World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
32
Citations
4867
World Ranking
8033
National Ranking
411

Overview

Rainer Wirth is affiliated with the Technical University of Kaiserslautern in Germany and has contributed extensively to research in Agricultural and Biological Sciences as well as Environmental Science. Their work predominantly addresses ecological dynamics, plant and animal studies, and interactions within dry forest ecosystems.

Their research focuses on several main topics including:

  • Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
  • Plant and animal studies
  • Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
  • Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems
  • Rangeland and Wildlife Management
  • Animal and Plant Science Education
  • Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology

Wirth has a significant publication record in the following venues:

  • Forest Ecology and Management
  • Biotropica
  • Biodiversity and Conservation
  • Frontiers in Microbiology
  • Land Degradation and Development

Frequent co-authors of Wirth include:

  • Inara R. Leal
  • Marcelo Tabarelli
  • Fernanda M. P. Oliveira
  • Ariadna Valentina Lopes
  • Burkhard Büdel

Selected recent papers authored or co-authored by Wirth illustrate their focus on vegetation dynamics and the effects of human activities on dry forest ecosystems:

  • Resprouting drives successional pathways and the resilience of Caatinga dry forest in human-modified landscapes, 2020, Forest Ecology and Management
  • Coppicing as a driver of plant resprouting and the regeneration of a Caatinga dry forest, 2022, Forest Ecology and Management
  • Exotic goats do not affect the seed bank but reduce seedling survival in a human-modified landscape of Caatinga dry forest, 2022, Forest Ecology and Management
  • Leaf-cutting ants negatively impact the regeneration of the Caatinga dry forest across abandoned pastures, 2020, Biotropica
  • Introduced goats reduce diversity and biomass of herbs in Caatinga dry forest, 2020, Land Degradation and Development

Best Publications

  • Candicidin-producing Streptomyces support leaf-cutting ants to protect their fungus garden against the pathogenic fungus Escovopsis

    Susanne Haeder;Rainer Wirth;Hubert M. Herz;Dieter Spiteller

  • Herbivory of Leaf-Cutting Ants: A Case Study on Atta colombica in the Tropical Rainforest of Panama

    Rainer Wirth;Hubert Herz;Ronald J. Ryel;Wolfram Beyschlag

  • Parasites dominate hyperdiverse soil protist communities in Neotropical rainforests

    Frédéric Mahé;Colomban de Vargas;David Bass;Lucas Czech

  • Herbivory of Leaf-Cutting Ants

    Rainer Wirth;Hubert Herz;Ronald J. Ryel;Wolfram Beyschlag

  • Chemical basis of the synergism and antagonism in microbial communities in the nests of leaf-cutting ants

    Ilka Schoenian;Michael Spiteller;Manoj Ghaste;Rainer Wirth

  • Plant Herbivore Interactions at the Forest Edge

    Rainer Wirth;Sebastian T. Meyer;Inara R. Leal;Marcelo Tabarelli

  • Seed Dispersal by Ants in the Semi-arid Caatinga of North-east Brazil

    Inara R. Leal;Rainer Wirth;Marcelo Tabarelli

  • Cutting More from Cut Forests: Edge Effects on Foraging and Herbivory of Leaf-Cutting Ants in Brazil

    Pille Urbas;Manoel V. Araújo;Inara R. Leal;Rainer Wirth

  • The Multiple Impacts of Leaf‐Cutting Ants and Their Novel Ecological Role in Human‐Modified Neotropical Forests

    Inara R. Leal;Rainer Wirth;Marcelo Tabarelli

  • Spatial and Temporal Variability of Canopy Structure in a Tropical Moist Forest

    Rainer Wirth;Bettina Weber;Ronald J Ryel

  • Increasing densities of leaf-cutting ants (Atta spp.) with proximity to the edge in a Brazilian Atlantic forest

    Rainer Wirth;Sebastian T. Meyer;Walkiria R. Almeida;Manoel Vieira Araújo

  • Spatio-temporal permanence and plasticity of foraging trails in young and mature leaf-cutting ant colonies ( Atta spp.)

