Gisela Kopp

Dr. Gisela Kopp
Hector Pioneer Fellow
Zukunftskolleg/Department of Biology
University of Konstanz
Room: Y216

+49-(0)7531-88 5657

gisela.kopp@uni-konstanz.de

Member of the University Council | Goethe University Frankfurt

Member of the Senate | University of Konstanz

Research Focus

My research is characterized by the creative integration of concepts and techniques from evolutionary biology, anthropology, behavioural ecology, and genomics to advance our understanding of the contemporary and historical processes that contribute to the genetic diversity and structure of natural animal populations, with a focus on primates but also extending to other vertebrates.

Research Themes

The role of sociality in diversification

The formation of societies by individual animals is one of the major transitions in evolution and has occurred independently and repeatedly across the animal kingdom. Much effort has been spent on understanding the causes for the evolution of sociality in general and specific forms of sociality in particular. The question whether sociality entails consequences in terms of evolutionary divergence has received less attention and our understanding of how different forms of sociality might influence macroevolutionary dynamics remains obscure.
Two lines of evidence support that sociality plays an important role in macroevolution. First, there is ample evidence that traits of animal societies directly influence population differentiation and genetic diversity. Population differentiation is a key step during speciation and factors affecting population differentiation may consequently impact speciation. Second, several studies show macroevolutionary consequences of differences in social system traits. However, there remains a lack of synthesis across disparate taxa and a coherent understanding of how sociality influences diversification is still missing.
We aim to fill these gaps and provide a nuanced understanding on the sociality-diversification link across the animal kingdom. Our conceptual framework pictures that different forms of sociality influence population differentiation and genetic diversity, which subsequently alter diversification rates.

This work is mainly funded by my Hector Pioneer Fellowship awarded by the Hector Foundation II

Biogeographic history of the African savannah biome

African savannah-dwelling species exhibit striking concordance in phylogeographic patterns hinting to important savannah refugia in the Pleistocene. In contrast to Eastern and Southern African savannah refugia and rain forest refugia in the Upper and Lower Guinean forest region, phylogeographic refugia in the Sahel and Sudan-Guinea Savannah are not well established. Many taxa comprise distinct West African populations, which are evidence for periods of isolation and divergence in refugia. Modelling of refugia for human populations identified important regions of potential population persistence in West Africa throughout the late Pleistocene and highlights the underexploration of this region. The objective of this research area is to further our understanding of the spatio-temporal dynamics of the Sudan-Guinea Savannah and Sahel biome by combining phylogenomic data with climate and refugia modelling approaches.

Using non-human primates to unravel ancient biocultural exchange networks

My interest in the African savannah biome explicitly crosses disciplinary boundaries. In a collaborative project on archaeoprimatology we aim at investigating one of the oldest historically documented forms of human-animal interactions as an example for the environment-
culture feedback loops. This will inform our understanding of ancient trade networks and ancient human-nonhuman primate interactions.

This work has been funded by the Wenner Gren Foundation and a ZENiT Fellowship

Publications

Google Scholar Profile

Peer-reviewed scientific journal publications (*supervised student co-author)

(20.) Kopp GH, Papageorgiou D, *Dorendorf T, Hume B, Nyaguthii B, Kraus RHS, Farine DR (in prep) Low coverage whole genome sequencing sheds new light on the multilevel social organisation of vulturine guineafowl.

19. *Grathwol F, Roos C, Zinner D, Hume B, Porcier S, Berthet D, Cuisin J, Merker S, Ottoni C, Van Neer W, Dominy N, Kopp GH (2023) Adulis and the transshipment of baboons during classical antiquity. eLIFE 2023;12:e87513 PDF. Preprint * covered by e.g. The New Scientist, The Times, The Hindu, Deutschlandfunk, Ars Technica

18. Kopp GH, Sithaldeen R, Trede F, *Grathwol F, Roos C, Zinner D (2023) A comprehensive overview of baboon phylogenetic history. Genes 14(3):614. PDF

