• Project

    Botany Core Biodiversity Exploratories

    Link to project website 

     

    finished:

    GiBBS - Holistic biodiversity management in the construction material industry

    Link to project website (German)

     

     

     

  • Research interest

    • Restoration ecology
    • Land use impacts on biodiversity
    • Monitoring and evaluation of nature conservation and restoration measures
    • Ecology of bogs

  • Curriculum vitae

    since 2022

    Research associate and PhD Student
    Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology
    2019-2022 Studies of Landscape Ecology (M.Sc.)
    Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster
    Master Thesis "Dragonfly communities in restored cut-over bogs"
    2015-2019 Studies of Landscape Ecology (B.Sc.)
    Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster
    Bachelor Thesis "Effects of abandonment and de-embankment on salt marsh vegetation in Wadden Sea National Park of Lower Saxony"

     

  • Publications

    International publications (peer-reviewed)

    Schwesig K, Zizka V, Scherber C, Hölzel N (2025): Pioneer habitats drive high plant beta diversity and conservation value of mineral extraction sites. Journal of Applied Ecology, 62 (10). doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.70151

    Schwesig K, Zizka V, Scherber C, Hölzel N (2025). Comparing eDNA and transect methods for aquatic biodiversity assessment in lakes and ponds. Molecular Ecology Resources, 25 (3), Artikel e14060. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.14060.

    Zizka V, Schwesig K, Engel N, Hölzel N, Scherber C (2025). Environmental DNA supports importance of heterogeneous pond landscapes for arthropod diversity conservation. Ecosphere, 16 (2). doi: 10.1002/ecs2.70171.

     

    Conference contributions

    Schwesig K, Zizka V, Scherber C, Hölzel N (2025). Landscape context, plant diversity, habitat openness and raw substrate drive insect diversity of extraction sites. Vortrag, 52. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Ökologie (GfÖ). Würzburg, 01.-05.09.2025

    Schwesig K, Zizka V, Scherber C, Hölzel N (2024). Spontaneous vegetation succession in German mining sites – restoration starts during active mining. Talk and poster, Society of Ecological Restoration (SER). Tartu, Estland, 26.-30.08.2024

    Schwesig K, Zizka V, Scherber C, Hölzel N (2023). Suitability of eDNA metabarcoding for dragonfly monitoring in quarrying sites. Talk, 52nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Ecology (GfÖ). Leipzig, 12.-16.09.2023

     

    Other publications and talks

    Schwesig K: Praxis-Handbuch Biodiversität in Gewinnungsstätten – Ergebnisse aus dem Projekt GiBBS. Vortrag, 23. Fachtagung Genehmigungsverfahren in Rohstoffbetrieben. Willingen, 29.10.2025

    Marken G, Schwesig K, Heinrich A, Kortmann E, Schöpflin P, Zizka V, Hölzel N, Scherber C, Meier J, Spieleder U (2025). Handbuch für die Steine-Erden-Branche. Biodiversität in Gewinnungsstätten – Management und Monitoring der Artenvielfalt. ISBN 978-3-940920-34-8 Link

    Schwesig K, Zizka V, Scherber C, Hölzel N (2024). Was macht Lebensräume in Abbaustätten so wertvoll für die Biodiversität? Ergebnisse aus einem bundesweiten Forschungsprojekt. Vortrag, "Teuto Talks - Wissenschaft trifft Naturschutz" der Biologischen Station Kreis Steinfurt und der Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Naturschutz Tecklenburger Land e.V. (ANTL). Tecklenburg, 28.10.2024

  • Supervised Theses

    Titles are given in German or English, depending on the language in which the thesis was originally written.

    2024

    Niemann, Nick (2024): Untersuchung zur Populationsdynamik von Teichhühnern Gallinula chloropus im Stadtgebiet von Münster. Bachelor thesis, second supervisor: Prof. Dr. Norbert Hölzel

    Richter, Tim (2024): Identifying landscape characteristics that enhance insect abundance and biodiversity: a drone-based remote sensing investigation in a limestone quarry in Lengerich, Germany. Master thesis, first supervisor: Dr. Jan Lehmann

    Spreckelmeyer, Lennart (2024): Diversity and conservation value of plant communities in active mining sites. Research project Master, supervised in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Norbert Hölzel

    2023

    Klose, Johanna (2023): Wie erfolgreich ist die Renaturierung von ehemaligen Ackerflächen im NSG Heiliges Meer? Bachelor thesis, first supervisor: Prof. Dr. Norbert Hölzel

    Meinken, Moritz; Steen, Jan (2023): Diversity and habitat use of grasshoppers in mining sites. Research project Master, supervised in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Norbert Hölzel

    Meyenburg, Teelke (2023): Vegetation-Umweltbeziehungen in Abbaustätten. Master thesis, first supervisor: Prof. Dr. Norbert Hölzel