Frieder Mayer

PD Dr. Frieder Mayer is a senior researcher at the Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science in Berlin, where he serves as Curator of the Mammal Collection and Deputy Head of the Science Programme 'Evolution and Geoprocesses' since 2007. His academic credentials include a Dr. rer nat. (1997) and Venia legendi in Zoology (2003) from the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, where he worked as a PostDoc (1997-2003) and Senior Assistant (2003-2007).

Mayer's research integrates evolutionary ecology, behavioral ecology, and population genetics to understand speciation mechanisms. His empirical work focuses on:

• Selective forces affecting dispersal
• Gene flow restrictions in populations
• Comparative studies of bats (Palaearctic/Neotropic regions) and grasshoppers
• Combined behavioral, ecological, morphological and genetic methodologies

He coordinates major research initiatives including the DFG Research Unit BATS (bat sensor systems) and BMBF Network Sus100 (swine genetics), and leads the GENART network on functional speciation genomics.

His publications (2001-2016) demonstrate consistent focus on:

• Molecular ecology of speciation
• Acoustic communication in grasshoppers and bats
• Population genomics
• Conservation genetics of cryptic species
• Behavioral adaptations in mating systems