17. Fischer J, Higham JP, Alberts SC, Barrett L, Beehner JC, Bergman TJ, Carter A, Collins A, Elton S, Fagot J, Ferreira da Silva M, Hammerschmidt K, Henzi P, Jolly C, Knauf S, Kopp GH, Rogers J, Roos C, Ross C, Seyfarth RM, Silk J, Snyder-Mackler N, Städele V, Swedell L, Wilson ML, Zinner D (2019) The natural history of model organisms: Insights into the evolution of social systems and species from baboon studies. eLIFE 8:e50989. PDF

16. Walker JA, …, Baboon Genome Analysis Consortium, Batzer MA (2019) Alu insertion polymorphisms shared by Papio baboons and Theropithecus gelada reveal an intertwined common ancestry. Mobile DNA 10: 46. PDF

15. Rogers J, …, Kopp GH, et al. (2019) The comparative genomics and complex population history of Papio baboons. ScienceAdvances 5(1): eaau6947. PDF * covered by e.g. Phys.org, VBiO, Göttinger Tageblatt, DNA Science Blog

14. Jordan, VE, …, Baboon Genome Analysis Consortium, et al. (2018) A Computational Reconstruction of Papio Phylogeny Using Alu Insertion Polymorphisms. Mobile DNA 9: 13. PDF

13. Steely CJ, Baker JN, Walker JA, Loupe CD, Baboon Genome Analysis Consortium, Batzer MA (2018) Analysis of Lineage-Specific Alu Subfamilies in the Genome of the Olive Baboon, Papio anubis. Mobile DNA 9: 10. PDF

12. Ferreira da Silva MJ, Kopp GH, Casanova C, Godinho R, Minhós T, Sá R, Zinner D, Bruford MW (2018) Disrupted dispersal and its genetic consequencs: comparing protected and threatened baboon populations (Papio papio) in West Africa. PLoS ONE 13(4): e0194189. PDF

11. Fischer J, Kopp GH, Dal Pesco F, Goffe A, Hammerschmidt K, Kalbitzer U, Klapproth M, Maciej P, Ndao I, Patzelt A, Zinner D (2017) Charting the neglected West: the social system of Guinea baboons. Am J Phys Anthropol 162: 15-31. PDF

10. Kalbitzer U, Roos C, Kopp GH, Butynski TM, Knauf S, Zinner D, Fischer J (2016) Insights into the genetic foundation of aggression in Papio and the evolution of two length-polymorphisms in the promoter regions of serotonin-related genes (5-HTTLPR and MAOALPR) in Papionini. BMC Evol Biol 16: 121. PDF * covered by BMC OnBiology Blog

9. Snyder-Mackler N, Majoros WH, Yuan ML, Shaver AO, Gordon, JB, Kopp GH, Schlebusch SA, Wall JA, Alberts SC, Mukherjee S, Zhou X, Tung J (2016). Efficient genome-wide sequencing and low coverage pedigree analysis from non-invasively collected samples. Genetics 203: 699–714. PDF * covered by Genes to Genomes Blog

8. Kopp GH, Patzelt A, Fischer J, Roos C, Zinner D (2015) Population genetic insights into the social organization of Guinea baboons (Papio papio): Evidence for female-biased dispersal. Am J Primatol. 77: 878-889. PDF

7. Kopp GH, Roos C, Butynski TM, Wildman DE, Alagaili AN, Groeneveld LF, Zinner D (2014) Out of Africa, but how and when? The case of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas). J Hum Evol 76: 154-164. PDF * notable paper on John Hawks Weblog

6. Patzelt A, Kopp GH, Ndao I, Kalbitzer U, Zinner D, Fischer J (2014) Male tolerance and male-male bonds in a multi-level primate society. PNAS 111(41): 14740–14745. PDF * covered by e.g. ScienceDaily, Phys.org, Scinexx, Süddeutsche Zeitung

5. Kopp GH, Ferreira da Silva MJ, Fischer J, Brito JC, Regnaut S, Roos C, Zinner D (2014) The influence of social systems on patterns of mitochondrial DNA variation in baboons. Int J Primatol 35: 210-225. PDF

