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Sandra Müller

Postdoc in Ecoacoustics

 

 

 Curriculum Vitae

          

 Research Interests

I have a background in vegetation ecology, focusing on the role of biodiversity in ecosystem processes. Since 2014, I have been particularly interested in the role of acoustic diversity – as one aspect of biodiversity – in this context. I am interested in basic research projects to improve our ecological understanding of how sound functions in a landscape, as well as adapting ecoacoustic approaches for ecosystem monitoring and conservation. As part of the Dr.Forest project, our research also examines the impact of natural soundscapes on human well-being.

 

 Current Research Projects

AkWamo - Acoustic Forest Monitoring

HearTheSpecies - Using computer audition to understand the drivers of soundscape composition, and to predict parasitation rates based on vocalisations of bird species

Acoucene - Towards a silent spring? Modeling and projecting the impacts of the anthropocene on soundscapes with birds as an acoustic ecological indicator.

Bacurú Drõa - A project developed by C.Potvin and H.Barrios in collaboration with the Emberá communities and traditional authorities of the Tierras Colectivas del Río Balsas, Darién, Panama. The project aims to improve understanding of the ecology of ancient forests while creating new opportunities for the local economy. It involves the characterisation of soundscapes in these old-growth tropical forests.

BEsound - Relationship between land-use intensity, organismic diversity and acoustic complexity, project within the DFG Biodiversity Exploratories.

Networking PAM Initiatives! - During a symposium of the Ecoacoustic Society (ISE) in Madrid in 2025, we set out to build a "transnational network of terrestrial ecoacoustic monitoring initiatives to share knowledge, establish standards and promote data exchange".

Future Forest: Wie klingt der Wald im Wandel? - An interdisciplinary project with sound artist and composer Kirsten Reese and the Ensemble Recherche, which combines scientific research from the fields of ecoacoustics and geobotany with an instrumental-electronic composition and innovative performance formats.

 

 Past Research Projects

Dr. Forest - Diversity of forests affecting human health

W³: Win-Win im Weinberg - innovatives, ökologisches und ökonomisches Weinbergsmanagmenet mit extensiver Schafbeweidung (s.a hier)

FunDivEUROPE - The Functional significance of forest bioDiversity in  EUROPE, EU Framework Programme VII.

 

 Publications

PrePrints

Funosas, D., Massol, E., Bas, Y., Schmidt, S., Arend, D., Gebhard, A., …Müller, S.,... et al. (2025). ECOSoundSet: a finely annotated dataset for the automated acoustic identification of Orthoptera and Cicadidae in North, Central and temperate Western Europe. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2504.20776

Pérez-Granados, C., Funosas, D., Morant, J., Marín, O. H., Mendoza, I., Mohedano-Muñoz, M. A., …Müller, S.,...et al. (2025). Optimisation of passive acoustic bird surveys: a global assessment of BirdNET settings. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6633549/v1

O’Brien, S. A., Tylianakis, J. M., Anderson, D. P., Boesing, A. L., Lai, H. R., Provost, G. L.,  …Müller, S.,... et al. (2025). Mobile species’ responses to surrounding land use generate trade-offs among nature’s contributions to people. 2025.03.11.638535. doi: 10.1101/2025.03.11.638535

Busana, M., Sebe, F., Barbaro, L., Carruthers-Jones, J., Croci, S., Eldridge, A.,  …Müller, S.,... et al. (2025). Spatial distribution of acoustic traits in bird assemblages along bioclimatic gradients. Available at: https://www.authorea.com/users/896713/articles/1272788-spatial-distribution-of-acoustic-traits-in-bird-assemblages-along-bioclimatic-gradients?commit=bab1b3828cef66a6715c1071a635ff1f094c7ff3 (Accessed March 24, 2025).

Romero, A. G. C., Rozario, K., Marselle, M., Oh, R., Mueller, S., Becker, O. A., et al. (2025). Sense of place matters: Mental well-being effects of acoustic diversity differ for local and non-local forest soundscapes. doi: 10.31234/osf.io/yqcwp

Pérez-Granados, C., Etxebarría, J. M., Darras, K. F. A., Gómez, O. H. M., Mendoza, I., Mohedano-Muñoz, M. Á.,  …Müller, S.,... et al. (2025). WABAD: A World Annotated Bird Acoustic Dataset for Passive Acoustic Monitoring. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5729784/v1

