Anthropocene Biology in Eastern Europe and Beyond

Berlin is the birthplace of urban ecology, and as such a fitting place to discuss the effects of urbanisation – a flagship symbol on the Anthropocene – on wildlife. Berlin is also a city that uniquely reflects the legacy of politics and war on the urban mosaic and resulting environmental structuring. In my talk, I will first delve into the impact of urbanisation on wildlife, particularly passerine birds, in an understudied region: Eastern Europe. I will further explore the complex ways political systems shape ecological and evolutionary patterns and address the underappreciated effects of armed conflict on evolutionary ecology. Second, I will discuss how urbanisation and climate change often act as compounded stressors on urban wildlife, and highlight the importance of mitigating these processes in our endeavor to build resilient urban communities for the future. Finally, I will end on a lighter note by focusing on the intriguing effects of global plastic pollution – another cornerstone of the Anthropocene – on animal phenotypes. Specifically, I will report on how terrestrial hermit crabs have begun using plastic waste as protective shells—a phenomenon that could shape their evolutionary trajectory in unexpected ways.