Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg

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Allgemeine Zoologie

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postal address:
Allgemeine Zoologie
Universität Halle-Wittenberg
06099 Halle (Saale)

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Welcome to General Zoology

General Zoology October 2024

General Zoology October 2024

General Zoology October 2024


Insect evolutionary ecology (Paxton Lab)

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. 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.


Two females of the communal nesting bee Andrena carantonica depart their common nest entrance

Two females of the communal nesting bee Andrena carantonica depart their common nest entrance

Two females of the communal nesting bee Andrena carantonica depart their common nest entrance


We are members of iDiv, the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research   

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