Béatrice Nussberger
Table of contents
Research interests
Hybridization between wild and domestic animals often results in lower levels of viability and fertility of hybrid offspring and may lead to genetic extinction. The locally endangered European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) does hybridize with the domestic cat. I am interested in the impact of this hybridization on wildcats. During my Ph.D., I developed genetic SNP-markers to distinguish between wildcats, domestic cats, and their admixed progeny. I am leading the Swiss wildcat monitoring project for the Federal Office for the Environment, aiming to survey the distribution, density, and hybridization of wildcats in Switzerland. Our findings should help define conservation priorities for wildcat populations.
CV
Education and professional positions
| 2017 - present |
Scientific collaboration, Wildtier Schweiz, Zurich, Switzerland |
| 2013 - 2016 | Scientific collaboration, Federal Office for the Environment, Bern, Switzerland Post-doctoral researcher at the IEBES, University of Zurich, Switzerland |
| 2009 - 2013 | Ph.D. at the IEBES, University of Zurich, Switzerland |
| 2009 - 2010 | Scientific collaboration, Faunalpin, Bern, Switzerland |
| 2004 - 2008 | Scientific collaboration in ecological consultancy, Hintermann & Weber, Bern, Switzerland |
| 2003 | Internships in nature education |
| 2003 | Diploma in Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland |
Selected publications
- Nussberger B., Hertwig, S. T., and Roth, T. (2023). Monitoring distribution, density and introgression in European wildcats in Switzerland. Biol. Cons. 281, 110029 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110029
- Nussberger B., et al. and EUROWILDCAT Consortium (2023). A common statement on anthropogenic hybridization of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris). Front. Ecol. Evol. 11:1156387. DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1156387
- Nussberger B., Currat, M., Quilodrán, C. S., Ponta, N., Keller, L. F. (2018). Range expansion as an explanation for introgression in European wildcats. Biol. Conserv. 218, 49–56. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2017.12.009
- Nussberger B., Wandeler P., Weber D., Keller LF. (2014). Monitoring introgression in European wildcats in the Swiss Jura. Conservation Genetics, 15(5):1219-1230. DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0613-0
- Nussberger B., Wandeler P., Camenisch G. (2014). A SNP chip to detect introgression in wildcats allows accurate genotyping of single hairs. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 60(2):405-410. DOI: 10.1007/s10344-014-0806-3
- Nussberger B., Wandeler P., Weber D., Keller LF. (2013). Development of SNP markers identifying European wildcats, domestic cats, and their admixed progeny. Molecular Ecology Resources 13(3): 447-460 . DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12075
- Nussberger B. (2012). Detecting introgression is important for wildcat conservation. Säugetierkundl. Info. 8 (45): 319-328.
- Nussberger B., Weber D., Hefti-Gautschi B., Lüps P. (2007). Neuester Stand des Nachweises und der Verbreitung der Waldkatze (Felis silvestris) in der Schweiz. Mitteilungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Bern 64: 67-80.
