Research

Project Details:
With Alexa, Siri and Cortana, voice recognition and control software has become an integral part of our everyday lives. Animal voices also contain a huge number of information about the sender animal, such as species, identity, gender, age, body size, emotional state, diseases and hormone status. Bioacoustics therefore enables the development of non-invasive, time- and cost-efficient, automatic bioacoustic monitoring systems for animals. For this purpose, microphones can be installed recording animals' vocalisations around the clock without disturbing or influencing them. The recordings can be automatically analysed using mathematical algorithms to extract specific information. In addition, psychoacoustic tools can be used to elicit specific positive behaviours. Such bioacoustic tools can be used for clarification of taxonomic questions, to monitor wildlife as well as to improve animal husbandry and thus play an increasingly important role in species conservation and animal management. The aim of this project is to explore the wide range of possible applications and to develop bioacoustic monitoring systems for species conservation and animal management.

Results:

van Elst T, Sgarlata GM, Schüßler D, Tiley GP, Poelstra JW, Scheumann M, Blanco MB, Aleixo-Pais IG, Rina Evasoa M, Ganzhorn JU, Goodman SM, Hasiniaina AF, Hending D, Hohenlohe PA, Ibouroi MT, Iribar A, Jan F, Kappeler PM, Le Pors B, Manzi S, Olivieri G, Rakotonanahary AN, Rakotondranary SJ, Rakotondravony R, Ralison JM, Ranaivoarisoa JF, Randrianambinina B, Rasoloarison RM, Rasoloharijaona S, Rasolondraibe E, Teixeira H, Zaonarivelo JR, Louis EE, Yoder AD, Chikhi L, Radespiel U, Salmona J (2025). Integrative taxonomy clarifies the evolution of a cryptic primate clade. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 9(1), 57-72. DOI:10.1038/s41559-024-02547-w.

 

Heseker P, Bergmann T, Liebolt M-A, Traulsen I, Kemper N, Probst J, Scheumann M (2024a). Exposing tail biters by automatic scream detection. Smart Agricultural Technology, 9. DOI:10.1016/j.atech.2024.100582.

 

Heseker P, Bergmann T, Scheumann M, Traulsen I, Kemper N, Probst J (2024b). Detecting tail biters by monitoring pig screams in weaning pigs. Scientific Report, 14(1), 4523. DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-55336-7.

 

Pfannerstill V, Balkenhol N, Bennitt E, Maboga O, Scheumann M (2023a). Assessing the potential of conspecific playbacks as a post-translocation management tool for white rhinoceros. Conservation Science and Practice, 5(9), e12996. DOI:10.1111/csp2.12996.

 

Hasiniaina AF, Radespiel U, Kessler SE, Evasoa MR, Rasoloharijaona S, Randrianambinina B, Zimmermann E+, Schmidt S, Scheumann M+ (2020). Evolutionary significance of the variation in acoustic communication of a cryptic nocturnal primate radiation (Microcebus spp.). Ecology and Evolution, 10(8), 3784-3797. DOI:10.1002/ece3.6177; + shared senior authorship

Funding: European Commission, 261.775 EUR

Project Details:
Farmed seafood is an important source of protein for food and feeds with a low-carbon footprint which has an important role to play in helping to build a sustainable food system. A strategic and long-term approach for the sustainable growth of a resilient EU aquaculture is, therefore, more relevant today than ever. However, the efficient and cost-effective control of pathogens remains among the main challenges for the sector, particularly relevant for Europe, where there is a great variety of species and production systems, which hinders the implementation of good husbandry practices tailored to each aquatic species. Through active engagement with key stakeholders, Cure4Aqua aims to jointly improve the resilience of EU aquaculture under environmental,biological, and socio-economic stress, by improving aquatic animal health and welfare and supporting the environmentally friendly, inclusive, safe, and healthy production of seafood. Cure4Aqua will do so by 1) developing cost-effective vaccines to prevent disease caused by 5 pathogens of economic significance to EU aquaculture; 2) Identifying markers with diagnostic capacity to be integrated to selective breeding programs to improve stress and disease management; 3) Developing innovative, bio-based and sustainable solutions as an alternative to antibiotics for controlling fish pathogens at various life stages and alleviate the pressure of global antimicrobial resistance; 4) Developing new tools and technology to improve health and welfare monitoring at the fish farm level and
diagnostics of fish pathogens both at the laboratory and the fish farm levels; 5) Placing fish welfare at the foreground of aquaculture production, through the development of high welfare standards that consider different life-stages, production systems, and knowledge of welfare needs, and 6) Ensuring effective external communication, dissemination and exploitation of project activities and results to all relevant target groups.

