Chemical mediation of sexual selection
Our DFG-funded project explores the chemical ecology of the Mediterranean Black Widow Latrodectus tredecimguttatus.
We investigate how pheromones mediate mate choice and sexual conflict.
Furthermore, we also test whether inter-sexual pheromones provide social information for members of the same sex mediating aggregations and competition.
Sensory Ecology in the Anthropocene
Urbanization fundamentally alters the sensory landscape, creating novel ecosystems that test the adaptive capacity of organisms and threating biodiversity.
We investigate how sensory pollution disrupt sex pheromones.
In the field (rural) and city (urban) we study the cross spider Araneus diadematus as a biomonitor. We test the hypotheses that urban stressors decrease physiological pheromone production, degrade chemical signals in transmission and impair the chemosensory reception.
This projects indentifies evolutionary mismatches and ecological traps where evolved decision making rules fail in human-modified environments.
Sensory Ecology of „Dark Taxa“
Addressing taxonomic bias in sensory biology, we explore the chemical world of an understudied group, the Myriapoda. Using the house centipede Scutigera coleoptrata as a model, we conduct foundational behavioral assays to determine if chemical information is used to locate prey and mediate sexual interactions
Eco-Friendly Pest Control
We desire a pesticide free world and the fear of spiders. To reduce pesticide use driven by arachnophobia, this project develops sustainable management for urban spiders. We are identifying sex pheromones of species like the „Nosferatu“ spider for targeted baits and systematically testing botanicidals for broad-spectrum deterrents, creating eco-friendly Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions
Pheromones, Vibrations & Electrostatics
Animals communicate with more than one language. Here, we investigate the multimodal sexual communication in the nursery web spider. We will identify the female produced sex pheromone to which the male response with tremulation (vibration). Further, we test if males generate an electrostatic field while tremulating that actually acts as sexual signal to the female.
Animal Metabolomics & Ecology 