Kaiser Lab
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clocksevolution.bsky.social
Kaiser Lab
@clocksevolution.bsky.social
We explore how evolution, ecology and biological clocks interact,
with a focus on lunar rhythms in development and reproduction
of the marine insect Clunio.

+ Genomics | Biodiversity | Behaviour | NeuroBio | MolBio | SciCom

bit.ly/KaiserLab
Our current follow-up #modelling study with @gokhalecs.bsky.social, former colleague @mpi-evolbio.bsky.social, suggests that larval competition for space can actually drive the evolution of divergent reproductive timing, aka #allochrony, which results in spatial separation and reduced competition.
September 17, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Previous work with @kokkonut.bsky.social (tinyurl.com/28hxwree) showed that #sympatric Clunio strains reproduce AT full #moon or BEFORE new moon. During these times low tide levels differ, placing the eggs & larvae at different elevations. This spatial separation allows #coexistence of the strains:
September 17, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Jule, thank you for all your contributions to the group - and to the institute - over all those years! All the best for the next steps!
July 25, 2025 at 6:06 AM
A big thank you to everyone involved in this!
It was great fun!
July 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM
In the second study we found out that differences in #lunar reproductive #timing of the adults can lead to spatial separation of the larvae, which in turn allows coexistence.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
How an Insect Converts Time Into Space: Temporal Niches Aid Coexistence via Modifying the Amount of Habitat Available for Reproduction
Temporal niches do not automatically promote coexistence. Combining field data and modelling, we show that in the marine midge Clunio marinus, sympatric timing strains, which reproduce during full mo...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM
In the first study we showed that #coexistence of #Clunio strains which live in the same habitat, but differ in #lunar reproductive #timing is not easily explained.

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM
If you want to know more about #circalunar #clocks, the following might also be interesting:

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

#lunar #moon #tides #chronobiology
July 5, 2025 at 8:08 AM