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PD Dr. Bettina Weber
Research group leader

Faculty of Biology, Plant Ecology and Systematics
University of Kaiserslautern, Building 13/217
67663 Kaiserslautern
Phone: 0049 (0)631 205 2810
Fax: 0049 (0)631 205 2998
mailto: weberb@rhrk.uni-kl.de
RESEARCH | TEACHING | PUBLICATIONS

Since 2008 I am leading the research group "Functional Ecology" within our department. My research focuses on the functional spatial analysis of ecological processes under consideration of land use effects and global change.

Research topics

Functional spatial analysis of plant diversity and distribution patterns.


Effects of disturbance (land utilization, climate change) on the functional diversity of vascular plants and biological soil crusts.


Modelling of local, ecosystem and global nutrient fluxes (C, N) as caused by biological crusts.


Vegetation development in arid and semiarid regions under consideration of different utilization scenarios vegetation comprises vascular plants and biological soil crusts.


Biogenic weathering mechanisms caused by cryptogams and their geomorphological and ecosystem effects.

Large-scale biological soil crust classification by means of hyperspectral remote sensing technology









 
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Publications

Elbert, W., Weber, B., Burrows, S., Steinkamp, J., Büdel, B., Andreae, M.O. & Pöschl, U. (submitted): Impact of cryptogamic covers on the global cycles of carbon and nitrogen. Nature Geosciences.

Kunz, N.S. & Weber, B. (submitted): Effects of heuweltjies and utilization on vegetation patterns in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa. Journal of Arid Environments.

Weber, B., Graf, T. & Bass, M. (in press): Ecophysiological analysis of moss-dominated biological soil crusts and their separate components from the Succulent Karoo, South Africa. Planta. DOI 10.1007/s00425-012-1595-0.
Colesie, C., Scheu, S., Green, T.G.A., Weber, B., Wirth, R. & Büdel, B. (in press): The advantage of growing on moss: facilitative effects on photosynthetic performance and growth in the cyanobacterial lichen Peltigera rufescens. Oecologia. DOI 10.1007/s00442-011-2224-5.
Dojani, S., Büdel, B., Deutschewitz, K. & Weber, B. (2011): Rapid succession of biological soil crusts after experimental disturbance in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa. Applied Soil Ecology 48: 263-269.

Weber, B., Scherr, C., Bicker, F., Friedl, T. & Büdel, B. (2011): Respiration-induced weathering patterns of two endolithically growing lichens. Geobiology 9: 34-43.

Weber, B. & Büdel, B. (2011): Endoliths. In: Reitner, J. & Thiel, V. (eds.): Encyclopedia of Geobiology: pp. 348-354, Springer, Heidelberg.

Weber, B. & Büdel, B. (2011): Fungi and lichens. In: Reitner, J. & Thiel, V. (eds.): Encyclopedia of Geobiology: pp. 401-410. Springer, Heidelberg.

Schmiedel, U., Linke, T., Christiaan, R.A., Falk, T., Gröngröft, A., Haarmeyer, D.H., Hanke, W., Henstock, R., Hoffman, M.T., Kunz, N., Labitzky, T., Luther-Mosebach, J., Lutsch, N., Meyer, S., Petersen, A., Röwer, I.U., van der Merwe, H., van Rooyen, M.W., Vollan, B., Weber, B. (2010): Environmental and socio-economic patterns and processes in the Succulent Karoo – frame conditions for the management of this biodiversity hotspot. In: Hoffman, M.T., Schmiedel, U., Jürgens, N. (eds.): Biodiversity in southern Africa. Volume 3: Implications for landuse and management: pp. 109-150, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek.

Büdel, B., Deutschewitz, K., Dojani, S., Friedl, T., Darienko, T., Mohr, K. & Weber, B. (2010): Biological soil crusts along the BIOTA Southern Africa transects. In: Schmiedel, U., Jürgens, N. (eds.): Biodiversity in southern Africa. Volume 2: Patterns and processes at regional scale: pp. 93-99, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek.

