Course program MEES

The module aims at a common understanding of evolutionary theory and evolutionary ecology and deepens the relevant knowledge. It deals with Darwinian evolution, synthetic evolutionary theory and other evolutionary theories. The social meaning of the theory of evolution is also treated. The seminar in the summer semester deals with current evolutionary biological questions based on original papers from the subject areas of the study program.

The module provides an overview of the ecology and diversity of habitats and populations and addresses aspects of integrative biodiversity research. The lectures will focus on the emergence and ecology of habitats and their biodiversity, with particular emphasis on land use and climate change. We will address fundamental biogeographic aspects, and the dynamics of populations and the interaction between species in ecological networks. In the seminar, small-scale projects will explore how microorganisms and macroorganisms and their interactions, through chemical signals and complex networks, can contribute to important functions of ecosystems while providing important services to humans. The importance of ecology and the preservation of its diversity for society is also highlighted.

The module introduces the experimental design as well as various univariate and multivariate statistical methods. The lecture teaches the basics of scientific work from finding a worthwhile research question to the publication through manuscripts, lectures, or posters. In the exercises with the statistical program R, the presented statistical methods are learned using sample datasets from botany, zoology, ecology, and biodiversity research. It covers the areas of descriptive statistics including visualizations, simple tests, the basics of statistical modelling (linear models, generalized linear models, mixed models, structural equation models), as well as ordinations and cluster analyses. The focus of this module is on practical exercises with intensive instructions during the classroom hours.

Based on the excursion, the students should get to know examples of environmental aspects of an unknown habitat. Depending on the field of the excursion, aspects of biodiversity (zoological and / or botanical), the ecology of the visited ecosystems and their species composition or their evolutionary history may be the focus. Depending on the excursion destination, the excursion will take place in the winter or summer semester.

The lectures focus on the regulatory mechanisms of development at the molecular level, gene regulation and gene regulatory networks. In the seminar, selected topics in comparative and evolutionary developmental biology are discussed. The lab course introduces methods commonly used in comparative and evolutionary developmental biology.

New module coordinator: Andreas Hejnol

For anatomically modern humans, the understanding of morphological, molecular and cultural evolution should be deepened and extended. The module is multidisciplinary, from morphology and physiology to molecular and microbiology and socio-cultural science topics.

The seminar "Discovery of Evolution" provides an overview of the history of ideas in evolutionary biology by means of secondary literature. The seminar "Classics of Evolution" critically discusses the most important advances in theory formation in the 19th and 20th century with the help of original papers.

Module coordinator: Andreas Hejnol

The interdisciplinary module teaches the basics of biological collection work. This includes not only the collection itself, but also the long-term preservation and safe storage of objects and the data belonging to them.

The module deals with microevolution und population genetics in plants. The lecture focuses on speciation and related population genetic aspects. Hybridization, adaptive radiation and impact of evolutionary processes on populations and species, like e.g. isolation and spread of mutations will be treated in more detail.

In the practical part, the most important, predominantly molecular methods applied in micro-evolutionary research will be studied. There will be exercises on calculation and interpretation of population genetic parameters.

The module presents an overview of the phylogeny of plants and an introduction to paleobotany. The exercise offers training in actual analytical methods in plant phylogenetics, e.g. treatment of characters, construction and evaluation of phylogenyetic trees.

The lecture presents the systematic groups of cryptogams in detail. Phylogenetic relationships will be treated as well as their life cycles, and morphological characteristics. Furthermore, life and adaptations of algae, lichens, mosses, lycopods, and fern plants to their respective habitats are illuminated. Particular attention is paid to the ecological importance of cryptogams and their role as indicator organisms. During the internship, selected representatives will be determined by the participants on their own and in small excursion typical representatives of different habitats will be presented.

The module focusses on various aspects of applied vegetation ecology. In the seminar we discuss current research approaches in vegetation ecology with special emphasis on the use of functional trait data. During the field course we will collect and analyse data on plant species composition and diversity from important vegetation types varying in their hemeroby levels.

