Jan C. Ruppert: Assistant Professor

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Forschungsinteresse

Ich bin Pflanzenökologe mit einem starken Interesse an Vegetationsdynamiken in Trockengebieten. Meine Forschung versucht die Dynamiken zwischen biotischen und abiotischen Eigenschaften von Ökosystemen und deren Einfluss auf wichtige Ökosystem-Dienstleistungen und -Zustände, wie Primärproduktion, Vegetations-Zusammensetzung und Biodiversität zu verstehen. Insbesondere interessiert mich auch das Zusammenspiel dieser Faktoren bezüglich der Stabilität von Ökosystemen gegenüber Störungen und Extremereignissen (v.a. Beweidung & Dürre; Ruppert et al. 2015). In den letzten Jahren habe ich diese Fragestellungen aus verschiedenen Perspektiven betrachtet: Von globalen Studien (Ruppert et al. 2012, 2015) über Studien auf Landschafts- bis hin zu Habitatsniveau; auf Basis von funktionellen Gruppen (Linstädter et al. 2014) und Pflanzen-Merkmalen (Moreno García et al. 2014) bis hin zu Betrachtungen auf Niveau von verschiedenen Ökosystemdienstleistungen (Guuroh et al., 2018). Meine wissenschaftliche Arbeit weist zudem auch einen starken Methodenpluralismus auf: Ich bin vertraut mit meta-analytischen Arbeiten, also auch mit Monitoring und Sampling entlang natürlicher Gradienten, als auch mit der Planung und Durchführung von mechanistischen Feldexperimenten (Limpopo Living Landscapes, NamTip). In jüngster Zeit habe ich mich dem schnell an Bedeutung gewinnenden Feld des Near-Surface Remote Sensing zugewandt (Smart Monitoring of Vegetation). Die Stärken dieser Methoden sehe ich vor allem in der Effizienzsteigerung bzgl. der Datenerhebung - im Vergleich zu klassischen Feldmethoden - ohne Kompromisse bei der Genauigkeit oder Qualität der erhobenen Daten eingehen zu müssen. Ich habe langjährige Erfahrung in der Forschung in Gras- und Savannen-Systemen des südlichen Afrikas (v.a. Südafrika, Namibia), daneben aber auch Erfahrungen mit Trockengebieten anderer Erdteile (z.B. Nordamerikanische als auch Israelische Gras- und Buschlandschaften), sowie selbstverständlich mit der mitteleuropäischen Flora.

Current Projects

NamTip: Understanding and managing desertification tipping points in dryland social-ecological systems of Namibia (Role: Subproject-PI)
BIODESERT: Biological feedbacks and ecosystem resilience under global change (Role: Steering Committee Member; Data Partner)
Smart Monitoring of Vegetation: Using UAV-based remote sensing to monitor natural rangeland vegetation (Role: PI)
DroughtAct: Studying Climate Change mitigation strategies in dry rangelands of Southern Africa (Role: Research Associate; Former PostDoc)

Further Information

Professional Experience

2016 - ongoing	Assistant Professor Plant Ecology Group, University of Tübingen
2014 - 2016	Postdoc in BMBF funded project 'LLL - Limpopo Living Landscapes' Range Ecology and Range Management Group, University of Cologne, Germany
2010 - 2014	Scientific Staff / Cooperative Researcher DFG funded 'Resilience, Collapse and Reorganisation in Social-Ecological Systems of African Savannas' Range Ecology and Range Management Group, University of Cologne, Germany Crop Science Group, University Bonn, Germany
2010	Scientific Assistant Department of Ecological Modelling, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ Leipzig, Germany
2007 - 2010	Research Student Range Ecology and Range Management Group, University of Cologne, Germany

