Research

Funding: Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung Mohammed Bin Zayed Species Conservation

Project Details:
The genus Eleutherodactylus, with over 194 known species and a distribution centered in the Caribbean West Indian islands, is the most speciose lineage of the Eleutherodactylidae family. These frogs represent over 80% of the Caribbean amphibian diversity with most of the species being single-island endemics. With the aid of multiple collaborators, this long term research project seeks to: 1) uncover cryptic diversity and define the species limits in the genus Eleutherodactylus by integrating genomic and phenotypic information; 2) elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among the species and related taxa; 3) compare the phenotypes, geographic distributions and evolutionary history across species to identify the factors responsible for the evolutionary diversification of amphibians in an insular scenario; and 4) generalize the results towards the long term conservation of these species.

Cooperation Partners:

Dr. Roberto Alonso Bosch, University of Havana, Cuba

MSc. Manuel Iturriaga Monsibay, Institute of Ecology and Systematics, Cuba

Prof. Dr. Miguel Vences, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany

Dr. Carles Vilà, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Spain

Dr. Alejandro Gonzalez Voyer, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Mexico

Álvaro Dugo Cota, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Spain

Funding: Private Personen und Kliniken Zuchtverbände, 30.000 EUR

Project Details:
Chromosomenmutationen können die Ursache von Fruchtbarkeitsstörungen, Intersexualität oder Missbildungen bei unseren Haussäugetieren sein. In diesen Fällen kann eine Chromosomendarstellung, zum Beispiel aus den Blutlymphozyten oder aus einer Gewebekultur, zur Klärung der Ursache beitragen.
Neben den klassischen Methoden der Zytogenetik zur Detektion von Chromosomenmutationen bei Einzeltieren werden zudem Gene mittels einer Fluoreszenz in situ Hybridisierung physikalisch am Genom der verschiedenen Spezies kartiert.

Results:

Iannuzzi A, Braun M, Genualdo V, Perucatti A, Reinartz S, Proios I, Heppelmann M, Rehage J, Hülskötter K, Beineke A, Metzger J, Distl O., Clinical, cytogenetic and molecular genetic characterization of a tandem fusion translocation in a male Holstein cattle with congenital hypospadias and a ventricular septal defect. PLoS One. 2020 Jan 10;15(1):e0227117. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227117. eCollection 2020.

Funding: BfN (Deutschland) Der deutsche Beitrag war Teil einer Aufstockung im Projekt TopMarine Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Dänemark) Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (Schweden), 28.908 EUR

Project Details:
Joint survey by Denmark, Germany and Sweden
The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the most abundant cetacean species occurring year-round in both the North Sea and Baltic Sea. In the Baltic Sea region and the North Sea, three distinct populations of harbour porpoises are recognised: (1) the Baltic Proper population in the inner Baltic Sea, (2) the Belt Sea population in the western Baltic Sea, Belt Sea, the Sound and southern Kattegat, and (3) the North Sea population, which occurs from the northern Kattegat, through Skagerrak to the entire North Sea. The three populations are genetically and morphologically distinct. Furthermore, satellite telemetry and passive acoustic monitoring studies have demonstrated limited exchange and geographic overlap between the North Sea and Belt Sea populations, and between the Belt Sea and the Baltic Proper populations. These findings have led to the suggestion of defined summer management borders, which should be used when monitoring the Belt Sea population.
In the EU, the Habitats Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC) demands that all member states protect the harbour porpoise in its entire natural range, and designate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) as part of the Natura 2000 network. Furthermore, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (Directive 2008/56/EC) emphasises the need for cross-border monitoring of a wide-ranging species, such as the harbour porpoise. Consequently, management programmes will have to include monitoring not only of porpoise abundance within the designated Natura 2000 sites, but also of the entire biological population to detect any changes in absolute abundance. In order to assess and report on the status of the population in time with the six-year reporting cycle of the Habitats Directive and also of MSFD, the abundance and distribution surveys should be conducted approximately every six years.