Arend, D., Gebhard, A., Triantafyllopoulos, A., Schuller, B., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., and Müller, S. (2024). Soundscape-Based Evaluation of Small-Scale Forest Management Interventions. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.5063298

Peer Reviewed Journal Publications

2025

Rozario, K., Shaw, T., Marselle, M., Oh, R. R. Y., Schröger, E., Giraldo Botero, M.,…Müller, S.,...  et al. (2025). Perceived biodiversity: Is what we measure also what we see and hear? People Nat. n/a. doi: 10.1002/pan3.70087

Darras, K. F. A., Rountree, R. A., Van Wilgenburg, S. L., Cord, A. F., Pitz, F., Chen, Y., …Müller, S.,... et al. (2025). Worldwide Soundscapes: A Synthesis of Passive Acoustic Monitoring Across Realms. Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr. 34, e70021. doi: 10.1111/geb.70021

Gillerot, L., Landuyt, D., Bourdin, A., Rozario, K., Shaw, T., Steinparzer, M., …Müller, S.,
...Verheyen, K. (2025). Forest biodiversity and structure modulate human health benefits and risks. Nat. Sustain. 8, 485–497. doi: 10.1038/s41893-025-01547-3

Rothacher, J., Mitesser, O., Müller, S., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Buřivalová, Z., and Müller, J. (2025). Testing the soundscape response to silvicultural interventions in a controlled before-and-after experiment. Biol. Conserv. 306, 111116. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111116

Mitesser, O., Hochrein, S., Burivalova, Z., Müller, S., Strätz, C., Liebhold, A. M., et al. (2025). Unexpected soundscape response to insecticide application in oak forests. Conserv. Biol. 39, e14422. doi: 10.1111/cobi.14422

2024

Müller, S., Jahn, O., Jung, K., Mitesser, O., Ammer, C., Böhm, S., et al. (2024). Temporal dynamics of acoustic diversity in managed forests. Front. Ecol. Evol. 12. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1392882

Challéat, S., Farrugia, N., Froidevaux, J. S. P., Gasc, A., and Pajusco, N. ....Müller, S., … et.al, (2024). A dataset of acoustic measurements from soundscapes collected worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sci. Data 11, 928. doi: 10.1038/s41597-024-03611-7

Shaw, T., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., and Mueller, S. (2024). Forest structural heterogeneity positively affects bird richness and acoustic diversity in a temperate, central European forest. Front. Ecol. Evol. 12. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1387879

Stojek, K., Bobrowska, B., Kusińska, B., Czerwonka, M., Decruyenaere, J., Decock, L.,  ....Müller, S., …et al. (2024). Factors affecting composition of fatty acids in wild-growing forest mushrooms. Mycologia, 1–11. doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2325045

Zheng, L., Barry, K., Guerrero-Ramírez, N., Craven, D., Reich, P., Verheyen, K., ....Müller, S., …et al. (2024). Effects of plant diversity on productivity strengthen over time due to trait-dependent shifts in species overyielding. Nat. Commun. 15. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46355-z

2023

Rozario, K., Oh, R. R. Y., Marselle, M., Schröger, E., Gillerot, L., Ponette, Q., ....Müller, S., …et al. (2024). The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short-term mental health and well-being—A multicentre study. People Nat. 6, 180–201. doi: 10.1002/pan3.10564

Neyret, M., Peter, S., Le Provost, G., Boch, S., Boesing, A. L., Bullock, J. M., Hölzel, N., Klaus, V. H., Kleinebecker, T., Krauss, J., Müller, J., Müller, S., Ammer, C., Buscot, F., Ehbrecht, M., Fischer, M., Goldmann, K., Jung, K., Mehring, M., … Manning, P. (2023). Landscape management strategies for multifunctionality and social equity. Nature Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-01045-w

Le Provost, G., Schenk, N. V, Penone, C., Thiele, J., Westphal, C., Allan, E., Ayasse, M., Blüthgen, N., Boeddinghaus, R. S., Boesing, A. L., Bolliger, R., Busch, V., Fischer, M., Gossner, M. M., Hölzel, N., Jung, K., Kandeler, E., Klaus, V. H., Kleinebecker, T., ....Müller, S., … Manning, P. (2023). The supply of multiple ecosystem services requires biodiversity across spatial scales. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7(2), 236–249. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01918-5

