European blackbirds

PhD defense by Daniel Zúñiga Sepúlveda
PhD with Jesko Partecke, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]
PhD with Andries ter Maat, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

The influence of host social system on hostparasite evolutionary dynamics

PhD defense by Jaap van Schaik
PhD with Gerald Kerth, University of Greifswald + Bart Kempenaers, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Consequences of social interactions on the evolution of individual differences in behaviour

PhD defense by Francesca Santostefano
PhD with Niels Dingemanse, Research Group Evolutionary Ecology of Variation, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Neuronal stimulus representations in Drosophila learning paradigms

PhD defense by Kristina Dylla
PhD with Paul Szyszka, Neurobiology, University of Konstanz [more]

Quantifying the ecological impact of the straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) in West Africa

PhD defense by Michael Abedi-Lartey
PhD with Dina Dechmann, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Seasonal Plasticity of Singing Behavior Mechanisms in Temperate and Tropical Oscines Birds

PhD defense by René Quispe Valdés
PhD with Manfred Gahr, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Communicative complexity and development in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus) in the wild

PhD defense by Marlen Fröhlich
PhD with Simone Pika, Humboldt Research Group „Evolution of communication“, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Effects of perceived predation risk on individual great tit life history and behavior

PhD defense by Robin Abbey-Lee
PhD with Niels Dingemanse, Research Group Evolutionary Ecology of Variation, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Effects of light pollution on the timing of singing in songbirds

PhD defense by Arnaud Da Silva
PhD with Bart Kempenaers, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Causes and consequences of sociality in a neotropical bat

PhD defense by Yann Gager
PhD with Dina Dechmann, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Modelling phytoplankton, passengers and drivers of lake ecosystems

PhD defense by Marieke Frassl
PhD with Karl-Otto Rothhaupt, Limnology , University of Konstanz [more]

Genome-wide Patterns of Adaptation and Speciation and Demographic Histories of Young Radiations of Cichlids

PhD defense by Andreas Kautt
PhD with Axel Meyer, Zoology and Evolutionary Biology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Neuronal correlates of temperature guided behavior in ants

PhD defense by Manuel Nagel
PhD with Christoph Kleineidam, Neuroethology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Reproductive characteristics as drivers of alien plant naturalization and invasion

PhD defense by Mialy Razanajatovo
PhD with Mark van Kleunen, Ecology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Quantitative and molecular genetics of phenotypic variation in the zebra finch

PhD defense by Ulrich Knief
PhD with Wolfgang Forstmeier, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Bats and ambient noise : From chatty neighbours to disturbing humans

PhD defense by Jinhong Luo
PhD with Lutz Wiegrebe, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich + Holger Goerlitz, Acoustic and Functional Ecology lab, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Niche partitioning in similar, closely related sympatric bat species? A morphological and mechanical approach

PhD defense by Daniela Schmieder
PhD with Tigga Kingston, Texas Tech University + Martin Wikelski, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Multi-level variation in labile characters: adaptive causes and evolutionary consequences

PhD defense by Yimen Araya-Ajoy
PhD with Jakob Müller, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]
PhD with Jakob Müller, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

The Contributions of Seasonality, Song and Hormonal Regulation to the Evolution of Songbirds

PhD defense by Kim Mortega
PhD with Barbara Helm, University of Glasgow + Michaela Hau, Research Group Evolutionary physiology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Lakes as food sources for bats: evidence from stable isotopes and acoustic monitoring

PhD defense by Ioanna Salvarina
PhD with Karl-Otto Rothhaupt, Limnology, University of Konstanz [more]

Environmental and social modulation of hormones and behavior in a free living songbird, the black redstart

PhD defense by Camila Villavicencio
PhD with Wolfgang Goymann, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Compatibility benefits of social and extra-pair mate choice in the zebra finch

PhD defense by Malika Ihle
PhD with Wolfgang Forstmeier, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Circadian biology of songbirds : endogenous and environmental components

PhD defense by Marina Lehmann
PhD with Barbara Helm, University of Glasgow + Martin Wikelski, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology / University of Konstanz [more]
PhD with Bart Kempenaers, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Analysing animal movement in the environment

PhD defense by Bart Kranstauber
PhD with Kamran Safi, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]
PhD with Daniel Dietrich, Ecotoxicology, University of Konstanz [more]

Complexity of the olfactory system across and within Hymenoptera : The leaf-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri as a case study

PhD defense by Sarah Koch
PhD with Christoph Kleineidam, Neuroethology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Cues of mosquito host finding and oviposition site selection

PhD defense by Ali Afify
PhD with Giovanni Galizia, Neurobiology, University of Konstanz [more]

Learn and Let Learn : Comparative Cognition and Social Learning in Bats

PhD defense by Theresa Clarin
PhD with Lutz Wiegrebe, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich + Holger Goerlitz, Acoustic and Functional Ecology lab, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Partial Altitudinal Migration of a Himalayan Forest Pheasant: First Insights and Conservation Implications

PhD defense by Nawang Norbu
PhD with Martin Wikelski, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]
PhD with Jesko Partecke, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Wing moult and movement behaviour of anatids, with focus on the European Gadwall (Anas strepera)

PhD defense by Andrea Gehrold
PhD with Martin Wikelski, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]
PhD with Niels Dingemanse, Research Group Evolutionary Ecology of Variation, and Bart Kempenaers, Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, MPI for Ornithology Seewiesen [more]

Ecological and Evolutionary Consequences of Color- and Trophic Polymorphisms in Cichlid Fishes

PhD defense by Henrik Kusche
PhD with Axel Meyer, Zoology and Evolutionary Biology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

At-sea movement and migration of the nocturnal swallow-tailed gull (Creagrus furcatus)

PhD defense by Sebastian Cruz
PhD with Martin Wikelski, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Ecology and Neurophysiology of Sleep in Wild Sloths

PhD defense by Bryson Voirin
PhD with Niels Rattenborg, Research Group Avian Sleep, and Martin Wikelski, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology [more]

Effects of artificial light at night on daily and seasonal organization of European blackbirds (Turdus merula)

PhD defense by Davide Dominoni
PhD with Jesko Partecke, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]

Characterization of cryptic components of the ancestral vertebrate genome

PhD defense by Nathalie Feiner
PhD with Axel Meyer, Zoology and Evolutionary Biology lab, University of Konstanz [more]

Partial migration in European blackbirds : a study on alternative phenotypes

PhD defense by Adam Fudickar
PhD with Jesko Partecke, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, MPI for Ornithology Radolfzell [more]
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