Robin Heinen
@robinheinennl.bsky.social
Father of two | Husband | Dr | Ecologist | Research Associate @ TUM | Insects, plants and microbes | Artificial Light At Night | Sen. Editor @ Annals of Applied Biology & Assoc. Editor @ Functional Ecology | Reptile & Bird enthusiast
Deep talk with what may be the favorite specimen in our zoological collection. In the back, students deliver their self-prepared bird identification tutorial sessions. Including convenient privacy fake bokeh.
November 27, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Deep talk with what may be the favorite specimen in our zoological collection. In the back, students deliver their self-prepared bird identification tutorial sessions. Including convenient privacy fake bokeh.
We are setting up a new experiment with a BSc student in my team, in which we will investigate how different light pollution treatments affect interactions between aphids and their predators in terms of their dispersal and feeding behaviour on plants. Always nice to have seedlings in the ground.
November 21, 2025 at 9:46 AM
We are setting up a new experiment with a BSc student in my team, in which we will investigate how different light pollution treatments affect interactions between aphids and their predators in terms of their dispersal and feeding behaviour on plants. Always nice to have seedlings in the ground.
I went to Deutsches Museum with the kids today. A first. Impressive set of war planes that gave me the shivers. Pictures of the DM bombed to pieces reveal the dark history.
Not sure that my kids understood why I wanted to look at small glass and metal bits on a pedestal, but how could I not?
Not sure that my kids understood why I wanted to look at small glass and metal bits on a pedestal, but how could I not?
November 16, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I went to Deutsches Museum with the kids today. A first. Impressive set of war planes that gave me the shivers. Pictures of the DM bombed to pieces reveal the dark history.
Not sure that my kids understood why I wanted to look at small glass and metal bits on a pedestal, but how could I not?
Not sure that my kids understood why I wanted to look at small glass and metal bits on a pedestal, but how could I not?
Yesterday, our kids' kindergarten organised the yearly saint Martin's lantern walk. This photo shows quite clearly why I decided two years ago that this rather secluded part of campus also would make a good area to study light pollution impacts. Unnecessarily dense and unnecessarily bright...
November 15, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Yesterday, our kids' kindergarten organised the yearly saint Martin's lantern walk. This photo shows quite clearly why I decided two years ago that this rather secluded part of campus also would make a good area to study light pollution impacts. Unnecessarily dense and unnecessarily bright...
Today I taught students about the distribution of biodiversity, and how such patterns may have arisen. My lecture was mostly about aboveground diversity, but in an exercise we talked soil. Interesting to see that most students had never heard of soil diversity. Sometimes times do not change...
November 12, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Today I taught students about the distribution of biodiversity, and how such patterns may have arisen. My lecture was mostly about aboveground diversity, but in an exercise we talked soil. Interesting to see that most students had never heard of soil diversity. Sometimes times do not change...
My son immediately drew me a cup of coffee, to compensate for the loss of a piece of myself. It's a solid mug. I like that... (it seems that love for coffee is my most recognizable trait. For my birthday, my kids made me a crown with a coffee cup)
November 8, 2025 at 4:26 PM
My son immediately drew me a cup of coffee, to compensate for the loss of a piece of myself. It's a solid mug. I like that... (it seems that love for coffee is my most recognizable trait. For my birthday, my kids made me a crown with a coffee cup)
Recently, a reviewer made reference to the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum on a manuscript about extreme events. It sparked ideas for an exercise on the role of geological events in the evolution and distribution of biodiversity, which fit my lecture today. Including a mini (7) poster seminar!
November 5, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Recently, a reviewer made reference to the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum on a manuscript about extreme events. It sparked ideas for an exercise on the role of geological events in the evolution and distribution of biodiversity, which fit my lecture today. Including a mini (7) poster seminar!
This is the ugliest picture of a bird species I've been trying to spot for a long time, but somehow never managed to. A beautiful water rail and it wasn't shy at all!
October 25, 2025 at 6:29 PM
This is the ugliest picture of a bird species I've been trying to spot for a long time, but somehow never managed to. A beautiful water rail and it wasn't shy at all!
There may be no significant difference, but I was happy to see this figure :).
October 24, 2025 at 8:54 AM
There may be no significant difference, but I was happy to see this figure :).
Lectured about lagomorphs and rodents of Germany today. (I'm always amazed by the fact that 'we' are a sister clade to the Glires in the mammalian phylogeny). It's fun to hear students' thoughtful questions, particularly the creative ones I don't have immediate answers to. I always learn new things!
October 23, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Lectured about lagomorphs and rodents of Germany today. (I'm always amazed by the fact that 'we' are a sister clade to the Glires in the mammalian phylogeny). It's fun to hear students' thoughtful questions, particularly the creative ones I don't have immediate answers to. I always learn new things!
Also, note that most of this is free material. I rarely have to source materials anywhere else, because I generate cuttings and seeds in my own garden in abundance. No need for commercial crap doused in pesticides. Everybody can do this with very minimal effort!
October 19, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Also, note that most of this is free material. I rarely have to source materials anywhere else, because I generate cuttings and seeds in my own garden in abundance. No need for commercial crap doused in pesticides. Everybody can do this with very minimal effort!