2022

Wägele, J.W., Bodesheim, P., Bourlat, S.J., Denzler, J., Diepenbroek, M., Fonseca, V., Frommolt, K.-H., Geiger, M.F., Gemeinholzer, B., Glöckner, F.O., Haucke, T., Kirse, A., Kölpin, A., Kostadinov, I., Kühl, H.S., Kurth, F., Lasseck, M., Liedke, S., Losch, F., Müller, S., Petrovskaya, N., Piotrowski, K., Radig, B., Scherber, C., Schoppmann, L., Schulz, J., Steinhage, V., Tschan, G.F., Vautz, W., Velotto, D., Weigend, M., Wildermann, S., 2022. Towards a multisensor station for automated biodiversity monitoring. Basic Appl. Ecol. 59, 105–138. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2022.01.003

Müller, S., Mitesser, O., Oschwald, L., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Potvin, C., 2022. "Temporal Soundscape Patterns in a Panamanian Tree Diversity Experiment: Polycultures Show an Increase in High Frequency Cover." Front. Ecol. Evol. 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.808589

Müller, S., Gossner, M. M, Penone, C., Jung, K., Renner, S. C., Farina, A., et al. 2022. “Land-Use Intensity and Landscape Structure Drive the Acoustic Composition of Grasslands.” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 

2021

Schoof, N., Kirmer, A., Hörl, J., Luick, R., Tischew, S., Breuer, M., Fischer, F., Müller, S., and von Königslöw, V. 2021. “Sheep in the Vineyard: First Insights into a New Integrated Crop–Livestock System in Central Europe.” Sustainability . https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212340.

Shaw, T., Müller, S. and Scherer-Lorenzen, M. 2021. Slope Does Not Affect Autonomous Recorder Detection Shape: Considerations for Acoustic Monitoring in Forested Landscapes. Bioacoustics, May, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09524622.2021.1925590.

2020

Landuyt, D., Ampoorter, E., Bastias, C.C., Benavides, R., Müller, S., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Valladares, F., Wasof, S., Verheyen, K., 2020. Importance of overstorey attributes for understorey litter production and nutrient cycling in European forests. For. Ecosyst. 7, 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-020-00256-x

Müller, S., Shaw, T., Güntert, D., Helmbold, L., Schütz, N., Thomas, L., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., 2020. Ecoacoustics of small forest patches in agricultural landscapes: acoustic diversity and bird richness increase with patch size. Biodiversity 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/14888386.2020.1733086

Kattge, J., Bönisch, G., Díaz, S., Lavorel, S., Prentice, I.C., Leadley, P., Tautenhahn, S., Werner, G.D.A., ...Müller, S., ...Wirth, C., 2020. TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access. Glob. Chang. Biol. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14904

2019

Kambach, S., Allan, E., Bilodeau-Gauthier, S., Coomes, D.A., Haase, J., Jucker, T., Kunstler, G., Müller, S., ... Bruelheide, H., 2019. How do trees respond to species mixing in experimental compared to observational studies? Ecol. Evol. 9, 11254–11265. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5627

2018

Baeten, L., Bruelheide, H., van der Plas, F., Kambach, S., Ratcliffe, S., Jucker, T., Allan, E., Ampoorter, E., Barbaro, L., Bastias, C.C., Bauhus, J., Benavides, R., Bonal, D., Bouriaud, O., Bussotti, F., Carnol, M., Castagneyrol, B., Charbonnier, Y., Chećko, E., Coomes, D.A., Dahlgren, J., Dawud, S.M., De Wandeler, H., Domisch, T., Finér, L., Fischer, M., Fotelli, M., Gessler, A., Grossiord, C., Guyot, V., Hättenschwiler, S., Jactel, H., Jaroszewicz, B., Joly, F.-X., Koricheva, J., Lehtonen, A., Müller, S., ... Scherer-Lorenzen, M., 2018. Identifying the tree species compositions that maximize ecosystem functioning in European forests. J. Appl. Ecol. 56, 733–744. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13308

Benavides, R., Valladares, F., Wirth, C., Müller, S., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., 2018. Intraspecific trait variability of trees is related to canopy species richness in European forests. Perspect. Plant Ecol. Evol. Syst. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2018.12.002

De Wandeler, H., Bruelheide, H., Dawud, S.M., Dănilă, G., Domisch, T., Finér, L., Hermy, M., Jaroszewicz, B., Joly, F.-X., Müller, S., ...Muys, B., 2018. Tree identity rather than tree diversity drives earthworm communities in European forests. Pedobiologia (Jena). 67, 16–25. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2018.01.003

