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The Ecophysiology group conducts research to contribute to a better understanding of tropical coastal ecosystems and reasons for success or failure of organisms living there.
Our work focuses on ecologically or economically important key organisms occurring in “extreme” environments like the intertidal or upwelling areas. We investigate their physiological mechanisms of acclimation and adaptation. At present, our work focuses on the impacts of anthropogenic influences, especially climate change.

Organisms apply different strategies to deal with environmental changes and resulting influences on metabolic processes. Comparative approaches are a powerful tool to understand these complex interactions between organisms and their environment. We therefore investigate:

- energy metabolism and influence of O2, CO2 and temperature
- oxygen uptake, transport and processing in organs / cells
- ontogenesis and resilience
- direct reactions and changes in behaviour due to stress

The successful breeding and maintenance of organisms for aquaristics and aquaculture demands knowledge about thresholds and sensibilities of the target organisms with regard to environmental parameters. Larvae, juveniles and adult specimens can possess widely deviating tolerance limits. We therefore work with different life stages.

Group leader
Dr. Andreas Kunzmann

Scientists
Dr. Mirta Teichberg

PhD students
Gunilla Baum
Pia Kegler
Friedrich Meyer
Tri Dewi Pribadi
Hoang Trung Du

MSc/BSc students
Marisol Beltran
Florian Borda
Jana Holler
Kati Michalek

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