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Adj. Prof. Dr. Juan F. Masello

juan.masello

Telephone.: +49 (0)159-06286110

 

 

Fields of interest / focus of work

 

My multidisciplinary areas of research focus on the behavioural ecology, and molecular ecology of wild populations of birds. My research topics include (1) responses of individuals to changing environmental conditions, (2) foraging strategies, (3) reproductive strategies, (4) individual reproductive performance, and (5) the evolutionary consequences of behaviour. My research is conducted on wild populations of parrots, penguins, gulls and petrels since these offer excellent opportunities for testing a number of theoretical predictions. I initiated and lead several projects among them the ‘Breeding biology of Burrowing Parrots’ (since 1998). As a result, I have long-term data, for example on the breeding biology of Burrowing Parrots, which allow me to tackle a number of topical research questions. During my research, I gained expertise in a wide variety of skills e.g., genomics, population genetics, calculation of energy landscapes for the study of foraging behaviour, analysis of acceleration data using machine learning in R for the investigation of animal behaviour, molecular analysis of the diet including bioinformatics in GALAXY, metabarcoding, GIS (QGIS and ArcGIS), use of time-depth, GPS, accelerometer and compass loggers, molecular sexing, reflectance spectrometry, audio and video recordings of behaviour, field immunology (analysis of blood smears), supplementary feeding, analysis of ectoparasites, bird ringing, rock climbing, aerial and terrestrial surveys. A further focus of my work is to contribute scientific data to enable more effective conservation of species and ecosystems. Since 2003, I am involved in projects on parrot conservation in co-operation with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the World Parrot Trust, and Aves Argentinas among others.

 

Scientific career

 

  • Since 2024: Adjunct Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda, South Africa
  • Since 2023: Research fellow (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter), Department of Evolutionary Population Genetics, Bielefeld University (Germany). Research topic: Evolutionary mechanisms underlying divergence in bill morphology and the timing of breeding using whole genome analysis. Funding: German Research Foundation (DFG)
  • 2019-2022: Research fellow (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter), Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Germany). Research topic: Movement ecology and microhabitat choice of medium-sized bird species (subproject ÖP3 within the project “Nature 4.0 - Sensing Biodiversity” lead by the Philipps-Universität Marburg; https://www.uni-marburg.de/de/fb19/natur40/projektbereiche/pilotierung ).Funding: The State of Hessen Ministry for Higher Education, Research and the Arts, LOEWE focus project ‘Nature 4.0’
  • 2015-2018: Research fellow (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter), Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Germany). Project: How animals distribute themselves in space: energy landscapes of an Antarctic predator (DFG Priority Programme 1158 Antarctic Research)
  • 2013-2015: Research fellow (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter), Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Germany). Project: How animals distribute themselves in space: changing energy landscapes (DFG).
  • 2012-2013: Research fellow (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter), Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Germany). Research topics: foraging ecology and diving behaviour of seabirds in the Falkland Is. and San Benito Is. (México) (DFG); behavioural ecology of Burrowing Parrots in Patagonia (WCS). Teaching: “Ethology of wild and zoo animals” and “Laboratory Courses for Master Students 1” (MSc) and “Work as Assistant and Teamwork” (BSc).
  • 2012: Lecturer (Lehrkraft für besondere Aufgaben), Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Germany). BSc and MSc courses: Biodiversity and Systematics, Zoology, Animal Ecology, Anatomy, Systematics, and Evolution of Plants and Animals.
  • 2010-2011: Research fellow (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter), Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell (Germany). Topics: foraging ecology and diving behaviour of seabirds in the Falkland Is. and San Benito Is. (México) (DFG); behavioural ecology of Burrowing Parrots in Patagonia (WCS and MPI-O).
  • 2008-2010: Research fellow (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter), Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell (Germany). Topics: behavioural ecology and phylogeography of Burrowing Parrots in Patagonia (MPI-O & WCS); foraging ecology and diving behaviour of seabirds in the Falkland Is. (DFG).
  • 2006-2008: Project Leader, (Leiter eines Drittmittelprojektes) at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell (Germany). Topics: monitoring breeding success of Burrowing Parrots under variable environmental conditions and variable human disturbance (WCS); breeding biology of Thin-billed Prions; provisioning and growth patterns in seabirds; foraging ecology of Blue-eyed (King) shags (DFG).
  • 2005-2006: Post-doctoral research, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell (Germany). Topics: plumage coloration in relation to season, sex steroids, immune and other health parameters in songbirds; the ecological significance of parrot coloration focused on the Burrowing Parrot. Group leader: Dr. A. Peters.
  • 2003-2004: Post-doctoral research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol (UK). Topics: the ecological significance of parrot coloration: insights from the South American Burrowing Parrot (WCS). Ecology of Vision group: Dr. A.T.D. Bennett.
  • 2002: Post-doctoral research, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow (UK). Topics: breeding biology of Burrowing Parrots; begging and chick provisioning in Cory’s Shearwaters; provisioning and begging regulation of feeding frequencies and meal sizes in Manx Shearwaters. Ornithology group: Prof. Dr. R.W. Furness.
  • 2002: Ph.D. (Dr. rer. nat.) Free University Berlin (Germany). Topic: breeding biology of Burrowing Parrots Cyanoliseus patagonus during contrasting environmental conditions. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. D. Todt.
  • 1998: M.Sc. University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Topic of thesis: Mechanisms of admixture of zooplanktonic molluscs in the Subtropical Front of the South Atlantic Ocean. Supervisor: Dr. J. Dadon

