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The junior research group "Adaptive Genomics of Sulawesi Ricefishes" was funded by the Leibniz Association from 2017 to 2022. Since 2022, it has been merged into the Evolutionary Genomics Section. Of particular interest in evolutionary biology are phenotypic changes that enable the utilisation of previously unavailable ecological resources (or niches). These traits, often referred to as evolutionary (key) innovations or adaptive breakthroughs, can be complex and result in fundamental changes in the life cycle.
Novel reproductive strategies are particularly interesting in this context, as these often complex adaptations are associated with changes in morphology, physiology and life cycle. The research group is focussing on a particular reproductive strategy, also known as ventral brooding or ventral fin brooding, which has evolved in at least two lineages of the rice fish (Actinopterygii: Adrianichthyidae) of Sulawesi.
In contrast to most other rice fish, which shed their fertilised eggs shortly after spawning, females of bellybrooders carry their eggs until the larvae hatch. The eggs are attached to the female by filaments and anchored in the female by a unique structure called a plug. The plug is a temporary tissue that forms after spawning, is supplied with blood and eventually dissolves after the young have hatched. Other obvious morphological adaptations are an indentation in the abdominal region and elongated pelvic fins, which are only present in breeding females. To investigate the morphological and genomic basis of ventral brooding and the evolution and adaptive value of this novel reproductive strategy, we use a holistic approach combining comparative morphology, gene expression data, genomic data and field data.
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Projects
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Publications
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2025/2
Pesticides have negative effects on non-target organisms
Nature communications, 1, 16
2025/2
Large scale monitoring of terrestrial small mammals using noninvasive sampling and COI barcoding
Mammal Research
2025/2
Environmental supports importance of heterogeneous pond landscapes for arthropod diversity conservation
Ecosphere, 2, 16
2025/1
The clockwork of insect activity: Advancing ecological understanding through automation
Journal of Animal Ecology
2024/12
The Field Automatic Insect Recognition‐Device—A Non‐Lethal Semi‐Automatic Malaise Trap for Insect Biodiversity Monitoring: Proof of Concept
Ecology and Evolution, 12, 14
2024/12
Comparing and Transect Methods for Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment in Lakes and Ponds
Molecular Ecology resources
2024/10
German Barcode of Life, Entdeckung und Beschreibung neuer Arten
2024/10
The ASV Registry: a place for ASVs to be
Metabarcoding and Metagenomics, 8
2024/8
Integrative characterisation of the Northwestern European species of Anacharis Dalman, 1823 (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Figitidae) with the description of three new species
Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 97
2024/8
Exkursion in den Kaukasus: Der CaBOL BioBlitz 2022 in Armenien und Georgien
2024/7
Synchronised monitoring of plant and insect diversity: a case study using automated Malaise traps and DNA-based methods
Biodiversity Data Journal, 12
2024/6
Preserving morphology while extracting DNA: a non-destructive field-to-museum protocol for slide-mounted specimens
Biodiversity Data Journal, 12
2024/4
Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture
Science, 6691, 384
2024/3
The FAIR-Device-a non-lethal and generalist semi-automatic Malaise trap for insect biodiversity monitoring: Proof of concept
bioRxiv
2024/3
Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity. (2024). 10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2024 (Version 1). Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
2024/0
Diversification mitigates pesticide but not microplastic effects on bees without compromising rapeseed yield in China
bioRxiv
2023/12
taxalogue: a toolkit to create comprehensive CO1 reference databases
11
2023/12
Species richness promotes plant productivity by suppressing plant antagonists
2023/11
Recommendations for effective insect conservation in nature protected areas based on a transdisciplinary project in Germany
1, 35
2023/11
Metabarcoding dietary analysis in the insectivorous bat Nyctalus leisleri and implications for conservation
Biodiversity Data Journal, 11
2023/7
Multispecies crop mixtures increase insect biodiversity in an intercropping experiment
3, 4
2023/6
Convergent patterns in multitrophic biodiversity effects on yield across ecosystems
11, 66
2023/5
Another crack in the Dark Taxa wall: a custom DNA barcoding protocol for the species-rich and common Eurytomidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea)
Biodiversity Data Journal, 11
2023/4
Microhabitat conditions remedy heat stress effects on insect activity
13, 29
2023/3
The impact of pesticides on non-target organisms
2023/1
Metabarcoding of trap nests reveals differential impact of urbanization on cavity‐nesting bee and wasp communities
23, 32
2023/0
Trophic interactions affecting biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships
2023/0
DNA-basierte Biodiversitätsanalysen im Natur-und Umweltschutz: Welche Optionen haben wir für eine Standardisierung?: eine Handlungsempfehlung aus Forschung und Praxis
2022/12
Improving insect conservation management through insect monitoring and stakeholder involvement
2, 32
2022/12
Agroecology – Reconciling biodiversity and production in farming systems
65
2025
2024
2023
2022
Employees
Dr. Julia Schwarzer
zmb Evolutionary genomics ScientistPhone: +49 228 9122 426
E-mail: j.schwarzer@leibniz-lib.de
MSc Alina Schüller
zmb Evolutionary genomics Doctoral candidatePhone: +49 228 9122 431
E-mail: a.schueller@leibniz-lib.de
MSc Tobias Spanke
zmb Evolutionary genomics Doctoral candidatePhone: +49 228 9122 401
E-mail: t.spanke@leibniz-lib.de