(10.4.1962-26.9.2011) Hervorragende Ökologin. Elisabeth K. V

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(10.4.1962-26.9.2011) Hervorragende Ökologin. Elisabeth K. V Nyctalus (N.F.), Berlin 16 (2011), Heft 3-4, S. 264-271 Nachruf Zum Gedenken an Prof. Dr. Elisabeth K. V. Kalko (10.4.1962-26.9.2011) Schon wieder, das heißt nach dem Tod von Otto von Helversen, verliert die Fledermaus gemeinde eine weitere hervorragende Persön lichkeit der Fledermausforschung und eine hervorragende Ökologin. Elisabeth K. V. Kalko verstarb in der Nacht zum 26. Sept. 2011 aus noch ungeklärter Ursache während eines Besuchs ihres DFG Kilimanjaro-Pro- jekts in Tansania. Schaut man ins World Wide Web findet man ihren Namen überall vertreten, wo es um Bio- diversität, Fledermaus- und Naturschutz geht. Als Mensch des öffentlichen Lebens ist sie dort mit Daten und Fakten zu ihrem Wirken präsent. In den letzten Tagen ist viel über sie als Wissenschaftlerin geschrieben worden. Auf der Suche nach Fotos zu diesem Nachruf bin ich in meinem Archiv immer nur auf Bil der einer fröhlichen, lebenslustigen Frau ge stoßen (Abb. 1). Deshalb möchte ich Ihnen/ Euch eine ganz persönliche Betrachtung ihres Lebens, sozusagen einen subjektiven Nachruf, schreiben. Abb. 1. Prof. Dr. Elisabeth K. V. Kalko. Elisabeth Klara Viktoria Kalko wurde am Zeit und die fliegenden Nachtsäuger zogen Eli 10. April 1962 in Berlin geboren. Sie wuchs in sofort in ihren Bann. Später sagte sie einmal in Heilbronn auf, wo sie auch ihr Abitur machte. einem Interview im SWR: „Die Fledermäuse Zum Biologiestudium kam sie an die Univer lassen mich einfach nicht mehr los und ich bin sität nach Tübingen. Zuerst frustriert vom dadurch auch schon fast zur Kreatur der Nacht Biologiestudium fand sie in Prof. Dr. H.-U. geworden." Schnitzler, Lehrstuhlinhaber des Instituts für Tierphysiologie, ihren ersten Mentor. Für ihre Diplomarbeit wählte sie das Thema Er erkannte schnell, dass Eli eine außerge „Jagd- und Ortungsverhalten der Wasserfle wöhnliche Studentin war und warb sie vom dermaus und anderer über Wasser jagender Tübinger Max-Planck-Institut für Entwick Fledermausarten." Erstmalig wurde das Jagd lungsbiologie ab, wo sie gerade eine Hiwi- verhalten der Fledermäuse in 3D und synchron Stelle (Wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft-Stelle) mit Bild und Ortungslauten im Freiland. hatte und sich mit dem Thema „Regeneration optischer Nerven beim Goldfisch" beschäf Nach ihrer Diplomarbeit widmete sich Eli tigte. Der Lehrstuhl Tierphysiologie war der in ihrer Doktorarbeit dem Echoortungsverhal- „Fledermaiisechoortunsjslehrstuhr zu dieser ten der Pipistrellen in Europa. Nachruf 265 Ich kann mich noch gut erinnern, wie ihr halb kaufte die Expedition auch aufeinem lo weißer Fiat Uno bei jeder Reise unter der kalen Markt ein verwaistes Gorillababy frei, Last ihrer Freilandapparatur fast zusammen das leider nur wenige Tage überlebte. Wäh brach. Bis unters Dach vollgeladen mit ihrer rend der Exkursion infizierte sie sich das erste sechzehnteiligen Blitzapparatur, mit Ersatz Mal mit Malaria. Sie kämpfte sich trotz Fie akkus, Stativen und dem Lautaufnahmesystem berschüben durch den Dschungel - das Rie fuhr sie durch halb Europa immer auf der senreptil fanden sie nicht, aber meterlange und Suche nach guten