Category: <span>Meet the researchers</span>

Sara Fritsch, Universidad de las Américas/ Technical University of Darmstadt

My interests in ecology have been very broad from the beginning of my studies – there is simply so much that we still do not yet fully understand. Among my interests, a few topics that have fascinated me especially are forest recovery, community ecology, ecosystem services and responses to microclimatic …

Moira Wiedebusch, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador/ Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

I am interested in the ecology and diversity of herpetofauna in the tropics, particularly in the Chocó rainforest. I aim to understand the effects of habitat change and regeneration on tropical herpetofaunal communities and how species adapt to these changes during their life stages. In my early career years I …

Dr. Edith Villa Galaviz, Technical University of Darmstadt, CM

I am a community ecologist with an emphasis on understanding and conserving species interactions, particularly plant-insect (i.e., pollination, herbivory, parasitoidism). I have worked and collaborated on projects in tropical, temperate, and arctic habitats and agroecosystems. My research investigates how agricultural practices reshape species interaction networks and how these networks and …

Ester Bergamini, SBiK-F Frankfurt, SP4

I have always been fascinated by the extraordinary biodiversity of tropical forests and motivated to understand how these ecosystems can be better protected and restored. During my Master’s degree in Conservation Biology in Italy, I collected acoustic data in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest to assess diversity across old-growth forest patches, …

Kirra McLeod, Universidad del Azuay/ Technical University of Munich, SP3

My research interests lie in community ecology, specifically pollination. Luckily, the neotropics offer a great opportunity to study diverse pollinator communities! For my PhD, I am investigating how plant–pollinator interactions contribute to the recovery of the Ecuadorian Chocó rainforest following agricultural disturbance. Working across  the recovery gradient framework of Reassembly, …

Julie-Isabelle Hammer, PhD student SP7 (Biotic defences), University of Bayreuth

What has always fascinated me most about ecology is the complexity of species interactions within ecosystems. How two partners can form close relationships shaping their behaviour, traits and morphology. In my subproject, I study the mutualistic relationships of ants and trees and their effects on forest recovery. Ants play an …

Ana Falconí Lopez – PhD student SP7, UDLA

I have always been deeply interested in exploring and understanding tropical ecology and biodiversity. My work has afforded me the privilege of conducting research across Ecuador’s four major regions: the Amazon, Highlands, Coast, and the Insular region (Galápagos). This exposure has provided valuable insights into the profound impacts of anthropogenic …

Arianna Tartara – PhD student SP2, TU Darmstadt

Throughout my doctorate, I have been driven by a fascination with natural cycles and the efficiency of the natural world. My early background as a chemist allowed me to explore these processes on a microscopic scale, focusing on the turnover of matter and energy. Transitioning to ecological research, I expanded …

Karen Marie Pedersen – PhD student SP6, TU Darmstadt

Within the context of REASSEMBLY, I study dung beetle trophic network reassembly across a forest recovery gradient in the Ecuadorian Chocó. Dung beetles are good predictors of habitat quality. First, because they are sensitive to environmental changes brought about by deforestation and because they depend upon medium- to large-bodied mammals …

Karla Neira-Salamea – PhD student SP2, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

I realized I would study frogs only when I turned 20. During a field trip to the Ecuadorian rainforest, I heard the call of a frog perched on a branch over a river. After a long search, I finally spotted one of the most breathtaking creatures—a glass frog. Since then, …