2017

van der Plas, F., Ratcliffe, S., Ruiz-Benito, P., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Verheyen, K., Wirth, C., Zavala, M.A., Ampoorter, E., Baeten, L., Barbaro, L., Crespo Bastias, C., Bauhus, J., Benavides, R., Benneter, A., Bonal, D., Bouriaud, O., Bruelheide, H., Bussotti, F., Carnol, M., Castagneyrol, B., Charbonnier, Y., Cornelissen, J.H.C., Dahlgren, J., Checko, E., Coppi, A., Muhie, D.S., Deconchat, M., De Smedt, P., De Wandeler, H., Domisch, T., Finér, L., Fotelli, M., Gessler, A., Granier, A., Grossiord, C., Guyot, V., Haase, J., Hättenschwiler, S., Hervé, J., Jaroszewicz, B., Joly, F.-X., Jucker, T., Kambach, S., Kaendler, G., Kattge, J., Koricheva, J., Kunstler, G., Lehtonen, A., Liebergesell, M., Manning, P., Milligan, H., Müller, S., ...Storch, D., 2017. Continental mapping of forest ecosystem functions reveals a high but unrealised potential for forest multifunctionality. Ecol. Lett. 21, 31–42. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12868

Ratcliffe, S., Wirth, C., Jucker, T., van der Plas, F., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Verheyen, K., Eric, A., Benavides, R., Bruelheide, H., Ohse, B., Paquette, A., Ampoorter, E., Crespo, B.C., Bauhus, J., Bonal, D., Bouriaud, O., Bussotti, F., Carnol, M., Castagneyrol, B., Chećko, E., Dawud, S.M., De Wandeler, H., Domisch, T., Finér, L., Fischer, M., Fotelli, M., Gessler, A., Granier, A., Grossiord, C., Guyot, V., Haase, J., Hättenschwiler, S., Jactel, H., Jaroszewicz, B., Joly, F.-X., Kambach, S., Kolb, S., Koricheva, J., Liebersgesell, M., Milligan, H., Müller, S., ... Bardgett, R., 2017. Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relations in European forests depend on environmental context. Ecol. Lett. 20, 1414–1426. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12849

Joly, F.-X., Milcu, A., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Jean, L.-K., Bussotti, F., Dawud, S. M., Müller, S., ...Hättenschwiler, S., (2017) “Tree species diversity affects decomposition through modified micro-environmental conditions across European forests,” New Phytol., vol. 214, no. 3, pp. 1281–1293.

2016

Annighöfer, P., Ameztegui, A., Ammer, C., Balandier, P., Bartsch, N., Bolte, A., Coll, L., Collett, C., Ewald, J., Firschbier, N., Gebereyesus, T., Haase, J., Hamm, T., Hirschfelder, B., Huth, F., Kändler, G., Kahl, A., Kawaletz, H., Kuehne, C., Lacointe, A., Lin, N., Löf, M., Malagoli, P., Marquier, A., Müller, S.,  ...Mund, M. (2016). Species-specific and generic biomass equations for seedlings and saplings of European tree species. European Journal of Forest Research, 1–17. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-016-0937-z

De Wandeler, H., Sousa-Silva, R., Ampoorter, E., Bruelheide, H., Carnol, M., Dawud, S. M., Dănilă, G., Finer, L., Hättenschwiler, S., Hermy, M., Jaroszewicz, B., Joly, F.-X., Müller, S., ... Muys, B. (2016) “Drivers of earthworm incidence and abundance across European forests,” Soil Biol. Biochem., vol. 99, pp. 167–178.

van der Plas, F., Manning, P., Allan, E., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Verheyen, K., Wirth, C., Zavala, M.A., Hector, A., Ampoorter, E., Baeten, L., Barbaro, L., Bauhus, J., Benavides, R., Benneter, A., Berthold, F., Bonal, D., Bouriaud, O., Bruelheide, H., Bussotti, F., Carnol, M., Castagneyrol, B., Charbonnier, Y., Coomes, D., Coppi, A., Bastias, C.C., Muhie Dawud, S., De Wandeler, H., Domisch, T., Finer, L., Gessler, A., Granier, A., Grossiord, C., Guyot, V., Hattenschwiler, S., Jactel, H., Jaroszewicz, B., Joly, F.-X., Jucker, T., Koricheva, J., Milligan, H., Müller, S., ... Fischer, M., (2016) Jack-of-all-trades effects drive biodiversity-ecosystem multifunctionality relationships in European forests. Nature Communications 7, 11109.

van der Plas, F., Manning, P., Soliveres, S., Allan, E., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Verheyen, K., Wirth, C., Zavala, M.A., Ampoorter, E., Baeten, L., Barbaro, L., Bauhus, J., Benavides, R., Benneter, A., Bonal, D., Bouriaud, O., Bruelheide, H., Bussotti, F., Carnol, M., Castagneyrol, B., Charbonnier, Y., Coomes, D.A., Coppi, A., Bestias, C.C., Dawud, S.M., De Wandeler, H., Domisch, T., Finér, L., Gessler, A., Granier, A., Grossiord, C., Guyot, V., Hättenschwiler, S., Jactel, H., Jaroszewicz, B., Joly, F.-X., Jucker, T., Koricheva, J., Milligan, H., Mueller, S., ... Fischer, M. (2016) Biotic homogenization can decrease landscape-scale forest multifunctionality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113: 3557-3562.

2013

Baeten, L., K. Verheyen, C. Wirth, H. Bruelheide, F. Bussotti, L. Finér, B.  Jaroszewicz, F. Selvi, F. Valladares, E. Allan, E. Ampoorter, H. Auge, D. Avăcăriței, L. Barbaro, I. Bărnoaiea, C. C. Bastias, J. Bauhus, C. Beinhoff, R. Benavides, A. Benneter, S. Berger, F. Berthold, J. Boberg, D. Bonal, W. Brüggemann, M. Carnol, B. Castagneyrol, Y. Charbonnier, E. Chećko, D. Coomes, A. Coppi, E. Dalmaris, G. Dănilă, S. M. Dawud, W. de Vries, H. De Wandeler, M. Deconchat, T. Domisch, G. Duduman, M. Fischer, M. Fotelli, A. Gessler, T. E. Gimeno, A. Granier, C. Grossiord, V. Guyot, L. Hantsch, S. Hättenschwiler, A. Hector, M. Hermy, V. Holland, H. Jactel, F.-X. Joly, T. Jucker, S. Kolb, J. Koricheva, M. J. Lexer, M. Liebergesell, H. Milligan, S. Müller, et al. (2013). A novel comparative research platform designed to determine the functional significance of tree species diversity in European forests. Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics 15(5):281-291

 

Reports and Theses

Schoof, N., Kirmer, A., Luick, R., Tischew, S., Breuer, M., Fischer, F., Mueller, S., von Königslöw, V., 2020. Schafe im Weinbau – Chancen und Herausforderungen, praktische Umsetzung und Forschungsziele. Naturschutz und Landschaftsplan. 52, 272–279.

Müller, S. (2014). Architectural light foraging syndromes of juvenile temperate  broad leaved trees. Inaugural Disseration. Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg.

 Kratochwil A., Müller S., Remy D. 2008: Der Einfluss von Rinderbeweidung auf  die Jahresphänologie von Silbergrasfluren (Spergulo-Corynephoretum)- eine digitale Strukturanalyse. Abhandlungen aus dem Westfälischen Museum für Naturkunde 70 (3/4): 143-164.

 

Other

Müller, S., 2022. Soundscapes – über die akustische Signatur der Natur, in: Seiffarth, C., Mörchen, R. (Eds.), LISTENING / HEARING. Schott Music GmbH & Co. KG, Mainz.

 

Data

Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Allan, E., Ampoorter, E., et al. (2023). The functional significance of
tree species diversity in European forests - the FunDivEUROPE dataset [Dataset]. Dryad. doi:10.5061/dryad.9ghx3ffpz

Challéat, Samuel, Nicolas Farrugia, Amandine Gasc, Jeremy Froidevaux, Jennifer Hatlauf, Frank Dziock, Adrien CHARBONNEAU, et al. 2023. “Silent·Cities.” OSF. June 9. doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/H285U.

Díaz, S., Kattge, J., Cornelissen, J. H. C., Wright, I. J., Lavorel, S., Dray, S., Reu, B., Kleyer, M., Wirth, C., Prentice, I. C., Garnier, E., Bönisch, G., Westoby, M., Poorter, H., Reich, P. B., Moles, A. T., Dickie, J., Zanne, A. E., Chave, J.,...Müller S. … Zotz, G. (2022). The global spectrum of plant form and function: enhanced species-level trait dataset. Scientific Data, 9(1), 755. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01774-9

 

 

 

 

 
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