post doctoral research fellow

University of Rostock
Institute of Biosciences Department of Botany
and Botanical Garden
Wismarsche Strasse 45
18051 Rostock, Germany
Tel. +49(0)381/498-6206 (direct)
Tel. +49(0)381/498-6201 (secretary)
Fax +49(0)381/498-6202
www.wascal.org

Research interests

pollination ecology, plant reproductive biology, tropical ecosystems, ecosystem services
and their resilience, ecosystem goods, global change, human livelihood

Projects

WASCAL: West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (BMBF)


Tier 2.7 Biodiversity and Ecosystem services (together with the zoology part at University of Wuerzburg):

- diversity of insect pollinators along a land use gradient and its impact on the reproductive output of important cash crops (cotton-Gossypium hirsutum, sesame-Sesamum indicum) in the south-sudanian savannas of Burkina Faso, West-Africa;

- ecology and habitat requirements (e.g. food and nesting resources) of important insect pollinator species for the conservation of vigorous insect pollinator populations in south-sudanian savannas of West Africa

- studies on the reproductive ecology and herbivory of Moringa oleifera in Burkina Faso, cultivation techniques for enhanced biomass production and fruit yield; socio-economics of Moringa cultivation

- studies on the breeding system, self-compatibility, germination, inbreeding depression, need for pollinators, outcrossing rates etc. of cotton, sesame, Moringa

- impact of climate change on the performance of cash crops

Curriculum Vitae

  • currently: Habilitation candidate
  • 07.2018 -10.2020 parental leave
  • 09.2017-  07.2018 Curator of the Botanical Garden, University of Rostock (sick leave cover, fixed term position)
  • 12.2012 – 07.2017 Scientific associate (Post-Doc) at the University of Würzburg, Germany, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, member of the BMBF-Project WASCAL (West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use); field research in West-Africa (pollination ecology, ecosystem services, land use change, biodiversity assessments)
  • 07.2013 Defence of PhD thesis "The reproductive ecology and genetic structure of understorey herbs in the Atlantic Rain forest of Brazil"
  • 07.-11.2012 Tutor of the international Master course "Tropical Forestry and Management", Dresden University of Technology
  • 03.-06.2012 Scientific Assistant in the University Colaboration Project "Implementation of the Convention on Biodiversity at a local level" in Peru, Bolivia and Paraquay, Dresden University of Technology
  • 04.2009-07.2013 PhD-student at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg (scholarship of "Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes" from 04.2009 - 03.2012)
  • 06.2008-03.2009 Project collaborator at "Rain Forest Center" of NABU Sachsen e.V. (environmental education)
  • 03.2008 final degree (Diploma)
  • 10.2001- begin of studies of biology at University of Leipzig
  • 03.2001-08.2001 "Future Capital Project" in Copenhagen, Danmark (production of a documentary)
  • 09.2000-03.2001 European Voluntary Service at a "Nature School", Padborg, Danmark
  • 07.2000 University-entrance-diploma

Publications

Suárez, N. F., Latini, A. O., Rufini, J. C. M., Reis, L. A. C., Silva, D. P., Stein, K., & Abreu, R. A. A. (2021). Unusual pollinator attractants increase the fructification rate on West Indian Cherry Trees. Journal of Applied Entomology, 00, 1–7. doi.org/10.1111/jen.12964

Stein, K., Coulibaly, D., Balima,L., H., Goetze, D., Linsenmair, K., E., Porembski, S., Stenchly, K. and P. Theodorou2021. Plant-pollinator networks in savannas of Burkina Faso, West Africa. Diversity 13(1):1. DOI: 10.3390/d13010001 

Coulibaly, D., Tuo, Y., Koné, M., Balima, L., H., Konaté, S., Linsenmair, K.,E., Porembski, S., Goetze, D. and K. Stein 2020. Savanna woody plants and their provision of food resources to bees in southern Burkina Faso, West Africa. Journal of Forest and Landscape Research 5:14-23, DOI: 10.13141/jflr.v5i1.2436

