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Prof. Dr. Gerhard Eisenbeis, Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology  55099 Mainz, Germany

Tel. ++49-6131-39-22574        Fax: ++49-6131-39-23835        E-Mail: Geisenbe@uni-mainz.de

 

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I started my scientific 'vita' as a student in Biology at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany in 1965. My first investigation in Zoology was a comparative study of the labium of dragonfly larvae (Odonata), the so called 'preying mask' or 'Fangmaske'. Then I turned to the Collembola which have a very unique structure among hexapods, the ventral tube. From 1971 to 1974 I investigated the transport epithelium of this organ using histological and electronmicroscopical techniques.

• 1974  Thesis

Funktionsmorphologische Untersuchungen am Ventraltubus arthropleoner Collembolen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Ultrastruktur des Transportepithels (Hexapoda)

Functional and morphological investigations of the ventraltube of arthropleonan Collembola with special regard to the ultrastructure of the transport epithelium (Hexapoda)

In the follwing years my interest shifted 1) to the comparative anatomy of the muscle system of Collembola and the modification of some segmental muscles belonging to the jumping apparatus and 2) to the ecophysiology of water relations of selected soil arthropods.

• 1988  Habilitation

Ökophysiologische Untersuchungen an Bodenarthropoden unter Berücksichtigung des Mikroklimas, der allometrischen Beziehung Körperoberfläche - Körpermasse und des Wasserhaushalts

Ecophysiological investigation of selected soil arthropods with regard to 1) microclimate,  2) allometric relationships between body surface and body mass, and 3) water relations

In 1988 my interest of research has shifted more and more to soil biology. In the 'Lenneberg' project we compared the soil fauna of four sites in the Lenneberg forest near Mainz using both soil core samples and photoeclectors. Then a five-years study was initiated by the Forestry Research Centre of Rheinland-Pfalz to analyse the effects of 'forest soil liming' on the soil fauna at three regional sites (Pfälzerwald, Hunsrück and Eifel). In the beginning of nineties a cooperation started with the Foundation of Ecological Farming (Stiftung Ökologie und Landbau in Bad Dürkheim). New tillage practices should be tested from 1994 to 2004 without any fertilization and application of biocides. Our task was the monitoring of some soil biological parameters during cultivation cycles and to compare selected soil fauna groups (e.g. Nematoda, Collembola). The different approaches of soil biological methods during these years gave me the inspiration for the development of a new technique for the monitoring of the biological activity of soils. The so-called minicontainer method was established to measure the rate of decomposition of a soil both at small scale level and through the vertical soil profile of agricultural fields.

In 1997 a new cooperation started with the Research Centre of Geisenheim, Department of grape wine cultivation (Prof. Dr. H. Rühl and Dipl.Oen. M. Porten) to establish new methods for the fight against the grape wine Phylloxera species Dactylosphaera viteifolii (Fitch), which is an increasing pest again of grape wine roots of vineyards in Europe. In the same year another cooperation has started with the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland e.V. (BUND) to the topic 'Environment, Insects and Artificial lighting'. The goal of this project was to measure the attraction of nocturnal insects by different kinds of street lamps, e.g. by white mercury, orange sodium or sodium-xenon vapour lamps.

Apart from this moderate account to field and laboratory research my special interest in the last two decades was the fascinating world of soil animals and aquatic insects in the 'light' of Electron Microscopy. Using the deep insight of the Scanning Electron Microscope to the world of microstructures it was possible to create four worldwide unique SEM books, together with my friend Prof. Dr. Wilfried Wichard/University of Cologne.

I new hobby now is replacing more and more my scientific career. Inspired by my mother in law I have started to play 'Bridge'. Playing Bridge is such a fascinating game that you will forget all thing around you. Omar Sharif said: "Bridge is the second most beautiful  matter of the world!"

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