Leibniz-IZW-Seminare

Das Leibniz-Institut für Zoo-und Wildtierforschung veranstaltet regelmäßig wissenschaftliche Vorträge zu verschiedenen Themen, in denen eingeladene Rednerinnen und Redner oder IZW-Wissenschaftlerinnen und IZW-Wissenschaftler ihre Arbeit in Form eines Vortrags vorstellen. Die kostenfreien Veranstaltungen finden im Hörsaal des IZW statt und werden auch live per Video übertragen.
Interessierte Personen sind herzlich eingeladen die Leibniz-IZW-Seminare persönlich oder online zu besuchen. Sie können sich gerne unter izwseminar@izw-berlin.de für unseren Newsletter anmelden. Die Vorträge werden größtenteils auf Englisch gehalten.

Kommende Veranstaltungen

06.02.2026, 12 Uhr(!)
Dr. Vítor Souza (Department of Biology of the Faculty of Sciencies of the University of Lisbon)
Reconstructing past migration and hybridization events with population genomics: models and data from fish and humans
The study of natural populations has been revolutionized by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), which enables us to obtain genome-wide data from multiple individuals and populations. Such data hold the potential to resolve questions about the evolutionary history of a given species. However, even though we are facing a flood of genomic data, we currently lack tools to analyse such large datasets. I will illustrate how model-based approaches can be useful to reconstruct the past evolutionary history of populations, and how simulations and modeling can be used to interpret observed genetic patterns. In particular, I will illustrate the application of a flexible composite likelihood method based on the site frequency spectrum (SFS). This method allows us to use genome-wide data to test alternative demographic scenarios and infer relevant parameters, such as migration rates, population sizes and times of divergence. I will exemplify and discuss the application of this method to two different taxonomic groups, illustrating challenges of different types of data: human migrations combining ancient DNA with present-day whole genome data; and hybridization in endemic Iberian freshwater fish (Iberian chubs of genus Squalius) using whole genome low coverage data. Regarding the Iberian chubs, I will discuss how species with current non-overlapping and allopatric distributions show evidence of past introgression, including cases of recent and ancient hybridization. We raised the hypothesis that ancient hybridization allowed admixed lineages to exclude and/or assimilate the parental species, and further hybridize with other species. Finally, I will contextualize these results in models about speciation and local adaptation in the face of gene flow, illustrating the dual role of hybridization: on one hand, it can act as a source of genetic variation while on the other hand, it can result in reduced fitness due to genetic incompatibilities that act epistatically.


11.02.2026, 13 Uhr
Dr. Yvonne Schumm (Universität Gießen)
From Turtle Doves to Storm-petrels: Stable isotope applications in avian behavioural ecology
Over the past decades, stable isotope analysis has become increasingly common tool in ecological studies. Measurements of naturally occurring stable isotope ratios of the light elements (e.g. carbon and nitrogen) in animal tissues provide insights into foraging ecology and movement patterns, including migration in birds.
In our working group, we apply stable isotope analysis to both terrestrial and marine bird species. One practical example concerns the European Turtle Dove. Using a dual-isotope probabilistic assignment approach, we analysed the wintering grounds of individuals migrating along the western and central/eastern flyways and assessed the relevance of our results for the conservation of declining Turtle Dove breeding populations. A second case study focuses on Antarctic storm-petrels, highly pelagic seabirds. Here, we combined bulk carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses with compound-specific isotope analyses of amino acids (glutamic acid and phenylalanine) from blood and feather samples, together with tracking data and molecular diet analysis. This approach allowed us to quantify isotopic niches, estimate trophic positions, and examine interspecific niche segregation across seasons.


18.02.2026, 13 Uhr
Prof. Dr. Thomas Tuetken (Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz)
Isotope compositions of fossil horse teeth from Messel: New insights into Eocene atmospheric pCO2, palaeoclimate and landscape
Early horses from the 47 million year-old oilshale deposits of the UNESCO world heritage site Messel are iconic fossils that are often exceptionally well preserved, still retaining stomach contents, foetuses or soft tissue preservation. Here we utilized the isotopic composition (O, C, Sr) of horse teeth enamel as proxies for ingested water composition, mean annual temperature and seasonality, atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and habitat use. Enamel was analyzed for the triple oxygen isotope composition (D¹⁷O) that records the negative D¹⁷O anomaly of air O₂ inhaled by the horses, which in turn is linearly related to the atmospheric CO₂ levels via complex photochemical processes. The reconstructed atmospheric pCO₂ of »1100±200 ppmv for the middle Eocene is in good agreement with other pCO₂ proxies and comparable to that reconstructed from D¹⁷O of dinosaur teeth from the Late Cretaceous. Mean annual temperatures of »22 °C and a distinct seasonality can be reconstructed being in line with a paratropical climate at Messel. Sr isotope analysis reveals that the horses lived on differerent bedrock substrates such as older Permian rocks but also Eocene volcanic rocks. Overall, well-preserved enamel of Messel horse teeth provides new insights into mid-Eocene atmospheric pCO₂, palaeoclimate and landscape.

Kontakt

Organisation
Constanze Wiechert
Tel. +49(0)30 5168-336
E-Mail: wiechert@izw-berlin.de, izwseminar@izw-berlin.de

Technischer support 
Dorina Meneghini
Tel. +49(0)30 5168-340
E-Mail: meneghini@izw-berlin.de

Christine Reusch
Tel. +49(0)30 5168-123
E-Mail: reusch@izw-berlin.de

Abrechnung
Stefanie Lenz
Tel: +49(0)30 5168-459
E-Mail: lenz@izw-berlin.de


Letztes Update: 29.01.2026