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Main research activities
I am interested in the
study of the diversity and ecology of
natural and managed plant communities,
especially how vascular plant species
coexist, how they are distributed along
environmental gradients and how these
observed patterns are related to the
biogeography and phylogeny of the taxa.
I have conducted research in
semi-arid and arid environments (Mauritania,
Morocco), in old-growth tropical mountain rain
forests (Sulawesi, Indonesia) and in Central
European grassland and forest habitats
(Germany).
Since 2011,
I work with the DBU Natural Heritage in
order to establish biodiversity, naturalness
and habitat management monitoring systems for
the German Federal Foundation for the
Environment's nature conservation areas.
www.dbu.de/naturerbe
Tropical ecosystems
I have
conducted ecological research
in Southeast Asian tropical rain forests
(Sulawesi, Indonesia) in the framework of
the Collaborative Research Centre SFB 552
‘Stability of rainforest margins in
Indonesia’ from 2006 to 2009. For plant
identification I was supported by an EU
SYNTHESYS grant (NL-TAF 3317). A research project funded by the German
Research Foundation (DFG) has started in
January 2011, with the focus
on "Elevational patterns in tree diversity
of tropical montane rain forests with
different soil nutrient conditions in
Sulawesi, Indonesia”.
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Upper montane old-growth rain forest
at Mt Rorekautimbu (2400 m a.s.l.),
Sulawesi, Indonesia. The forest is
one of four montane foersts study
sites in Lore Lindu National Park
in which I conducted plot-based tree
inventories.
This upper montane forest is
co-dominated by Podocarpaceae, tree
ferns, Fagaceae, Trimeniaceae and
members of Asterids/Euasterids II.
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International cooperation partners:
Dr. Sri S. Tjitrosoedirdjo (SEAMEO Regional
Center for Tropical Biology, Bogor, Java)
Dr. Aiyen Tjoa (Tadulako University, Palu,
Sulawesi)
Dr. Ramadhanil Pitopang (Tadulako
University, Palu, Sulawesi)
Prof. Dr. Peter van Welzen (National
Herbarium of the Netherlands, Leiden
University)
Dr. Paul J.A. Keßler (National Herbarium of
the Netherlands, Leiden University)
Dr. Max van Baalgoy (National Herbarium of
the Netherlands, Leiden University)
PhD
students:
Fabian
Brambach. Structure and aboveground biomass
of mountain rainforests in Sulawesi,
Indonesia. Since 2010.
Matthias Faber. Carbon pools and C
sequestration in the tropical moist forests
of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Since
2010.
Nur Rochmah
Kumalasari. Diversity of rice weed
communities in irrigated fields of Java,
Indonesia. Since 2011.
Recent
publications in tropical
forest research:
Culmsee, H.,
Pitopang, R., Mangopo, H., Sabir, S. (2011). Tree diversity and phytogeographical
patterns of tropical high mountain rain
forests in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Biodiversity and Conservation, 20:
1103-1123. Open access:
 -download.
Berg, C.C.,
Culmsee, H. (2011) Ficus schwarzii redefined
and two new species of Ficus (Moraceae) from
Sulawesi (Indonesia) described. Blumea, 56,
265-269.
-download.
Culmsee, H.,
Leuschner, C., Moser, G., Pitopang, R.
(2010). Forest aboveground biomass along an elevational transect in Sulawesi, Indonesia,
and the role of Fagaceae in tropical montane
rain forests. Journal of Biogeography,
37: 960-974. DOI:
10.1111/j.1365-2699.2009.02269.x
Culmsee, H.,
Pitopang, R. (2009). Tree diversity in
sub-montane and lower montane primary rain
forests in Central Sulawesi. Blumea, 54:
119-123.
-download
Culmsee, H.
(2008). Dysoxylum quadrangulatum, and notes
on Meliaceae in Sulawesi. Blumea, 53:
602-606.
-download
Gradstein, S.R.
& Culmsee, H. (2010). Bryophyte diversity on tree
trunks in montane forests of Central
Sulawesi, Indonesia. Tropical Bryology,
31: 95-105.
-download
Hertel, D.,
Moser, G., Culmsee, H., Erasmi, S., Horna,
V., Schuldt, B., Leuschner, Ch. (2009). Below- and
above-ground biomass and net primary
production in a palaeotropical natural
forest (Sulawesi, Indonesia) as compared to neotropical forests.
