Supervised PhD theses

Current

• "Trophic structure of major soil invertebrate taxa in forests as indicated by compound specific amino acid analysis" (André Junggebauer)
• "The structure of arboreal Collembola communities as affected by changes in land-use in tropical lowland ecosystems" (Amanda Mawan)
• "Structure of soil animal communities in mixed forest stands of beech and conifers: decomposition processes and role of root-derived resources" (Thalea Stuckenberg)
• "Changes in the structure of nematode communities with the transformation of rainforest into plantation systems" (Simin Wang)
• "Changes in the trophic structure of soil invertebrate communities with the transformation of rainforest into plantation systems" (Zhou Zheng)

2023

• "Changes in the trophic structure of Collembola along mountain ecosystems (Changbai Mountain, China)" (Johannes Lux)
• "Molecular analysis of Collembola – fungi interrelationships in deciduous forests" (Melissa Jüds)
• "Changes in the structure of canopy spider communities with changes in land-use in tropical lowland ecosystems" (Daniel Ramos)

2022

• "Response of soil biota of arable systems to extended drought periods" (Svenja Meyer)
• "The structure of protist communities as affected by changes in land-use in tropical lowland ecosystems" (Garvin Schulz)
• "The Evolution of the Australian Amitermes group" (Bastian Heimburger)
• "Structure of food webs of rice fields and the role of generalist predators as antagonists of insect pest species" (Nico Radermacher)
• "The structure of soil animal communities along marine – terrestrial boundaries" (Maria Rinke)

2021

• "The role of root-derived carbon in trophic interactions within soil food webs as indicated by analyses of stable isotope, lipids and amino acids in microarthropods (Collembola)" (Shipeng Li)
• "Impacts of leaf litter diversity and root resources on microorganisms and microarthropods (Acari, Collembola) during early stages of decomposition in tropical montane rainforest ecosystems" (Laura Sanchez Galindo)
• "Soil fauna in lowland rainforest and agricultural systems of Sumatra: Changes in community composition and trophic structure with focus on Collembola" (Winda Ika Susanti)

2020

• "No sex, no problem? Mutation accumulation in asexual animals" (Alexander Brandt); with Jens Bast and Tanja Schwander
• "Changes in trophic niches of oribatid mites with transformation of ropical rainforest systems – From rainforest into rubber and oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia" (Alena Krause); with Mark Maraun
• "The role of plant diversity, plant functional groups, and mineral nitrogen for soil microbial functioning and soil mesofauna in temperate grassland" (Tanja Strecker)

2018

• "Assembly processes in soil animal communities: Integrating phylogeny and trait-based approaches" (Ting-Wen Chen)
• "Habitat selection, cryptic diversity, phylogeny, and phylogeography of the European Lepidocyrtus lanuginosus species group (Collembola: Entomobryidae)" (Bing Zhang)
• "Spread and performance of European earthworms invading North America as indicated by molecular markers and climate chamber experiments" (Andreas Klein)
• "Flooding in a grassland diversity experiment: response of microorganisms, microarthropods and predator – prey interactions" (Odette Gonzalez Mace)

2016

• "Oribatid mite community structure and trophic ecology along a forest land-use gradient: effect of dead wood, time and root-trenching" (Christian Bluhm)
• "The soil food web of temperate deciduous forests: litter and root resources as driving factors, and soil fauna effects on ecosystem processes" (Diana Grubert)
• "Altitude, litter quality and availability of root derived resources as determinants of decomposition processes and soil microarthropod community composition in tropical montane rainforests in Southern Ecuador" (Franca Marian)
• "Genetic diversity of sexual and parthenogenetic soil living arthropods (Collembola) in Europe: colonization patterns, pre-glacial diversifications and founder effects" (Helge von Saltzwedel)
• "Trophic structure of soil animal food webs of deciduous forests as analysed by stable isotope labeling" (Sarah Zieger)

2015

• "The role of plant diversity for the promotion of bacterial communities responsible for soil suppressiveness against phytopathogens" (Ellen Latz)
• "Carbon flow in belowground food webs assessed by isotope tracers" (Nicole Scheunemann)
• "Transposable elements in sexual and asexual animals" (Jens Bast)

2014

• "Changes in trophic structure of decomposer communities with land use in Central European temperate forests" (Bernhard Klarner)
• "Structure of and carbon flux through soil food webs of temperate grassland as affected by land use management" (Kathleen Lemanski)
• "Soil animal food webs in temperate forests: effects of forest management on trophic structure as indicated by molecular gut content, stable isotope and fatty acid analysis" (Olga Ferlian)

2013

• "Tree species as determinants of the structure of oribatid mite communities (Oribatida) and the incorporation of plant carbon and nitrogen into the soil animal food web" (Verena Eißfeller)
• "Molecular analysis of centipede predation" (Bernhard Eitzinger)
• "The nematode-based food-chain of a temperate deciduous forest" (Kerstin Heidemann; gemeinsam mit Mark Maraun)