 

Publications

 

  • Current h-index: 41
  • List of peer-reviewed and book publications: list and links

 

Awards & grants

 

  • Nomination to the Karl-Ritter-von-Frisch-Medaille of the Deutschen Zoologischen Gesellschaft (German Zoological Society, DZG) for outstanding zoological achievements (2020)
  • Award from the President of the International Ornithologists’ Union (IOU) Prof. Dr. Dominique Homberger for outstanding contributions to the IOU. Vancouver, Canada, 26 August 2018
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) grant, Priority Programme 1158 Antarctic Research (2015-2018)
  • COST Short Term Scientific Mission (EC-funded; 2016)
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) grant, Germany (2013-2015)
  • SYNTHESYS grant (EC-funded project creating an integrated European infrastructure for natural history collections; 2013)
  • Research Grant from the Falkland Islands Government Environmental Studies Budget (2012-2013)
  • Research Grants from the Liz Claiborne/Art Ortenberg Foundation and Wildlife Conservation Society (USA) (2004-2013)
  • DAAD, travel grant, Germany (2012)
  • Research Grants from the World Parrot Trust (2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003)
  • Research Grant from the Research Commission of the German Ornithologists’ Society (Forschungskommission, Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft, DO-G) (2007-2008)
  • NERC, UK & Scottish Environmental Research Centre, UK (Grant-in-Kind 2006, 2008)
  • UK Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP, 2005-07, 2009-11)
  • Grant (Fortbildungsstipendium) from the Max Planck Society, Germany (2005-2006)
  • Small Grant from the Dirección de Fauna Silvestre (Wildlife Division) of Río Negro, Argentina (2006)
  • Small Grant from the Fundación Patagonia Natural, Argentina (2004)
  • Small Grant from The Parrot Society, UK (2004)
  • Small Grant from School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, UK (2004)
  • Ecological Project Grants from the British Ecological Society, UK (2003)
  • Aves Argentinas and BirdLife International, travel grant (2003)
  • Project Support for Bilateral Cooperation in Science and Technology, International Bureau of the Federal Ministry for Education, Research, Development and Technology of Germany (ARG 99/020), and the Secretary of Science and Technology of Argentina (AL/A99-EXIII/003) (2000-2002)
  • Post-graduate Research Grant from the State of Thuringia, Germany (1999-2002)

 

Further information, interviews, repercussion in the media