Forest Ecology and Management,
258: 1904-1912,
doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2009.07.019
Zach, A.,
Schuldt, B., Brix, S., Horna, V., Culmsee,
H. & Leuschner, C. (2010). Vessel diameter
and xylem hydraulic conductivity increase
with tree height in tropical rainforest
trees in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Flora, 205,
506-512.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2009.12.008.
Temperate ecosystems
Research in
temperate Central European ecosystems
focuses on the assessment and long-term
monitoring of spatial patterns of vascular
plant species and habitat types that are of
relevance for nature conservation.
Research projects:
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Identification of
indicator species groups of grassland
and forest habitats for biodiversity
monitoring and evaluation. Funded by the DBU 26752/33, 2009–2011.
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Nature conservation and
cultural conservation in a castle
mountain landscape in Thuringia,
Germany. Cooperation project with the
Institutes for Earth Sciences and
Microbiology at the University of
Göttingen. Funded by the DBU 26625/45,
2009–2010.
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BIOCHANGE Germany.
Changes in the composition and
distribution of coenoses in the
agricultural landscapes of Central
Europe since the 1950s. 2007–2011.
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Diversity of Central
European grasslands under different
management regimes
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BEST -
Strengthening Bioenergy Regions.
www.best-forschung.de. Funded by
BMBF, 2010-2013.
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Mass flowering of Adonis vernalis (Ranunculaceae)
on the hill side of the castle "Burg
Gleichen" in Thuringia (Easter
sunday 2009) |
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Cooperation
partners:
Dr. Annemarie Schacherer (NLWKN, Hannover)
Dr. Marcus Schmidt, Dr. Peter Meyer (NW-FVA,
Göttingen)
Dr. Petr Smilauer (University of Bohemia
(Czech Republic)
Prof. Dr. Siegfried Siegesmund (Geodynamics,
University of Göttingen)
PD Dr. Michael Hoppert (Microbiology,
University of Göttingen)
Selected publications:
Wesche,
K., Krause, B., Culmsee, H., Leuschner, C.
(2012) Fifty years of change in Central
European grassland vegetation: large losses
in species richness and animal-pollinated
plants. Biological Conservation, 150, 76-85.
Krause,
B., Culmsee, H., Wesche, K., Bergmeier, E.,
Leuschner, C. (2011) Habitat loss of
floodplain meadows in north Germany since
the 1950s. Biodiversity and Conservation,
20, 2347-2364. Open Access:
-download.
Schmiedel,
I., Schacherer, A., Hauck, M., Schmidt, M.,
Culmsee, H. (2011) Verbreitungsmuster der
Farn- und Blütenpflanzen in Niedersachsen
und Bremen unter Berücksichtigung ihres
Einbürgerungsstatus und ihrer
Gefährdungssituation. Tuexenia, 31, 211-226.
-download.
Schmidt,
M., Culmsee, H., Boch, S., Heinken, T.,
Müller, J., Schmiedel, I. (2011)
Anwendungsmöglichkeiten von Waldartenlisten
für Gefäßpflanzen, Moose und Flechten.
BfN-Skripten, 299, 25-45.
-download.
Schmidt,
M., Ewald, J., Kriebitzsch, W.U., Heinken,
T., Schmidt, W., Abs, C., Bergmeier, E.
Brand, J., Culmsee, H., Denner, M.,
Diekmann, M., Dierschke, H., Ebrecht, L.,
Ellenberg, H., Fischer, A., Friedel, A.,
Golisch, A., Härdtle, W., Kolb, A., Lippert,
W., Peppler-Lisbach, C., Mast, R., Mayer,
A., Michiels, H.G., von Oheimb, G.,
Poppendieck, H.H., Reif, A., Riedel, W.,
Scheuerer, M., Schmidt, P.A., Schubert, R.,
Sedling, W., Spangenberg, A., Storch, M.,
Stöcker, G., Stohr, G., Thiel, H., Urban,
R., Wagner, A., Wagner, I., Weckesser, M.,
Westphal, D.C., Wulf, M., Zacharias, D.,
Zerbe, S. (2011) Waldartenliste der Farn-
und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands.
