Dr. Marcus Schaub

Funktion

Gruppenleiter, Senior Scientist

Walddynamik

Ökophysiologie (EPHY)

Kontakt

marcus.schaub(at)wslto make life hard for spam bots.ch

+41 44 739 25 64+41 44 739 25 64

Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL
Zürcherstrasse 111
8903 Birmensdorf

Standort

Birmensdorf Bi HL D 28

Research Interests

Public concerns, evidence from research, and increasing scientific knowledge are driving widespread discussions on air pollution, climate change, and forest health interactions. My research focuses on single and combined effects of air pollutants and environmental stressors on trees and forest ecosystems. I combine the sciences from plant physiology, environmental and experimental long-term monitoring, and applied modeling. I draw conclusions and develop quantitative scenarios for national and international stakeholders and policy makers.

Scientific assignments

Senior Scientist and head WSL Research Group Ecophysiology
Deputy of the Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research Program LWF
Chair of the UNECE/ICP Forests Scientific Committee
Swiss National Network Coordinator with LTER-Europe
Associate Editor with Frontiers in Forests and Global Change

Researcher-ID E-4874-2012

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

Nanoparticle Trafficking in Trees

Our project, which proposes a novel approach (i.e., the use of virus-like particles), is key for the fundamental biological understanding of the transport and fate of nanoparticles in forest trees. Possible immediate applications include the development of new solutions for the nano-enabled foliar-a

VPDrought: A novel approach to disentangle atmospheric and soil drought

By deciphering the single vs. combined VPD and soil moisture effects, we will be able to improve global predictions. We aim to apply a scale spanning approach to disentangle the processes affected by atmospheric (i.e., VPD) and soil droughts from the tissue to the tree and the ecosystem level.

ICOS-2: Integrated Carbon Observation System in Switzerland, Phase 2017-2021

Die Forschungsstation Seehornwald Davos wurde in den 80er-Jahren von der WSL initiiert und ist damit eine der ältesten permanent betriebenen Wald-Vegetations-Forschungsstationen in der Schweiz.

eLTER Switzerland

The Long-Term Ecologiocal Research in Europe (LTER-Europe) capitalizes on research infrastructures such as the in-situ network of sites and information technology. Thousands of research projects have been carried out taking advantage of this infrastructure.

PFF2020

Our main objective is the installation of a long-term Plant Physiological Facility for online determination of gas exchange and isotope fractionations at WSL in the 2020s.

Isodrought

We want to explore a stable isotope tree-ring approach for analyzing physiological drought responses of trees. The results are expected to provide a novel diagnostic tool for understanding causes of tree decline.

QUPFIS

Our aim is to estimate Swiss forest net ecosystem productivity (NEP) at monthly or seasonal resolution for each individual year in order to link biomass changes over time with global drivers.

Forests under stress

In this project we will assess the physiological processes by which trees adjust and interact among each other under a changing climate, determine the consequences of these processes on forest responses to climatic stresses and improve our understanding of these effects on forests functioning at a large comprehensive scale.

PRO3FILE

To improve our assessment of ozone effects on forest ecosystems, we advocate the need (i) for further experimental and long-term monitoring studies and (ii) to develop physiological and demographic modelling tools.

Junior Research: Der Waldboden lebt, Föhren sterben heimlich und Jahrringe erzählen aus der Vergangenheit

Was steckt hinter diesen Aussagen? SchülerInnen vertiefen sich in eines dieser Themen, eignen sich neues Wissen an, lernen genau hinzuschauen und haben Gelegenheit, sich zeigen zu lassen, wie in der Forschung gearbeitet wird.

The dynamic of ozone injury and responses within tree foliage

Relating the stress and detoxification responses at cell level to the phytotoxic ozone dose in foliage of trees

Drought effects on reproductive phenology and the underlying physiological mechanisms in pine trees

We use a long-term precipitation manipulation experiment in mature Pinus sylvestris forests and a natural precipitation gradient from 840 mm to 290 mm/year with Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, to study the "Drought effects on reproductive phenology and the physiological mechanisms of pine trees".

