Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences

Prof. (apl.) Dr. Mark Maraun


  • Since 2014 apl. Professor for Animal Ecology and Evolution, University of Göttingen
  • Since 2008 Assistant Professor (permanent position), Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Germany
  • 1998-2008 PostDoc at the Institute of Biology, University of Technology Darmstadt, Germany
  • 1994-1998: Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Research Assistant, University of Göttingen, Germany



Major Research Interests

I am interested in the ecology, diversity, evolution and phylogeny of the (mainly) soil living oribatid mites (Acari). Oribatid mites originated in Cambrian or even Pre-Cambrian times and include several species rich parthenogenetic clusters, which is unique in the animal kingdom. Additionally, from within these parthenogenetic clusters sexual reproduction re-evolved frequently which is even more amazing.

Many soil living oribatid mite species (from taxa such as Brachychthonioidea, Crotonioidea) are parthenogenetic, making up to about 90 % of all individuals in acidic boreal forests. In contrast, in tropical soils and in certain microhabitats, such as macrofungi, the bark of trees, and salt marshes, sexual taxa dominate. Parthenogenesis is often connected with resource availability (as indicated by high densities) or harsh abiotic environmental conditions.

The trophic ecology of oribatid mites is surprisingly divers. Among the (mainly) predatory chelicerates, they include species from several trophic levels, i.e. lichen feeder, algal feeder, plant feeder, primary decomposer, fungal feeder, bacterial feeder, and predators. This supports the view of mites (with their divers trophic ecology) being one of the oldest arachnid taxa (which is also supported by their fossil record).

Homepage Department/Research Group
https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/maraun%2C+mark+/109123.html


Selected Recent Publications


  • Lu J-Z, Pan X, Scheu S, Maraun M (2024) Biogeography of oribatid mites (Acari) reflects their ancient origin and points to Southeast Asia as centre of radiation. Journal of Biogeography 51, 2211-2220.

  • Maraun M, Thomas T, Fast E, Treibert N, Caruso T, Schaefer I, Lu JZ, Scheu S (2023) New perspectives on soil animal trophic ecology through the lens of C and N stable isotope ratios of oribatid mites. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 177, 108890

  • Maraun M, Bischof PSP, Klemp FL, Pollack J, Raab L, Schmerbach J, Schaefer I, Scheu S, Caruso T (2022) “Jack-of-all-trades” is parthenogenetic. Ecology and Evolution 12, 6, e9036.

  • Brandt A, Tran Van P, Bluhm C, Anselmetti Y, Dumas Z, Figuet E, François CM, Galtier N, Heimburger B, Jaron KS, Labédan M, Maraun M, Parker DJ, Robinson-Rechavi M, Schaefer I, Simion P, Scheu S, Schwander T, Bast J (2021) Haplotype divergence supports ancient asexuality in the oribatid mite Oppiella nova. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 118 (38) e2101485118

  • Bast J, Schaefer I, Schwander T, Maraun M, Scheu S, Kraaijeveld K (2016) No accumulation of transposable elements in asexual arthropods. Molecular Biology and Evolution 33, 697-706

  • Schaefer I, Norton RA, Scheu S, Maraun M (2010) Precambrian mites colonized land and formed parthenogenetic clusters. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 57, 113-121