Benedikt Holtmann

Dr. Benedikt Holtmann is a Research Fellow at the Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. His research focuses on behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology, particularly studying how social environments influence behavior-related settlement decisions in wild passerine birds. Funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), his work examines the non-random assortment of behavioral phenotypes and its implications for individual fitness and population dynamics.

Research interests center on animal personality, behavioral syndromes, and evolutionary ecology in avian systems. His investigations utilize model species including great tits (Parus major) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) to understand:

• Social environment effects on settlement patterns
• Fitness consequences of behavioral phenotypes
• Personality-matching habitat selection
• Genetic basis of animal behavior
• Reproductive strategies and sexual selection

Recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on:

• Integrative studies of animal personality traits
• Social structure dynamics in corvids and passerines
• Reproductive success determinants
• Long-term ecological monitoring approaches
• Physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying behavior

with research conducted across European and New Zealand ecosystems.

Current research infrastructure includes access to the Biozentrum Martinsried facilities and field sites across Germany supporting avian population studies through capture-mark-recapture methodologies and behavioral observation systems.