Tea bag decomposition study

Decomposition of plant litter is a key process for the transfer of carbon and nutrients in ecosystems. Carbon contained in the decaying biomass is released to the atmosphere as respired CO2, and may contribute to global warming. Litterbag studies have been used to improve our knowledge of the drivers of litter decomposition, but they lack comparability because litter quality is plant species-specific. The use of commercial tea bags as a standard substrate was suggested in order to harmonize studies, where green tea and rooibos represent more labile and more recalcitrant C compounds as surrogates of local litter.

Carbon and nutrient dynamics of Scots pine

In the CaNuPine project, we study the effects of drought and nutrient availability on the carbon dynamics within Pine (Pinus sylvestris) trees. This will contribute to the controversial debate whether drought may or may not cause acute growth decline and mortality via carbon starvation.

Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS)

Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) is a European research infrastructure to quantify and understand the greenhouse gas balance of the European continent and of adjacent regions.

How beeches cope with drought

The BuKlim project aims to study the responses of Swiss beech provenances to drought. The results of the project help to assess the adaptational potential of this tree species to the changing climate.

MICRO

Microscopical changes in cells and tissues in response to various environmental stress factors are investigated in trees to develop diagnosis tools and understand the mechanistic link between stress and injury.

Irrigation Experiment Pfynwald

Drought-induced forest decline will gain in importance as the frequency and severity of drought events are expected to increase in the context of climate change. To understand how chronic drought affects tree growth, we study mature Scots pine in an irrigation experiment in an inner-Alpine dry valley since 2003.

TreeNet

TreeNet is a biological drought and growth indicator network of forest ecosystems. It provides information about drought responses of trees all over Switzerland and their effects on the carbon balance of forests. TreeNet links the research of the eddy flux super sites Davos and Lägeren to the forest next to your home.

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Publications WSL

Scientific publication article peer reviewed

Zhang, Y.; Yang, Y.; Saurer, M.; Schaub, M.; Gessler, A.; Lehmann, M.M.; Rigling, A.; Walser, M.; Stierli, B.; Hajjar, N.; Christen, D.; Li, M., 2023: Sugar infusion into trees: a novel method to study tree carbon relations and its regulations. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14: 1142595 (11 pp.). doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1142595

Turc, B.; Jolivet, Y.; Cabané, M.; Schaub, M.; Vollenweider, P., 2023: Ante- and post-mortem cellular injury dynamics in hybrid poplar foliage as a function of phytotoxic O₃ dose. PLoS One, 18, 3: e0282006 (20 pp.). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282006

Zweifel, R.; Pappas, C.; Peters, R.L.; Babst, F.; Balanzategui, D.; Basler, D.; Bastos, A.; Beloiu, M.; Buchmann, N.; Bose, A.K.; Braun, S.; Damm, A.; D'Odorico, P.; Eitel, J.U.H.; Etzold, S.; Fonti, P.; Freund, E.R.; Gessler, A.; Haeni, M.; ... Sterck, F., 2023: Networking the forest infrastructure towards near real-time monitoring - a white paper. Science of the Total Environment, 872: 162167 (11 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162167

Ballikaya, P.; Brunner, I.; Cocozza, C.; Grolimund, D.; Kaegi, R.; Murazzi, M.E.; Schaub, M.; Schönbeck, L.C.; Sinnet, B.; Cherubini, P., 2023: First evidence of nanoparticle uptake through leaves and roots in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Tree Physiology, 43, 2: 262-276. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpac117

Bose, A.K.; Rigling, A.; Gessler, A.; Hagedorn, F.; Brunner, I.; Feichtinger, L.; Bigler, C.; Egli, S.; Etzold, S.; Gossner, M.M.; Guidi, C.; Lévesque, M.; Meusburger, K.; Peter, M.; Saurer, M.; Scherrer, D.; Schleppi, P.; Schönbeck, L.; Vogel, M.E.; ... Schaub, M., 2022: Lessons learned from a long‐term irrigation experiment in a dry Scots pine forest: impacts on traits and functioning. Ecological Monographs, 92, 2: e1507 (18 pp.). doi: 10.1002/ecm.1507

