The Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change

is a research museum of the Leibniz Association

Dr. Livia Schäffler

Head of section Conservation Ecology at the Center for Biodiversity Monitoring
Research networks, international cooperation & science policy

Conservation Ecology

Tel: +49 228 9122-352

Fax: +49 228 9122-212

Mail: l.schaeffler [at] leibniz-zfmk.de

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Profile

Field of work

I am a population and community ecologist holding a PhD in “Biological Diversity and Ecology” and leading the section “Conservation Ecology” of the Center for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm) at the LIB Museum Koenig in Bonn. I have been actively involved in biodiversity research networks, coordinate international cooperation, and engage myself for nature conservation at the science-policy interface.

Research interests

I am particularly interested in the occurrence of species over time, the spatial distribution of animal populations, the composition of ecological communities and the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss. My long-term focus is on the community ecology of lemurs and application-oriented research on biodiversity conservation in Madagascar. I have also carried out interdisciplinary research projects on the causes of insect decline in Germany.

Memberships

Verband Biologie (VBIO), Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft (DZG), Zoologische Gesellschaft Frankfurt, Landesbund für Vogelschutz (LBV), Bund Naturschutz (BUND), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)

Awards

DAAD scholarship - students exchange program with Duke University (North Carolina, USA)

Projects

2022

Microcebus berthae survey

Available evidence from the central Menabe region in western Madagascar indicates that the already critically endangered Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur may be one step away from extinction. A comprehensive protected area-wide survey of the remaining potential habitats of the species is launched in 2022 to determine the distribution and abundance of any remaining population nuclei.

Unit:

Conservation Ecology

Project lead:

Dr. Livia Schäffler

2019

DINA – Diversity of Insects in Nature Protected Areas

In collaboration with the German NABU the ZFMK has been an active partner to initiate a large joint project to understand drivers of insect decline, the DINA project (2019-2022). The goal of the project is to assess and monitor the insect fauna in 21 selected Nature-protected areas using a Malaise trap transect approach. A particular goal of this project is to demonstrate the power of metabarcoding for the rapid and efficient assessment of the insect fauna relying on the GBOL database. Additionally to the insect fauna, landscape parameters including anthropogenic influence will be recorded.

Unit:

Conservation Ecology, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm), Directorate Staff, Administration, ZFMK International Graduate School, Metabarcoding, Herpetology, Experimental and Applied Ecology

Project lead:

Dr. Livia Schäffler

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Integrative Analysis of the influence of pesticides and land use on biodiversity in Germany (INPEDIV)

The interdisciplinary joint project INPEDIV is funded for 3 years by the Leibniz Competition (March 2019 – February 2022). The aim of this study is to investigate consequences of organic and conventional farming for biodiversity in protected areas. By use of traditional methods and new technologies, we will examine agricultural land use effects on a broad range of plant and animal taxa across trophic levels at study sites in the Rhineland and in Brandenburg.

Unit:

Directorate, Conservation Ecology, Research Networks, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm), Metabarcoding, Mammalogy, Bat Banding Centre, Myriapoda

Project lead:

Dr. Livia Schäffler

Funding:

Leibniz Association

2018

SolBioM

The main objective of the BMBF-funded project is the diversification of an international research consortium, consisting mainly of partners from Eastern and Southeastern Europe, in order to apply for funding for a multinational R&D project within the framework of Horizon 2020 or other EU programme.

Unit:

Chair Systematic Zoology, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm), Ornithology, Directorate, Conservation Ecology, Research Networks, Biodiversity Informatics, Press Relations/ Communication/ Events

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. J. Wolfgang Wägele

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Towards a future sustainable world where climate, biodiversity, natural resources and human well-being are safeguarded (SustainCBW)

Six Leibniz institutes cooperate the joint interdisciplinary project sustainCBW to analyze targets of the SDG, the CBD, and the Paris Agreement with respect to interdependencies that hamper an adequate consideration of biodiversity concerns and to develop solutions for conflicts of interest.

Unit:

Directorate, Conservation Ecology, Research Networks

Project lead:

Dr. Livia Schäffler

Funding:

Leibniz Association

Publications

Published in

2016

Bonn, A., Richter, A., Vohland, K., Pettibone, L., Brandt, M., Feldmann, R., Goebel, C., Grefe, C., Hecker, S., Hennen, L., Hofer, H., Kiefer, S., Klotz, S., Kluttig, T., Krause, J., Küsel, K., Liedtke, C., Mahla, A., Neumeier, V., Premke-Kraus, M., Rillig, M. C., Röller, O., Schäffler, L., Schmalzbauer, B., Schneidewind, U., Schumann, A., Settele, J., Tochtermann, K., Tockner, K., Vogel, J., Volkmann, W., von Unger, H., Walter, D., Weisskopf, M., Wirth, C., Witt, T., Wolst, D. & D. Ziegler (2016): Green Paper Citizen Science Strategy 2020 for Germany. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), German Centre for integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science (MfN), Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin.

