News

Dr. Jingyu Qiu got a JICE Career Researcher Fellowship for two months to prepare a grant proposal to join the Department of Behavioural Biology in Münster as a PostDoc!

University of Münster strengthens its profile area “Individualisation”!

More information at the Newsportal of the University of Münster
 

A paper is published in "Oikos".

Erixon, F; Krämer, MH; Eccard, JA; Gilmour, M; Dammhahn, M (2025): A timid choice: risk‐taking behavior predicts individualized niche in a varying landscape of safety. Oikos, e11461. doi: 10.1002/oik.11461

A paper is published in "Ethology".

Groneberg, E; Richter, SH; Kaiser, S (2025): Is Paw Preference in Rats Influenced by Environmental Novelty? Ethology, e13580. doi: 10.1111/eth.13580

A paper is published in "Animal Behaviour".

Quante, SM; Mundinger, C; Palme, R; Kaiser, S; Richter, SH (2025): What it is like to be an optimist: temporal stability of cognitive bias in rats and its link to other individual traits. Animal Behaviour, 224. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123202

A paper is published in "Wildlife Research".

Rimbach, R; Heinze, K; Poorthuis, L; Petit, J; Dammhahn, M (2025): City life does not change a small mammal community composition. Wildlife Research 52: WR24196. doi:10.1071/WR24196

A paper is published in "Animal Behaviour".

Groneberg, E; Richter, SH; Kaiser, S (2025): Task complexity matters: investigating behavioural lateralization in rats. Animal Behaviour, 222: 1–14. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123118

A paper is published in "Journal of Arid Environments".

Sangweni, SP; Pillay, N; Ganzhorn, J; Rimbach, R; Schradin, C; Makuya, L (2025): The function of plants collected by bush Karoo rats (Otomys unisulcatus): Do dried up food plants represent stored food?. Journal of Arid Environments, 229: 105385. doi: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105385

A paper is published in "PLOS Biology".

Mundinger, C; Schulz, NK; Singh, P; Janz, S; Schurig, M; Seidemann, J; Kurtz, J; Müller, C; Schielzeth, H; von Kortzfleisch, VT; Richter, SH (2025): Testing the reproducibility of ecological studies on insect behavior in a multi-laboratory setting identifies opportunities for improving experimental rigor. PLOS Biology, 23(4): e3003019. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003019

A paper is published in "GeroScience".

Julian, R; Fröhlich, S; Müller, K; Dammhahn, M; Voelcker-Rehage, C (2024): Sex Differences in Cognitive Performance Persist into Your 80s. GeroScience. doi: 10.1007/s11357-025-01585-x

Interview with Prof. Dr. Helene Richter and Prof. Dr. Melanie Dammhahn about the debate on animal experiments!

Find the interview here: Newsportal of the University of Münster

A paper is published in "Animal Behaviour".

Bračić, M; Bierbaum, L; Peng, M; Nimalavachchlan, L; Siewert, V; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N; Richter, SH (2024): The behavioural ecology of optimism: judgement bias and foraging under predation risk in mice. Animal behaviour 219. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.10.005

A paper is published in "Biological Reviews".

Siewert, V., Kaiser, S., Sachser, N., & Richter, S. H. (2024). Optimism and pessimism: a concept for behavioural ecology. Biological Reviews. doi: 10.1111/brv.13178

A paper is published in "Trends in Ecology & Evolution".

Richter, SH; Caspers, BA; Dammhahn, M; Kaiser, S (2024): Animal research revisited – the case of behavioural studies. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.014

A paper is published in "Land".

Ganzhorn, JU; Andriambeloson, J-B; Atsalis, S; Behrendt, LM; Blanco, MB; Bollen, A; Carrière, SM; Chikhi, L; Dammhahn, M; Donati, G; et al. (2024): Facilitated Forest Restoration Using Pioneer Seed Dispersers in Madagascar: The Example of Microcebus spp. Land 13: 1971. doi: 10.3390/land13121971

A paper is published in "Frontiers in Microbiology".

Pereira, H; Hoffman, JI; Krüger, O; Czirják, GÁ; Rinaud, T; Ottensmann, M; Gladow, K-P; Caspers, BA; Maraci, Ö; Kaiser, S; Chakarov, N (2024): The gut microbiota-immune-brain axis in a wild vertebrate: dynamic interactions and health impacts. Frontiers in Microbiology 15:1413976. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1413976

A paper is published in "Frontiers in Animal Science".

