Research profile Prof. Dr. Thomas Fartmann

Our research focuses on the effects of land-use and climate change on biodiversity. Furthermore, we investigate how species richness of ecosystems is influenced by disturbance events (e.g. windthrows). In the field of restoration ecology, we evaluate habitat management and measures that aim to restore threatened ecosystems. Due to the current biodiversity crisis monitoring of plant and animal populations has become another important part of our research agenda.

Research topics

• Global change ecology
• Disturbance ecology
• Restoration ecology

Model systems

• Plants (vascular plants, mosses, lichens)
• Different groups of insects
• Vertebrates (especially amphibians, reptiles and birds)

Methods

• Field studies
• Modelling
• Re-survey studies
• Laboratory and field experiments
• Biodiversity monitoring

Selected publications

• Cardoso P, Barton PS, Birkhofer K, Chichorro F, Deacon C, Fartmann T, Fukushima C S, Gaigher R, Habel J, Hallmann CA, Hill M, Hochkirch A, Kwak ML, Mammola S, Noriega JA, Orfinger AB, Pedraza F, Pryke JS, Roque FO, Settele J, Simaika JP, Stork NE, Suhling F, Vorster C, Samways MJ (2020):  Scientists’ warning to humanity on insect extinctions. Biol. Conserv. 242.
• Löffler F, Poniatowski D, Fartmann T (2020):  Extinction debt across three taxa in well-connected calcareous grasslands. Biol. Conserv. 246.
• Poniatowski D, Beckmann C, Löffler F, Münsch T, Helbing F, Samways MJ, Fartmann T (2020):  Relative impacts of land-use and climate change on grasshopper range shifts have changed over time. Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr. 29.