Dr. Volker Witte

 

 

Department Biologie II

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Großhaderner Str. 2

D-82152 Planegg - Martinsried

GERMANY

Send email

Tel: +49 (0)89  2180 74 265

Fax: +49 (0)89 2180 74 221

 

 

 

 

Curriculum Vitae

 

 

 

  

Education

     

    Ph.D.

       J. W. Goethe - University Frankfurt am Main, Department of Zoology, 2001 Thesis title (translated): "Structure and Regulation of Army Ant Behavior in SE-Asian Ponerines of the Genus Leptogenys"

    Diploma (equivalent to Master)

      J. W. Goethe - University Frankfurt am Main, 1997

      Major: Zoology; Minor: Botany, Organic Chemistry

      Thesis title (translated): "Swarm-Coordination of SE-Asian Army Ants - Exemplary Examined in Leptogenys distinguenda"

    Vordiplom

      J. W. Goethe - University Frankfurt am Main, 1993

      Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Physics

     

 

Grants

      Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, research and travel grant, 08.1997 - 10.1998 and 04.1999 - 01.2000

      Graduiertenfoerderung der J. W. Goethe - Universität, research support grant, 02.2000 - 04.2001

      Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung, Feodor Lynen grant for international exchange program, 02.2002 - 01.2004

      Columbia University Biosphere 2 Center Research Grant, 02.2002 - 01.2004

      Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, research and travel grant, 03.2006 - 05.2007

      Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, research and travel grant, 06.2008 - 05.2011

       

 

Professional Experience

 

    Experimental work:

      Extensive field and laboratory studies at the "Ulu Gombak Field Studies Center" of the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 1) on coordination of collective behavior and the biological meaning of trail pheromones in ponerine army ants including their guest fauna. 2) on chemical and behavioral integration mechanisms of army ant symbionts. 3) Biology of mushroom harvesting ants

      "Field" and laboratory studies on the ecology and chemical communication of the invasive "Crazy Ant" Paratrechina longicornis at Columbia University's Biosphere 2 Center in Oracle, Arizona.

      Chemical characterization of pheromones and cuticular hydrocarbons using preparative gas chromatography (GC) and GC-MS (combined GC and mass spectroscopy) including quadrupol and TOF instruments; sampling methods: liquid injection, solid sampler and solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME).

       

    Teaching :

      Lectures: Principles of behavioural ecology, Biology of social insects, Orientation and chemical communication, Optimal foraging, Sexual selection

      Labs (in part contributions): Methods in behavioral ecology, Experimental behavioural ecology, Biodiversity lab for undergraduates, Introduction into ecology for undergraduates, Various research labs for graduate students on current topics.

      Seminars: Behavioral ecology, Chemical ecology, Biodiversity, Sociobiology.

       

 

 

Research interests

 

General

 

    My general research interests fall into the broad field of chemical ecology, aiming to explain behavior and ecology of species in consideration of chemically mediated interactions. Social insects are known to make extensive use of semiochemicals (e.g. pheromones). Chemical signals play an important role in the coordination of collective behavior by transfer of information between individuals. Collective behavior is the basis for the overall ecological success of social insects. The first step in my approach is to locate pheromone sources and determine their biological function. To do this, pheromone extracts are prepared of dissected glands and assessed in various bioassays. The second step is the chemical characterization of active pheromones using GC-MS technics (combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry). The last step is, once the structure of a pheromone is known, to use synthetic material in bioassays and reproduce the results with natural samples.

 

Chemical communication of invasive ants

    A few ant species among more than 11.000 species described so far are able to establish themselves in alien habitats after an introduction event, to thrive and to out-compete native species. Small colony propagules are transferred to a new habitat most likely due to human (intercontinental) commerce. A crucial phase during biological invasions is the beginning, when a colony fragment has to compete with local ant fauna. I assume that exploitative and interference abilities of the intruder play an important role at this stage because there is naturally a disadvantage in terms of number. Due to efficient communication, ants can recruit nestmates in sufficient number to feeding or interference sites and thus attain a spatiotemporal advantage. I study the communication systems of selected invasive ant species and compare them with non-invasive ants in order to get a better understanding of the overall importance of communicational skills for competitiveness.

 

Coordination of army ant collective behavior

    Army ants form massive raids and emigrations comprising more than a million individuals estimated (species dependent). This collective behavior is highly structured and self-organizing without any commanding or controlling entity. In this respect army ants are fascinating examples for complex systems and are often stressed a model system for studying mechanisms of self-organization. Surprisingly, there is only little known about their chemical communication and thus the mechanisms how they coordinate their behavior. My aim is to get a better understanding of army ant communication in order to develop more accurate theoretical models of self-organization.

 

Integration of alien species into ant colonies

    Since ant colonies widely rely on chemical signals, alien species take advantage of this and exploit nests by various chemical integration tactics. Such myrmecophiles or ant guests belong to very different taxonomical groups, including insects (beetles, flies, collembolans, etc.) other arthropods (isopods, spiders, mites, myriapods etc.) vertebrates (frogs, snakes etc.) and mollusks (snails). Integration tactics can range from chemically repelling hosts to chemical camouflage or attraction. I study the interesting biology of selected ant-myrmecophile associations integrating behavioral and chemical integration strategies.