BfN-Skripten, 299, 53-74.
-download.
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Culmsee, H., Herrling,
J., Schmiedel, I., Schwienheer, J. & Wolf,
D. (2010). Die Vegetation der Drei Gleichen
im Spiegel der historischen Nutzung und ihre
Bedeutung für den Naturschutz. In: Siegesmund, S. & Hoppert, M.
(eds.), Die Drei
Gleichen. Baudenkmäler und Naturraum, pp.
202-222. Edition Leipzig.
Wesche, K.,
Krause, B., Culmsee, H., Leuschner, C.
(2009). Veränderungen in der
Flächen-Ausdehnung und Artenzusammensetzung
des Feuchtgrünlandes in Norddeutschland seit
den 1950er Jahren. – Berichte der
Reinhold-Tüxen-Gesellschaft 21: 196 -
210.
-download |
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PhD
students:
Benjamin
Krause. Diversity and distribution of
endangered habitat types on the landscape
scale since the 1950s. Since 2008.
Inga
Schmiedel. Phytodiversity and hemeroby on
the landscape scale. Since 2009.
Charlotte Seifert. Ecological sustainability
assessment in bioenergy landscapes of Lower
Saxony and Thuringia - phytodiversity
analysis. Since
2010.
Supervision of diploma/state exam/MSc/BSc
students (in German, titles translated):
Wolf, D. Plant and habitat diversity in
dependence of the historical use of the
castles ‘Drei Gleichen’ in Thuringia.
Diploma thesis, 2011.
Moos, Jan-Hendrik:
Diversity and spatial distribution of wet
meadows in the lowlands Lower Saxony. MSc
thesis, 2011.
Herrling, J. Population structure and
spatial distribution of rare and endangered
dry grassland species on the castle
mountains of the ‘Drei Gleichen’ in
Thuringia. MSc thesis, 2010.
Piepenschneider,
Meike: Hotspots of red list forest species
in Lower Saxony. How do Important Plant
Areas match to nature conservation areas?
BSc thesis, 2010.
Schwienheer, J. Diversity of calcareous
grasslands in relation to the biotope
complex and other environmental factors in
the rural area of Göttingen. External
diploma thesis, University of Oldenburg,
2009
Lebreton, G. Landscape change in the ‘Drei
Gleichen’ region, Thuringia, since 1855.
BSc-ERASMUS project, 2009.
Breitschwert, E. Small-scale patterns in
species-rich calcareous grasslands at the
Mühlenberg (Barterode). Diploma thesis,
2008
Schmiedel, I. The spatial niche of
species-rich calcareous grasslands on the
landscape scale in the rural area of
Göttingen. Diploma thesis, 2008
Krause, B. Diversity of grasslands under
different management regimes in the rural
area of Göttingen. Diploma thesis, 2008
Semi-arid and arid environments
In
1996, I started research on desert locust
feeding and migration behaviour in the
sahelo-saharan Atlantic region of Mauritania
(West-Africa).
Then, I moved my studies to the
Mediterranean semi-arid region of SW
Morocco. I received my doctorate in Botany
from the University of Freiburg,
specialising in Geobotany and Plant
Systematics with a thesis on vegetation of
pastoral landscapes in the High Atlas
Mountains (Morocco) and deduction of
sustainability indicators related to these
semi-arid environments.
My main research
subjects in this area are:
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Long-term
dynamics (regeneration niche,
coexistence) of perennial plants in
semi-arid environments (permanent plot
studies in Morocco and Senegal)
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Sacred
groves in Morocco
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Vegetation
and pastoral use in the Western High
Atlas Mountains (Morocco)
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Migration
and feeding behaviour of the desert
locus (Schistocerca gregaria,
Acrididae) in Mauritania
Addax antelopes (Addax nasomaculatus)
in Rokaïn, Souss Massa National Park,
Morocco.