Weber, B., Olehowski, C., Deutschewitz, K. & Büdel, B. (2010): Mapping of biological soil crusts in the Succulent Karoo using hyperspectral remote sensing data. In: Schmiedel, U., Jürgens, N. (eds.): Biodiversity in southern Africa. Volume 2: Patterns and processes at regional scale: pp. 158-162, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek.

Haarmeyer, D.H., Luther-Mosebach, J., Dengler, J., Schmiedel, U., Finckh, M., Berger, K., Deckert, J., Domptail, S.E., Dreber, N., Gibreel, T., Grohmann, C., Gröngröft, A., Haensler, A., Hanke, W., Hoffmann, A., Husted, L.B., Kangombe, F.N., Keil, M., Krug, C.B., Labitzky, T., Linke, T., Mager, D., Mey, W., Muche, G., Naumann, C., Pellowski, M., Powrie, L.W., Pröpper, M., Rutherford, M.C., Schneiderat, U., Strohbach, B.J., Vohland, K., Weber, B., Wesuls, D., Wisch, U., Zedda, L., Büdel, B., Darienko, T., Deutschewitz, K., Dojani, S., Erb, E., Falk, T., Friedl, T., Kanzler, S.-E., Limpricht, C., Linsenmair, K.E., Mohr, K., Oliver, T., Petersen, A., Rambold, G., Zeller, U., Austermühle, R., Bausch, J., Bösing, B.M., Classen, N., Dorendorf, J., Dorigo, W., Esler, K., Etzold, S., Graiff, A., Grotehusmann, L., Hecht, J., Hoyer, P., Kongor, R.Y., Lang, H., Lieckfeld, L.A.B., Oldeland, J., Peters, J., Röwer, I.U., September, Z.M., Sop, T.K., van Rooyen, M.W., Weber, J., Willer, J., Jürgens, N. (2010): The BIOTA Observatories. In: Jürgens, N., Haarmeyer, D.H., Luther-Mosebach, J., Dengler, J., Finckh, M., Schmiedel, U. (eds.): Biodiversity in southern Africa. Volume 1: Patterns at local scale – the BIOTA Observatories: pp. 6-801, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek.

Elbert, W., Weber, B., Büdel, B., Andreae, M.O. & Pöschl, U. (2009): Microbiotic crusts on soil, rock and plants: neglected major players in the global cycles of carbon and nitrogen. Biogeosciences Discussion 6: 6983-7015.

Büdel, B., Darienko, T., Deutschewitz, K., Dojani, S., Friedl, T., Mohr, K., Salisch, M., Reisser, W. & Weber, B. (2009): Southern African biological soil crusts are ubiquitous and highly diverse in drylands, being restricted by rainfall frequency. Microbial Ecology 57(2): 229-47.

Weber, B., Olehowski, C., Knerr, T., Hill, J., Deutschwitz, K., Wessels, D.C.J., Eitel, B. & Büdel, B. (2008): A new approach for mapping of Biological Soil Crusts in semidesert areas with hyperspectral imagery. Remote Sensing of Environment 112: 2187-2201.

Weber, B. (2008): Medieval churches as an essential habitat of saxicolous lichens in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Schriftenreihe der deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften 59: 282-290.

Weber, B., Scherr, C., Reichenberger, H. & Büdel, B. (2007): Fast reactivation by high air humidity and photosynthetic performance of alpine lichens growing endolithically in limestone. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research 39(2): 309-317.

Berger, J., Büdel, B., Lakatos, M., Laube, S., Weber, B. & Wirth, R. (eds., 2006) Connecting microbes, plants, animals, and human impact. 19th annual conference of the Society for Tropical Ecology (GTÖ). University of Kaiserslautern, Germany.