The waters inhabited by the Belt Sea population were so far assessed few times and in irregular intervals since the 1990s. The first dedicated survey of the population was carried out in 2012 and was termed MiniSCANS. In 2020, Germany, Denmark and Sweden conducted a dedicated large-scale aerial survey (MiniSCANS-II) for harbour porpoises in the area of the Belt Sea population. The Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (Germany), Aarhus University (Denmark) and the Swedish Museum of Natural History Stockholm (Sweden) were involved in the planning and realisation of the survey. The survey used the same protocol and methodology for aerial surveys as implemented in the previous SCANS surveys, as well as in the national monitoring surveys conducted in German, Dutch and Danish waters to derive unbiased absolute abundance estimates. The results of this study allowed for estimating abundance and potential trends to monitor progress in achieving favourable conservation status under the Habitats Directive and good environmental status (GES) as demanded by the MSFD.

Results:

https://www.tiho-hannover.de/fileadmin/57_79_terr_aqua_Wildtierforschung/79_Buesum/downloads/Berichte/20210913_Report_MiniSCANSII_2020_revised.pdf

Cooperation Partners:

Centre for Environment and Energy, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark

Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Frescativägen 40, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden

Funding: Bundesamt für Gewässerkunde, Koblenz, 16.588 EUR

Project Details:
In this project dead otters from Lower Saxony will be autopsied and examined. In this context, the parameters age, sex, nutritional status and primary cause of death will be determined, as far as the conservation status allows. In addition to a macroscopic examination, histological sections of the livers in particular will be prepared and examined in order to determine any changes. Furthermore, homogenized sample material from the removed liver tissue will be provided by the BFG for chemical analyses and fat determination. Furthermore, the BFG will be provided with already processed otter liver samples from the otter mortality monitoring Schleswig-Holstein, for chemical analyses and fat determination.
A summary of the diagnostic findings and the discovery data, i.e. location and date of discovery, conservation status, and, if applicable, information on the cause of death, will be provided in report form.

Results:

Report on the commission "Provision of tissue samples from otters from Lower Saxony for chemical residue analyses".

https://www.tiho-hannover.de/fileadmin/57_79_terr_aqua_Wildtierforschung/79_Buesum/downloads/Berichte/Fischotterbericht_Rodentizide_Dez_2020_Gewebeproben_BfG.pdf

Funding: Verein der Förderer der Wildtierforschung an der Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover e. V., 2.100 EUR

Project Details:
Aufgrund der ersten vielversprechenden Ergebnisse der Pilotstudie wird angestrebt, die erhobenen Daten zur Raumnutzung von Katzen zu verifizieren. Dazu sollen weitere Katzen mit GPS Halsbändern ausgestattet werden. Insgesamt wird eine Individuenzahl von mindestsens 20 weiteren Katzen angestrebt, um eine ausreichend große Datengrundlage zu schaffen und die Raumnutzung der Hauskatze umfassender beurteilen zu können.
Die gewonnenen Daten werden mit verschiedenen statistischen Methoden analysiert und modelliert

Funding: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, 46.404 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of the project was to check whether there are indications that harbor porpoises were harmed and affected by the blasting of ground mines from the 2nd World War, which took place in the area of the nature reserve "Fehmarnbelt". For this purpose, harbor porpoises and their body parts, which were collected in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Denmark and were still available, were examined for health damage in relation to effects of blasting. The aim was to check not only for immediate lethal damage, but also for sublethal changes. These can result in porpoises being less able to find food and orient themselves. This in turn increases the risk of becoming ill, as well as being exposed to collision trauma or bycatch. Here, the exclusion procedure was used to evaluate whether the findings that were collected were caused by other causes. With the agreement of MELUND, data collected during the annual harbor porpoise mortality monitoring were included in an assessment of this particular issue.

Results:

Siebert, U., Stürznickel, J., Schaffeld., T., Oheim, R., Rolvien, T., Prenger-Berninghoff, E., Wohlsein, P., Lakemeyer, J., Rohner, S., Schick, L.A., Gross, S., Nachtsheim, D., Ewers, C., Becher, P., Amling, M., Morell, M. 2022. Blast injury on harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the Baltic Sea after explosions of deposits of World War II ammunition. Environment International 159, 107014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.107014

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.107014

Funding: Ministerium für Energiewende, Landwirtschaft, Umwelt, Natur und Digitalisierung, 53.210 EUR

