NIB

Biotechnological Hub of the NIB (BTH-NIB)

The purpose of the investment project BTH-NIB is the assurance of the appropriate infrastructural conditions for the use of research and developmental opportunities in the fields of operation of the NIB.

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Dr. Rok Šturm

Working place: Research Assistant

Telephone number: +386 (0)59 23 27 33
Email: rok.sturm@nib.si
Department: Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research

My main research interests are in the field of vibrational communication and insect ecology. We just establish frames of new research field – ecotremology. It merge  biotremology and ecoacoustics and it investigate ecological questions based on presence of vibrations in the environment. Such approach include larger number of organisms since large portion of insect use substrate born vibrational signals in their communication systems. We can detect vibrational active species of animals and bring to light their interactions through vibroscape recordings. Main focus is on interactions between and within species in vibratory communication channel and how animals split this niche. Leafhoppers, planthoppers and treehoppers are one of the most ideal group of animals to study this interactions due to their abundance and diversity in the meadow habitats and also because they use vibrational communication through solids as main way of communication. Analysing vibroscape and conducting laboratory experiments I am also studying impact of biotic noise on their behaviour and strategies leafhoppers gain through evolution.

My second research area are also populations of wild pollinators. They provide very important ecosystem service, which enable save food production and also survival of wild plant species. We are establishing methodology of national monitoring scheme for wild pollinators in Slovenia. It will enable tracking changes in populations sizes and community compositions of wild pollinators in wild environments. 

Education

  • 2008-2011: University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical faculty, BSc study program Biology
  • 2011-2015: University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical faculty, MSc study program Structural and Functional biology
  • 2015-2021: University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical faculty, interdisciplinary PhD study program Biosciences

Working experiences

  • Field assistant at Max Planck Institut for Ornitology and Ludwig Maximilian University of München
  • Phd student at National institute of Biology, Ljubljana
  • Research assistant at National institute of Biology, Ljubljana

Working visits

  • Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris
  • Fondazione Edmund Mach S. Michele all'Adige in Italy

Links:

Profiles on scholarly portals: SICRIS (SLO), Google Scholar, ResearchGate, ORCID.

Personal bibliography (COBISS)