Sroka, MGU; Ambree, O; Dohmen, C; Palme, R; Kaiser, S; Richter, SH (2024): Personality matters–The interplay between consistent individual differences and mouse welfare in female C57BL6/J mice. Frontiers in Animal Science 5: 1423814. doi: 10.3389/fanim.2024.1423814

A paper is published in "Animal Behavior and Cognition".

Göbel, M; Kaiser, S; Richter, SH; Wagner, P; Wehrenberg, G (2024): Specifically Unspecific – Simple Devices as Feasible and Effective Enrichment for Small Mammals. Animal Behavior and Cognition 11(3): 305–329. doi: 10.26451/abc.11.03.05.2024

A paper is published in "Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology".

Erixon, F; Eccard, JA; Huneke, R; Dammhahn, M (2024): A behavioral syndrome of competitiveness in a non-social rodent. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 78: 98. doi: 0.1007/s00265-024-03510-2

The new edition of the UFAW-Handbook has been published!

Kaiser; S; Krüger, C; Sachser, N (2024): The guinea pig. The UFAW handbook on the care and management of laboratory and other research animals (9th edtion). Golledge, H; Richardson, C (Eds); Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester: 465-483. doi:10.1002/9781119555278.ch27

Talk with Prof. Dr. Melanie Dammhahn and Prof. Dr. Sascha Buchholz on the occasion of the international day of biodiversity!

Find the interview here: Podcast of the University of Münster

A paper is published in "Ecology & Evolution".

Berry, P; Dammhahn, M; Hauptfleisch, M; Hering, R; Jansen, J; Kraus, A; Blaum, N (2024): African dryland antelope trade‐off behaviours in response to heat extremes. Ecology and Evolution 14: e11455. doi: 10.1002/ece3.11455

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A paper is published in "Ecology & Evolution".

Leonard, A; Earth Hologenome Initiative Consortium; Alberdi, A (2024): A global initiative for ecological and evolutionary hologenomics. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.03.005

The Department of Behavioural Biology in the Faculty of Biology at the University of Münster, Germany, is seeking to fill a position!

See advertisement

A paper is published in "Hormones and Behavior".

Rystrom, TL; Richter, SH; Sachser, N; Kaiser, S (2024): Social niche shapes social behavior and cortisol concentrations during adolescence in female guinea pigs. Hormones and Behavior 162: 105539. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105539

A paper is published in "Annals of Human Biology".

Schulte, L; Oswald, P; Mühlenhaupt, M; Ossendorf, E; Kruse, S; Kaiser, S; Caspers, BA (2024): Stress response of fire salamander larvae differs between habitat types. Royal Society Open Science 11: 231304. doi:10.1098/rsos.231304

A paper is published in "Annals of Human Biology".

McGrosky, A; Swanson, ZS; Rimbach, R; Bethancourt, H; Ndiema, E; Nzunza, R; Braun, DR; Rosinger, AY; Pontzer, H (2024): Total daily energy expenditure and elevated water turnover in a small-scale semi-nomadic pastoralist society from northern Kenya. Annals of Human Biology 51: 2310724. doi: 10.1080/03014460.2024.2310724

A paper is published in "Molecular Ecology".

Fusco, NA; Cosentino, BJ; Gibbs, JP; Allen, ML; Blumenfeld, AJ; Boettner, GH; Briggs, K; Carlen, EJ; Collins, M; Dennison, C; DiGiacopo, D; Drapeau Picard, AP; Edmonson, J; Fisher-Reid, MC; Fyffe, R; Gallo, T; Grant, A; Harbold, W; Heard, SB; Lafferty, DJR; Lehtinen, RM; Marino, S; McDonald, JE; Mortelliti, A; Murray, M; Newman, A; Oswald, KN; Ott-Conn, C; Richardson, JL; Rimbach, R; Salaman, P; Steele, M; Stothart, MR; Urban, MC; Vandegrift, K; Vanek, LP; Vanderluit, SN; Vezina, L; Caccone, A (2024): Population genomic structure of a widespread urban-adapted mammal. Molecular Ecology 33: e17230. doi: 10.1111/mec.17230

A paper is published in "PeerJ".