Aufnahmeorten. Nach armdicke Pythons und vier neue elektrische jeder Reise hatte die Elektronikwerkstatt des Fischarten. Lehrstuhls mit Reparaturen zu kämpfen, da die Geräte bei Eli bis zum Maximum ge Ihre Postdoc-Zeit (Forschungszeit nach der fordert wurden. Promotion) verbrachte sie meist im Ausland. Sie bekam ein begehrtes Stipendium am Nati Während ihrer Tübinger Zeit haben wir ei onal Museum ofNatural History, Smithsonian nige gemeinsame Exkursionen, z. B. nach Ja Institution in Washington, D. C. (USA) und maika zu den Schnurrbartfledermäusen (Pte- am Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ronotus parnelli) oder nach Costa Rica zu den in Panama. Der berühmte Säugetierkuratur Hasenmaulfledermäusen {Noctilio leporinus) Charles Handley (gestorben 2001) wurde ihr unternommen. Auch hier stand das Jagd- und zweiter großer Mentor. Mit ihm unternahm sie Echoortungsverhalten im Vordergrund der zahlreiche Exkursionen nach Südamerika im Untersuchungen. Nächtelang lagen wir auf mer auf der Suche nach neuen (Fledermaus-) dem Bootssteg in Tortuguero/Costa Rica und Arten. Ihr Wissen über die Fledermausge warteten, bis sich die Große Hasenmaulfleder- meinschaften in Südamerika wuchs stetig, und maus zu ihrem abendlichen Shrimsfang-Bal- mit ihr verlieren wir die letzte Person mit um lett einfand; dieses Verhalten ging als „Ran fassenden Kenntnissen über die Fledermäuse king" in die Fledermausliteratur ein. Während Südamerikas. Ihr Schlüssel zur Bestimmung wir warteten, begeisterte sich Eli für eine an der südamerikanischen Fledermausarten, den dere kleine Fledermaus, die permanent, wie sie gemeinsam mit Charles Handley ge ein großer Nachtschmetterling, ums Boot flat schrieben hat, ist leider immer noch nicht terte und nannte sie „Flutterby". Um welche veröffentlicht. Es bleibt zu hoffen, dass ihr Art es sich handelte, fand sie erst später heraus gemeinsames Werk, in welcher Form auch und widmete ihr ein ganzes Forschungspro immer, der Nachwelt erhalten bleibt. jekt: „Sensory ecology and signal plasticity of the long-legged bat, Macrophyllum macro- Panama wurde zu ihrer zweiten Heimat. Auf phyllum {Phyllostomidae), foraging over wa der Forschungsinsel Barro Colorado Island ter." (BCI) im Panamakanal verbrachte sie viele Nächte im Wald oder im Flugkäfig. Hier war Anfang der 1990er Jahre erhielt Eli die auch der Ort, an dem sie von Fernsehteams Möglichkeit an einer amerikanischen Expedi immer wieder in Szene gesetzt wurde. „Bat tion in den Kongo teilzunehmen. Ein riesen Woman ofPanama'VUS Fernsehproduktion ist großes Reptil oder der letzte Dinosaurier wohl der bekannteste Filmbericht über sie. sollten in einem See (Teile-Lake) tief im kon golesischen Regenwald leben. Durch ihre Ob in Tübingen während des beliebten Frei Französischkenntnisse war sie für die Expedi landpraktikums oder in Panama bei Studen tion unentbehrlich. Noch mit frischer Blind tenprojekten, Eli Kalko konnte ihre Studenten darmnarbe flog sie nach Afrika. Ich weiß noch, begeistern wie kaum jemand (Abb. 2). Sie wie entsetzt sie über das auf den kongole überzog bei allen mir bekannten Vorträgen im sischen Märkten angebotene Gorillafleisch mer ihre Redezeit, aber niemand nahm es ihr (Bushmeet) war. Jane Goodall war eines ih übel. Die Zuhörer klebten auch noch nach rer großen