Research Activities

Wallis, Switzerland: large-scale mortality processes and changes in species composition are analysed in Scots pine forests.

Ural mountains, Russia: large-scale changes in treeline dynamics can be related to climatic warming.

I am heading the research unit Forest Dynamics consisting of 5 research groups. We study the dynamics of forest ecosystems as affected by natural disturbances and management. The main focus lies on ecosystems' resistance against biotic and abiotic disturbances, and their resilience after disturbance. The unit develops concepts for sustainable forest management in a changing environment (Global Change), which are ecologically sound, economically viable and socially acceptable.

I am experienced in leading and co-ordinating interdisciplinary research projects:

• Scots pine decline Valais: 2001-2005, 30 scientific collaborators from 9 WSL-Departements worked on 15 projects
  
• Treeline upward shift Ural (EU-INTAS): 2002-2005, 40 scientific collaborators from 6 research institutions from Switzerland, Germany and Russia
  
• Scots pine decline Switzerland-Italy (EU-INTERREG): 2004-2007, 15 scientific collaborators from 3 research institutions from Switzerland and Italy
• MOUNTLAND – Climate change impacts on mountain ecosystems and implication on socio-economy and land-use policy (Competence Center for Environment and Sustainability CCES, ETH domain): 2008-2012, 50 scientific collaborators from 8 research groups from WSL, ETHZ and EPFL
  

Guest-scientists hosted in the frame of my research activities:

• Bataarbileg Nachin, National University of Mongolia, Ulan Bataar, Mongolia
• Pavel Moiseev, Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinbrug, Russia
• Pjeder Gjerdrum, Norwegian Forest Research Institute, Fana, Norway
• Alexander Kirdyanov, Institute of Forest, Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
• Nadia Devy, Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinbrug, Russia
• Asier Herrero, University of Granada, Spain

Memberships in scientific organizations:

• Swiss Forestry Society
• The Botanical Society of Zurich
• Association for Tree-Ring Research (ATR), a European network of tree-ring scientists
• International Tree-Ring Society
• Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT - ICAS Swiss Alpine Studies