University of Innsbruck
Institute of Ecology

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Applied and Trophic Ecology

Our work addresses the ecology of animals in natural and managed ecosystems and the role these organisms play in providing ecosystem services. We seek to understand mechanisms governing the structure and functioning of natural communities through integration of molecular techniques and stable isotope analysis with laboratory and field experiments. A major objective is the analysis of food web interactions. Current work explores, for example, food web structure and dynamics in pioneer communities within Alpine glacier forelands or how generalist predators respond to invasive earthworms. Other work addresses how plant diversity affects the dietary choices of soil-dwelling insect pests in Central Europe or whether the roots of exotic grasses sustain the larvae of endangered moths in Australia. DNA-based techniques also provide a powerful means to identify soil invertebrates, the basis to answer questions on biodiversity/species-identity effects for soil formation or plant protection. Our research is embedded in collaborative projects with scientists from several European countries, the USA, Peru, Nepal and Australia.

Group members

• Michael Traugott, Dr. PD Associate Professor (Head)
  
• Anita Juen, Dr.
  
• Johannes Oehm, Mag.
  
• Lorna Raso, MSc.
  
• Anett Richter, Dr. (maternity leave)
• Julia Seeber, Dr. (see -> Soil Ecology Group)
• Daniela Sint, Dr. 
• Karin Staudacher, Dr.
  
• Daniela Straube, Dipl.Biol.
  
• Bettina Thalinger, MMMag.
• Corinna Wallinger, Dr.
• Zhengpei Ye, MSc.

MSc Students

Rebecca Mayer, Lisa-Marie Moser, Maria Rammer, Sandra Sequani, Eva-Maria Steiner, Gerald Will, Daniela Zott

Previous lab members and guest researchers

Theses opportunities

Downloads:

DNA calculator

Our 5 latest papers

Waldner T., Sint D., Juen A. & Traugott M. (2013): The effect of predator identity on post-feeding prey DNA detection success in soil-dwelling macro-invertebrates. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 63, 116-123.  

Eitzinger B., Micic A., Körner M., Traugott M. & Scheu S. (2013): Unveiling soil food web links: New PCR assays for detection of prey DNA in the gut of soil arthropod predators. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 57, 943-945.

Wallinger C., Staudacher K., Schallhart N., Peter E., Dresch P., Juen A. & Traugott M. (2013): The effect of plant identity and the level of plant decay on molecular gut content analysis in a herbivorous soil insect. Molecular Ecology Resources 13, 75–83.  

Schallhart N., Tusch M.J., Wallinger C., Staudacher K. & Traugott M. (2012): Effects of plant identity and diversity on the dietary choice of a soil-living insect herbivore. Ecology 93, 2650-2657.  

Seeber J., Rief A., Richter A., Traugott M. & Bahn M. (2012): Drought-induced reduction in uptake of recently photosynthesized carbon by springtails and mites in alpine grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 55, 37-39. pdf

Complete list of publications

Active Projects

• Litter decomposition and humus formation in high alpine soils
  Julia Seeber (PI) and Michael Traugott
• Impact of biotic invasion on food web interactions: Tracking predation on native and invasive earthworms by molecular techniques
  Daniela Straube and Anita Juen (PI)
• Indigenous natural enemies of the invading maize pest Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)
  Anita Juen (PI)
• Invertebrate food webs in recently deglaciated alpine areas
  Daniela Sint, Lorna Raso, Rüdiger Kaufmann (co-PI) and Michael Traugott (PI)
• The feeding ecology of cormorants
  Johannes Oehm, Bettina Thalinger, Andreas Zitek, Thomas Prohaska and Michael Traugott (PI)
• APPEAL: Assessment and valuation of Pest suppression potential through biological control in European Agricultural Landscapes
  Mattias Jonsson (coordinator & PI), Josef Settele (PI) and Michael Traugott (PI)
• The importance of natural enemy diversity and food-web structure for biological control
  Mattias Jonsson (PI), Cory Straub, Barbara Ekbom and Michael Traugott
• Agricultural intensification and aphid-parasitoid food webs
  Zhengpei Ye, Ines Vollhardt (PI) and Michael Traugott (PI)
• Feeding ecology of an endangered Australian moth
  Anett Richter, Will Osborne (PI) and Michael Traugott (co-PI)
• Sustainable potato pest management in the Hindukush-Himalaya region
  Johannes Oehm, Bettina Thalinger and Michael Traugott (PI)

Previous projects