Results:

https://cure4aqua-project.eu/team/consortium/fish-disease-research-unit-university-of-veterinary-medicine-hannover/

Cooperation Partners:

1 Biologicke centrum AV CR, v. v. i. Czechia Coordinator

2 Thalassa Limited UK Partner

3 RODGER HAMISH IE Partner

4 MOREDUN RESEARCH INSTITUTE UK Partner

5 ERINN INNOVATION LIMITED Ireland Partner

6 HELLENIC CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH EL Partner

7 DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET DK Partner

8 KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET DK Partner

9 NOVAPTECH FR Partner

10 THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF

ABERDEEN UK Partner

11 PANEPISTIMIO KRITIS EL Partner

12 UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA ES Partner

13 SVEUCILISTE U SPLITU MEDICINSKI FAKULTET HR Partner

14 INSTITUTO POLITECNICO DE LEIRIA PT Partner

15 AQUATIC BIOLOGICALS PRIVATE COMPANY EL Partner

16 NORD UNIVERSITET NO Partner

17 SWANSEA UNIVERSITY UK Partner

18 UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA ES Partner

20 AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE

INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS ES Partner

21 Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University TH Partner

Administrative forms

Page 6 of 232

Proposal ID 101084204

Acronym Cure4Aqua

Horizon Europe ver 1.00 20220223 Last saved 23/02/2022 18:34

22 GALAXIDI MARINE FARM AE EL Partner

23 BIOCEANOR FR Partner

24 IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND

MEDICINE UK Partner

25 Prorata S.A. EL Partner

26 Wylegarnia Ryb Dabie, Krzysztof Grecki i Jacek

Juchniewicz PL Partner

27 EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH CH Associated

28 TissueLabs Sagl CH Associated

29 Pathovet AG CH Associated

30 PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE VALPARAISO CL Associated

Project Details:
To optimize therapeutic shoes for foals a computer simulation of a foal hoof will be developed. Energy densities and Von Mises stresses will be calculated.

Project Details:
The aim of this work is to determine the bone density as well as the geometric structure of the upper and lower jaw bones in the vicinity of the molars. Horses of different ages are compared to find out whether differences in bone density and structure are the cause of the more common lower jaw complications in young horses.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Carsten Staszyk, Institut für Veterinär-Anatomie, -Histologie und -Embryologie, Universität Giessen

Project Details:
Diagnostic imaging of the equine cervical and thoracic spine has become increasingly important in recent years. The focus is on radiographic examinations, but also nuclear medicine and computed tomography are commonly used to address various clinical questions.
This project deals with the clinical relevance of radiographic and nuclear scintigraphy findings of the thoracic spine in relation to back pain and rideability problems as well as the diagnostic value of computed tomography and computed tomographic myelography in horses with spinal ataxia.

Funding: DAAD, Gesellschaft der Freunde der TiHo, 65.000 EUR

Project Details:
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder, which is characterized by loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and both motor and non-motor clinical features. There is no disease-modifying therapy available and the cause of the disease remains unknown. The presence of alpha-synuclein (αSyn)-positive neuronal inclusions called Lewy bodies in the substantia nigra is the pathological hallmark of PD. αSyn is a small acidic protein predominantly expressed in neurons. An unspecified pathomechanism leads to a misfolding of soluble monomeric aSyn into fibrils, which transfers "prion-like" across the brain.
We hypothesize that spread of this pathology to a given brain region is sufficient to induce the motor and non-motor symptoms observed in PD patients. Specifically, we focus on the under-treated psychiatric symptoms fear and anxiety, which may originate from pathology in the basolateral amygdala. To test our hypothesis we will stereotactically inject αSyn-preformed amyloid fibrils (PFF) in different brain regions in a mouse model with alpha-synuclein overexpression (Thy1-αSyn). Readouts are (i) spread of pathology across brain tissue and (ii) the concurrent development of progressive behavioral phenotypes.

Cooperation Partners:

Wei Xiang, Friederike Zunke, Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg; Moriel Zelikowsky, University of Utah Neuroscience

Funding: EU Kommission (HORIZON 2020), 405.001 EUR

Project Details:
MERMAID proposes to further develop tissue-based in vitro mucosa models and assays to serve as in vitro models for
infection and to study immune protection with selected immune components. As such, the models will consist of a pathogenmucosal interface with a third dimension added, i.e. the interaction with selected immune mediators mimicking a relevant
(protective) natural immune response that can or should be obtained by vaccination. The models that will be developed will
also account for the heterogeneity existing in the population. The resultant next-generation mucosal tissue models will then
be validated using specimens derived from controlled human infection model (CHIM) studies and natural infections to
confirm the relevance of the model for the in vivo situation and the selected immune mediators. Subsequently, samples from
vaccine trials will be used to assess the induction of these immune responses in vivo and prove their efficacy ex vivo in next
generation models.