    Christian Kost;Evandro Gama de Oliveira;Tobias Aurelius Knoch;Rainer Wirth

  • Non-specific association between filamentous bacteria and fungus-growing ants

    Christian Kost;Tanja Lakatos;Ingo Böttcher;Wolf-Rüdiger Arendholz

  • Ecosystem engineering by leaf-cutting ants: nests of Atta cephalotes drastically alter forest structure and microclimate

    Sebastian T. Meyer;Inara R. Leal;Marcelo Tabarelli;Rainer Wirth

  • How leaf-cutting ants impact forests: drastic nest effects on light environment and plant assemblages.

    Michele M. Corrêa;Michele M. Corrêa;Paulo S. D. Silva;Rainer Wirth;Marcelo Tabarelli

  • Annual foraging of the leaf-cutting ant Atta colombica in a semideciduous rain forest in Panama

    Rainer Wirth;Wolfram Beyschlag;Ronald J. Ryel;Bert Hölldobler

  • Why South-east Asia should be the world’s priority for averting imminent species extinctions, and a call to join a developing cross-institutional programme to tackle this urgent issue

    J. W. Duckworth;G. Batters;J. L. Belant;E. L. Bennett

  • Leaf-cutting ants as ecosystem engineers: Topsoil and litter perturbations around Atta cephalotes nests reduce nutrient availability

    Sebastian T. Meyer;Meike Neubauer;Emma J. Sayer;Inara R. Leal

  • DISPERSAL OF MICONIA ARGENTEA SEEDS BY THE LEAF-CUTTING ANT ATTA COLOMBICA

    James W Dalling;Rainer Wirth

  • Selecting the drought stressed: effects of plant stress on intraspecific and within-plant herbivory patterns of the leaf-cutting ant Atta colombica

    S. T. Meyer;F. Roces;R. Wirth

  • Persisting Hyper‐abundance of Leaf‐cutting Ants (Atta spp.) at the Edge of an Old Atlantic Forest Fragment

    Sebastian T. Meyer;Inara R. Leal;Rainer Wirth

  • Edge‐mediated reduction of phorid parasitism on leaf‐cutting ants in a Brazilian Atlantic forest

    Walkiria R. de Almeida;Rainer Wirth;Inara R. Leal

  • Biogeography of mutualistic fungi cultivated by leafcutter ants

    Ulrich G. Mueller;Heather D. Ishak;Sofia M. Bruschi;Sofia M. Bruschi;Chad C. Smith

  • Leaf-cutting ants proliferate in the Amazon: an expected response to forest edge?

    Christoph Dohm;Inara R. Leal;Marcello Tabarelli;Sebastian T. Meyer

Frequent Co-Authors

Inara R. Leal
Inara R. Leal Federal University of Pernambuco
Marcelo Tabarelli
Marcelo Tabarelli Federal University of Pernambuco
Ronald J. Ryel
Ronald J. Ryel Utah State University
Wolfram Beyschlag
Wolfram Beyschlag Bielefeld University
Bert Hölldobler
Bert Hölldobler Arizona State University
Sebastian T. Meyer
Sebastian T. Meyer Technical University of Munich
Burkhard Büdel
Burkhard Büdel Technical University of Kaiserslautern
Felipe P. L. Melo
Felipe P. L. Melo Federal University of Pernambuco
Alexandros Stamatakis
Alexandros Stamatakis Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies
T.G. Allan Green
T.G. Allan Green University of Waikato

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Exploring Ecology and Evolution can open doors to a range of scientific and healthcare career paths. Many students interested in these fields find value in flexible online programs that let them balance study and work. For those drawn to healthcare, some consider transitioning into nursing and advanced healthcare roles by enrolling in direct entry msn programs online—a streamlined way for non-nurses to become qualified nurse leaders.

Deciding between schools for online nursing degrees matters too, especially when comparing top providers. Resources such as capella vs wgu rn to bsn help prospective students find the best fit for their goals. For those already holding a BSN, pursuing higher credentials through bsn to msn programs online is a logical next step to advance in areas like research, education, and management.

When choosing online degrees, it’s crucial to look for credibility and value. Attending nonprofit online colleges can ensure quality education, accreditation, and better long-term career prospects—especially for those passionate about science and the environment.

Best Scientists Citing Rainer Wirth

Trending Scientists