Scholarships & Grants

2019 - 2022	NamTip: Understanding and Managing Desertification Tipping Points in Dryland Social-Ecological Systems – A Namibian Perspective, BMBF (provisional commitment of acceptance)
2016 - 2019	Research Associate, Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre, University of Limpopo, South Africa
2015 - 2017	UoC PostDoc Grant, "You get what you pay for? Putting inexpensive Remote Sensing Technologies to the test in Vegetation Ecology", awarded by the University of Cologne
2011 - 2013	Full, merit-based PhD-scholarship of the Foundation of German Business (Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft, sdw; www.sdw.org)
2011 - 2014	Fellow of the Theodor-Brinkmann-Graduate-School, University Bonn (www.tbgs.uni-bonn.de)

Academic Education

2014	PhD in Ecology (Dr. rer. nat.), University of Cologne, Germany. Topic: Advancing Functional Understanding of Primary Production in Drylands: Insights from a Data-Integration Approach. Supervisors: Anja Linstädter, Michael Bonkowski & Hartmut Arndt, (University of Cologne) & Stefan Porembski (University of Rostock) [Download Thesis]
2010 - 2014	PhD studies in Ecology (Focus: Plant and Rangeland Ecology), University of Cologne, Germany.
2009	State Examination in Biology (MSc equivalent), University of Cologne, Germany. Topic: Meta-analysis of the Rain-Use Efficiency in arid and semi-arid environments by the use of long-term monitoring sites. Supervisors: Dr. Anja Linstädter, University of Cologne & Prof. Dr. Helmut Hillebrand, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Germany
2004 - 2009	Studies of Biology and German Linguistic and Literature, University of Cologne, Germany.

Publications

Guuroh, R.T., Ruppert, J.C., Ferner, F., Čanak, K., Schmidtlein, S. & A. Linstädter. 2018. Drivers of forage provision and erosion control in West African savannas — A macroecological perspective. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 251: 257-267. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2017.09.017

Oomen, R.J., Linstädter, A., Ruppert, J.C., Brüser, K., Schellberg, J. & F. Ewert. 2016. Effect of Management on Rangeland Phytomass, Cover and Condition in Two Biomes in South Africa. African Journal of Range & Forage Science 33(3): 185-198. dx.doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2016.1218368

Ruppert, J.C., Harmoney, K., Henkin, Z., Snyman, H.A., Sternberg, M., Willms, W., & A. Linstädter. 2015. Quantifying drylands’ drought resistance and recovery: The importance of drought intensity, dominant life history and grazing regime. Global Change Biology 21(3): 1258-1270. dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12777 [Download]

Linstädter, A., Schellberg, J., Brüser, K., Moreno-García, C., Oomen, R.J., du Preez, C., Ruppert, J.C. & F. Ewert. 2014. Are There Consistent Grazing Indicators in Drylands? Testing Plant Functional Types of Various Complexity in South Africa’s Grassland and Savanna Biomes. PLoS ONE 9(8): e104672. dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0104672 (Open Access)

Ruppert, J.C. & A. Linstädter. 2014. Convergence between ANPP estimation methods in grasslands - a practical solution to the comparability dilemma. Ecological Indicators, 36:524-531. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.09.008 [Download PrePrint]

Brüser, K., Feilhauer, H., Schellberg, J., Linstädter, A., Oomen, R.J., Ruppert, J.C. & F. Ewert. 2014. Discrimination and Characterization of Management Systems in semi-arid Rangelands of South Africa using RapidEye Time Series. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 35:1653-1673. dx.doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2014.882028

Moreno García, C.A., Schellberg, J., Ewert, F., Brüser, K., Canales-Prati, P., Linstädter, A., Oomen, R.J., Ruppert, J.C. & S.B. Perelman. 2014. Response of community-aggregated plant functional traits along grazing gradients: insights from African semi-arid grasslands. Applied Vegetation Science, 17:470-481. dx.doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12092

Moreno García, C.A., Schellberg, J., Ewert, F., Linstädter, A., Ruppert, J.C., Perelman, SB. 2013. Functional Responses of South African Rangelands in Contrasting Tenure Systems. Conference Proceedings of the 22nd International Grassland Congress, 15th - 19th September 2013, Sydney, Australia. [Download Proceedings]