Loris, K., Deutschewitz, K., Dojani, S., Pfiz, M., Reisser, W., Salisch, M., Weber, B., Wessels, D.C.J. & Büdel, B. (2005): Biological Soil Crusts (BSCs): biodiversity, functional diversity, their environmental determinants and role in the ecosystem. Biodiversity and Global Change Status Report 2005: 101-102.
Büdel, B., Weber, B., Kühl, M., Pfanz, H., Sültemeyer, D. & Wessels, D. (2004): Reshaping of sandstone surfaces by cryptoendolithic cyanobacteria: bioalkalisation causes chemical weathering in arid landscapes. Geobiology 2: 261-268.

Wirth, R., Weber, B. & Ryel, R.J. (2001): Spatial and temporal variability of canopy structure in a tropical moist forest. Acta Oecologia 22: 235-244.

Weber, B. & Büdel, B. (2001): Mapping and analysis of distribution patterns of lichens on rural medieval churches in north-eastern Germany. Lichenologist 33(3): 231-248.

Weber, B. (2001): Erfassung und Analyse der Verbreitungsmuster von Flechten an Kirchen Mecklenburgs unter Anwendung Geographischer Informationssysteme (GIS). Dissertationes Botanicae 342: 1-256.

Weber, B. & Büdel, B. (2001): Flechten an mittelalterlichen Feldsteinkirchen in Mecklenburg; Vielfalt, Ökologie und Einwirkungen auf das Gestein. In: Gesatzky, R. (ed.): Erhaltung und Instandsetzung von Feldsteinkirchen in Mecklenburg. Verlag Thomas Helms, Schwerin, S. 69-76.
Weber, B. (1998): Lichen flora of the Huyck Preserve: a study on species composition and individual demands on air quality. In:  Wyman, R.L. and C.J.P. Barker (eds.): Edmund Niles Huyck  Preserve and Biological Research Station Combined Annual Report for 1994-1995. The Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY. pp. 137-170.

Weber, B., Wessels, D.C.J. & Büdel, B. (1996): Biology and ecology of cryptoendolithic cyanobacteria of a sandstone outcrop in the Northern Province, South Africa. Algological Studies 83: 565-579.

Weber, B. (1994): Geologische Wanderungen in und um Würzburg. In: Umweltstation     Würzburg, Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk Landesverband Bayern e.V., Bayrisches     Staatsministerium für Landesentwicklung und Umweltfragen (eds.): Arbeitsmaterialien zu     stadtökologischen Themen am Beispiel der Stadt Würzburg. Quadflieg, Würzburg, S. 1-28.

Conference articles

Weber, B. (2011): Ecophysiological analysis of distribution patterns of moss-dominated soil crusts. 41st Annual Converence, Gesellschaft für Ökologie, September 5 to September 8, 2011, Oldenburg, Germany.

Weber, B., Elbert, W., Andreae, M.O., Pöschl, U. & Büdel, B. (2011). Biological Crusts: a forgotten component of the global carbon and nitrogen cycle? 3rd iLEAPS Science Conference, September 18 to September 23, 2011, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Weber, B. & Büdel, B. (2010): Biological Soil Crusts: response to short- and long-term disturbance and their global relevance. 40th Anniversary Converence Gesellschaft für Ökologie, August 30 to September 3 2010, Gießen, Germany. Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, S. 102.

Dojani, S., Büdel, B., Deutschewitz, K. & Weber, B. (2010): Rapid succession of Biological Soil Crusts after experimental disturbance in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa. In: Biological Soil Crusts in Ecosystems: Their Diversity, Ecology, and Management, August 22-25 2010, Zellingen-Retzbach, Germany. TU Kaiserslautern, S. 28.

Kunz, N.S. & Weber, B. (2009): The legacy of termites – How ancient termite nests influence today’s vegetation in South Africa. In: Joint Meeting of the Society for Tropical Ecology & the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, July 27 – 30 2009, Marburg, Germany. Philipps University, Marburg, S. 331.