Pohle, J; Signer, J; Eccard, JA; Dammhahn, M; Schlägel, UE (2024): How to account for behavioral states in step-selection analysis: a model comparison. PeerJ 12: e16509. doi:10.7717/peerj.16509

The Department of Behavioural Biology invites to a public lecture by the psychologist Mitja Back on the 21st of February. For further information, see the official press release of the University of Münster.

A paper is published in "BioScience".

Kaiser, MI; Gadau, J; Kaiser, S; Müller, C; Richter, SH (2024): Individualized social niches in animals: Theoretical clarifications and processes of niche change. BioScience 74: 146–158. doi: 10.1093/biosci/biad122

A paper is published in "Lab Animal".

Richter, SH (2024): Challenging current scientific practice: how a shift in research methodology could reduce animal use. Lab Animal, 53: 9–12. doi: 10.1038/s41684-023-01308-9

A paper is published in "Ethology".

Rystrom, TL; Wesseler, Y; Richter, SH; Sachser, N & Kaiser, S (2023): Shaped by you: The effect of social partner on cortisol and behavior during adolescence in a female rodent. Ethology. doi: 10.1111/eth.13414

The Department of Behavioural Biology in the Faculty of Biology at the University of Münster, Germany, is seeking to fill a position!

See advertisement

A paper is published in "Journal of Neuroscience Methods".

von Kortzfleisch, VT & Richter, SH (2024): Systematic heterogenization revisited: Increasing variation in animal experiments to improve reproducibility?. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 401, 109992. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.109992

A paper is published in "American Journal of Primatology".

Rimbach, R; Pontzer, H (2023): Increased physical activity is not related to markers of cardiometabolic health in two lemur species. American Journal of Primatology e23564. doi: 10.1002/ajp.23564

A paper is published in "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism".

Best, AW; McGrosky, A; Swanson, Z; Rimbach, R; McConaughy, K; McConaughy, J; Ocobock, C; Pontzer, H (2023): Total energy expenditure and nutritional intake in continuous multi-day ultramarathon events. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2023-0063

A paper is published in "Hormones and Behavior".

Mutwill, AM; Schielzeth, H; Richter, SH; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N (2023): Conditional on the social environment? Roots of repeatability in hormone concentrations of male guinea pigs. Hormones and Behavior 155: 105423. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105423

A paper is published in "Scientific Reports".

Hermanussen, M; Dammhahn, M; Scheffler, C; Groth, D (2023): Winner-loser effects improve social network efficiency between competitors with equal resource holding power. Scientific Reports 13: 14439. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-41225-y


 

A paper is published in "American Journal of Biological Anthropology".

Schüßler, D; Blanco, MB; Guthrie, NK; Sgarlata, GM; Dammhahn, M; Ernest, R; … Radespiel, U (2023): Morphological variability or inter-observer bias? A methodological toolkit to improve data quality of multi-researcher datasets for the analysis of morphological variation. American Journal of Biological Anthropology. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.24836.

A paper is published in "Ecology and Evolution".

Ferreira, CM; Dammhahn, M; Eccard, JA (2023): So many choices, so little time: Food preference and movement vary with the landscape of fear. Ecology and Evolution 13: e10330. doi: 10.1002/ece3.10330

A paper is published in "Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution".

Berry, PE; Dammhahn, M; Blaum, N (2023): Keeping cool on hot days: activity responses of African antelope to heat extremes. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11:1172303. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1172303

 

A paper is published in "Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience".

Quante, SM; Siewert, V; Palme, R; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N; Richter SH (2023): The power of a touch: Regular touchscreen training but not its termination affects hormones and behavior in mice. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 17:1112780. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1112780

An article is published in "forschung - Das Magazin der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft".

Siewert, V; Richter, SH (2022): Always Looking on the Bright Side of Life?. forschung 3-4: 24-27.

A paper is published in "Frontiers in Veterinary Science".

Kaiser, S; Korte, A; Wistuba, J; Baldy, M; Wissmann, A; Dubičanac, M; Richter, SH; Sachser, N (2023): Effects of castration and sterilization on cortisol responsiveness–a case study in male guinea pigs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 9: 2047. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1093157

A paper is published in "Oikos".

