Dr. Peter Brang - Personal Homepage

head of research program, teamleader Organisational unit: Prog. Forest and Climate Change Forest Resources and Management Research Programs Stand Dynamics and Silviculture Phone: +41 44 7392 486 Fax: +41 44 7392 215 Room: Bi HL D 30 E-Mail: Address: Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL Zürcherstrasse 111 8903 Birmensdorf

http://www.wsl.ch/info/organisation/fpo/wald_klima/index_DEEducation

1985: dipl. Forsting. ETH Zürich
1995: Dr. sc. nat. ETH Zürich

Research interests

I am interested in forest dynamics and forest management, in particular:

• the influence of climatic changes on forests
  
• forest dynamics as influenced by natural disturbances
• mountain forest ecology, in particular regeneration ecology
• silviculture, including silvicultural strategies to cope with climate change
  

With my research, I am to provide a scientific foundation for sustainable forest management, with adequate consideration given to ecological, economic and social aspects.

Main activities

• Leader of the research programme Forests and climate change
  
• Co-head a.i. of the Research unit Forest resources and management
  
• Head of the Research group Stand dynamics and silviculture
• Leader of several research projects (see below)
• Coordination of IUFRO Working Unit Mountain Forest Management (1.05.05)
  
• Extension and publication activities
• Board member of the Swiss Forest Association
• Maintenance of a literature data base and collection for my research, with currently some 25'000 entries and 9'000 existing documents. 
  

ISI publications

You may search the Publication data base of WSL for more publications.

• Brang, P.; Motta, R.; Mitchell, A. 2009. Special section Disturbances in Mountain Forests: Implications for Management [Editorial]. For. Ecol. Manage. 257: 1867.
• Motta, R.; Brang, P.; Carcaillet, C. 2009. Introductory remarks Natural hazards and disturbances in mountain forests. Ecoscience 16(1): IV-V.
• Streit, K.; Wunder, J.; Brang, P. 2009. Slit-shaped gaps are a successful silvicultural technique to promote Picea abies regeneration in mountain forests of the Swiss Alps. For. Ecol. Manage. 257: 1902-1909.
• Wehrli, A.; Weisberg, J.; Schönenberger, W.; Brang, P.; Bugmann, H. 2007. Improving the establishment submodel of a forest patch model to assess the long-term protective effect of mountain forests. Eur. J. For. Res. 126: 131-145.
• Brang, P.; Schönenberger, W.; Frehner, M.; Schwitter, R.; Thormann, J.-J.; Wasser, B. 2006. Management of protection forests in the European Alps: an overview. For. Snow Landsc. Res. 80, 1: 23-44
• Wehrli, A.; Dorren, L.K.A.; Berger, F.; Zingg, A.; Schönenberger, W.; Brang, P. 2006. Modelling long-term effects of forest dynamics on the protective effect against rockfall. For. Snow Landsc. Res. 80, 1: 57-76
• Wehrli, A.; Weisberg, P.J.; Schönenberger, W.; Brang, P.; Bugmann, H. 2006. Improving the establishment submodel of a forest patch model to predict the long-term protective effect of a Swiss mountain forest. Eur. J. For. Res.
• Brang, P. 2005. Virgin forests as a knowledge source for silviculture: reality or myth? For. Snow Landsc. Res. 79, 1/2: 19-32
• Brang, P.; von Felten, S., Wagner, S. 2005. Morning, noon, or afternoon: does timing of direct radiation influence the growth of Picea abies seedlings in mountain forests? Ann. For. Sci. 62: 697-705
• Hunziker, U.; Brang, P.2005. Microsite patterns of conifer seedling establishment and growth in a mixed stand in the southern Alps. For. Ecol. Manage. 210: 67-79
• Köchli, A.D.; Brang, P. 2005. Simulating effects of forest management on selected public forest goods and services: a case study. For. Ecol. Manage. 209, 1-2: 57-68
• Kupferschmid, A.D.; Brang, P.; Schönenberger, W.; Bugmann, H. 2006. Predicting tree regeneration in a Picea abies snag stand. Eur.j.for.res. 125: 163-179
• Mayer, P.; Brang, P.; Dobbertin, M.; Hallenbarter, D.; Mayer, F.-J.; Renaud, J.-P.; Walthert, L.; Zimmermann, S. 2005. Forest storm damage is more frequent on acidic soils. Ann. For. Sci. 62: 303-311
• Thöni, L.; Brang, P.; Braun, S.; Seitler, E.; Rihm, B. 2004. Ammonia monitoring in Switzerland with passive samplers: patterns, determinants and comparison with modelled concentrations. Env. Monit. Ass. 98, 1-3: 93-107
• Brang, P.; Moran, J.; Puttonen, P.; Vyse, A. 2003. Regeneration of Picea engelmannii and Abies lasiocarpa in high-elevation forests of southern British Columbia depends on nurse logs. For. Chron. 79, 3/4: 273-279
• Kupferschmid Albisetti, A.D.; Brang, P.; Schönenberger, W.; Bugmann, H. 2003. Decay of Picea abies snag stands on steep mountain slopes. For. Chronicle 79, 3/4: 247-252
• Brang, P.; Courbaud, B.; Fischer, A.; Kissling-Näf, I.; Pettenella, D.; Schönenberger, W.; Spörk, J.; Grimm, V. 2002. Developing indicators for the sustainable management of mountain forests using a modelling approach. Forest Policy and Economics 4: 113-123.
• Cherubini, P.; Fontana, G.; Rigling, D.; Dobbertin, M.; Brang, P.; Innes, J.L. 2002. Tree life-history prior to death: two fungal root pathogens affect tree-ring growth differently. Journal of Ecology 90, 5: 839-850.
• Brang, P. . 2001. Resistance and elasticity: Promising concepts for the management of protection forests in the European Alps. For. Ecol. Manage. 145, 1-2: 107-119.
• Dobbertin, M.; Brang, P. 2001. Crown defoliation improves tree mortality models. For. Ecol. Manage. 141: 271-284.
• Schönenberger, W.; Brang, P.2001. Structure of mountain forests: Assessment, impacts, management, modelling. For. Ecol. Manage. 145, 1-2: 1-2.
• Kräuchi, N.; Brang, P.; Schönenberger, W. 2000. Forests of mountainous regions: gaps in knowledge and research needs. For. Ecol. Manage. 132, 1:73-82
• Brang, P. 1998. Early seedling establishment of Picea abies in small forest gaps in the Swiss Alps. Can. J. For. Res. 28, 4: 626-639.