2012

• "Plant species and global change agents as driving factors of rhizosphere processes and soil nematode communities" (Simone Cesarz); gemeinsam mit M. Schaefer
• "Community structure, trophic ecology and reproductive mode of oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari) in forest ecosystems" (Georgia Erdmann; gemeinsam mit M. Maraun
• "Compartmentalization and energy channels within the soil animal food web investigated by stable isotope and fatty acid analyses" (Melanie Pollierer)
• "Collembola in a plant diversity gradient: Interactions between the aboveground and belowground system" (Alexander Sabais)

2011

• "Modelling of sexual reproduction in a world of diverse resources in short supply" (Yixian Song); gemeinsam mit Barbara Drossel (Darmstadt)

2010

• "Phylogeography in sexual and parthenogenetic European Oribatida" (Martin Rosenberger)
• "The role of fungal secondary metabolites in Collembola ― fungi interactions" (Swantje Staaden)

2009

• "Parthenogenesis and sexuality in oribatid mites – Phylogeny, mitochondrial genome structure and resource dependence" (Katja Domes-Wehner)
• "Importance of biotic interactions for the fitness and activity of rhizosphere biocontrol pseudomonads" (Alexandre Jousset)
• "Evolutionary processes in oribatid mites at different scales in time as indicated by molecular markers" (Marina Schäfer)

2008

• "Earthworms in a plant diversity gradient: direct and indirect effects on plant competition and establishment" (Nico Eisenhauer)
• "Plant-microbe interactions alter the allocation of carbon in barley (Hordeum vulgare)" (Gunnar Henkes)
• "Complementary function of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi and protozoa in nitrogen acquisition of plants (Plantago lanceolata)" (Robert Koller)
• "Testate amoebae in tropical montane rainforest: altitudinal gradient and response to resource manipulations" (Valentyna Krashevska)
• "Interactions in the rhizosphere: Plant responses to bacterivorous protozoa" (Kristin Krome)
• "Interactions in the rhizosphere of Arabidopsis thaliana: Effects of protozoa on soil bacterial communities" (Katja Rosenberg)
• "Artificial groundwater recharge in forests – soil fauna and microbiology" (Kirsten Schütz)
• "Einfluss forstlicher Maßnahmen auf Raubmilben (Gamasinda, Acari) temperierter mitteleuropäischer Wälder" (Romuald Buryn)

2007

• "Organic farming and generalist predator communities: Implications for conservation biological control in agroecosystems" (Klaus Birkhofer)
• "Regulation of soil organic matter dynamics and microbial activity by endogeic earthworms" (Olaf Butenschön)
• "Trophic niche differentiation, sex ratio and phylogeography of European Collembola" (Masoumeh Chahartaghi-Abnieh)
• "Decomposer – plant interactions: Effects of Collembola on plant performance and competitiveness" (Kerstin Endlweber)
• "Structure and functioning of oribatid mite communities along an elevational gradient of tropical mountain rain forests" (Jens Illig)
• "The role of detrital subsidies for biological control by generalist predators evaluated by molecular gut content analysis" (K. von Berg)

2006

• "Unravelling the structure of soil food webs: stable isotope, fatty acid and compound specific fatty acid analysis" (Dominique Haubert)

2005

• "The role of earthworms for plant performance and ecosystem functioning in a plant diversity gradient" (Alexandru Milcu)
• "Feeding biology and diversity of oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari)" (Katja Schneider)
• "Regulation of wolf spider populations: The role of habitat structure, autochthonous and allochthonous prey" (Silke Rickers)

2004

• "Einfluss von Bodenamöben (Acanthamoeba castellanii Neff) aud das Wachstum von Pflanzen und die bakterielle Rhizosphärengemeinschaft" (Knut Kreuzer)
• "Effects of earthworms on plant and herbivore performance" (Susanne Wurst)
• "The macrofauna decomposer food web on differently managed pastureland" (Julia Seeber; gemeinsam mit Prof. Dr. E. Meyer, Innsbruck)
• "Effects of earthworms on stabilisation and mobilisation of soil organic matter" (Sven Marhan)

2003

• "Genetic diversity and evolutionary age of parthenogenetic oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida)" (Michael Heethoff)

2001

• "The effect of earthworm invasion on nutrient turnover, microorganisms and microarthropods in a Canadian aspen forest soil" (Sonja Migge)

1997

• "Hornmilben (Oribatida) in Buchenwäldern: Nahrungsbiologie und Einfluss auf Stoff-Flüsse" (Mark Maraun)

1996

• "Protozoen und Lumbriciden in einem Kalkbuchenwald: Untersuchungen zur Interaktion von Populationen der Bodenfauna und ihrer Wirkung auf Stoffdynamik und Pflanzenwachstum" (Michael Bonkowski)