Three Tübingen Students Begin Reef Biodiversity Research

From September 14th to October 14th, Coral Eye is thrilled to host three marine biology master's students from the University of Tübingen, Germany.

Lara Flachsbart, Celine Kolling, and Levin Balci are here to assist Prof. Dr. Nico Michiels with conducting research on our House Reef, combining their efforts to assess fish biodiversity and habitat quality, and the impact of cleaning mutualisms on fish communities within the reef ecosystem. 

When they aren't in the water collecting data, Lara, Celine, and Levin will be happy to interact with guests, answer questions about their projects, discuss marine life, and share fun facts. They will also be giving several presentations throughout the week covering topics like cleaning mutualism, polychaetes, nudibranchs, and life as an ecologist.

Lara Flachsbart

Lara is focusing on the interactions between cleaner fish and their clients, mapping stations and their surrounding fish diversity and habitat.

Celine Kolling

Celine is analyzing the differences between disturbed and undisturbed reef areas, with a focus on the implications for fish biodiversity.

Levin Balci

Levin is studying spatial variation in local fish biodiversity, comparing fish community compositions along the reef.