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Biologie
Allgemeine Zoologie: AG Paxton-Insekten
Prof. Dr. Robert Paxton
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Mindestdauer: 6 Wochen
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Hoher Weg 8 (Nordtrakt)
06120 Halle
Raumnr.: 6.08
Forschungsschwerpunkte
http://www.zoologie.uni-halle.de/allgemeine_zoologie/
Ansprechpartner:
Prof. Dr. Robert Paxton
robert.paxton@zoologie.uni-halle.de
0345 55 26500
• social evolution
• insect pollination
• host-parasite coevolution
• insect conservation biology and genetics
Insect evolutionary ecology is the broad area that covers many of our
research interests, with a special focus on bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes).
Bees are a diverse group of over 20,000 species, many of which
are solitary, some of which are eusocial and a few of which exhibit
intermediary forms of social organisation. This diversity in social organisation
makes bees ideal for the study of social evolution, the first of
our four research themes addressing insect evolutionary ecology. The
close coevolution between plants and their pollen vectors, particularly
bees, has for long fascinated biologists. Bee-mediated pollination is
rightly recognised as a major ecosystem service, and pollination forms
our second research theme. It is not possible to study bees without
being aware of the range of their pests, predators and parasites, many
of which have major impacts on their hosts and which have been implicated
in modulating social evolution and in causing the recently observed
decline of bees in the Northern Hemisphere. Our third research
theme concerns host-parasite coevolution, addressing those pathogens
associated with honey bees (Apis mellifera) and other insect pollinator
species. Increasing awareness of the threats posed to bees and other
pollinating insects through anthropogenic effects, both direct and indirect,
has led to national and international initiatives aimed at halting the
decline of pollinators, which is addressed by our fourth research theme,
insect conservation biology and genetics. In all four research themes,
we make extensive use of molecular genetic techniques coupled to laboratory
and field experiments and observations to answer questions
from parentage through to phylogeny.
Kooperationen
• AG Molekulare Ökologie der MLU (Leiter: Prof. Dr. Robin Moritz)
• Coordinator (PI) for the Insect Pollinators Initiative (http://www.bbsrc.
ac.uk/funding/opportunities/2009/insect-pollinators-initiative.aspx)
funded project Emergent Diseases (http://beediseases.org.uk/)
• Partner in the EU funded project BeeDoc (http://www.bee-doc.eu/)
• Member of the research network on honey bee colony losses COLOSS
(http://www.coloss.org/)
• Prof. Manfred Ayasse, University of Ulm (http://www.uni-ulm.de/
nawi/bio3/ayasse.html)
• Prof. Bryan Danforth, Cornell University (http://www.danforthlab.
entomology.cornell.edu/bryan-n-danforth.html)
• Prof. Jeremy Field, Sussex University (http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/
fieldlab/)
• Prof. Breno Freitas, University of Ceara (http://www.abelhas.ufc.br/)
• PD Dr. Christoph Bleidorn, University of Leipzig (http://www.unileipzig.de/~agspzoo/workers/bleidorn/bleidorn.htm)
mögliche Arbeitsthemen
Please see our four general themes for our ongoing research programme.
You are welcome to contact the AG leader, Prof. Paxton,
with specific requests or questions.
Methoden
We integrate methods of behavioural ecology with molecular genetic
tools to answer fundamental and applied problems in the evolution
and ecology of animals, particularly insects. Research is undertaken in
the field as well as in the laboratory and in silico (computer simulation,
statistical analysis of large datasets).
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