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Further scientific publications

Ballikaya, P.; Brunner, I.; Cocozza, C.; Grolimund, D.; Kaegi, R.; Murazzi, M.E.; Schaub, M.; Schönbeck, L.C.; Sinnet, B.; Cherubini, P., 2023: Nanoparticles are everywhere, even inside trees. Chimia, 77, 4: 256. doi: 10.2533/chimia.2023.256

Waldner, P.; Hobi, M.; Stillhard, J.; Brang, P.; Hug, C.; Thimonier, A.; Schmitt, M.; Walser, M.; Köchli, R.; Zürcher, A.; Christen, D.; Hajjar, N.; Schaub, M.; Sutter, F.; Häni, M.; Meusburger, K.; Gessler, A.; Nussbaumer, A.; Hirsiger, T.; Zhu, J., 2023: Forschung im Waldreservat am Bettlachstock. Mitteilungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft des Kantons Solothurn, 161-179. doi: 10.5169/seals-1007786

Zweifel, R.; Basler, D.; Braun, S.; Buchmann, N.; Conedera, M.; Etzold, S.; Eugster, W.; Floriancic, M.; Fonti, P.; Gessler, A.; Haeni, M.; Hoch, G.; Hummel, D.; Kahmen, A.; Koechli, R.; Maeder, M.; Nievergelt, D.; Peter, M.; Peters, R.; ... Wilhelm, M., 2022: TreeNet. Technischer Bericht 2022. 76 p.

Schaub, M.; Vesterdal, L.; De Vos, B.; Ferretti, M.; Fleck, S.; Merilä, P.; Prescher, A.; Schwärzel, K.; Ukonmaanaho, L., 2022: FORECOMON 2021 - review of the 9th ICP Forests scientific conference on forest ecosystem monitoring. In: Michel, A.; Kirchner, T.; Prescher, A.; Schwärzel, K. (eds), 2022: Forest condition in Europe. The 2022 assessment. ICP forests technical report under the UNECE convention on long-range transboundary air pollution (air convention). Eberswalde, Thünen Institute. 25-28. doi: 10.3220/ICPTR1656330928000

Schaub, M.; Vesterdal, L.; De Vos, B.; Ukonmaanaho, L.; Fleck, S.; Schwärzel, K.; Ferretti, M. (eds), 2021: Forest monitoring to assess forest functioning under air pollution and climate change. Proceedings. FORECOMON 2021 - the 9th forest ecosystem monitoring conference, Birmensdorf. 108 p. doi: 10.16904/envidat.225

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Magazine article and brochures

Rothenbacher, S.; Moser, B.; Wohlgemuth, T.; Kaennel, M.; Schaub, M.; Etzold, S., 2022: Gesucht: Bäume mit Zukunft. Schweizer Familie, 36-45.

Schaub, M.; Haeni, M.; Calatayud, V.; Ferretti, M.; Gottardini, E., 2018: Ozone concentrations are decreasing but exposure remains high in European forests. ICP forests brief, 3. 6 p. doi: 10.3220/ICP1525258743000

Bäck, J.; Aszalós, R.; Ceulemans, R.J.M.; Glatzel, G.; Hanewinkel, M.; Kakaras, E.; Kotiaho, J.; Lindroth, A.; Lubica, D.; Luyssaert, S.; Mackay, J.; Marek, M.V.; Morgante, M.; Nabuurs, G.J.; Ovaskainen, O.; Pais, M.S.; Schaub, M.; Tahvonen, O.; Vesala, T.; ... Norton, M., 2017: Multi-functionality and sustainability in the European union’s forests. EASAC policy report, 32. 43 p.

Schaub, M.; Arend, M., 2014: Sind einheimische Buchenherkünfte für eine klimagerechte Waldwirtschaft geeignet?. Zürcher Wald, 9-10.

Mayer, P.; Schaub, M., 2010: Das unscheinbare aber gefährliche Pflanzengift. Ozon. g'plus: Magazin für die grüne Branche, 2010, 13: 20-21.

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