In 2008, Linda Blank and Christoph Ochs
conducted their state exam theses on the
influence of grazing antelopes on the
spatial distribution and diversity of the
dune ecosystem vegetation of these semi-arid
environments
International cooperation partners:
Institutional: Souss-Massa National Park,
Moroccan High Commissioner’s Office of
water, forests and combating desertification
(Morocco)
Prof. Dr. Allal Mhamdi (IAV, Rabat, Morocco)
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Berriane (University of
Rabat, Morocco)
Dr. Lahoucine Amzil (University of Rabat,
Morocco)
Dr. Sabine Miehe (Marburg, Germany)
Supervision of diploma
and state exam students (titles translated
to English):
Petersen, U. Vegetation and environmental
conditions of sacred sites compared to the
surrounding pastoral landscape in the
Anti-Atlas (Morocco). Diploma thesis, 2008
Blank, L. The influence of grazing antelopes
on the taxonomic and functional diversity of
the dune vegetation in Souss Massa National
Park (Morocco). State exam, 2008
Ochs, C. Niche differences and spatial
co-existence of dune plants in habitats
grazed by antelopes compared to enclosures
in Souss Massa National Park, Morocco. State
exam, 2008
Selected
publications:
Culmsee, H. (2004):
Vegetation und Weidenutzung im Westlichen Hohen Atlas (Marokko). Eine Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung aus geobotanischer Sicht.
(Vegetation and its pastoral use in
the Western High Atlas Mountains (Morocco). An assessment on sustainability from the geobotanical viewpoint).
- Dissertationes Botanicae 389: 244 S. mit 57 Abb., 30 Tab. und 14 Photos im Text und auf 4
Beilagen sowie 8 Anhängen. - J. Cramer in der Gebrüder Borntraeger
Verlagsbuchhandlung, Berlin Stuttgart. ISBN 3-443-64302-7, ISSN
0070-6728 (Series).
Culmsee, H. (2002): The habitat functions of
vegetation in relation to the behaviour of the desert locust Schistocerca
gregaria (Forskål) (Acrididae: Orthoptera). A study in Mauritania (West
Africa). – Phytocoenologia 32 (4): 645-664.
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Abstract.
Full
text (-download).
Culmsee, H. (2002): Saharische und sudanische, Wüsten- und
Savannenelemente in der Halbwüstenvegetation Mauretaniens. – Ber. d.
Reinh.-Tüxen-Ges. 14:
69-79.
Teaching
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Lectures and courses |
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Winter term |
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Ecology of the earth (lecture) |
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GIS applications for vegetation
ecologists (BSc Ecology and Diversity) |
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Colloquium: supervised theses in
vegetation ecology |
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Summer term |
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Vegetation Analysis I: forest
ecosystems, classification methods (BSC) |
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Vegetation Analysis II:
grassland ecosystems, multivariate analysis of ecological data (MSc) |
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Field excursions |
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Online material |
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Manual for JUICE 6.3 for Windows
-download
(only partly in English,
May 2005) |
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Ellenberg Indicator Values for
Juice -download |
Personal details
1991-1998, Studies in Biological Sciences (MSc in geobotany
and plant systematics) at the universities of Hanover, Oxford (U.K.) and
Freiburg. Graduated in 1998 with a thesis on the ecology of the
desert locust Schistocerca gregaria in Mauritania.
1999-2000, Fellow of the Postgraduate
Program in International Affairs of the Robert Bosch Foundation.
1999-2006, Free-lance consultant for
the German Development Agency (GTZ), World Health Organization (WHO), German
Foundation on International Development (DSE), and InWEnt.
2000-2004, PhD
studies on
Vegetation and its pastoral use in
the Western High Atlas Mountains (Morocco). PhD received on 21 May
2004 (supervised by Prof. Dr.
U. Deil, Freiburg University).
2005-2010,
Postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the
the Albrecht-von-Haller Institute of Plant
Sciences, University of Göttingen.
2011,
Postdoctoral researcher (DFG funded) at the
Albrecht-von-Haller Institute of Plant
Sciences, University of Göttingen.
Since 2011,
Postdoctoral researcher at the DBU Natural
Heritage, German Federal Foundation for the
Environment, Osnabrück.
Member of the working group "desert ecolgy"
(GfÖ),
International Association for Vegetation Science (IAVS),
International
Association of Landscape Ecology (IALE), Association of Tropical Biology and
Conservation (ATBC), Reinhold-Tüxen-Gesellschaft, Floristisch-soziologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft,
and Naturforschende Gesellschaft Freiburg. Elected member of
European Desert*Net Advisory Board (2007-2010).
Last updated:
May 2012
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