Dr. Simon Vitt
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter
Research Focus
In my PhD thesis, I investigated the influence of UV-light
on different morphological, physiological and behavioural aspects using
the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Short term effects, like phenotypic
plasticity, as well as long-term genetic impacts were evaluated by
conducting mesocosm experiments. Since the beneficial effects of the
ultraviolet waverange in visual communication have already been well
investigated, I focused on the potential negative impacts of ultraviolet
light. I specifically investigated the influence of UV-B radiation on
reproductive traits in male sticklebacks, thereby taking up consequences
of global climate change.
Publications:
- Grünhofer, P., Herzig, L., Zhang, Q., Vitt, S., Stöcker, T., Malkowsky, Y., Brügmann, T., Fladung, M. & Schreiber, L. (2023) Changes in wax composition but not amount enhance cuticular transpiration. Plant, Cell & Environment 2023; 1-15 (doi: 10.1111/pce.14719)
- Madge Pimentel, I., Vitt, S. & Thünken, T. (2022). Impact
of genetic relatedness and food competition on female dominance
hierarchies in a cichlid fish. Anim. Behav. 184:55-70
- Schons, R. F., Vitt, S. & Thünken, T. (2022). Resource heterogeneity but not inbreeding affects growth and grouping behaviour in socially foraging juvenile cichlid fish. Funct. Ecol. 36:550–560
- Schons, R. F., Vitt, S.
& Thünken, T. (2021). Environmental habituation and sexual
composition affect juveniles’ shoaling activity in a cichlid fish (Pelvicachromis taeniatus). J. Fish Biol. 99:1307-1317
- John, L., Rick, I. P., Vitt, S.
& Thünken, T. (2021). Body coloration as a dynamic signal during
intrasexual communication in a chichlid fish. BMC Zool. 6:1-13
- Hiermes, M., Marder, M. B., Reher, S., Rick, I. P., Vitt, S.
& Bakker, T. C. M. (2021). Influence of lighting environment on
social preferences in sticklebacks from two different photic habitats.
II. shoaling and mate preferences of lab-bred fishes. Curr. Zool.
(published online, doi: 10.1093/cz/zoab033).
- Vitt, S., Hiller, J. & Thünken, T. (2020). Kin competition increases male-male territorial aggression in a monogamous cichlid fish. Ecol. Evol. 10:11183-11191
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Vitt, S.,
Madge Pimentel, I. & Thünken, T. (2020). Presence of same-sex kin
promotes explorative behavior in subadult cichlid fish. Behav. Ecol.
31:731-738
- Vitt, S., Bakker, T. C. M. & Rick, I. P. (2020). Differential investment in pre- and post-mating male sexual traits in response to prolonged exposure to ambient UVB radiation in a fish. Sci. Total Environ. 712:136341
- Vitt, S., Mehlis-Rick, M., Bakker, T. C. M. & Rick, I. P. (2019). Enhanced ambient UVB radiation affects post-mating, but not pre-mating sexual traits in a fish. Oecologia 190:355-366
- Thünken, T., Vitt, S., Baldauf, S.A., Jung, T., & Frommen, J.G. (2018). Individual behavioural responses of an intermediate host to a manipulative acanthocephalan parasite and the effects of intra-specific parasite competition. Evol. Ecol. Res. 19:487-501
- Rahn, A. K., Vitt, S., Drolshagen, L., Scharsack, J. P., Rick, I. P. & Bakker, T. C. M. (2017). Parasitic infection of the eye lens affects shoaling preferences in three-spined stickleback. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 123:377-387
- Vitt, S., Zierul, J. E., Bakker, T. C. M. and Rick, I. P. (2017). Long-term UVB exposure promotes predator-inspection behaviour in a fish. Biology Letters 13:20170497.
- Vitt, S., Rahn, A. K., Drolshagen, L., Bakker, T. C. M., Scharsack, J. P. & Rick, I. P. (2017). Enhanced ambient UVB light affects growth, body condition and the investment in innate and adaptive immunity in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Aquat. Ecol. 51:499-509.
- Hiermes, M., Vitt, S., Rick, I. P. & Bakker, T. C. M. (2015). Shoal choice and UV reflections in stickleback populations from different photic habitats. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 116:761-772.
PhD Thesis
- Vitt, S. (2020). The influence of environmental UVB radiation on growth, immunity, behavior and sexually selected traits in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)
Diploma Thesis
- Vitt, S. (2010). Schwarmwahlverhalten des Dreistachligen Stichlings (Gasterosteus aculeatus) aus zwei Habitaten der Insel North Uist (Schottland) im Hinblick auf UV-Signale.