WSL Lausanne

The local representation of WSL was created at EPFL in 1991 under the name "Antenne romande" as an interface between scientists and practitioners in French-speaking Switzerland. It became a joint venture between WSL and EPFL in 2003. In March 2020, its research objectives were redefined under the leadership of Prof. Charlotte Grossiord. At EPFL, the current common lab is named PERL.

The PERL lab aims to better understand the physiological and ecological responses of terrestrial ecosystems to global change, with a focus on anticipating and counteracting its effects.

Our key research themes are the impact of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functions and services, and the physiological processes involved in plant responses to climatic stress. 

We use novel techniques and approaches at scales going from the cell to the whole ecosystem in diverse environmental conditions in temperate, Mediterranean and tropical systems. We conduct research in controlled conditions (e.g., greenhouses and growth chambers), in manipulative experiments in natural ecosystems (e.g., drought and temperature manipulation) and use long-term national and international inventory platforms. 

This integrative approach has both theoretical and applied aims to address the parameterization of climate-vegetation models and guide new climate-smart management practices.