Reusch, C; Scheuerlein, A; Grosche, L; Meier, F; Gampe, J; Dammhahn, M; van Schaik, Joop; Kerth, G; (2022): The risk faced by the early bat: individual plasticity and mortality costs of the timing of spring departure after hibernation. Oikos: e09654. doi: 10.1111/oik.09654

A paper is published in "Ecology and Evolution".

Ferreira, CM; Dammhahn, M; Eccard, JA (2022): Forager-mediated cascading effects on food resource species diversity. Ecology & Evolution 12: e9523. doi: 10.1002/ece3.9523

A paper is published in "Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience".

Herrera-Rivero, M; Bohn, L; Witten, A; Jüngling, K; Kaiser, S; Richter, SH; Stoll, M; Sachser, N (2022): Transcriptional profiles in the mouse amygdala after a cognitive judgment bias test largely depend on the genotype. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1025389

A paper is published in "Biological Reviews".

Kappeler, PM; Benhaiem, S; Fichtel, C; Fromhage, L; Höner, OP; Jennions, MD; Kaiser, S; Krüger, O; Schneider, JM; Tuni, C; van Schaik, J; Goymann, W (2022): Sex roles and sex ratios in animals. Biological Reviews. doi: 10.1111/brv.12915

A paper is published in "Hormones and Behavior".

Lilie, ND; Riyahi, S; Kalinowski, A; Salazar, SM; Kaiser, S; Schmoll, T; Korsten, P (2022): Male social niche conformance? Effects of manipulated opportunity for extra-pair mating on behavior and hormones of male zebra finches. Hormones and Behavior 146: 105243. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105243

A paper is published in "Movement Ecology".

Stiegler, J; Lins, A; Dammhahn, M; Kramer-Schadt, S; Ortmann, S; Blaum, N (2022): Personality drives activity and space use in a mammalian herbivore. Movement Ecology 10: 33. doi: 10.1186/s40462-022-00333-6.

Prof. Dr. Melanie Dammhahn was nominated as a professor for Behavioural Biology at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Münster on May 1^st 2022.

Ab sofort können sich Studierende der WWU Münster für ProTalent-Stipendien im Förderjahr 2022/23 bewerben. Das Programm richtet sich an Studierende der WWU, die bisher gute bis sehr gute Studienleistungen erzielt haben, sowie an Studienanfänger, deren bisherige Leistungen ein erfolgreiches Studium erwarten lassen. Zusätzlich werden der persönliche Werdegang, das gesellschaftliche Engagement und besondere soziale, familiäre oder persönliche Umstände berücksichtigt.

Die Online-Bewerbung ist bis einschließlich 14. Juli 2022 hier möglich. Das Förderjahr beginnt am 1. Oktober 2022.

A paper is published in "Behavioural Ecology".

Bračić, M; Bohn, L; Siewert, V; von Kortzfleisch, VT; Schielzeth, H; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N; Richter, SH (2022): nce an optimist, always an optimist? Studying cognitive judgment bias in mice. Behavioral Ecology arac040. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arac040

A paper is published in "Behavioural Brain Research".

Stieger, B; Palme, R; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N; Richter, SH (2022): When left is right: The effects of paw preference training on behaviour in mice. Behavioural Brain Research 430: 113929.

A paper is published in "PLOS Biology".

von Kortzfleisch, VT; Ambrée, O; Karp, NA; Meyer, N; Novak, J; Palme, R; Rosso, M; Touma, C; Würbel, H; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N; Richter, SH (2022): Do multiple experimenters improve the reproducibility of animal studies? PLOS Biology 20(5): e3001564.

For more information see also: Newsportal of the University of Münster

A paper is published in "Frontiers in Zoology".

Rystrom, TL; Prawitt, RC; Richter, SH; Sachser, N; Kaiser, S (2022): Repeatability of endocrine traits and dominance rank in female guinea pigs. Frontiers in Zoology 19: 4. doi: 10.1186/s12983-021-00449-2

 

Come and get to know our Citizen Science Project as well as our Smartphone App WAU. See your dog with different eyes and learn with the aid of WAU more about the behaviour and emotions of dogs!