Project Details:
In this research project, ITAW will investigate infectious diseases, the state of health and the causes of death due to illness and changes in harbour seals in Schleswig-Holstein. The research project will investigate pathological changes in connection with infectious agents, with a special focus on zoonotic diseases. The occurrence of virological, microbiological and parasitological pathogens will be investigated intensively. The project is expected to provide valuable data for the seal populations that continue to grow in the North Sea. The scientific findings are to be passed on to the seal hunters so that they are trained in the detection of infectious diseases and in the handling of marine mammals. Development and review of hygiene measures, infectious diseases and documentation materials play an important role in this. A regionally representative number of seals is selected from those passed on by seal hunters. These are intensively researched and assessed for the presence of diseases.
These examinations include a complete autopsy of the animals, further examinations such as histology, bacteriology, virology, serology and parasitology, age determination as well as taking and securing samples for later analyses or research projects. Furthermore, a statistical analysis on the size of the necessary sample for statements on the state of health is to be carried out. A scientific exchange with the seal hunters will take place during the entire research project period.

Results:

Studies on the health status of harbour seals in Schleswig-Holstein in 2020

Report to the Ministry for Energy Transition, Agriculture, Environment, Nature and Digitalisation of the State of Schleswig-Holstein and the State Agency for Coastal Protection, National Park and Marine Conservation Schleswig-Holstein (only German)

https://www.tiho-hannover.de/fileadmin/57_79_terr_aqua_Wildtierforschung/79_Buesum/downloads/Berichte/Seehunde_Gesundheitsmonitoring_2020.pdf

Funding: Ministerium für Energiewende, Landwirtschaft, Umwelt, Natur und Digitalisierung, 45.525 EUR

Project Details:
For several years, hunters in Schleswig-Holstein have observed an increase in diseased and deceased hares, depending on the region, as well as a decrease in hunting distances. The results of the spotlight taxations also show that despite relatively constant spring populations, the hares counted during the autumn taxations have been decreasing for several years. For this reason, 190 hunting hares from selected hunting grounds, as well as 79 fall hares from all over Schleswig-Holstein, have already been examined in detail for infectious diseases as a potential cause for the decline in the hare population in 2016 - 2019. Histological, virological, parasitological and microbiological samples were taken from each animal in addition to collecting physiological data. The occurrence of tularemia (Francisella tularensis), as well as Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2 (RHDV-2) and European Brown Hare Syndrome Virus (EBHSV) was checked in cooperation with specialized institutes. In this way, we have already been able to gain an impression of the incidence of infection over a number of years and have identified territory-specific differences, which we are now attempting to clarify further.
The results of the investigations so far show above all changes in the digestive organs, an increased exposure to parasites and indicate a high infestation with EBHSV. In the past year of investigation, RHDV2 was detected for the first time in rabbits from Schleswig-Holstein. Although high mortality rates after infection with this virus have been shown in rabbits in other countries, RHDV2 has not been detected in any rabbits in this study. Whether rabbits play a role as a source of infection for hares in Schleswig-Holstein will also be investigated in more detail.
As in previous years, the results will be evaluated together with the Landesjagdverband S.-H. and the Wildtierkataster S.-H., whereby further investigation strategies or precautionary measures will be developed. This project supports the further development of preventive health protection and food safety measures for wild animals in Schleswig-Holstein.

Results:

For several years the hunters of Schleswig- Holstein observed an increase of sick an dead european brown hares (Lepus europaeus). Therefore the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover in cooperation with the Wildtierkataster Schleswig- Holstein (WTK) of the University of Kiel, as well as the Landesjagdverband Schleswig- Holstein (LJV- SH) started in 2016 to examine european brown hares for infectious diseases. The study was funded for four years by the Ministerium für Energiewende, Landwirtschaft, Umwelt, Natur und Digitalisierung des Landes Schleswig- Holstein (MELUND).

With the support of the hunters of Schleswig- Holstein it was possible to examine in total 356 european brown hares during the study in the years 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020. We dissected the hares and histological, virological, parasitological and microbiological samples were taken from each animal. The occurrence of tularemia (Francisella tularensis), as well as Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2 (RHDV-2) and European Brown Hare Syndrome Virus (EBHSV) was examined in cooperation with specialized institutes.