4. Yang M, Yang Y, Cui D, Fickenscher G, Zinner D, Roos C, Brameier M (2012) Population genetic structure of Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus brelichi) as inferred from mitochondrial control region sequences, and comparison with R. roxellana and R. bieti. Am J Phys Anthropol 147: 1-10. PDF

3. Fischer J, Semple S, Fickenscher G, Jürgens R, Kruse E, Heistermann M, Amir O (2011) Do women’s voices provide cues of the likelihood of ovulation? The importance of sampling regime. PLoS ONE 6: e24490. PDF * covered by e.g. Deutsche Welle, Süddeutsche Zeitung

2. Patzelt A, Zinner D, Fickenscher G, Diedhiou S, Camara B, Stahl D, Fischer J (2011) Group composition of Guinea baboons (Papio papio) at a water place suggests a fluid social organization. Int J Primatol 32: 652-668. PDF

1. Lehmann J, Fickenscher G, Boesch C (2006) Kin biased investment in wild chimpanzees. Behaviour, 143: 931-955. PDF

Book chapters

1. Zinner D, Fickenscher G, Roos C (2013) Family Cercopithecidae (Old World Monkeys). In: RA Mittermeier, DE Wilson (eds.) Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Volume 3: Primates. Lynx Ediciones, Barcelona. Pp. 550-627

Edited Book

1. Holzapfel M (2023) Young Scientists - 30 Forschende und ihre Wege in die Wissenschaft. Die Junge Akademie (ed). Hanser Verlag. PREVIEW

Technical Report

1. Wallis J, Alonso C, Barlow C, Brito J, Ferreira da Silva MJ, Hernansaiz A, Kopp GH, Vale C, Zinner D (2020) Papio papio. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T16018A17952926. LINK

Code

1. Kopp GH, Dorendorf T, Hume B. (2022) A workflow for sWGS genotype likelihood calling and relatedness estimation (with no known variant sets). Nextflow Pipeline LINK

(Science) Policy publications

3. ALLEA’s Working Group ERA (2022) ALLEA statement for an ERA of freedom and excellence. Berlin: ALLEA LINK

2. Eichhorn A, Fuchs SW, Kopp GH, Kretschmer R, Merl T, Segets D, de Wolff T (2022) Perspektiven auf das Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz. Berlin: Die Junge Akademie LINK

1. Kopp GH, Kretschmer R (2020) Ein Tarif für Doktoranden? Ja – wir brauchen eine einheitliche Bezahlung für Promovierende! Die ZEIT 46/2020:41 LINK

Curriculum vitae

download CV

Scientific Career

Since 03/2018 Research Fellow, Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz

Additional affiliations: Department of Biology & Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz; Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

03 – 05/2024 Harris Distinguished Visiting Professor, Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover/NH

06/2016 – 02/2018 Postdoctoral Scientist; Disease Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell

07/2010 – 04/2015 Doctoral Scientist, Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen

04 – 09/2007 Field assistant, Centre de Recherche de Primatologie Simenti, Senegal

12/2004 – 04/2009 Student research assistant, Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen

10/2003 – 04/2004 Research intern, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig

Education

07/2010 – 04/2015 PhD, Biodiversity and Ecology, Georg-August-University Göttingen

Dissertation: Gene Flow Dynamics in Baboons: The Influence of Social Systems. PDF

Grade: summa cum laude

10/2004 – 05/2010 Diploma, Biology (Major: Anthropology, Zoology, Human Genetics), Georg-August-University Göttingen

Diploma thesis: Genetic Population Structure of Free-Ranging Guinea Baboons (Papio papio) in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal.

