Life history of Pleistocene foxes: Reconstruction of paleo-synanthropism
Description: Isotope study of teeth and mandibles of individual Pleistocene foxes previously identified as paleo-synanthropes (Baumann et al. 2020) to determine when in the animals' lives the trophic impact of humans occurred.
Methods: Lab work (collagen extraction, δ13C & δ15N analysis), statistical modeling (R knowledge required, MixSIAR diet modeling, SIBER niche modeling)
Suitable for: M.Sc. ASHE (Zooarchaeology, Archaeometry), M.Sc. Geosciences (Geoecology, Paleontology)
Specialist supervisor: Dr. Chris Baumann
Reconstruction of the early phase in wolf domestication
Description: Isotope study of teeth and mandibles of different individual Magdalenian wolves in an early domestication phase from the Hegau Jura to determine when in the animals' lives a trophic impact of humans occurred.
Methods: Lab work (collagen extraction, δ13C & δ15N analysis), statistical modeling (R knowledge required, MixSIAR diet modeling, SIBER niche modeling)
Suitable for: M.Sc. ASHE (Zooarchaeology, Archaeometry)
Specialist supervisor: Dr. Chris Baumann
Life history of modern wildcats and domestic cats
Description: Isotope study of hair, whiskers, ribs, and vertebras of different individual wildcats and domestic cats from Thuringia to determine if there is a trophic niche overlap of both species and if this pattern changed over the life time of these animals.
Methods: Lab work (collagen extraction, δ13C & δ15N analysis), statistical modeling (R knowledge required, SIBER niche modeling, ecological niche reconstruction)
Suitable for: M.Sc. ASHE (Zooarchaeology, Archaeometry), M.Sc. Biology (Zoology)
Specialist supervisor: Dr. Chris Baumann
Small mammal isotopes and climate reconstruction
Description: Isotope study of Pleistocene small mammal teeth from the Swabian Jura to test if the results are suitable for climate reconstruction (Challenge of dentin contaminated enamel samples).
Methods: Lab work (carbonate pretreatment, δ13C & δ18O analysis), statistical modeling (R knowledge required, SIBER niche modeling, ecological niche reconstruction, climate reconstruction)
Suitable for: M.Sc. ASHE (Zooarchaeology, Archaeometry), M.Sc. Geosciences (Geoecology, Paleontology), B.Sc. Geosciences
Specialist supervisor: Dr. Chris Baumann
Isotopic fingerprint of ecosystems
Description: Isotope study of modern plant samples from different localities in the Ammer Valley to study if there is a possible isotopic fingerprint of ecosystems.
Methods: Field work (collecting plants), lab work (plant preparation, δ13C & δ15N analysis), statistical modeling (R knowledge required, SIBER niche modeling, ecological niche reconstruction)
Suitable for: M.Sc. ASHE (Archaeobotanical), M.Sc. Biology (Botany), M.Sc. Geoscience (Geoecology)
Specialist supervisor: Dr. Martin Ebner, Dr. Chris Baumann