Dimobe, K., Ouédraogo, A., Ouédraogo, K., Goetze, D., Stein, K., Schmidt, M., Nacoulma, B., M., I., Gnoumou, A., Traoré, L., Porembski, S. and A. Thiombiano 2020. Climate change reduces the distribution area of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) in Burkina Faso. Journal of Arid Environments 181, 104237; DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2020.104237

Stenchly, K., Hansen, M.V., Stein, K., Buerkert, A., Loewenstein, W.: Income vulnerability of West African farming households to losses in pollination services: A case study from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Sustainability (2018) 10, 4253; doi:10.3390/su10114253

Stein, K., Stenchly, K., Coulibaly, D., Steffan-Dewenter, I., D., Pauly, A., Goetze, D., Porembski, S., Konaté, S., and K. E. Linsenmair 2018. Impact of human disturbance on bee pollinator communities in savanna and agricultural sites in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Ecology and Evolution, doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4197

Stein, K., Coulibaly, D., Stenchly, K., Goetze, D., Porembski, S., Lindner A., Konaté, S., and K. E. Linsenmair 2017. Bee pollination increases yield quantity and quality of cash crops in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Scientific Reports, 7:17691, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17970-2.

Krieg, J., Goetze, D., Porembski, S., Arnold, P., Linsenmair, K. E., and K. Stein 2017. Floral and reproductive biology of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Acta Horticulturae, doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1158.8

Qasim, M., Porembski, S., Stein, K. and A. Lindner 2016. Rapid Assessment of Key Structural Elements of Different Vegetation Types of West African Savannas in Burkina Faso. Journal of Landscape Ecology 9(1): 36–48.

Qasim, M., Porembski, S., Sattler, D., Stein, K., Thiombiano, A. and A. Lindner 2016. Vegetation structure and carbon stocks of two protected areas within the South-Sudanian savannas of Burkina Faso. Environments 3(25), doi: 10.3390/environments3040025. #

Stein, K., Rosche, C., Hirsch, H., Kindermann, A., Köhler, J. and I. Hensen 2014. The influence of forest fragmentation on clonal diversity and genetic structure in Heliconia angusta, an endemic understorey herb of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 30(3): 199-208.

Rinawati, F., Stein, K. and A. Lindner 2013. Climate change impacts on biodiversity – The setting of a lingering global crisis. Diversity, 5(1): 114-123.

Stein, K. and I. Hensen 2013. The reproductive biology of two understory plants in the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil. Ecological Research, 28(4): 593-602.

Stein, K., Templin, M., Hensen, I., Fischer, M., Matthies, D. and M. Schleuning 2013. Negative effects of conspecific floral density on fruit set of two neotropical understory plants. Biotropica, 45(3): 325-332.

Stein, K. and I. Hensen 2011. Potential pollinators and robbers: a study of the floral visitors of Heliconia angusta (Heliconiaceae) and their behaviour. Journal of Pollination Ecology 4(6): 39-47.

Lindner, A., Stein, K. and M. Freiberg 2010. Abundance and vigor of three selected understorey species along environmental gradients in south-eastern Brazil. Ecotropica 16(2): 101-112.

Others

Vortrag und podcast im Botanischen Garten,  TU Dresden:
https://tu-dresden.de/bg/standorte/news/triff-die-koryphaee-unter-der-konifere-katharina-stein-bestaeubungsoekologie?set_language=de

Webinare
https://flores.unu.edu/en/events/archive/seminar/saxon-dialogue-on-biodiversity-biodiversity-in-cities-how-can-we-take-action-to-protect-biodiversity-amid-urbanisation.html#overview

https://flores.unu.edu/en/events/archive/seminar/saxon-dialogue-on-biodiversity-two-urgent-challenges-of-the-21st-century-what-does-climate-change-mean-for-biodiversity.html#overview

Stein K & Thiel M (2014) Deutsch-afrikanischer Forschungsverbund WASCAL: Afrika für den Klimawandel wappnen. Kooperation International. (Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg / IDW Nachrichten) http://www.kooperation-international.de/aktuelles/nachrichten/detail/info/deutsch-afrikanischer-forschungsverbund-wascal-afrika-fuer-den-klimawandel-wappnen/

