LIB

What are we doing?

We study animal biodiversity from a molecular perspective, particularly in the context of the diversity of molecules in each cell. Each genome is an ecosystem of molecules with diverse parasitic, mutualistic and symbiotic interactions with each other. We study genetic conflicts between molecular parasites such as transposable elements, viruses and B chromosomes, and how these affect host genome structure and, through effects on reproductive isolation, biodiversity change. Only by understanding the depths of the unknown genetic diversity can the unknown biodiversity be better understood.

How do we do that?

Although much of our ongoing research focuses on the unknown genetic diversity of birds, particularly in the form of differences between germline and soma genomes, our research is not taxon-centred but concept-centred. Our past and ongoing projects have also focussed on crocodilians, turtles, bony fishes, insects, crustaceans, tardigrades, roundworms, arthropods and fungi.

Our research combines methods and concepts of evolutionary genomics, molecular biology, developmental biology, molecular cytogenetics and functional genomics. We also apply taxonomic principles to the characterisation of transposable elements and viruses.

Who are we?

Our team is interdisciplinary and multicultural with members from currently 8 nations, as well as actively involved in various national and international research networks. Our current research is funded by the European Research Council (ERC Consolidator Grant "GermlineChrom"), the Leibniz Association (Leibniz-Lab Pandemic Preparedness), the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change and the University of Bonn.

Prof. Dr. Alexander Suh

Head of Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research (zmb)
Head of Section Molecular Biodiversity

Phone: +49 228 9122 289
E-Mail: a.suh@leibniz-lib.de

Projects

BIGFOOT - BIodiversity decline's Genomic FOOTprint
Management: Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne
Provenance research at the Museum Koenig
Management: Dr. André Koch

Publications

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2026

2026/03
Lin, W., He, X., Hu, J., Balle, M., Darras, K.F.A., Jing, S., Scherber, C., Toledo-Hernández, M., Yan, Y., Zhang, C., Zeng, S., Wanger, T.C.
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Pesticides but not microplastics affect pollination in rape seed production in China
Environmental Research Food Systems, 1, 3
2026/02
Scherber, C., Kirse, A., Kempel, A., Ott, D., Hartke, T.
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Insect declines: Challenges and solutions
Current Opinion in Insect Science
2026/01
Ludreschl, C., Kirse, A., Hartke, T..R., Bhansali, S., Bourlat, S..J., Ott, D., Bott, F., Rutte, D., Siemt, P., Espeland, M., Scherber, C.
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Optimised light sources reduce nocturnal insect attraction at railway stations
2026/01
Wan, N., Wang, Y., Fu, L., Liu, J., Woodcock, B.A., Hu, Y., Eskelinen, A., Hector, A., Loreau, M., Hautier, Y., Bardgett, R.D., Kardol, P., Zuppinger-Dingley, D., Fraser, L.H., Bullock, J.M., Nakagawa, S., Shen, S., Xin, F., Shi, D., Li, Z., Zhou, J., Scherber, C.
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Global evidence that plant diversity suppresses pests and promotes plant performance and crop production
Nature Ecology & Evolution
2026/01
Brito, J., Vargas, R., Tinoco, N., García, R., Carrión-Olmedo, J.C., Koch, C., Wistuba, R., Nivelo-Villavicencio, C., Pardiñas, U.F.J.
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Mountains of diversity: a systematic revision of the Andean rodent genus Oreoryzomys (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae)
PeerJ, 14

2025

2025/12
Jankowiak, Ł., Hoffmann, A., Decher, J., Szkudlarek, M., Eccel, N., Popiel, P., Malinowska, B., Sęk, O., Rychlik, L.
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Wooden or metal: live-trap type preferences of small mammals in relation to habitat, taxon, and sex
Mammalian Biology
2025/09
Dombos, M., Hartke, T., Tóth, Z., Békési, G.B., Scherber, C., Schmera, D., Zawiasa, B., Sipőcz, L., Gergócs-Winkler, V., Flórián, N., Prenzel, V., Lejoly, J., Newbert, M., Bussell, J., Serrati, L., Veres, A., Juhász, A., Juhos, K., Kaasik, R., Vasileiadis, V.
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Edge computer vision produces microarthropod-based high-throughput biodiversity metrics
2025/09
Dombos, M., Hartke, T.R., Tóth, Z., Békési, G.B., Scherber, C., Schmera, D., Zawiasa, B., Sipőcz, L., Gergócs-Winkler, V., Flórián, N., Prenzel, V.C., Lejoly, J., Newbert, M., Bussell, J., Serrati, L., Veres, A., Juhász, A., Juhos, K., Kaasik, R., Vasileiadis, V.
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Edge computer vision produces microarthropod-based high-throughput biodiversity metrics
bioRxiv
2025/03
Scherber, C., Meyer, M., Bohacz, C., Glock, I., Ott, D.
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Reduzierter Einsatz von Pflanzenschutzmitteln in der Agrarlandschaft: Strategien aus Sicht der Biodiversitätsforschung
2025/01
Kirse, A.
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BioMonitor4CAP - Deliverable D2.1 - Methods and indicators ready for validation/demonstration

2024

2024/10
Chiavassa, J.A., Noack, P., Walther, S., Kraft, M., Kirse, A., Scherber, C.
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Entwicklung eines nichtletalen Monitoringsystems zur Erfassung von Insektenbiodiversität in landwirtschaftlichen Produktionssystemen

2017

2017/08
Kück, P., Wilkinson, M., Groß, C., Foster, P.G., Wägele, J.W.
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Can quartet analyses combining maximum likelihood estimation and Hennigian logic overcome long branch attraction in phylogenomic sequence data?
PloS one, 8, 12

2016

2016/08
Kück, P., Wägele, J.W.
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Plesiomorphic character states cause systematic errors in molecular phylogenetic analyses: a simulation study
Cladistics, 4, 32

Employees

All employees

Dr. Marilou Boddé
zmb Molecular biodiversity Scientist
Phone: +49 228 9122 369
E-mail: m.bodde@leibniz-lib.de
Ines Borges
zmb Molecular biodiversity Doctoral candidate
Phone: +49 228 9122 401
E-mail: i.borges@leibniz-lib.de
Diana Gonzalez
zmb Molecular biodiversity Doctoral candidate
Phone: +49 228 9122 359
E-mail: d.gonzalez@leibniz-lib.de
Dr. Yifan Pei
zmb Molecular biodiversity Postdoctoral researcher
Phone: +49 228 9122 242
E-mail: y.pei@leibniz-lib.de
Dr. Francisco Jesus Ruiz-Ruano Campana
zmb Molecular biodiversity Postdoctoral researcher
Phone: +49 228 9122 427
E-mail: f.ruizruano@leibniz-lib.de
Prof. Dr. Alexander Suh
zmb Molecular biodiversity Scientist
Phone: +49 228 9122 289
E-mail: a.suh@leibniz-lib.de
Anna Torgasheva
zmb Molecular biodiversity Scientist
Phone: +49 228 9122 427
E-mail: A.Torgasheva@leibniz-lib.de
Dr. Niki Vontzou
zmb Molecular biodiversity Postdoctoral researcher
Phone: +49 228 9122 242
E-mail: n.vontzou@leibniz-lib.de