Advisor: Prof. Dr. J. Fischer

Grants and Awards

Awards & Honours

2023 Harris Distinguished Visiting Professorship, Dartmouth College

2022 University Council Award, University Council of the University of Konstanz

2020 Member of Die Junge Akademie at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

2016 DPZ sponsorship Award, Sponsorship Society of the German Primate Center

2010 GfP-Award for Young Researchers, Gesellschaft für Primatologie

Fellowships & Grants

2024 Project grant, Volkswagen Foundation

2022 Workshop grant, Wenner-Gren Foundation

2021 Project grant, Die Junge Akademie

2018 Hector Pioneer fellowship, Hector Stiftung II

2017 Brigitte Schlieben Lange Postdoc fellowship, Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg

2016 Research grant, German Society for Mammalian Biology

2016 Postdoc stipend, Sponsorship Society of the German Primate Center

2014 Stipend, Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard-Foundation

2012 Research grant, The Leakey Foundation

2009 - 2014 Various (Field) travel grants, DAAD, European Federation for Primatology, Universitätsbund Göttingen, Christian-Vogel-Fonds

Grants & Fellowships supported as Host

2023 Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt MOE Fellowship, Nia Toshkova, National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences/Bulgaria

2022 Zukunftskolleg Senior Fellowship, Prof. Nathaniel Dominy, Dartmouth College/US

2022 Zukunftskolleg Senior Fellowship, Prof. James Higham, New York University/US

2022 Zukunftskolleg Senior Fellowship, Prof. Amanda Melin, University of Calgary/Canada

Intramural competitive research funding, University of Konstanz

2024 ZENiT grant, Zukunftskolleg

2021 & 2022 Medium & small project grant, Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour

2020 Konstanzia fellowship, Equal Opportunities Office

2019 Internationalisation measures grant, International Office

2018 – 2023 Flexible working conditions for Postdocs with Family Duties, Equal Opportunities Office

2017, 2020 Young scholar fund, Committee on Research

2017 Interdisciplinary collaborative projects grant, Zukunftskolleg

2017 – 2018 Mentorship programme, Zukunftskolleg

Team

Alyssa Bell: Laboratory Technical Assistant

Guest Researchers

Prof. Nathaniel Dominy (Dartmouth College, USA): Zukunftskolleg Senior Fellowship, Using primate population genetics to map ancient trade routes
Prof. James Higham (New York University, USA): Zukunftskolleg Senior Fellowship, Expanding baboon studies in Konstanz via new collaborations
Prof. Amanda Melin (University of Calgary, Canada): Zukunftskolleg Senior Fellowship, Enhancing methods and theory in primate genomics and foraging decisions

Alumni

Vivian Kneipp: Student Research Assistant, Primates in Antiquity Project
Ellen Ye: Student Teaching Assistant, Animal Sociality Seminar
Vanessa Nalewaja: Student Research Assistant, WüstenWissen (Die Junge Akademie Project)
Hanna Rohr: Student Research Assistant, Initiative Diversität (Die Junge Akademie Project)
Nia Toshkova: Guest Doctoral Student, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt MOE Fellowship
Riya Mathur: Student Research Assistant, FecalFACS Project
Zsolt Palmer: Student Research Intern, Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm des Deutschen Bundestages
Patricia Bächtle: Research Assistant, FecalFACS project
Melina Dietzer,: Research Assistant, FecalFACS project [now PhD student with Prof. I Storch at U Freiburg]
Till Dorendorf: Student Research Assistant, Guineafowl genomics [now PhD student with Prof. O. Mayans at U Konstanz]
Evi Fricke: Technical Assistant, Molecular lab [now retired]
Katharina Gergen: Master Student, U. bilobatum population genetics [now Technician at BIPSO GmbH]
Franziska Grathwol: Master Student, Baboon Phylogeography [now Landschaftsplanung & Naturschutz at Stadtplanungs-amt Fellbach]
Delvina Hoti: Student Research Assistant, microsatellite analysis [now Quality Control Analyst at Roche]
Olga Klat: Student Research Assistant, microsatellite analysis [now at Numab Therapeutics AG]
Myriam Knöpfle: Research Assistant, genetic diversity in mammals [now PhD student with Dr. A. Jordan at MPI-AB]
Jenna Kohles: Student Research Assistant, microsatellite analysis [now PhD student with PD Dr. D. Dechmann at MPI-AB]