Welcome to the Evolutionary Ecology Group
We are based at Eawag's Department of Aquatic Ecology, and we are also part of the Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ) and the Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS) at ETH Zürich. Members of our group are fascinated by the process of evolution and strive to understand how ecological interactions act on the genetic variation inherent in populations to generate the biological diversity we observe. An important research focus of our group is the study of insect host-parasite interactions. In particular, we are interested in how such interactions are modified by endosymbiotic bacteria that protect insects against natural enemies like parasitic wasps. We are also interested in conservation genetics, particularly of endangered freshwater crayfish, we lead the research program Climate Change and Freshwater Biodiversity, and we participate in the ETH Domain Joint Initiative Translational Centre Biodiversity Conservation, where we collaborate with experts from practice to co-create synthesis products tailored to the needs of conservation professionals.News
20.06.2025 Thea's first PhD paper is published, and former postdoc Youn Henry got his 'mother of all experiments' accepted in JEB. Congratulations!02.06.2025: Welcome to Sven Gindorf, who will support the TCBC for the next few months. Have a good start!
21.05.2025: We said farewell to Taylor Norris. Thanks for supporting us in the insect lab. Look at the amazing puffin she received.
MSc & BSc Projects
Follow this link for a list of available MSc or BSc Projects in our group. But note that there are always additional possibilities.So: If you're interested in what we're doing, it is best to simply contact us or come by for a visit.