In comparison, in the year 2020 less pathological findings were diagnosed than in 2016 and 2017, but more than in 2019. The gastrointestinal tract of the hares was affected the most and and an increased exposure with parasites was confirmed. We also found a lot of hares with subclinical hepatitis and follicular hyperplasia of the spleen, which could be due to an infection with the european brown hare virus (EBHSV), as antibody titers confirmed that almost all hares that we examined were in contact with the virus. EBHSV is highly contagious and causes a high mortality which could lead to a massive decline of the population.

Like in the former years we diagnosed steatitis and nephritis in multiple hares, the origin of these pathological findings is not confirmed yet.

In 2020 stomach content and livers of 10 hares were examined at the Institute or Animal Nutrition of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover for the quanitity of vitamine E and unsaturated fatty acids. The number of examined animals was really low, but the results indicate that the steatitis could be caused by a vitamine E deficiency while having an excess of unsaturated fatty acids. Futher studies need to be done to confirm this.

To find the reason for the decline of the european brown hare population multidisciplinary research is needed as there are multiple factors that cause the decrease. By studying the health status of the european brown hares for multiple years we have been able to gain an impression of the occurance of infectious diseases in the population of Schleswig- Holstein.

file:///C:/aaNeueWebseiten/DozIS%20Projekte/2021/Ergebnisse%202021/Feldhasen_Studie_Infekionsstatus_2020_Klink.pdf

Funding: Nieders. Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur aus Mitteln des Niedersächsischen Vorab der Volkswagenstiftung, 12.900 EUR

Project Details:
The funding was used for the EU project application to prepare a pre-proposal for a joint transnational project which we were able to submit on time on May 18, 2020. Our project, with the acronym ASSESSOR, addresses Theme 1 - Measuring Environmental Behavior (Workpackages 2-4) and Theme 2 - Evaluation and Risk Assessment (Workpackages 5-6) of CECs, pathogens, and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria from aquatic ecosystems, including population-level modeling of impacts on aquatic top predators and humans. To achieve this goal, we propose a work plan consisting of seven work packages, each addressing coordination (work package 1), corresponding analyses (work packages 2-5), risk assessment (work package 6), and communication (work package 7).

Results:

A corresponding project application was submitted on time, but unfortunately could not be funded.

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur, 40.000 EUR

Project Details:
Eine Gemeinsamkeit aller Krebszellen ist ihr erster Schritt der Entartung, d. h. der Verlust der Zellpolarität, welcher sich in veränderten ("anormalen") Genexpressionsmustern manifestiert. Ein detailliertes Verständnis dieser genetischen Grundlagen ist notwendig, um entartete Zellen frühzeitig detektieren und ggf. wieder ins rechte Lot rücken zu können. In menschlichen Zelllinien sind die genetischen Interaktionen mit anderen regulatorischen Prozessen auf Zellebene zu kompliziert, um die notwendigen Details der "Entartung" (Polaritätsverlust) in akzeptabler Zeit entschlüsseln zu können. Das einfachste aller tierischen Modellsysteme jedoch, das Plattentier Trichoplax, hat vergleichsweise nur wenige Zellen und Zelltypen und eine übersichtliche genetische Komplexität mit sehr geringem Hintergrundrauschen. Kürzlich haben wir bewiesen, dass der polare Trichoplax faszinierenderweise Homologe aller relevanten und prinzipiellen Zellpolaritätsgene des Menschen besitzt, und somit völlig neue Möglichkeiten für eine Entschlüsselung der genetischen Regulationsmechanismen der Zellpolarität schafft.
im Mai 2021 startet die erste Forschungsrakete ("sounding rocket") vom DLR mit unserem Plattentier Trichoplax an Bord ins Weltall, wo dem Tierchen die Schwerkraft und somit das Signal für die Polaritätsorientierung seiner Zellen genommen wird.

Cooperation Partners:

1) Université de Lyon, Centre de recherche en cancérologie, France

2) Charles University, First Faculty of Medicine, Czech Republic

3) Vilua Health GmbH Braunschweig (Industriepartner)

4) Deutsches Luft- und Raumfahrtzentrum (DLR) Köln

5) LaTrobe University, Medical School, Melbourne, Australia

6) Yale University, Yale Genomics Center, New Haven, USA