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2015

Schäffler, L., Saborowski J. & Kappeler, P.M. (2015). Agent-mediated spatial storage effect in heterogeneous habitat stabilizes competitive mouse lemur coexistence in Menabe Central, Western Madagascar. BMC Ecology 15:7

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Schönthaler, C., von Andrian-Werbung, S., Pieck, S., Tröltzsch, J., Nickel, D., Lange, M., Lukat, E., Stein, U., Sukopp, U., Dröschmeister, R. Heiland, S., Radtke, L., Schliep, R., Bartz, R., Kowarik, I., Dziock, S., Dziock, F., Schäffler, L., Siedentop, S., Fina, S., Sudfeldt, C., Trautmann, S., Küchenhoff, H., Shao, S., Deutschländer, T., Rauthe M., & Friedrich, K. (2015). Monitoringbericht 2015 zur Deutschen Anpassungsstrategie an den Klimawandel. Bericht der Interministeriellen Arbeitsgruppe Anpassungsstrategie der Bundesregierung. Schönthaler, K., von Adrian-Werburg, S., van Rüth, P. & Hempen, S. (Eds.), UBA, Dessau-Roßlau: 256

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2014

Schäffler, L. & Kappeler, P.M. (2014). Distribution and abundance of the world's smallest primate, Microcebus berthae, in Central Western Madagascar. Int. Journal of Primatology 35: 57-72.

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Schäffler, L. & Kappeler, P.M. (2014). Distribution and abundance of three cheirogaleid species in Menabe Central, Western Madagascar. Lemur News 18: 38-43

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Schwitzer, C., Schäffler, L., Mittermeier, R., Louis Jr., E. & Richardson, M. (2014). Madame Berthe’s Mouse Lemur. S. 26ff in Mittermeier, Schwitzer, Rylands, Taylor, Chiozza, Williamson, Wallis (eds.). Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates 2012–2014. IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, Int. Primatological Society, Conservation International, and Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation

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2009

Dammhahn, M., Schäffler, L., Fichtel, C. & Kappeler, P.M. (2009). Rapid lemur survey in northern Menabe. Lemur News 14: 13-16

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2008

Kappeler. P.M. & Schäffler, L. (2008). The lemur syndrome unresolved: extreme male reproductive skew in sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi), a sexually monomorphic primate with female dominance. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 62:1007-1015.

[more]

2002

Rüppel, O., Schäffler, L. & Hölldobler, B. (2002). Short communication: lack of plasticity in the behavior of queens of the ant Leptothorax rugatulus Emery (Formicidae: Hymenoptera). Journal of Insect Behavior 15: 447-454.

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Pages

Academic degrees
2011 Dr. rer. nat. “Biological Diversity and Ecology”; Georg-August University, Göttingen

2005 Diplom-Biologin Univ. (graduation in biology); Julius-Maximilians University, Würzburg

Research Experience
Since 2020 Head of section Conservation Ecology at the Center for Biodiversity Monitoring (ZBM); ZFMK, Bonn

2017 – 2020 Scientific advisor of the director for research networks, international collaboration and science policy; ZFMK, Bonn

2015 – 2017 Chief scientific coordinator of the Leibniz Research Alliance on Biodiversity (LVB); Museum für Naturkunde (MfN), Berlin

2012 – 2014 Scientific associate in an R&D project of the Federal Agency for Nature
Conservation (BfN): Indicators for climate change impacts on biodiversity in Germany;
Institute of Regional Development Planning, University of Stuttgart (IREUS) and Institute for Regional and Urban Development (ILS), Dortmund

2012 – 2012 Funding advisory service associate: EU funding programs; Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR), Munich

2006 – 2011 Research associate: PhD thesis; German Primate Center (DPZ), Dept. of Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology/ Anthropology, Göttingen

2005 – 2007 Research assistant; German Primate Center (DPZ), Dept. of Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology/ Anthropology, Göttingen

2002 – 2003 DAAD graduate student at Duke University; Durham (North Carolina, USA)

1999 – 2002 Research assistant; Julius-Maximilian University - Zoology II: Behavioral Physiology & Sociobiology, Würzburg

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Dr. Livia Schäffler

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