97th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Mammalian Biology (DGS)
Date
2nd to 6th September 2024
Venue
Paläontologisches Museum München / Lehrstuhl für Paläontologie und Geobiologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 München
Concept
This year’s DGS meeting explicitly invites neontologists, zooarchaeologists, and palaeontologists to get together in order to exchange data, hypotheses, and methodologies across the disciplines. It is aiming at stimulating future transdisciplinary research to open up possibilities for more comprehensive understanding of the world’s modern mammal fauna with a view into deep time and transition to Anthropocene.
The meeting is dedicated to two major topics:
A) Mammals and Grasslands
Mammals and grasslands are tightly linked. A considerable number of mammal species, large and small, are adapted, deeply rooted, in manifold ways to conditions related to grasslands and contribute to the unique biodiversity of those ecosystems. Nevertheless, the narrative of the anthropogenic origination of most grasslands and their harm on global biodiversity is persistent, especially with regard to worldwide deforestation and climate change. Yet, evidence from the past is ambiguous. Hence, the importance of mammals to grasslands and their mutual evolutionary impact is not only a well debated topic, but also an experimental field with yet unsatisfying outcome (e.g. Oostvaardersplassen, Netherlands; Pleistocene Park, Siberia). Expertise from various disciplines is needed to comprehensively assess the nature of grassland mammal biology in space and time.
Invited speakers:
Elizabeth le Roux, Prof. Dr., Aarhus University, Denmark
Ludovic Orlando, Prof. Dr., Centre for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse, Purpan Medical School, Toulouse, France
Abigail Parker, Dr., University of Helsinki, Finland
Frans Vera, Dr., Wijk bij Duurstede, The Netherlands
B) Wild animal of the year 2024: European hedgehog
Since 2017 the Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung organizes polls for the animal of the year to raise public attention for wild animals and their threats, habitat-loss or human-wildlife-conflict. For 2024, the foundation's donors voted for the European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus, which, on the one hand, suffers from agricultural restructuring of its rural habitats and, on the other hand, faces danger from technical achievements in urban gardens and parks. Consequently, it is listed as near-threatened on the red list of Germany. DGS 2024 provides a scientific platform for this species promoting a multidisciplinary view in order to emphasize the becoming and importance of its ecological role. Accordingly, any contribution on Erinaceus europaeus and relatives including related zooarchaeological or palaeontological topics is strongly encouraged.
Invited speakers:
Sophie Lund Rasmussen, Dr., University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Anne Berger, Dr., Leibniz Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung, Berlin, Germany
Marc Furió, Prof. Dr., Institut Catalá de Paleontologia M. Crusafont, Sabadell, Spain
C) Free topics
In addition, contributions on any zoological, zooarchaeological, or palaeontological topic dealing with mammalian biology are welcome. Multi- or transdisciplinary topics are especially appreciated and will be prioritised in case of more registrations for oral presentation than available number of slots.
Preliminary Programm
Monday, 2nd September 2024
Talks and posters: Mammals and Grasslands
DGS board meeting, Curators meeting, Young DGS meeting
Welcoming reception
Tuesday, 3rd September 2024
Talks and posters: Wild animal of the year 2024: European hedgehog
General meeting
Wednesday, 4th September 2024
Talks and posters: Free topics
Young DGS quiz
Conference dinner
Thursday, 5th September 2024
Workshops
Friday, 6th September 2024
Field trips:
• Full day coach tour:
Visits to Late Neolithic wetland settlement of Pestenacker (World Heritage Site), Przewalski's horses in Augsburg's municipal forest, and Naturmuseum Augsburg.
• More to come
Important Dates
Registration opens 5th of April 2024
Deadline abstract submission 19th of May 2024
Abstract acceptance notification 31st of May 2024
Deadline early registration 30th of June 2024
Deadline late registration 4th of August 2024
Fees
Student member: early registration to be determined, late registration to be determined
Student non-member: early registration to be determined, late registration to be determined
Full DGS member: early registration to be determined, late registration to be determined
Non-member: early registration to be determined, late registration to be determined
Logo
The logo for the 97th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Mammalian Biology (DGS) depicts a Gomphotherium, ancient proboscidean and center piece at the Paläontologisches Museum München, representing the past Bavarian mosaic landscapes, greeting an okapi, representing the DGS, against the backdrop of Munich. Made by Anneke van Heteren based on the silhouette images of a Gomphotherium by Scott Hartman (CC BY 3.0 / colour changed to grey), an okapi by Kai Caspar (CCO 1.0) and Munich by Stefan Meister (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Hosting Institution
GeoBio-CenterLMU
Organizers
Prof. Dr. Gert Wörheide, PD Dr. Gertrud Rößner, PD Dr. Anneke van Heteren, Dr. Nadja Pöllath
Contact
dgs2024@palmuc.org