Curriculum vitae
| Since 01/2023 | Postdoctoral researcher and research manager, Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg |
| 2022 | Postdoctoral researcher, Animal Ecology Research Group and Conservation Ecology Research Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Marburg |
| 2019 | Research stay, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands |
| 2017 – 2019 | Fieldwork, Białowieża Geobotanical Station, University of Warsaw, Poland |
| 2017 – 2021 | Doctoral candidate, Nature Conservation Ecology Working Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Marburg. Dissertation topic:“Integrating animal seed dispersal into plant regeneration” |
| 2015 – 2016 | Research stay, Plant Ecology Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, United Kingdom |
| 2014 – 2017 | Master of Science in Biodiversity and Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Marburg. Master’s thesis topic: “The effect of density and nutrient supply on biomass production and allocation: a study with 43 grassland species” |
| 2011 – 2014 | Bachelor of Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Marburg |
Research
My research focuses on ecological and evolutionary processes that maintain species diversity and interactions in a human-dominated world. My research is not limited to a specific scale or organism. Only the goal of my research remains the same in all projects: to find ways to reconcile the well-being of humans and nature. I am currently coordinating the DFG project MultiTroph.
Teaching
- WS 23/24: B.Sc. module (3112) Spannungsfeld Mensch und Natur: Wege zu einer nachhaltigen Zukunft
- WS 25/26: M.Sc. module (13036/3127) From thesis to publication
Publications
- Matthiesen, F.K., Rehling, F., Nolte, G., Arjana, I. G., Sundawati, L. & Bögeholz, S. (2026): University students’ utility value of learning about a local or nonlocal environmental socioscientific issue: Written reflections and instructional contexts. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.70066
- Fardiansah, R., Rehling, F., Cordeiro Pereira, J.M., Heiderich, L., Stör, J.L., Rothacher, J., Müller, J. & Klein, A.M. (2026): Structural complexity and prey availability shape spider communities under retention forestry. Journal of Applied Ecology 63: e70415. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.70415
- Klein, A.M., Bruelheide, H., Chesters, D., Diekötter, T., Erfmeier, A., Feldhaar, H., Fornoff, F., Grozinger, C., Kranke, N., Liang, Y., Liu, X., Luo, A., Oelmann, Y., Orr, M., Petermann, J.S., Qiao, H., Rehling, F., Sann, M., Scholten, T., Schuldt, A., Seitz, S., Staab, M., Thorn, S., Wang, M.Q., Xiao, Z.S., Zhang, N. & Zhu, C.D. (2026): MultiTroph: Multi-trophic interactions in a forest biodiversity experiment in China. Research Ideas and Outcomes 12: e181743. https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.12.e181743
- Beutelmann, S., Rehling, F. & Hending, D. (2026): Habitat suitability modelling and environmental drivers of Malagasy fruit bats (Pteropodidae). Biodiversity and Conservation 35: 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-025-03229-0
- Pinkert, S., Reuber, V., Krug, L.M., Heidrich, L., Rehling, F., Brandl, R. & Farwig, N. (2025): Burrowing facilitated the survival of mammals in harsh and fluctuating climates. Current Biology 35: 1779–1790.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.02.064
- Fardiansah, R., Rehling, F., Rappa, N., Dormann, C.F. & Klein, A.M. (2025): Host identity, nest quality, and parasitism strategy: influences on body size variation in parasitoid bees and wasps. Oikos 2025: e011052. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.11052
- Matthiesen, F.K., Nolte, G., Rehling, F., Arjana, I.G., Sitompul, L.U., Yelianti, U. & Bögeholz, S. (2025): Spatial and social relevance perceptions by pre-service teachers of learning about oil palm management as a local or nonlocal socioscientific issue. Frontiers in Education 9: 1421716. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1421716
- Farwig, N., Sprenger, P., Baur, B., Böhning-Gaese, K., Brandt, A., Eisenhauer, N., Ellwanger, G., Hochkirch, A., Karamanlidis, A.A., Mehring, M., Pusch, M., Rehling, F., Sommerwerk, N., Spatz, T., Svenning, J-C., Tischew, S., Tockner, K., Tscharntke, T., Vadrot, A.B.M., Taffner, J., Fürst, C., Jähnig, S.C. & Mosbrugger, V. (2024): Identifying major factors for success and failure of conservation programs in Europe. Environmental Management 75: 425–443. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-024-02086-x
