Robert Hering
Research interests
As an environmental scientist, I am particularly interested in ecological processes associated with large herbivores. I have always been fascinated by the remarkable diversity of ways in which these animals shape our ecosystems. I am particularly fascinated by aspects of vegetation dynamics, arthropod diversity and ungulate movements. My primary goal is to improve our understanding of these processes, gain new insights and ultimately help to protect our ecosystems through my research. In general, I am passionate about ecological datasets, remote sensing data and their processing, enhancement and analysis.
Projects
With a focus on data analysis, I work on various projects in the macroecology group to support the scientists in the best possible way. A main focus is on the automated collection of data that is closely related to biodiversity, its monitoring and the understanding of related processes.
Robert Hering
Campus Maulbeerallee
Universität Potsdam
Ökologie/Makroökologie
Maulbeerallee 3, Haus 3, Raum 1.11
14469 Potsdam
Scientific career
since 2024: Data analyst and scientific programmer in the Ecology/Macroecology working group (University of Potsdam)
2023 - 2024: Project coordinator (Rangeland management in Southern Africa) at the Department of Ecology (Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg)
since 2019: PhD student in the field of “Antelope - Vegetation feedbacks in semi-arid savanna ecosystems”
2017 - 2024: Research assistant for savanna ecology in the working group Vegetation Ecology and Nature Conservation (University of Potsdam)
2014 - 2017: Master of Science in Ecology, Evolution, Conservation (University of Potsdam)
2009 - 2013: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences, specializing in Landscape Ecology (University of Oldenburg)
2008 - 2009: Voluntary Ecological Year in General Ecology (Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus)
Publications
Berry, P., Dammhahn, M., Hauptfleisch, M., Hering, R., Jansen, J., Kraus, A., & Blaum, N. (2024). African dryland antelope trade-off behaviours in response to heat extremes. Ecology and Evolution, 14, e11455. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11455
M. Hauptfleisch, N. Blaum, S. Liehr, R. Hering, R. Kraus, M. Tausendfruend, A. Cimenti, D. Lüdtke, M. Rauchecker, and K. Uiseb,
Trends and Barriers to Wildlife-Based Options for Sustainable Management of Savanna Resources: The Namibian Case. Cham: Springer
International Publishing, 2024, pp. 499–525. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_18
K. Geißler, N. Blaum, G. P. von Maltitz, T. Smith, B. Bookhagen, H. Wanke, M. Hipondoka, E. Hamunyelae, D. Lohmann, D. U. Lüdtke,
M. Mbidzo, M. Rauchecker, R. Hering, K. Irob, B. Tietjen, A. Marquart, F. V. Skhosana, T. Herkenrath, and S. Uugulu, Biodiversity
and Ecosystem Functions in Southern African Savanna Rangelands: Threats, Impacts and Solutions. Cham: Springer International
Publishing, 2024, pp. 407–438. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_15
K. Irob, N. Blaum, A. Weiss-Aparicio, M. Hauptfleisch, R. Hering, K. Uiseb, and B. Tietjen, “Savanna resilience to droughts increases
with the proportion of browsing wild herbivores and plant functional diversity,” Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 60, no. 2, pp. 251–262,
2023. [Online]. Available: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2664.14351
R. Hering, M. Hauptfleisch, S. Kramer-Schadt, J. Stiegler, and N. Blaum, “Effects of fences and fence gaps on the movement
behavior of three southern african antelope species,” Frontiers in Conservation Science, vol. 3, 2022. [Online]. Available:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2022.959423
R. Hering, M. Hauptfleisch, M. Jago, T. Smith, S. Kramer-Schadt, J. Stiegler, and N. Blaum, “Don’t stop me now: Managed fence gaps
could allow migratory ungulates to track dynamic resources and reduce fence related energy loss,” Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution,
vol. 10, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.907079
M. J. Broekman, J. P. Hilbers, Huijbregts, [...], R. Hering, J. Stiegler, [...], and M. A. Tucker, “Evaluating expert-based habitat suitability
information of terrestrial mammals with gps-tracking data,” Global Ecology and Biogeography, vol. 31, no. 8, pp. 1526–1541, 2022.
[Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13523
J. Stiegler, K. Kiemel, J. Eccard, C. Fischer, R. Hering, S. Ortmann, L. Strigl, R. Tiedemann, W. Ullmann, and N. Blaum, “Seed traits
matter—Endozoochoric dispersal through a pervasive mobile linker,” Ecology and Evolution, no. September, pp. 18 477–18 491,
2021. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8440
R. Hering, M. Hauptfleisch, K. Geißler, A. Marquart, M. Schoenen, and N. Blaum, “Shrub encroachment is not always land degradation:
Insights from ground-dwelling beetle species niches along a shrub cover gradient in a semi-arid namibian savanna,” Land Degradation
& Development, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 14–24, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ldr.3197
Presentations
R. Hering, T. Smith, M. Hauptfleisch, and N. Blaum, “Interfering the resource tracking of three southern african antelopes insights
into animal-fence interactions from high resolution movement data,” Oral presentation at BioMove (DfG Research Training Group) Sym-
posium, Potsdam, GER, 2023.
R. Hering, T. Smith, S. Kramer-Schadt, and N. Blaum, “Interfering the resource tracking of three southern african antelopes: Insights
into animal-fence interactions from high resolution movement data,” Oral presentation at Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of
America, Portland, USA, 2023.
R. Hering, S. Kramer-Schadt, T. Smith, and N. Blaum, “Interfering migratory movements: on the relation of wildlife-proof fences and
the seasonal movements of three large african antelopes,” Oral presentation at INTECOL 2022, Geneva, Switzerland, 2022.
R. Hering, “Responses of ground-dwelling beetles to grazing induced changes along a savanna land-use gradient - an insight into
namibias rangeland ecology,” Oral presentation hold at the annual meeting of the Society for applied Carabidology, Freckenhorst, GER, 2018.
R. Hering and N. Blaum, “The influence of land-use intensity on beetles,” Poster presented at the 21st Namibian National Rangeland
Forum, Otjiwarongo, NAM, 2017.
R. Hering, R. Krawczynski, H.-G. Wagner, and H. Zeigert, “Erste Erkenntnisse zum Einsatz von Wasserbüffeln (Bubalus bubalis) in der
Landschaftspflege,” Nationalpark-Jahrbuch Unteres Odertal, vol. 5, pp. 85–93, 2008.