Weber, B., Deutschewitz, K., Olehowski, C., Knerr, T., Hill, J. & Büdel, B. (2007): Klassifikation und Monitoring Biologischer Bodenkrusten (BSCs) anhand hyperspektraler Fernerkundungsdaten. In: Strobl, J., Blaschke, T. & Griesebner, G. (eds.): Angewandte Geoinformatik 2007. Beiträge zum 19. AGIT-Symposium Salzburg. Wichmann, Heidelberg, S. 850-851.

Lieckfeld, L., Oldeland, J., Weber, B., Schultz, C., Müller, A. & Schmidt, M. (2006): Use of hyperspectral data to assess the effects of different land use strategies on vegetation types in savannahs in Central Namibia. ESA Workshop Proceedings of the fourth CHRIS/Proba Workshop, 19-21 September 2006, Esrin Frascati, Italy.

Weber, B., Deutschewitz, K., Knerr, T., Dojani, S. & Büdel, B. (2005): Remote Sensing Techniques for long-term Monitoring of Biological Soil Crusts (BSCs) – A spectral Characterization. Proceedings of the International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Processing in the Assessment and Monitoring of Land Degradation and Desertification, 7-9 September 2005, Trier.

Weber, B., Deutschewitz, K., Schultz, C., Dojani, S. & Büdel, B. (2005): Development and Implementation of Remote Sensing Techniques for long-term Monitoring of Biological Soil Crusts (BSCs) – Utilization of CHRIS Proba Data for Upscaling and Classification. ESA (Special Publication) SP-593: Proceedings of the third CHRIS/Proba Workshop.

Hörsch, B.; Schultz, C.; Vogel, M.; Hanatschek, R.; Petersen, A.; Gröngröft, A.; Görke, C.; Uhlmann, E.; Büdel, B.; Weber, B.; Loris, K., Akhtar-Schuster, M.; Wolkenhauer, C.; Vohland, K.; Hoffmann, A.; Falk, T.; Kirk, M.; Schneiderat, U.; Bock, B.; Kellar, N.; Hewitson, B.; Hagemann, S.; Jakob, D. (2004): Remote sensing and GIS based monitoring for modelling of biodiversity change. In: Beck, E., Berendsohn, W.G., Boutros, M., Denich, M., Henle, K., Jürgens, N., Kirk, M., Wolters, V. (eds.) Sustainable use and conservation of biological diversity. A challenge for society. Proceedings of the International Symposium Berlin, 1-4 December 2003, Berlin, 135-137.

Büdel, B.; Deutschewitz, K; Dojani, S.; Hörsch, B.; Loris, K.; Rambold, G.; Reisser, W.; Salisch, M.; Schultz, C.; Weber, B.; Wirth, V.; Zedda, L. (2004): Biodiversity and ecology of biological soil crusts (BSCs): from the micro-scale to the ecosystem scale. In: Beck, E., Berendsohn, W.G., Boutros, M., Denich, M., Henle, K., Jürgens, N., Kirk, M., Wolters, V. (eds.) Sustainable use and conservation of biological diversity. A challenge for society. Proceedings of the International Symposium Berlin, 1-4 December 2003, Berlin, 142-144.

Weber, B., Siber, R., Büdel, B. & Rambold, G. (2002): Datenhaltung, Analyse und Darstellung der Biodiversität und Verbreitungsmuster biologischer Bodenkrusten anhand GIS. In: Strobl, J., Blaschke, T. & Griesebner, G. (eds.): Angewandte Geographische Informationsverarbeitung XIV. Wichmann, Heidelberg, S. 595-600.

Weber, B. (1999): Analyse der Verbreitungsmuster von Flechten mit GIS - Möglichkeiten und Grenzen. In: Strobl, J. und Blaschke, T. (eds.): Angewandte Geographische Informationsverarbeitung XI. Wichmann, Heidelberg, S. 539-550.
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Teaching

Courses

  • Since 2011:
    GIS and Remote Sensing in Ecology and Landscape Planning
    Lectures and seminar, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany.
    Development of the conceptual design and teaching

  • Since 1999 every other year:
    Advanced plant ecology course
    Lab, field, lectures, and seminar, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany.
    (Co-)Development of the conceptual design lectures, organisation, supervision of field trips ans data analysis.
  • Since 1998 every other year:
    Ecology and ecophysiology of non-vascular plants
    Lab, field, lectures, and seminar, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany.
    (Co)-Development of the conceptual design lectures, organisation, supervision of field trips ans data analysis.