When? Saturday, December 4^th 2021, 9-18 h
Where? Meadow at the promenade in front of the castle (Schlossplatz 6)
Waht to bring with me? Dog, Smartphone and a little bit of time

For more information see also: Newsportal of the University of Münster
 

The lecture series “Tierschutz - Tierwohl - Tierethik“, December 2^nd 6.15 p.m., takes place online (via Zoom). You can join via the following link:

Join Zoom-Meeting
https://wwu.zoom.us/j/65743062857?pwd=MGlQQ3NIeFdRVXp3T2VXZWZaaGZJZz09

Meeting-ID: 657 4306 2857
Kenncode: 680504

The program of the lecture series can be found here.

“Tierschutz - Tierwohl - Tierethik“: The lecture series about animal welfare includes talks from different scientific diciplines such as biology, medicine, law, philosophy, and theology. You should not miss it!

The program of the lecture series can be found here.

“Der Mensch im Tier – Ein Thema für Münster“: the event series addresses different questions based on the book "The Human Animal" of behavioural biologist Prof. Dr. Norbert Sachser in public talks, conversations and discussions. Feel free to join! 

Homepage of the event series
 

A paper is published in "Hormones and Behavior".

Mutwill, AM; Schielzeth, H; Zimmermann, TD; Richter, SH; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N (2021): Individuality meets plasticity: Endocrine phenotypes across male dominance rank acquisition in guinea pigs living in a complex social environment. Hormones and Behavior 131: 104967. doi: 10.1016/J.YHBEH.2021.104967

 

A paper is published in "Behavioural Brain Research".

Krakenberg, V; Wewer, M; Palme, R; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N; Richter, SH (2021): Regular touchscreen training affects faecal corticosterone metabolites and anxiety-like behaviour in mice. Behavioural Brain Research 401: 113080. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113080
 

Two paper are published in "Physiology & Behavior".

Feige-Diller, J; Palme, R; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N; Richter, SH (2021): The impact of varying food availability on health and welfare in mice: Testing the Match-Mismatch hypothesis. Physiology & Behavior 228: 113193. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113193

Bodden, C; Wewer, M; Kästner, N; Palme, R; Kaiser, S; Sachser, N; Richter, SH (2021): Not all mice are alike: Mixed-strain housing alters social behaviour. Physiology & Behavior 228: 113220. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113220
 

A paper is published in "Scientific Reports".

von Kortzfleisch, V.T., Karp, N.A., Palme, R., Kaiser, S., Sachser, N., Richter, S.H. (2020). Improving reproducibility in animal research by splitting the study population into several ‘mini-experiments’. Scientific Reports 10: 16579.

For more information see also: Newsportal of the University of Münster
 

A Correspondence Letter is published in "Nature Reviews Neuroscience".

Richter, S.H., von Kortzfleisch, V. (2020). It is time for an empirically informed paradigm shift in animal research. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 21: 660.

An opinion paper is published in "Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences".

Sachser, N., Zimmermann, T.D., Hennessy, M.B., Kaiser, S. (2020). Sensitive phases in the development of rodent social behavior. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences 36: 63–70.

A paper is published in "Scientific Reports".

Krakenberg, V., Siestrup, S., Palme, R., Kaiser, S., Sachser, N., Richter, S.H. (2020). Effects of different social experiences on emotional state in mice. Scientific Reports 10: 1-12.

An opinion paper is published in "Trends in Ecology & Evolution".

Müller, C., Caspers, B. A., Gadau, J., & Kaiser, S. (2020). The power of infochemicals in mediating individualized niches. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 35: 981–989.
 

Talk with Prof. Dr. Helene Richter about animal welfare, animal protection and reproducibility in animal experimental research!

Find the interview here: Podcast of the University of Münster
 

A paper is published in "Proceedings of the Royal Society B".

Mutwill, A.M., Zimmermann, T.D., Hennicke, A., Richter, S.H., Kaiser, S., Sachser, N. (2020). Adaptive reshaping of the hormonal phenotype after social niche transition in adulthood. Proc. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci. 287: 20200667.

For more information see also: Newsportal of the University of Münster
 

Norbert Sachser, Michael B. Hennessy und Sylvia Kaiser publish a review in "Biology Letters".

Sachser, N., Hennessy, M.B. and Kaiser, S. (2018). The adaptive shaping of social behavioural phenotypes during adolescence. Biol. Lett. 14: 20180536.

Prof. Dr. Norbert Sachser publishes his book with the title "Der Mensch im Tier" (The Human Animal).