Projects

Find out about the projects members of our network are currently working on.

Inclusion of fertility & survival measures in the ShareTrait initiative

To help in our current effort of understanding species-environment relationships across animals and locations around the world, we are currently working together with the ShareTrait initiative. This platform is working towards applying the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability & Reusability) to trait-based animal data, through the integration of high-resolution trait measures and associated metadata. Currently the database is prepared to include individual-level data for metabolic rate, fecundity and development time.

Through the partnering of our network with this platform, we aim not only to make all of our data openly and easily available for everyone, but to increase the range of traits and measures (survival and fertility functional traits, performance traits, population metrics…) included in ShareTrait. We are happy to be a part of this incredible effort to effectively address complex ecological, physiological and evolutionary questions and contribute to informed conservation strategies.

If you are interested in contributing data in the near future, contact raimon.cuxart-i-erruz@zoologie.uni-halle.de.

ShareTrait

Woodlice fertility monitoring

Porcellio scaber (© Mareike Koppik)


To gain a better understanding of the influence heat events have on animal fertility in the wild, we recently started a monitoring project using woodlice. The aim is to gather fertility estimates from wild caught individuals before and after extreme heat events. As model organisms we chose the woodlice species Porcellio scaber and Armadillidium vulgare.

Several labs around Europe, Australia and the USA are already involved in collecting woodlice and measuring their fertility. Depending on the timing there is still the possibility to join the project. If you are interested in joining, don’t hesitate to get in contact with Claudia Fricke (claudia.fricke@zoologie.uni-halle.de).