Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
- PhD, Genetics, Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK-Gatersleben)
- MS, Biology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Ecological Genetics and adaptive evolution
I am interested in the study of evolutionary forces acting on plant populations and species during their history and in the evolution of adaptive and species-specific characters. On the other hand, the evolutionary adaptive potential of long-lived tree species is decisive to react to fluctuating and changing environments in the near future. I think that work on genetic variation controlling complex adaptive traits in keystone species both in manipulative environments and under natural conditions will help to bridge the gap between genetic and ecological approaches to study the reaction of ecosystems to environmental change.
Generally, the interaction between innovative research and teaching is for me of major importance to provide students with a broad knowledge and skills, and to stimulate their creativity to develop and critically evaluate new ideas.