Zoological Museum > Research > Vertebrates > Description

The Vertebrate Department

The research at the Vertebrate Department covers a broad range of topics, including applied aspects. Birds and mammals are generally well known with respect to species and races, and the research is therefore more focused on understanding how species evolve, and analyzing evolutionary relationships and biogeography, largely based on DNA data. However, there is also focus on ecology and better management of populations, and the bird section is managing the ringing of birds in Denmark and Greenland, and studying bird migration and how birds find their way.
With respect to reptiles, amphibian and fish there is more focus on generic revisions and description of new taxa.
The department also includes a section which, based on excavations in Denmark and Greenland, deals with distribution and evolution of animals during the Quaternary; this includes the early history of the domesticated animals.
In collaboration with Center for Macroecology, Biological Institute the department has developed databases with distributions of thousands of species for research on how to explain regional and global variation in biodiversity and how such data can be used for setting management priorities.

The research involves a broad collaboration with other institutions in Denmark and abroad, and has many associated M.Sc. and Ph.D. students.