Funding: Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL), 622.484 EUR

Project Details:
Ziel des Projektes "Evolection" ist, die Züchtungsarbeit von nach dem Prinzip der Wechselkreuzung arbeitenden, selbstremontierenden Sauenbetrieben zu objektivieren und durch eine verbesserte Selektionsentscheidung aufgrund von im Betrieb automatisch erhobenen Massendaten zu optimieren. Mittels Cloud-basierter Datenanalyse von in Sauenbetrieben erhobener Leistungszahlen und der Massendatenanalyse verschiedenster Sensordaten des Betriebs im Sinne eines KI-Systems wird ein objektiv nachvollziehbarer und für jeden Transparenter "Goldstandard-KI" der Züchtungsselektion bei der Schweinezucht mittels Wechselkreuzung etabliert. Damit wird die "züchterische Nase" erfahrener Züchter softwaretechnisch nachgebildet, objektiviert und über die Cloud jedem praktischen Sauenhalter zugänglich gemacht. Auch wird durch die Etablierung neuer Bewertungsparameter wie "Langlebigkeit" und "Mütterlichkeit" der gesellschaftlichen Forderung nach mehr Tierwohl Rechnung getragen und durch die messtechnische Erfassung und Auswertung der Futterverwertung, die Ressourceneffizienz der Schweinehaltung als Gesamtheit verbessert.


Förderperiode Februar 2021 - Juli 2024


Verwertungszeitraum (Veröffentlichung von Daten bis vorauss. Juli 2027)

Cooperation Partners:

Hölscher + Leuschner GmbH & Co. KG

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Verbraucherschutz, 467.756 EUR

Project Details:
Das Ziel des vorliegenden Untersuchungskonzeptes ist es, das Raum-Zeit-Verhalten von Prädatoren in Birkhuhnlebensräumen im Kontext des Prädatorenmanagements und der Pflegemaßnahmen zu bewerten und zu optimieren.
Für ein verbessertes Biotopmanagement ist es wichtig zu verstehen, wie genau sich Prädatoren im Lebensraum der Birkhühner bewegen, welche Strukturen sie bevorzugen oder auch meiden und dieses stets in Abhängigkeit von der Jahres- und Tageszeit. Daraus lassen sich potentiell prädationsgefährdete Bereiche in den verschiedenen Lebensphasen von Birkhühnern aufzeigen (Brut, Küken, Jungtiere, Winter), die z.B. durch Pflegemaßnahmen unattraktiv für Prädatoren gestaltet werden können. Darüber hinaus sind die Telemetrieergebnisse ebenfalls für ein verbessertes Prädatorenmanagement von grundlegender Bedeutung. So lassen sich aus den Aufzuchtstätten von Prädatoren und der Raumnutzung während der Aufzucht geeignete Standorte für Fallensysteme ableiten bzw. die Einwanderung von Prädatoren in potentielle Birkhuhnbruthabitate einschränken.

Folgende Fragestellungen und Ziele sollen mit dem vorliegenden Untersuchungskonzept verfolgt werden:

a.Welche Landschaftselemente werden durch bestimmte Prädatoren (Habicht, Fuchs, Marder) in den Birkhuhnkerngebieten in Verbindung mit dem umliegenden wald- und landwirtschaftlichen Flächen (edge-effect) genutzt?
b.Gibt es dabei eine jahreszeitliche Präferenz in Abhängigkeit vom Angebot an Landschaftselementen, insbesondere zur Aufzuchtzeit oder bei der Überwinterung?
c.Berechnung der Prädatorendichte bei den Raubsäugern über ein Fotofallenmonitoring und Abschätzung der Effektivität der Prädatorenbejagung
d.Wie lassen sich die verschiedenen Managementkonzepte in den Birkhuhnbiotopen (NSG Lüneburger Heide, Rheinmetall) anhand der Erkenntnisse zur Prädatorendichte und Raumnutzung für den Birkhuhnschutz optimieren?

Darüber hinaus können begleitende Untersuchungen zum genetischen Austausch der Subpopulation, der Migration und der Landschaftskonnektivität unterstützt und der "Aktionsplan Birkhuhn Lüneburger Heide" durch wissenschaftliche Expertise und Erkenntnisse vorangetrieben werden.

Project Details:
This project aims to optimize radiation protection and image quality for typical indications for X-ray examinations on cattle. For this purpose, it is necessary to carry out area and personal dose measurements with thermoluminescence dosimeters during these X-ray examinations.