  • 1999: Ecological, ecophysiological, and molecular aspects of biodiversity research.
    Literature seminar, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany
    Development of conceptual design and teaching.

  • Since 1996:
    Botanical field trips:
    Lectures and field, Universities of Rostock and Kaiserslautern, Germany.
    Development of conceptual design, lecture on habitat characterization (geography, geology, plant communities), presentation of plant species with their peculiarities and habitat demands.

  • 1995 – 1997, annually:
    Morphology and anatomy of plants:
    Lectures and lab, University of Rostock, Germany
    Development of conceptual design, lecture on different types of plant tissues and organs, leading and supervision of studies.

  • 1994 and 1995   
Plant physiology: Lectures and lab, University of Würzburg, Germany
Teaching assistant explaining methodology and supervising experiments.
  • 1993 – 1995, annually

Biology and ecology of lichens and mosses: Their identification, biology and ecological demands:
Lab and field, University of Würzburg, Germany
Teaching assistant supervising organism identification and explaining methodology


Supervision of PhD thesis
  • Natalie Kunz (since 2010): Einfluss historischer und rezenter Beweidung auf die Vegetation des Heuweltjievelds unter besonderer Berücksichtigung biologischer Bodenkrusten in der Sukkulentenkaroo Südafrikas (“Influence of historic and present grazing on the vegetation of the heuweltjie veld under special consideration of biological soil crusts in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa“)
Supervision of Bachelor, Master, Diploma and State Examination theses
  • Alexandra Tamm 2012: Ökophysiologische Charakterisierung flechtendominierter Bodenkrusten und ihrer heterotrophen Komponenten im Boden („Eco-physiological characterization of lichen-dominated soil crusts and their heterotrophic components within the soil“).
  • Anna Sophia Stanula 2011: Einfluss von verschiedenen landschaftspflegerischen Maßnahmen auf biologische Bodenkrusten in der Mehlinger Heide (“Effects of landscape conservation measures on biological soil crusts in the Mehlinger Heide“)  Abstract
  • Sarina Gehl 2009: Habitatabhängige Flechtenflora an Kirchen Englands (”Lichen flora of churches in Great Britain depending on the local habitat“)
  • Natalie Kunz 2008: Vegetationsklassifikation des Heuweltjievelds in Abhängigkeit von der Beweidungsintensität in der Sukkulentenkaroo Südafrikas (“Vegetation classification of the heuweltjie veld depending on the grazing intensity in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa“)
  • Claas Olehowski 2006: Kartierung biologischer Bodenkrusten mit Hilfe spektraler Datengrundlagen und den Methoden der Fernerkundung ("Mapping of Biological Soil Crusts under application of spectral data and remote sensing methodology") Abstract
  • Tanja Knerr 2005: Eignungsanalyse von Spektrometerdaten zur Detektion, Klassifikation und Analyse Biologischer Bodenkrusten ("Analysis of suitability of spectrometer data for the detection, classification and analysis of Biological Soil Crusts") Abstract
  • Claudia Scherr 2000: Ökophysiologische Untersuchungen alpiner Gesteinsflechten und ihrer Photobionten ("Ecophysiological investigation of alpine lithobiontic lichens and their photobionts")
Supervision of research internships
  • Alexandra Tamm 2011: Flechten der Namibwüste – Identifikation von Flechten aus Alexanderbay ("Lichens of the Namib Desert – Idenfification of lichens from Alexanderbay")
  • Jana Hauk 2011: Moose im südlichen Afrika – Identifikation der Moosflora der Biodiversitätsobservatorien in Namibia und Südafrika (“Mosses of southern Africa – Identification of the moss flora in biodiversity observatories in Namibia and South Africa“)

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