The Calendula officinalis seed themselves out every year. They're now pretty much present year round, with old growth partly surviving until mid winter, and new seeds germinating early in spring. Same for Leucanthemum vulgare and Centaurea montana. And I noticed some Tanacetum vulgare popping up!
October 19, 2025 at 10:26 AM
The Calendula officinalis seed themselves out every year. They're now pretty much present year round, with old growth partly surviving until mid winter, and new seeds germinating early in spring. Same for Leucanthemum vulgare and Centaurea montana. And I noticed some Tanacetum vulgare popping up!
It's mid-October and my garden looks like this. Most houses around us have 'tidied up' from early September, and are now green-turning-brown. Sure, there's senescence (important habitat!) here as well, but look at all those flowers (and seeds) birds and remaining insects love it! So do I.
October 19, 2025 at 10:21 AM
It's mid-October and my garden looks like this. Most houses around us have 'tidied up' from early September, and are now green-turning-brown. Sure, there's senescence (important habitat!) here as well, but look at all those flowers (and seeds) birds and remaining insects love it! So do I.
The Acer trees on our campus are at their peak coloration, with some golden hour sunlight, these trees can make any day. Perfect for a timeline cleanse.
October 14, 2025 at 4:52 PM
The Acer trees on our campus are at their peak coloration, with some golden hour sunlight, these trees can make any day. Perfect for a timeline cleanse.
Thanks for the reminder. I had planned on getting it before, but forgot. At least it's now on my endless books-to-read pile. :-)
October 14, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Thanks for the reminder. I had planned on getting it before, but forgot. At least it's now on my endless books-to-read pile. :-)
Time line cleanse. Throwback to two weeks ago, where I hiked the 'Wolfsschlucht' or wolves' gorge with my family. No wolves around, but certainly a gorgeous place! The gloomy weather added to the atmosphere here.
October 12, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Time line cleanse. Throwback to two weeks ago, where I hiked the 'Wolfsschlucht' or wolves' gorge with my family. No wolves around, but certainly a gorgeous place! The gloomy weather added to the atmosphere here.
Monika Egerer opens this year's Weihenstephaner Forum in the important subject of Shared Landscapes - something that runs through many of the ecological and landscape-oriented departments here at TUM. Looking forward to a nice and interesting program.
October 10, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Monika Egerer opens this year's Weihenstephaner Forum in the important subject of Shared Landscapes - something that runs through many of the ecological and landscape-oriented departments here at TUM. Looking forward to a nice and interesting program.
Ancient Roman architecture was not on the list of things I expected to see in Germany, but I must say that the Porta Nigra in Trier is an impressive and well-preserved example of it.
October 8, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Ancient Roman architecture was not on the list of things I expected to see in Germany, but I must say that the Porta Nigra in Trier is an impressive and well-preserved example of it.
PhDone for Dr. Annika Neuhaus today who successfully defended her dissertation this afternoon at TUM. It has been great to work with Annika on the role of Tansy chemistry in regulating aphid presence, preference, and performance. Thanks for the good spirits and fun times with the team! All the best!
September 30, 2025 at 7:58 PM
PhDone for Dr. Annika Neuhaus today who successfully defended her dissertation this afternoon at TUM. It has been great to work with Annika on the role of Tansy chemistry in regulating aphid presence, preference, and performance. Thanks for the good spirits and fun times with the team! All the best!
Every now and then I realize that I live pretty close to paradise.
September 28, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Every now and then I realize that I live pretty close to paradise.
'Only' 14 results for which openAI trained their algorithms on my work. I'm not sure how I should be feeling about this, but I'd say either take it all, or take nothing at all. It feels a bit like deciding to be only a small time bank robber; one that breaks in, but takes only the 10 euro bills.
September 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
'Only' 14 results for which openAI trained their algorithms on my work. I'm not sure how I should be feeling about this, but I'd say either take it all, or take nothing at all. It feels a bit like deciding to be only a small time bank robber; one that breaks in, but takes only the 10 euro bills.
Exhausted and inspired at the same time from four days at the #GfÖ2025. Lots of nice talks, great conversations and (perhaps too much) new information. I'm still buzzing. Nice to get some nice chats after my ALAN talk. Also great to see Eli shine with her poster on her chemodiversity work.
September 5, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Exhausted and inspired at the same time from four days at the #GfÖ2025. Lots of nice talks, great conversations and (perhaps too much) new information. I'm still buzzing. Nice to get some nice chats after my ALAN talk. Also great to see Eli shine with her poster on her chemodiversity work.
Great keynote, and perhaps even better discussion by Zuzana Buřivalová this morning, about drivers of soundscapes in Gabon. I've never seen a keynote speaker direct towards an inclusive discussion so we'll. What a powerful example! Quite the eye opener, too!
September 4, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Great keynote, and perhaps even better discussion by Zuzana Buřivalová this morning, about drivers of soundscapes in Gabon. I've never seen a keynote speaker direct towards an inclusive discussion so we'll. What a powerful example! Quite the eye opener, too!
Interesting approach for the first keynote at the GfÖ, where Pia Bradler walks the audience through her PhD biodiversity data, together with Anne Chao. Creative, useful, interesting, and quite educational!
September 2, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Interesting approach for the first keynote at the GfÖ, where Pia Bradler walks the audience through her PhD biodiversity data, together with Anne Chao. Creative, useful, interesting, and quite educational!