 

 

Publications

 

 

Witte, V., L. Lehmann, A. Lustig and U. Maschwitz, 2009. Polyrhachis lama, a Parasitic Ant with an Exceptional Mode of Social Integration. Insectes Sociaux (in press)

R. H. L. Disney, S. Lizon à l’Allemand, C. von Beeren & V. Witte, 2009. A New Genus and New Species of Scuttle Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) From Colonies of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Malaysia. Sociobiology 53: 1–12.

D. H. Kistner, U. Maschwitz & V. Witte, 2009. A New Genus and New Species of Scuttle Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) From Colonies of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Malaysia. Sociobiology 53: 13–26.

Witte, V., S. Foitzik, R. Hashim, U. Maschwitz & .Schulz, 2009. Fine Tuning of Social Integration by Two Myrmecophiles of the Ponerine Army Ant, Leptogenys distinguenda. Journal of Chemical Ecology 35:355–367.

 

Witte, V., A. Leingärtner, L. Sabaß, R. Hashim and S. Foitzik, 2008. Symbiont microcosm in an ant society and the diversity of interspecific interactions. Animal Behaviour 76: 1477-1486.

Witte, V. and U. Maschwitz, 2008. Mushroom harvesting ants in the tropical rain forest. Naturwissenschaften 95: 1049-1054.

Kistner, D. H., C. v. Beeren and V. Witte, 2008. Redescription of the Generitype of Trachydonia and a New Host Record for Maschwitzia ulrichi (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Sociobiology 52: 497-524

Maschwitz, U., A. Weissflog, S. Seebauer, R. H. L. Disney and V. Witte, 2008. Studies on European ant decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae): I. Releasers and phenology of parasitism of Pseudacteon formicarum. Sociobiology 51: 127-140.

Weissflog, A., U. Maschwitz, S. Seebauer, R. H. L. Disney, B. Seifert and V. Witte, 2008. Studies on European ant decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae): II. Observations that contradict the reported catholicity of host choice by Pseudacteon formicarum. Sociobiology 51: 127-140.

 

Witte, V., A. B. Attygalle and J. Meinwald, 2007. Complex chemical communication in the crazy ant Paratrechina longicornis Latreille. Chemoecology 17: 75-62

Witte, V., L. Abrell, A. B. Attygalle, X. Wu and J. Meinwald, 2007. Structure and function of Dufour gland pheromones from the crazy ant Paratrechina longicornis. Chemoecology 17:  63-69

Schöller, M and V. Witte 2007. A review of the beetle genus Clytrasoma Jacoby 1908, with description of a new species collected within an ant-nest of Camponotus sp. Senckenbergiana biologica 87: 51-61.

 

Kistner, D. H. and V. Witte, 2003: A new species of Trachydonia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) from Malaysia with some notes on its behavior as a guest of Leptogenys (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 42: 381-389.

Witte, V. and U. Maschwitz, 2002. Coordination of raiding and emigration in the ponerine army ant Leptogenys distinguenda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae), a signal analysis. J. Insect Behav. 15: 195-217.

Witte, V., 2002. Integration of myrmecophiles in colonies of migratory ants: the guest fauna of the ponerine Leptogenis distinguenda. XIV International Congress of IUSSI The Golden Jubilee Proceedings, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. p 191.

Witte, V., R. Janssen, A. Eppenstein and U. Maschwitz, 2002. Allopeas myrmekophilos (Gastropoda, Pulmonata), the first myrmecophilous mollusc living in colonies of the ponerine army ant Leptogenys distinguenda (Formicidae, Ponerinae). Insectes Soc. 49: 301-305.

Janssen, R and V. Witte, 2002. Allopeas myrmekophilos n. sp., the first snail reported as living in army ant colonies (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Subulinidae). Arch. Molluskenkd. 131: 211-215.

Witte, V. and U. Maschwitz, 2000. Raiding and emigration dynamics in the ponerine army ant Leptogenys distinguenda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Insectes Soc. 47: 76-83.

Witte, V., H. Hänel, A. Weissflog, H. Rosli and U. Maschwitz, 1999. Social integration of the myrmecophilic spider Gamasomorpha maschwitzi (Araneae: Oonopidae) in colonies of the South East Asian army ant Leptogenys distinguenda (Formicidae: Ponerinae). Sociobiology 34: 145-159.

 

 

Presentations

Witte, V., 2008. Communicative skills of two invasive ants Paratrechina longicornis & Anoplolepis gracilipes. University of Würzburg, Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology - Invited speaker

Witte, V., 2007. Multiple strategies of social integration into an army ant society: the diverse symbiont fauna of Leptogenys distinguenda. 100. Annual Meeting of the DZG (Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft)

Witte, V., 2007. Chemical and behavioral integration mechanisms of two myrmecophiles into societies of the host ant Leptogenys distinguenda. Meeting of the Central European Section of the IUSSI

Witte, V., 2006. Mehrkomponenten Signalsysteme in der Spurkommunikation von Ameisen: Steuerung von kollektivem Verhalten durch Pheromone. University of Ulm, Department of Experimental Ecology - Invited speaker

Witte, V., 2003. The significance of an effective communication system for invasive ants: insights from Paratrechina longicornis at Columbia University’s Biosphere 2 Center. University of Arizona, Department of Entomology - Invited speaker

Witte, V., 2002. Integration of myrmecophiles in colonies of migratory ants: the guest fauna of the ponerine Leptogenis distinguenda. XIV International Congress of IUSSI, 27.07.-03-08.2002, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.