Department Fish Ecology and Evolution

Fish Ecology & Evolution (FishEc)

We study ecology, evolution and biodiversity of fishes and other aquatic organisms. We are interested in the mechanisms that drive the origins, the maintenance and the loss of species, genetic and functional diversity.

 

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News

Otto Jaag Prize awarded twice for 2025

The melting of glaciers is changing food webs in aquatic environments, as seen here in Greenland, but also in alpine regions. (Foto: Coralie Moccetti)
March 13, 2026 –

Using isotope markers to break down food webs and track changes in them, as well as tracing the pathways and accumulation of pollutants in aquatic organisms – the Otto Jaag Water Protection Prize was awarded in 2025 for two...

Using isotope markers to break down food webs and track changes in them, as well as tracing the pathways and accumulation of pollutants in aquatic organisms – the Otto Jaag Water Protection Prize was awarded in 2025 for two exciting and highly topical doctoral theses.
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Obituary for David Alexander Marques (1984 - 2026)

portrait David Alexander Marques (1984 - 2026)
January 30, 2026 –

It is with immeasurable sadness that we announce that David Marques passed on January 7th at the age of 41 after a long and very courageous battle with cancer. David was a PhD student of Ole, Laurent and Katie Wagner from 2012 to...

It is with immeasurable sadness that we announce that David Marques passed on January 7th at the age of 41 after a long and very courageous battle with cancer. David was a PhD student of Ole, Laurent and Katie Wagner from 2012 to 2016 at IEE and Eawag.
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SRF report "Research in Swiss Rivers"

Out and about with the electric fishing boat: the fish are caught, briefly stunned, fitted with a transmitter, and then released back into the water.
October 24, 2025 –

In this report, SRF Regionaljournal Aargau Solothurn provides information about our project ‘Climate Change and Fish Movement Patterns’. This relatively new research project in the major rivers of Aargau is attracting widespread...

In this report, SRF Regionaljournal Aargau Solothurn provides information about our project ‘Climate Change and Fish Movement Patterns’. This relatively new research project in the major rivers of Aargau is attracting widespread public interest.
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Exceptional diversity of whitefish

Pair of whitefish (C. lavaretus) spawning near the shore in Lac d'Aiguebelette (Photo: Alamy).
May 9, 2025 –

The diversity of whitefish species in Swiss lakes is unique and plays a central role in lake ecosystems. A comprehensive Eawag report now summarises the results of 150 years of research on these fish. They make it clear that the...

The diversity of whitefish species in Swiss lakes is unique and plays a central role in lake ecosystems. A comprehensive Eawag report now summarises the results of 150 years of research on these fish. They make it clear that the mechanisms and environmental conditions that have contributed to their development must be taken into account in order to preserve this species diversity. Last but not least, protecting whitefish diversity helps to preserve the natural yield potential of lakes as a source of food for humans.
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More News from the Department of Fish ecology and evolution

Eawag News

Seminars

15.04.​2026,
20.05.​2026,
08.09.​2026,
9.00 am
Swiss Museum of Transport, Lucerne
Info Day 2026: Water & Energy Transition

Info Day 2026

Latest Publications

Ahi, E. P., Moustakas-Verho, J., & Singh, P. (2026). Ectodysplasin-A (EDA) signaling cross-talk in skeletogenesis. Calcified Tissue International, 117(1), 37 (28 pp.). doi:10.1007/s00223-026-01502-0, Institutional Repository

Skeletal morphogenesis is a highly complicated interaction cascade of molecular cues, with the Ectodysplasin-A (EDA) pathway emerging as a potentially important contributor to this biological process. This review focuses on the molecular complexity of the EDA pathway’s role in shaping the diverse skeletal architectures observed in vertebrate models studied to date, particularly in fish and mammals. At the molecular level, we first discuss the signaling cascades initiated by EDA and briefly explore its impact on skeletal development. Insights into the transcriptional regulation and downstream effectors activated by EDA provide a greater understanding of its influence on skeletal formation. Beyond its standalone role in skeletogenesis, the review mainly focuses on the dynamic cross-talk between the EDA pathway and other important skeletogenic/morphogenic pathways. The multi-layered interplay with signaling networks, such as BMP, Hedgehog, Wnt, and FGF, highlights the integration of this pathway into broader molecular process governing skeletal morphogenesis. The physiological role of EDA in skeletal tissues appears highly context-dependent, varying with the interacting pathway, cell type, and developmental stage. We explore instances where EDA acts as a conductor, harmonizing its effects with those of other pathways to achieve distinct outcomes in skeletal diversity, and propose a conceptual framework in which EDA integrates these inputs through shared transcriptional hubs, notably NF-κB and NFATc1, in a tissue- and stage-specific manner. By summarizing the interactions of EDA and their associated physiological roles, we provide a comprehensive perspective on the EDA-dependent molecular underpinnings of skeletal diversity, offering new and valuable insights for future research and potential applications in skeletal biology.
Ahi, E. P., Sturmbauer, C., Albertson, R. C., & Singh, P. (2026). Molecular basis of variations in facial soft tissues: insights from cichlid fishes. Developmental Biology, 529, 200-212. doi:10.1016/j.ydbio.2025.10.014, Institutional Repository

The human face serves as a crucial component of attractiveness and identity, playing a pivotal role in social interactions. Teleost fish models, particularly zebrafish, have offered valuable insights into the developmental and molecular mechanisms governing craniofacial skeletogenesis, owing to the molecular conservation in these processes. However, knowledge regarding the morphogenic processes shaping facial soft tissues remains surprisingly sparse. On the human side, most causal evidence comes from gene–phenotype associations in clinical genetics; however, these studies rarely provide cellular-resolution analyses of facial soft tissues, leaving tissue- and cell-type–specific mechanisms unresolved. The diverse family of Cichlidae constitute ∼10 % of teleost fish species and represent an exceptional opportunity for evolutionary biology research due to their extensive ecological diversity and rapid speciation rates. Cichlid fishes also exhibit remarkable craniofacial morphological diversity, making them excellent models for studying both craniofacial skeletal and soft tissue morphogenesis. Utilizing the wealth of natural mutants within cichlid populations, this short review pitches cichlid fish models as valuable tools for investigating the genetic regulators and interactions underlying facial soft tissue formation. At present, most cichlid studies rely on comparative transcriptomics between closely related species with and without pronounced traits; these data are associative, and the regulatory hierarchy and primary drivers remain to be established through functional tests (e.g., genome editing). By synthesising developmental and regulatory mechanisms that influence morphological variations in facial soft tissues in cichlids and other model organisms, we create a blueprint for future molecular genetic investigations into facial diversity. Accordingly, we highlight the need for (i) causative functional studies in cichlids and (ii) cellular-resolution analyses of human facial soft tissues to bridge correlative and mechanistic evidence across systems.

Research Projects

How will climate change alter the phenology, biomass, and nutritional quality of cross-ecosystem fluxes?

Nutritional phenology with climate change
Coral adaptation to the future climates

simulating response of red sea coral species to rising temperatures
Tropical Reef. Credit Conor Waldock
Simulating the roles of dispersal, thermal tolerance, and adaptive potential in tropical reef fish responses to climate change

simulating tropical fish biodiversity
In this large-scale study we investigate the effects of climate change on fish movement patterns in the Swiss Rhine-Aare River network

Climate change and fish movement patterns

More research projects