This module takes place every second year alternating with E13, start in WiSe of odd years.

The lecture introduces food crops, stimulating, medicinal, and aromatic plants. In particular, occurrence, cultivation, biology, morphology / anatomy and their relevance are treated. Furthermore, current aspects of the production of plant foods and stimulants are processed. During the practical course, selected plants and their products will be presented. Also planned are excursions to companies that produce or process herbal products.

The students learn (i) to identify an (own) scientific problem in the context of functional biodiversity research, (ii) to plan an experiment using appropriate scientific methods and experimental design, (iii) to carry out the experiment and (iv) to evaluate it with the help of modern statistical methods. The seminar provides the foundations for experimental biodiversity research and introduces the basics of experimental design. Experimental design and evaluation options are discussed using examples from the literature. The acquired knowledge is used in the (supervised) planning of the own mini-projects during the exercise. The project will be carried out in the field along gradients (e.g., elevation gradients in the Alps), including field work, statistical analyses and poster presentation (in groups). During all stages of the course, the collected data will be evaluated and the procedure critically questioned and discussed.

This module takes place every second year alternating with E11, start in WiSe of even years.

Students will screen and analyze the biotic inventory of selected natural habitats in project teams. Different groups of organisms will be included and actual techniques of species inventories will be applied.
Local characteristics are to be worked out and contrasted with typical elements of the habitat. The results are scientifically processed and presented in a way that is understandable to the public.

Evolution is based on changes in heritable traits either by natural selection or by genetic drift. The module covers the mechanisms of the evolutionary changes in populations over time. This includes an introduction to quantitative genetics, basis principles of population genetics and modern genomic tools for studying evolution. The array of topics ranges from the quantification of natural selection and heritabilites in natural populations via the genetic basis of local adaptation and maintenance of genetic diversity to speciation genetics and genomics.

This module provides the theoretical foundations in the field of ecology by introducing the most important models. In the practical training, the theoretical concepts are studied in more detail in numerical simulations and simple analytical solutions of models.

This module provides the theoretical foundations of the modelling of complex ecological networks. In the practical training, the theoretical concepts are studied in computer simulations of simple examples.

This module introduces the methods and concepts of metastudies. The lecture introduces important metastudies in the field of biodiversity research with consideration of statistical methods. In the practical training, published data are gathered, organized in a data base and analyzed by the statistical methods introduced in the lecture. Subsequently, the results of this metastudy carried out by the students are presented and discussed concerning their relation to theoretical concepts in biodiversity research.

This module takes place every second year, start in SoSe of odd years.

The module provides an overview of current aspects of biodiversity policy as well as opportunities and challenges at the science-policy interface (including opportunities for professional career development). A special feature of the module, in addition to English as a continuous module language, is the interactive discussion with experts from the field (for example, authorities, associations / NGOs). The course covers aspects of participatory knowledge transfer and science communication as well as the innovative approach of citizen science.

This module focuses on the principles and approaches in modern day molecular (genomic) and chemical (metabolomic) ecology. We will also discuss relevant conceptual frameworks, ecological theories pertaining to current ecological biodiversity research.

An important aspect of science is the communication of scientific insights. Efficient communication is therefore and important skill for all scientists. In the highly interactive classes of this module, we will reflect upon and train scientific communication. The module will also cover the peer-review process that central to quality control in science and will address modern approaches to open and transparent science. The focus of the module is on communication within a scientific environment, but many aspects will be applicable to other fields that require concise and efficient communication.

As part of the practical course, the active participation in a working group of the institutes participating in the Master's program takes place. This enables the preparation and data acquisition for the Master's thesis. In independent studying, the preparation for the integrating final exam takes place. The content of the exam is the overview of the research subject of the master's thesis in a biological context.

The module comprises the evaluation of the data set for the master's thesis, the literature search and all other work that serves to prepare the master's thesis. The work is essentially done as an independent study.