The Leibniz-IZW regular publishes press releases on key findings and insights from its research and on events, awards or personalia. The press releases are distributed directly to journalists on our press release distribution mailing list. Press releases are also disseminated through the distribution services Informationsdienst Wissenschaft, AlphaGalileo and EurekAlert. Are you interested in receiving our press releases directly via e-mail? In this case please send us an email to seet@izw-berlin.de.
Current press releases
Wildlife cameras show how foxes, racoons, stone martens and domestic cats get along in Berlin before and during Covid lockdowns
Avoid or compete, eat or be eaten, exploit or cooperate – biotic communities are shaped by species interactions in many different ways. Urban environments represent a special case as human presence and influence may have fundamentally changed the rules of the game. Around 150 wildlife cameras installed by Berlin citizen scientists in their gardens in five rounds from autumn 2018 to autumn 2020 produced tens of thousands of photographs. Their analysis by a team of scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) sheds light on how foxes, racoons, martens and cats get along with people and with each other in the city: All three wild species used the same localities, but with little temporal overlap during the night. All wild species avoided domestic cats. And during lockdowns they were more often recorded, especially at night. These and more insights are published in a recent article in the “Journal of Animal Ecology”.
Wind turbines kill mostly female and juvenile bats
Many bats die at wind turbines when colliding with the spinning blades. Currently it is unclear whether all age cohorts or sexes are equally vulnerable. A comparison of age, sex and geographic origin of Nathusius’ pipistrelles killed at wind turbines and living conspecifics from nearby populations now reveals that juveniles are killed more frequently than adults compared to their proportion in local populations. Females are killed more frequently than males – yet in line with their higher proportion in local populations. The high number of killed females and the elevated vulnerability of juveniles may have a negative effect on the long-term survival of populations, indicating that the current practice of wind energy production may not be ecologically sustainable. The investigation was led by scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and is published in the scientific journal “Ecological Applications”.
Read more … Wind turbines kill mostly female and juvenile bats
Forschungsverbund Berlin with new Managing Director
Dr. Nicole Münnich takes on the role of Managing Director of the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB) on December 1, 2021. She succeeds Dr. Falk Fabich, who was Acting Managing Director from April 2021 following the departure of long-time Managing Director Dr. Manuela Urban.
Read more … Forschungsverbund Berlin with new Managing Director
Himalayan bats are functionally less diverse at high than at lower elevations, but show the same evolutionary diversity
Million years of evolution have produced a dazzling variety of species, each uniquely adapted to its environment. A straightforward way to measuring biodiversity is by the number of species (taxonomic diversity). Recently, there is growing emphasis to quantify diversity also in other ways: a) functional diversity, which is the diversity of phenotypic traits that allow organisms to perform their ecological functions and b) phylogenetic diversity, meaning the variation in the branches in the tree of life. In a paper published recently in the journal “Scientific Reports” a team of scientists led by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) compares these approaches: They found that species richness and functional diversity of Himalayan bat communities decline at high elevation without the loss of phylogenetic diversity. Their findings provide insights on the diversity of bats in the Himalayas and serve as an important baseline in assessing this diversity in the context of environmental changes.
All European bat species are vulnerable to artificial light at night – this varies across habitats and feeding guilds
The artificial illumination of the night by lamps is considered a central achievement of civilisation with countless economic, social and cultural benefits for people. For many animals, however, artificial light poses a considerable challenge. Nocturnal and light-shy species are forced to move to dark areas or adjust their behaviour to the new nocturnal brightness. In a paper published in the journal “BioScience”, an international research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) provides an evidence-based overview of the effects of artificial light on European bat species. They find that especially those species that hunt insects in narrow spaces such as forests are very sensitive to artificial light. In contrast, bats hunting along forest edges or in open areas are somewhat more tolerant of artificial light. At roosts or drinking sites all species are distinctly light-shy.
BioRescue consortium ceases egg harvesting on northern white rhino Najin following an ethical risk assessment
While attempting to save the northern white rhinoceros from extinction through advanced assisted reproduction technologies, the scientists and conservationists of the BioRescue consortium place the highest value on respecting the life and welfare of the individual animals involved. In a special, in-depth ethical risk assessment, the team has reached the decision to retire the older of the two remaining females, 32-year-old Najin, as a donor of egg cells (oocytes). This leaves the ambitious programme with just one female that can provide oocytes, Najin’s daughter Fatu. Weighing up risks and opportunities for the individuals and the entire species rendered this decision without an alternative. This situation will further strengthen the need for stem cell associated techniques, which are also part of the BioRescue mission as well as long-term biobanking. Najin will remain an important part of the mission as an ambassador for her kind and by transferring social knowledge to future offspring.
First reported case of anthrax in wildlife in the Namib Desert: Infected zebra most likely causes death of three cheetahs
Anthrax is an infectious bacterial disease endemic in some parts of Africa. It affects people, livestock as well as wildlife. Using GPS telemetry data, a team of scientists from the Cheetah Research Project of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) reconstructed a special case of anthrax infection in Namibia: Three free-ranging cheetahs in the Namib Desert died within 24 hours after feeding on a mountain zebra that tested positive for the disease. The zebra is the first described case of a wild animal infected with anthrax in this arid region. The case also shows that there might be previously unknown risks to cheetah populations in the desert. It is described in detail in the scientific journal “Frontiers in Veterinary Science”.
BR50: Build up Berlin towards a worldwide leading research metropolis
On September 26th not only the elections of the German parliament will take place, but as well of the Parliament of Berlin. With a position paper developed under the umbrella of Berlin Research 50, the non-university institution of Berlin emphasize what is important for science in Berlin. The position paper contains 10 demands that should be implemented by the future senate to strengthen Berlin as science metropolis.
Read more … BR50: Build up Berlin towards a worldwide leading research metropolis