Stein K (2016) Was haben T-Shirt und Burger-Brötchen mit Bienen zu tun? – Die Bestäubung von Baumwolle und Sesam durch Bienen am Beispiel von West-Afrika. “Science Slam” at UNITED NATIONS DAY (28.10.2016) at Dresden University of Technology

Conferences (with active participation)

COP22, Marrakesh, Marocco (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) – 07. - 18. November 2016 (Poster)

Tropentag Conference “Solidarity in a competing world – fair use of resources – “, 18. – 21.09.2016, Vienna, Austria (Poster)

First International Symposium on Moringa and Sixth National Moringa Congress “Moringa: a decade of advances in research and development” of the AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center, 15. – 18.November 2015, Manila, Philippines (Oral presentation)

Annual meeting of "Gesellschaft für Tropenökologie e.V." (GTÖ, Society of Tropical Ecology), 22. - 25. February 2012, Erlangen, Germany (Oral presentation)

Annual meeting of the "Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation" (ATBC), 12. - 16. June 2011, Arusha, Tanzania (Oral presentation)

Annual meeting of "Gesellschaft für Tropenökologie e.V." (GTÖ, Society of Tropical Ecology), 21. - 24. February 2011, Frankfurt/Main, Germany (Oral presentation)

Annual meeting of "Gesellschaft für Ökologie" (GFÖ, Society of Ecology), 30. August - 03. September 2010, Gießen, Germany (Poster)

12th Nordic Meeting in Neotropical Botany, 07. - 09. August 2008, Turku, Finland (Oral presentation)

Annual meeting of the "Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation" (ATBC), 09. - 13. June 2008, Paramaribo, Surinam (Oral presentation)

Supervised theses

PhD-theses
2017 Drissa Coulibaly "Diversité et services ecosystemiques des abeilles en savanes ouest africaines: Effet de la pollinisation par les abeilles sur le rendement agricole de deux cultures moyeurs (coton et sesame) au Burkina Faso", Université Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Bsc- and Msc-theses
2016 Bachelor-Thesis – Pia Lewin „The diversity and abundance of phytophagous insects and their impact on the herbivory rate in Moringa oleifera, Burkina Faso”, University of Rostock
2016 Bachelor-Thesis - Jasper Sehrt „The breeding system of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) and the female reproductive success after selfing and outcrossing experiments in Burkina Faso”, University of Rostock
2015 Bachelor-Thesis – Paul Goschnik „Flowering phenology and breeding system of sesame (Sesamum indicum)”, University of Rostock
2014 Master-thesis – Mohammad Qasim “Carbon stock assessment of the vegetation of Nazinga Game Ranch and Bontioli Nature Reserve, Burkina Faso, West Africa”, Technische Universität Dresden
2014 Bachelor-thesis– Hannah Parnow-Kloth “Viability, germination and growth performance of inbred and outcrossed cotton seeds”, University of Rostock
2014 Master-thesis – Johannes Krieg “The floral biology and reproductive ecology of Moringa oleifera in Burkina Faso“, University of Rostock
2012 Bachelor-thesis – Julia Köhler “Genetic diversity and structure of Heliconia angusta Vell. (Heliconiaceae) in the Atlantic coastal rain forest, Brazil“, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg
2012 Bachelor-thesis – Anke Kindermann ” Genetic diversity and structure of Heliconia angusta Vell.(Heliconiaceae) in forest fragments in the Atlantic coastal rain forest, Brazil“, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Grants

  • 04.2009-03.2012 PhD-scholarship of "Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes"
  • 07.2008 student award from the University of Leipzig for the best diploma in biology in 2008
  • 04.-10.2007 scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to conduct fieldstudies in Brazil (data collection for diploma thesis)
  • 08.2004 scholarship of the DAAD for a German-Russian Summer School at the University of Petrozavodsk "Biology of plants. Biodiversity in a changing environment in northern Europe"