Exploring Biodiversity: Interaction Ecology in the Age of Global Change

How do insects adapt to a rapidly changing environment?

This question is at the core of our research in interaction ecology. We investigate how global change—particularly through climate and land-use changes—affects insect communities. Our focus lies on species diversity, their traits, and the interactions that link them with one another and with their environment.

What We Study

Our research focuses primarily on wild bees and other hymenopterans—fascinating insects that play a central role in ecosystems.
We analyze how communities change along environmental gradients:

• Trait diversity: How do insects differ in their morphology, chemistry, or behavior?
• Species diversity: Which species live where—and why?
• Interaction diversity: How do insects interact with plants, predators, parasitoids, or microorganisms?

We explore these aspects both in the field and in the lab—with the goal of better understanding which biotic and abiotic factors shape the structure of insect communities.