- Lehmann, P., Ellerbrok, J.S., Farwig, N., Rheinschmitt, C., Voigt, C.C., Rehling, F. (2024): Windenergienutzung im Wald: Auswirkungen auf den Artenschutz und regulatorische Lösungsansätze. Natur und Landschaft 99: 521–531. https://doi.org/10.19217/NuL2024-11-01
- Rehling, F., Jongejans, E., Farwig, N. & Schabo, D.G. (2024): Quantifying the mutualism-antagonism continuum for seed removal by a granivorous disperser. Basic and Applied Ecology 76: 35–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2024.02.005
- Ellerbrok, J.S., Farwig, N., Peter, F., Rehling, F. & Voigt, C.C. (2023): Forest gaps around wind turbines attract bat species with high collision risk. Biological Conservation 288: 110347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110347
- Rehling, F., Delius, A., Ellerbrok, J., Farwig, N. & Peter, F. (2023): Windenergieanlagen in Wirtschaftswäldern verdrängen häufige Vogelarten. Natur und Landschaft 98: 365–371. DOI: 10.19217/NuL2023-08-01
- Thiel, S., Willems, F., Farwig, N., Rehling, F., et al. & Heer, K. (2023): Vertically stratified frugivore community composition and interaction frequency in a liana fruiting across forest strata. Biotropica 55: 650–664. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13216
- Rehling, F., Jongejans, E., Schlautmann, J., Albrecht, J., Fassbender, H., Jaroszewicz, B., Matthies, D., Waldschmidt, L., Farwig, N. & Schabo, D.G. (2023): Common seed dispersers contribute most to the persistence of a fleshy-fruited tree. Communications Biology 6: 330. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04647-y
- Niu, H., Rehling, F., Chen, Z., Yue, X., Zhao, H., Wang, Z., Zhang, H., Schabo, D.G. & Farwig, N. (2023): Regeneration of urban forests as influenced by fragmentation, seed dispersal mode and the legacy effect of reforestation interventions. Landscape and Urban Planning 233: 104712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104712
- Rehling, F., Delius, A., Ellerbrok, J., Farwig, N., & Peter, F. (2023): Wind turbines in managed forests partially displace common birds. Journal of Environmental Management 328: 116968. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116968
- Rehling, F., Schlautmann, J., Jaroszewicz, B., Albrecht, J., Schabo, D. G. & Farwig, N. (2022): Forest degradation limits complementarity and quality of animal seed dispersal. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 289: 20220391. http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0391
- Rehling, F., Jaroszewicz, B., Schlautmann, J., Albrecht, J., Jordano, P., Farwig, N. & Schabo, D. G. (2021): Within-species trait variation can lead to size limitations in seed dispersal of small-fruited plants. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9: 698885. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.698885
- Schlautmann J., Rehling F., Albrecht J., Jaroszewicz B., Schabo D.G. & Farwig N. (2021): Observing frugivores or collecting scats: a method comparison to construct quantitative seed dispersal networks. Oikos 130: 1359–1369. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.08175
- Rehling, F., Sandner, T. M. & Matthies, D. (2021): Biomass partitioning in response to intraspecific competition depends on nutrients and species characteristics: a study of 43 grassland species. Journal of Ecology 109: 2219–2233. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13635
- Rehling, F., Matthies, D. & Sandner, T. M. (2019): Responses of a legume to inbreeding and the intensity of novel and familiar stresses. Ecology and Evolution 9: 1255–1267. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4831
- Westhook A., Field E., Rehling F., Mulley G., Webb I., Poole P.S. & Turnbull L.A. (2017): Policing the legume-Rhizobium symbiosis: a critical test of partner choice. Scientific Reports 7: 1419. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01634-2
Weitere Publikationen (nicht peer reviewed)
- Langer, L., Classen, P., Müller, F., Friedrich, C., Claasen, F., Abel, L., Maurer, J., Rehling, F. & Krüger, F. (2021): Online-Methodenkoffer. Together on Earth – weltwärts Alumni e.V. https://together-on-earth.net/online-methodenkoffer
Honours and awards
- Merian Award of the Society for Tropical Ecology (GTÖ) for the talk “Animal carrion decomposition and decomposers are influenced by canopy cover, topography, ants and tree species richness in a subtropical forest biodiversity experiment” at the European Conference of Tropical Ecology 2024, Lisbon
- Award for excellent teaching, University of Marburg, 2021
Functions, offices and memberships
- Member of the GfÖ (Gesellschaft für Ökologie für Deutschland, Österreich und die Schweiz)
- Member of the GTÖ (Gesellschaft für Tropenökologie)