Hellena Binz 
Scientific Assistent
Curriculum Vitae
Curriculum Vitae
| since 2012 | PhD-student in the group of Evolutionary Biology at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz |
| 2011 – 2012 | PhD-student in the group of Ecosystem Analysis at University of Koblenz-Landau |
| 2007 – 2010 | Diploma in Biology, University of Würzburg, Thesis title: "Abundance, richness and composition of butterfly assemblages in creek, slope and ridge rainforest in the Pacific Lowlands of Costa Rica" |
| 2004 – 2007 | Prediploma in Biology, University of Karlsruhe |
Working experience/other activities
| 11/2009 – 03/2010 | Field work for the diploma thesis in Costa Rica |
| 06/2008 – 10/2009 | Working student, DFG Priority Project 1374, University of Würzburg, Germany |
| 11/2008 – 01/2009 | Practical training: Diversity of forest butterflies in gallery forests, Costa Rica |
| 05/2008 – 09/2008 | Practical training: Dietary analysis of the Montague’s harrier (Circus pygargus) on the Main-Frankonian Plaines, Bavaria |
| 06/2006 – 09/2007 | Working student, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, University of Karlsruhe (KIT) |
Memberships
Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft (DZG)
Society of Tropical Ecology (gtö)
Verein zur Förderung der Tropenstation La Gamba
Posters and Oral Presentations
| 11/2013 | Binz H., Foitzik S., Staab F. and Menzel F. Hierarchy-dependent non-consumptive effects in ants. 2nd GCE Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. Talk |
| 09/2012 | Binz H., Bucher R., Entling MH. and Menzel F. Antipredator behavior of the wood cricket Nemobius sylvestris varies among distinct spider species and their biological traits. 105th Annual Meeting of the DZG, Konstanz. Talk |
| 02/2012 | Binz H, Schulze CH & Linsenmair KE (2012) Effects of topography on forest butterfly assemblages in the Pacific Lowlands of Costa Rica. Poster presentation, Annual Conference of the Society of Tropical Ecology (gtö), University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany |
| 09/2011 | Binz H, Bucher R, Menzel F & Entling MH (2011) Do insects smell their enemies? Searching for non-consumptive effects. Poster presentation, 41st Annual Conference of the Ecological Society of Germany, Switzerland and Austria (GfÖ), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Germany |
Research Interests
Trophic Interactions
Insect Ecology and Conservation
Ecosystem Services
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions
Tropical Biology
Sociobiology
Non-consumptive effects among spiders and insects
Direct consumption is the main definition of predator-prey interactions. But prey can also be influenced by predation risk in bearing changes in morphology and behavior. Such non-consumptive effects (NCE) can affect mating, feeding and migration strategies of prey species and might therefore play important and distinct roles for ecosystem functions such as plant productivity, nutrient cycling and energy flux.
Spiders are dominant predators in almost all terrestrial habitats and prey on a wide range of arthropods. Although they can elicit strong antipredator behaviour (APB) in both insects and other spiders, the mechanisms involved in the detection of predation risk (i.e., predator presence) have rarely been explored in terrestrial systems.
In 2011 we tested 21 potential prey species (insects and spiders) against the scent of 15 spider species and found strong APB of wood crickets (Nemobius sylvestris) on nursery web spiders (Pisaura mirabilis) and funnel web spiders (Agelena labyrinthica). But also black garden ants (Lasius niger) changed their activity in the former presence of the small wolf spider Aulonia albimana.
With these three predator-prey combinations I will investigate how the presence of spider predators is detected by prey species using bioassays and analytical methods. Spider silk, feces, chemical footprints, and airborne volatile cues will be distinguished as pathways for predation risk detection. Further, mechanical and chemical cues of spider silk will be separated. I want to find out if predation risk is detected via tactile senses, olfaction and/or contact chemoreception. Finally, the substances involved in risk detection will be identified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The project involves a collaboration with Prof. Dr. Martin Entling and Roman Bucher, Ecosystem analysis, Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau. (Link HP Landau: http://www.uni-koblenz-landau.de/landau/fb7/umweltwissenschaften/ oekosystemanalyse/ forschung/non-consumptive-effects/non-consumptive effects)
Publications
Bucher R., Binz H., Menzel F. and Entling MH. Spider cues stimulate feeding, weight gain and survival of crickets. Ecol. Entomol. in press
Binz, H., Foitzik, S. Staab, F., Menzel F. 2014. The chemistry of competition: exploitation of heterospecific cues depends on the dominance rank in the community. Animal Behaviour 94: 45-53
Binz H., Bucher R., Entling MH., Menzel F. (2013): Knowing the risk: Crickets distinguish between spider predators of different size and commonness. Ethology 119: 1-12
Bucher R, Binz H, Menzel F & Entling MH (2014): Effects of spider chemotactile cues on arthropod behavior. Journal of Insect Behaviour DOI 10.1007/s10905-014-9449-1