Vorbilder, und wahrscheinlich des zwei Stunden Redezeit formlich an ihren 266 Nachruf Abb. 2. Eli Kalko mit Studenten beim Netzläng BCI. Eli Kalko with their students during mist-netting on BCI. Beide Aufn.: Ingrid Kaii>f. Lippen. Der Landeslehrpreis Baden-Württem um dort nach ihren Studenten zu sehen doch berg, den sie 2006 erhielt, war hoch verdient. dies sollte ihre letzte Reise werden. Im Jahre 2000 folgte sie dem Ruf an die Wir verlieren mit Eli Kalko eine ambitio- Universität nach Ulm und übernahm das Insti nierte Forscherin mit dem Blick für Zusam tut für Experimentelle Ökologie. Sie war mit menhänge in den Ökosystemen dieser Welt, 37 Jahren eine der jüngsten Professorinnen in eine seltene Gabe in der deutschen For- Deutschland. schungslandschaft. Wir verlieren aber auch einen lebensfrohen, begeisterungsfähigen In ihrer Ulmer Zeit drehten sich ihre Pro Menschen und nicht zuletzt eine sehr gute jekte um die Themen Biodiversität, um die Freundin und Kollegin. Artenvielfalt in Regenwäldern und Savannen und um die Bedrohungen dieser Lebensräume. Abstract Die Untersuchungsgebiete lagen vorwiegend Obituary: Prof. Dr. Elisabeth K. V. Kalko (April 10, in tropischen Ländern wie Panama, Costa 1962-September 26, 2011) The '"Bat Woman" Elisabeth Kalko died on September. Rica, Mexiko, Venezuela, Bolivien, Peru oder 26, 2011, during studying bats in Tanzania. She died in her in Afrika (Tansania, Benin, Elfenbeinküste, sleep. We lost one ofthe most important bat ecologists of Ghana), in Europa forschte sie wenig. In den the world. Elizabeth studied bat communities in America, Semesterferien ließ sie es sich nicht nehmen, Africa and Asia. She following in the Footsteps of ihre Projekte und ihre Kandidatinnen vor Ort Charles Handley (National Museum Natural Hislory, STRI, Washington), both ofihem were absohitely experts zu besuchen. So war es auch in diesen Seme of South American bat species. Hopcfully we do not loss sterferien, in denen sie nach Tansania reiste, their knowledsje about bats, but we lost a close friend. Ingrid Kamt, Lehrstuhl Tierphysiologie, AG Fledermausschutz Baden-Württemberg e. V., Keplerstraßc 7, D-72074 Tübingen Nachruf 267 Bibliographie der Publikationen rameters ofnative free-standing and strangler figs von Prof. Dr. Elisabeth K. V. Kalko* (Ficus sp., Moraceae). Oecologia 163, 425-435. Ter Hofstede H, Kalko EKV, & Fullard J (2010): Audi- Knörnschild M, Ueberschaer K, Helbig M, & Kalko tory-based defence against gleaning bats in neo EKV (2011): Sexually selected infanticide in a tropical katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigonidae). J. polygynous bat. PloS ONE 6:e25001. Comp. Physiol. 196, 349-358. Mello MAR, Marquitti FvMD, Guimaraes Jr. PR, Ka Jung K, & Kalko EKV (2010): Where forest meets urba lko EKV, Jordano P, & de Aguiar MAM (2011): nization: foraging plasticity of aerial insecti The modularity of seed dispersal: differences in vorous bats in an anthropogenically altered envi- structure and robustness between bat- an bird- ronment. J. Mamm. 91, 144-153. fruit networks. Oecologia 10.1007/s00442-011- Meyer CFJ, Aguiar LMS, Aguirre LF, Baumgarten J, 1984-2. Clarke FM, Cosson, J-F, Estrada-Villegas S, Böhm SM, Wells K, & Kalko EKV (2011): Top-down Fahr
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