Ruppert, J.C., Holm, A., Miehe, S., Muldavin, E., Snyman, H.A., Wesche, K., Linstädter, A. 2012. Meta-analysis of rain-use efficiency confirms indicative value for degradation and supports non-linear response along precipitation gradients. Journal of Vegetation Science 23(6): 1035-1050. dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2012.01420.x [Download PrePrint]

Conference Contributions, Keynotes & Invited Talks

Ruppert, J.C. 2016. Climate Change in Global Rangelands: A Dryland Ecologists Perspective (Keynote Talk). 10th International Rangeland Congress, 16th - 22nd July 2016, Saskatoon, Canada. [Conference Paper, page 88ff.]

Ruppert, J.C., Linstädter, A. 2016. The Good, the Bad and the Rainfall - Drylands’ Stability towards positive and negative Rainfall Anomalies. PopBio 2016, 5th - 7th May, Trebon, Czech Republic.

Ruppert, J.C., Linstädter, A. 2015. Is „good“ rainfall as good as „bad“ is bad? Drylands‘ stability towards positive and negative rainfall anomalies. Conference of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GfÖ), 31st August - 4th September 2013, University of Goettingen, Germany.

Ruppert, J.C., 2014. Quantifying drylands’ drought resistance and recovery: The importance of drought intensity, dominant life history and grazing regime. Evolution and Ecology Seminar Series, Host: Prof. Dr. Katja Tielbörger, University of Tübingen, Germany

Ruppert, J.C. & A. Linstädter, 2013. Savanna or Grassland - Which biome is more resilient to anomalies in precipitation? A data fusion study in arid and semi-arid Africa. Conference of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GfÖ), 9th August - 13th September 2013, University Potsdam, Germany.

Ruppert, J.C., A. Linstädter, 2013. Convergence between ANPP estimation methods in grasslands - a practical solution to the comparability dilemma (Poster). Poster presentation at the Bastheva de Rothschild Seminar on "Coordinated approaches for studying long-term ecosystem responses to global change" in Ramat Hanadiv Park, Israel. [Download Poster]

Ruppert, J.C., 2013. Rangeland Productivity in Drylands - Insights from a Global Database of Long-Term Studies. Meteorological Colloquium, Host: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Cubasch, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany (http://www.geo.fu-berlin.de/en/met/ag/klimod/index.html).

Ruppert, J.C., Ewert, F., Linstädter, A. 2012. Drivers of dryland productivity – Insights from a global meta-analysis. EcoSummit 2012, Sept 30th - Oct 5th 2012, Columbus OH, USA. [Abstract, page 345]

Moreno García, C.A., J. Schellberg, F. Ewert, A. Linstädter, J.C. Ruppert, S.B. Perelman, 2012. Response of Communities Plant Functional Traits Along Grazing Gradients on South African Rangelands. Tropentag, Sept 19th - 21th 2012, Göttingen - Kassel/Witzenhausen, Germany.

Ruppert, J.C.& A. Linstädter, 2011. Aboveground Net Primary Production and Rain-use Efficiency in Drylands - Results and Insights from a Meta-analytical Perspective. Tropentag, Oct 5th - 7th 2011, Bonn, Germany. [Abstract]

Ruppert, J.C., A. Linstädter, 2010. Rain-use efficiency: A concept revisited. Recent challenges and possible approaches. 40th Anniversary Conference of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GfÖ), 30th August - 3rd September 2010, Gießen, Germany.

Ruppert, J.C., A. Linstädter, 2010. Analyzing the rain-use efficiency: New insights by meta-analysis and quantile regression. 95th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America (ESA), Aug 1st - 6th 2010, Pittsburgh PA, USA. [Abstract]

Miscellaneous

Joe DeCapua interviews Jan Ruppert about drylands’ vulnerability to climate change on the Voice of America.