Benjamin Wildermuth

iDiv Flexpool project "CAFE", main PI: Anne Ebeling at the University of Jena (Population Ecology Group)

My focus lies on different facets of arthropod ecology, from trophic interactions to biodiversity research, covering community ecology and BEF questions across spatial scales and ecosystems. After previous work on termites in a thornbush savanna and arthropod communities in managed forests, I now explore how plant diversity and land use drive arthropod diversity and functioning in grasslands over time.

Wildermuth, B., Hagge, J., Seifert, C. L., Tjaden, R., & Schuldt, A. (2024). Beneficial effects of native broadleaved forests on canopy beetle diversity are not reduced by admixture of non-native conifers. Journal of Applied Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14623

Wildermuth, B.*, Penanhoat, A.*, Sennhenn-Reulen, H., Matevski, D., Drescher, J., Aubry-Kientz, M., Seidel, D., & Schuldt, A. (2024). Canopy structure influences arthropod communities within and beyond tree identity effects: Insights from combining LiDAR data, insecticidal fogging and machine learning regression modelling. Ecological Indicators, 160, 111901.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.111901

Wildermuth, B., Seifert, C. L., Husemann, M., & Schuldt, A. (2023). Metabarcoding reveals that mixed forests mitigate negative effects of non‐native trees on canopy arthropod diversity. Ecological Applications, 33:e2921. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2921

Wildermuth, B., Dönges, C., Matevski, D., Penanhoat, A., Seifert, C. L., Seidel, D., Scheu, S., & Schuldt, A. (2023). Tree species identity, canopy structure and prey availability differentially affect canopy spider diversity and trophic composition. Oecologia, 203:37–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-023-05447-1

Wildermuth, B., Fardiansah, R., Matevski, D., Lu, J.-Z., Kriegel, P., Scheu, S., & Schuldt, A. (2023). Conifers and non-native tree species shift trophic niches of generalist arthropod predators in Central European beech forests. BMC Ecology and Evolution, 23:3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02105-1

Schuldt, A., Huke, P., Glatthorn, J., Hagge, J., Wildermuth, B., & Matevski, D. (2022). Tree mixtures mediate negative effects of introduced tree species on bird taxonomic and functional diversity. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59:3049–3060. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14300

Wildermuth, B., Oldeland, J., Arning, C., Gunter, F., Strohbach, B., & Juergens, N. (2022). Spatial patterns and life histories of Macrotermes michaelseni termite mounds reflect intraspecific competition: Insights of a temporal comparison spanning 12 years. Ecography, 2022:e06306. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.06306

Wildermuth, B., Oldeland, J., & Juergens, N. (2021). A beneficial relationship: Associated trees facilitate termite colonies (Macrotermes michaelseni) in Namibia. Ecosphere, 12:e03671. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3671