Curriculum vitae

11/2017 – 04/2020	Student Assistant, Chair of Restoration Ecology
02/2017 – 02/2018	Student Assistant, Chair of Terrestrial Ecology
10/2016 – 01/2020	Master of Science: Environmental Planning and Engineering Ecology, TU Munich, Thesis: The influence of rare arable plants on the abundance and diversity of flower visitors
10/2014 – 02/2015	Internship at OPUS Landschaftsplanungsbüro, Bayreuth
10/2012 – 07/2016	Bachelor of Engineering: Landscape Architecture, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences, Thesis: Evaluation of arable fields as breeding habitat for Northern Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus)
07/2011	Vocational baccalaureate diploma (Fachabitur), Fachoberschule Altötting

Improving grassland management on river dikes – Effects on vegetation and arthropods

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Johannes Kollmann

After recent flood events in Germany, on river dikes and dams all trees and shrubs were banned because their roots can damage the dam body and thus jeopardise flood protection. For this reason, woody vegetation at dikes and dams along River Inn has been clear-cut. Moreover, regular mowing was introduced in order to prevent the establishment of new trees. In that context, the company VERBUND Innkraftwerke GmbH investigates ways of optimizing grassland management on river dikes to balance biodiversity with flood protection.

The project goal is to find out, how biodiversity can be supported by improved grassland management while respecting the constraints of dike safety and costs. The focus is on the investigation of different mowing techniques and cutting times as well as two different types of uncut strips regarding their influence on vegetation and arthropod communities of dike grasslands. The Chair of Restoration Ecology has carried out preliminary investigations on behalf of the company since April 2019. Based on a literature research and two workshops with all relevant stakeholders, a mowing experiment was set up. The following questions are dealt with:

1. How do different mowing techniques, cutting times, and fallow strips uncut affect vegetation composition, abundance of target plants and of unwanted species, the resources for flower-visiting insects and the arthropod community of dike grasslands?

2. How do different mowing techniques influence the escape behaviour and mortality of insects during the mowing process?

Further, we study the development of the grasslands after construction work on the dike. Last not least, the communication between different stakeholders involved in dike maintenance and grassland management will be improved.

This Project is financed by VERBUND Innkraftwerke GmbH.