Curriculum Vitae                                                  

PERSONAL DETAILS

• Name: Taina Witt
• Address: Sonntagstrasse 3, 95448 Bayreuth, Germany
• Telephone: +49-921-7912540 or +49-921-552466
• Email: taina.witt@pollination.de
• Date of Birth: 20^th September 1966
• Nationality: German

EDUCATION &          WORK HISTORY

 2003

PhD thesis on “Reproductive biology of Caryophyllaceae (Subfamily Caryophylloideae) with particular consideration of their nectar production“

1998 – Present

Freelancer (partly student assistant) at the Department of Plant Systematics, University of Bayreuth (Germany)

• Assistance and collaboration in design, organization and execution of research projects on plant-animal interactions and floral scents (e.g. “Floral scent evolution in nocturnal Conophytum species (Aizoaceae) in South Africa” Priority Program SPP-1127 "Radiations Origins of Biological Diversity" funded by the German Research Council)
• Assistance in establishing a working group (Master and PhD students) on pollination ecology

1994 – 1998

Scientific employee (PhD position) at the Department of Systematic Botany and Ecology at the University of Ulm (Germany)

• Scientific research on pollination ecology and nectar chemistry of Caryophyllaceae
• Assistance in designing and executing scientific projects on reproductive biology of plants, and in analyses and publication of the relevant data
• Design of Diploma theses (“Diplomarbeiten”) on pollination biology and guidance of the executing Master students
• Training of candidates (research methods, analytical and statistical methods, data management, computer skills, compiling reports and theses etc.)
• Independent organization and execution of lectures and student practicals on pollination biology; assistance in organizing and executing lectures, seminars and practical classes on plant systematics and tropical biology
• Execution of field trips on the native flora for beginners and advanced students; assistance in organizing and executing botanical field trips abroad
• Administration of the department library, the scientific equipment and the collection of preserved plant materials

1992

Student assistant at the Department of Botany at the University of Hamburg, Germany

 .

1988 – 1994

Studies of biology at the University of Giessen (Germany); Main interests: botany, ecology, plant-animal interactions;

• Master’s degree (“Diplom”) thesis on “"Reproductive biology of Silene and Saponaria species (Caryophyllaceae) and their flower and nectar production" 

1988

Employment as gardener at a tree nursery (Ernst Wohlt KG, Pinneberg, Germany)

1985 – 1987

State recognized apprenticeship in a tree nursery (H. Huckfeld, Bindegrüngrosshandel und Pflanzenagentur, Pinneberg, Germany)

• Qualified assistant in horticulture (“Gärtnerin – Fachbereich Baumschule”)

1985

Employee at ADHOC Zeitarbeit GmbH Hamburg, Germany

1976 – 1985

High School in Hamburg, Germany (Theodor-Heuss-“Gymnasium“)

High School Exam (“Abitur”)

PUBLICATIONS & CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Witt, T. & Gottsberger, G. (1995). Produktionsrhythmik und Zusammensetzung des Nektars einheimischer Caryophyllaceen – Anpassung an bestimmte Bestäubergruppen? - 12. Symposium Anatomie, Morphologie, Systematik, 7.-10. März 1995, Johannes-Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany. Tagungsband: 111.

Jürgens, A., Witt, T. & Gottsberger, G. (1996). Reproduction and pollination in central European populations of Silene and Saponaria species. - Botanica Acta 109: 316-324.

Bopp, S., Witt, T., Jürgens, A. & Gottsberger, G. (1999). Phänologische Untersuchungen an S. latifolia ssp. alba und Silene dioica (Caryophyllaceae). - In: Manitz, H. & Hellwig, F.H. (eds.), 14. Internationales Symposium Sektion Biodiversität und Evolutionsbiologie. 5.-11. September 1999, Jena/Germany, Tagungsband: 23.

Witt, T., Jürgens, A., Geyer, R. & Gottsberger, G. (1999). Nectar dynamics and sugar composition in flowers of Silene and Saponaria species (Caryophyllaceae). - Plant Biology 3: 334-345.

Wolff, D., Witt, T. & Gottsberger, G. (1999). Nektarproduktion, Blütenbesucher und Reproduktionserfolg der nachtblütigen Saponaria officinalis L. (Caryophyllaceae). - 14. Symposium Biodiversität und Evolutionsbiologie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany. Tagungsband: 214.

Jürgens, A. & Witt, T. (2001). Geographische Unterschiede in der Blütenduftzusammensetzung verschiedener nachtblütiger Conophytum Arten – Gemeinsamkeit durch Verwandtschaft oder Anpassung an unterschiedlich Bestäuber? –  Workshop on Plant-Animal Interactions. 7.-10.  November 2001, Ulm, Germany.

Jürgens, A., Witt, T. & Gottsberger, G. (2002). Flower scent composition in night-flowering Silene species (Caryophyllaceae). - Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 30: 383-397.

Jürgens, A., Witt, T. & Gottsberger, G. (2002). Pollen grain numbers, ovule numbers and pollen-ovule ratios in Caryophylloideae: relation to breeding system, pollination, life form, style number, and sexual system. - Sexual Plant Reproduction 14: 279-289.

Jürgens, A., Witt, T. & Gottsberger, G. (2003). Flower scent composition in Dianthus and Saponaria species (Caryophyllaceae) and its relevance for pollination biology and taxonomy. - Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 31: 345-357.

Witt, T. (2003). Reproduktionsbiologie von Caryophyllaceen (Unterfamilie Caryophylloideae) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung ihrer Nektarproduktion. - Dissertation, Universität Ulm, Germany.