Hybridization and Speciation | Natural History Museum Stuttgart
Networks
Our research is greatly enhanced by collaborations with a global network of scientists, institutions, and conservation organizations. These partnerships not only deepen our understanding of evolutionary processes but also enable us to address emerging societal challenges. By fostering interdisciplinary connections, we identify and tackle pressing issues while enhancing our team's skills and career development. Together, we contribute to global efforts in biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability.
Genotropics is a collaborative initiative dedicated to advancing adaptive genomics research in neotropical species. Our consortium of scientists aims to integrate genomic approaches to understand the genetic basis of adaptive traits that drive species diversification. We connect experts from Brazil and Germany to conduct in-depth comparative and population genomic analyses using high-quality genomes.
Our objectives include training students and young researchers in genomic techniques through workshops and international exchanges. We generate and analyze new genomic data to explore intraspecific divergence and differential environmental adaptation. Additionally, we collaborate on writing proposals to secure external funding for expanding our research scope.
We are committed to establishing legal and technical protocols to facilitate equitable exchange of tissue samples, genomic data, and researchers. Through these efforts, Genotropics strives to advance knowledge and conservation practices for neotropical biodiversity.
KomBioTa (Competence Center for Biodiversity and Integrative Taxonomy)
KomBioTa is a pioneering initiative at the University of Hohenheim and the Stuttgart Natural History Museum, focused on enhancing biodiversity research through integrative taxonomy. It addresses the urgent need to understand and preserve species diversity amid ongoing global biodiversity loss.
The center brings together experts from Germany and beyond to apply advanced genomic, morphological, and ecological methods in biodiversity research. Through collaborative projects and training programs, KomBioTa aims to train the next generation of species experts while advancing knowledge of neotropical biodiversity.
KomBioTa is pivotal in developing biodiversity monitoring strategies and supporting national and international conservation efforts. By integrating research, education, and outreach, the center ensures that scientific insights translate into effective measures for species conservation and ecosystem management.
Despite Germany's rich taxonomic tradition and research infrastructure, much of its biodiversity, especially among less noticeable and understudied groups, remains unknown. "Unknown Germany" aims to systematically catalog these unknown species, study their ecological roles, track biodiversity trends, and predict their responses to environmental changes and human activities. The SMNS project contributes significantly to these goals by using natural history collections to measure and understand changes in genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity over time.
For understanding changes in genetic diversity over time, we will develop non-destructive DNA extraction methods for historical museum specimens, use genomic variability to infer changes in species abundance, and identify genes responding to environmental change. To track species-level diversity, we will analyze long-term monitoring data of insects and plants, streamline high-throughput genetic identification methods, and develop predictive models of species richness influenced by environmental drivers. Finally, for ecosystem functioning, we will explore changes in functional roles and interactions among key taxa using historical data, build interaction networks, and identify habitats where functional diversity and interactions are most at risk.
These projects will provide critical insights to inform conservation strategies, enhance ecosystem resilience, and support sustainable land-use planning, thereby addressing pressing societal challenges related to biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability.