PD Dr. Uwe Römer, born in 1959, has been a nature enthusiast
since his early childhood. As a youth, he dealt with specific questions concerning the protection and biology of native fishes, amphibians, and reptiles. Later on he specialized in ornithology and made an intensive
commitment to nature conservation. Several scientific long-term studies are the result of this phase. His involvement with birds lead to an active travel scedule, with emphasis on the bird islands in the Nort
Atlantic, Scandinavia, and North America. At the beginning of his studies at Bielefeld University his interest became focused on Neotropical fishes - particularly Apistogramma species - as well as ecological and ethnological problems of Amazonia. During the 1990´s several trips were undertaken to the Rio Negro region.
His professional specialization brought about extensive consulting for planning
agencies and administrative bodies, which he accomplished during his studies. In 1998 he concluded his dissertation which dealt with the biology of dwarf cichlids of the genus Apistogramma. After some years of work as an ichthyologist
in a Biological Station, - appart from some some research activities on Neotropical Birds and European fishes - he fokussed on the Neoropical Dwarf Cichlids again. Main research subjects were (and are) aiming on the
biodiversity and evolution of cichlids of the genus Apistogramma, ecological functions of their physiological parameters and social system. On the background of research findings on Environmental Sex Determination
(ESD) the relevance of effects of climate changes on their life history are also in major focus of his studies. In the year 2006 he was habilitated at the Department of Geosciences at the University of Trier and
given his venia legendi for Biogeography.
The main subjects of the enthusiastic nature photographer are birds, cichlids, and
ethnological themes. The majority of his numerous publications and presentations in Europe and North America - as well as the first two volumes of his CICHLID ATLAS “Natural Histotry of Neotopical Dwarf Cichlids” - are illustrated with his own photographs from his extensive archives.
Today he is working as a teacher for biology and chemistry at a scool, lecturing at
Trier University and working as well as a writer and photographer. The most actual ichthyological project - appart from some pubished articles - was the
only recently published second volume of “Natural History of South American Dwarf Cichlids” - CICHLID ATLAS 2.
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