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Conservation Biology

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Our group monitors the diversity of species and investigates the mechanisms shaping biodiversity with the aim to provide solutions for its conservation in the era of the Anthropocene. We focus both on the monitoring and the Red List classification of certain taxa in Switzerland and on the influence of global change on biodiversity and the interaction between species and their functional relationships. We study multiple taxa (fungi, lichens, plants, arthropods, birds, mammals) in different ecosystems that differ in the intensity of land use. We apply standardized methods to survey biodiversity at different biological scales by combining traditional field methods and new techniques such as automated sampling, genetic analyses, meta barcoding (eDNA), and remote sensing.

Currently, we study the effects of land use change in forest, agriculture, and urban ecosystems on biodiversity:

Impact of land use in grasslands and forests on functional plant-insect networks
Comparison of beetle and fungal diversity between forest reserves and managed forests
Eco-evolutionary aspects of urbanization on wild bees, their relationship with food resources, and effects on reproductive success
Effects of the socio-ecological composition and configuration of urban environments on BEFs
The role of blue-green infrastructures in shaping arthropod biodiversity in cities
Effects of anthropogenic light sources on insects and bats

We investigate species, species communities and functional relationships along habitat gradients:

Composition of biotic communities and food-web relationships across vertical forest layers
Associations of White-backed woodpecker habitat with fungi and lichen species

We analyse the long-term impact of land use and climate change on selected taxa:

Roe deer reproduction along an altitudinal gradient
Population dynamics and dispersal of mountain hares
Composition and biomass of insect communities in aquatic and terrestrial habitats

We monitor biodiversity and species of conservation concern in Switzerland:

National IUCN Red list assessments for lichens and fungi
Introduced species and their impact on native biodiversity

We host the national data- and information centres SwissFungi and SwissLichens which provide the following services:

Collect, curate and publish observational data on fungi and lichens
Provide information and council to public authorities for conservation and management practices
Contribute to the taxonomy of fungi/lichens on species and genetic level

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

Plants and People in Urban Green Space (PAPPUS)

The PAPPUS project aims to understand how decision makers influence the choice of plant assemblages and their management in different types of urban green spaces, and how their decisions in turn influence ecological and human benefits in a context of climate change and urban intensification.

FireSwitch

The projected increase in the frequency of forest fires due to climate change underlines the need for long-term studies on tree regeneration and succession after forest fires. These data serve as a basis for adaptive management and intervention plans.

INSECT - A research initiative on changes in the insect fauna in Switzerland

How are insects doing in Switzerland? What changes have there been, which are underway, what are their causes? WSL and four partner institutions are investigating these questions in the project INSECT.

Forest Reserve Monitoring Lodano

WSL is participating in a forest reserve monitoring project for fungi in the canton of Ticino. In addition to traditional fruiting body surveys by the canton of Ticino, SwissFungi will survey fungal diversity using eDNA from spore traps in the forest reserve of Lodano (TI).

Opportunities for biodiversity in sustainable cities, the Urban Living Lab in Viererfeld Bern

Urbanisation is a main driver of biodiversity and ecological change, but how the process affects biodiversity is not well understood. This project on urban ecology monitors the impact of urbanisation and establishes an Urban Living Lab (ULL) for sustainable city development.

Fungal and lichen communities in white-backed woodpecker territories

Is the White-backed Woodpecker an umbrella species - i.e. a species whose protection ensures the survival of the entire species community? In order to answer this question, the lichen and fungal diversity in known territories of the White-backed Woodpecker will be determined in addition to deadwood insects and breeding birds.

Effects of forest attributes on biodiversity

This project investigates the biotic communities and food webs between ground vegetation and tree canopies, contributing to a better understanding of the three-dimensional relationship between forest structure and physiology, biodiversity, and ecosystem functions.

Action Plan for the Pink Waxcap

On behalf of the Canton of Bern, this project is developing an action plan for the protected and highly endangered Pink Waxcap (Hygrocybe calyptriformis).

ALANex

ALANeX is an inter- and transdisciplinary project that integrates benefits of LED technology and practitioner's experiences to develop future lighting transformation pathways and guide-lines for LED outdoor lighting systems based on sound scientific evidence. To do so, we bring together light engine

Basics for the alien fungi of Switzerland

Within the framework of this long-term project, we collect data on alien fungi in Switzerland, advise the Confederation and the cantons, and develop basic principles for practical application.

GenDiB

Intraspecific genetic diversity is a component of biodiversity that is often overlooked. Therefore, GenDiB sets out to compile the basic principles for establishing a new database comprising data on genetic diversity in populations of wild species in Switzerland.

Fungi monitoring in the Jorat Nature Park

In collaboration with HAFL, SwissFungi is surveying the diversity of deadwood fungi in the Jorat Nature Park (VD), while HAFL is looking after the diversity of saproxylic beetles.

AMORE II: Species Monitoring of Beetles and Fungi in Spruce and Fir-Spruce Natural Forest Reserves

In this project, a species inventory of xylobiont beetles and fungi in spruce and fir-spruce natural forest reserves is carried out in comparison to managed stands. The monitoring has the aim to evaluate the effectiveness of forest reserves.

Global change effects on food webs

Food-web structure is likely affected by global change with consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In this project we study changes in food webs and nutrient fluxes in response to global change drivers in aquatic, terrestrial and interconnected habitats.

Night Light

Die Versuche leisten einen Beitrag zum Verständnis des Effektes von Lichtverschmutzung auf die Natur. Der wissenschaftliche Versuch über die Auswirkungen verschiedener Lampeneigenschaften (Lichtfarbe, Gehäusedesign, Intensität) soll helfen, Nachtlicht nachhaltiger zu gestalten.

Effects of bark beetle resource pulses on woodpecker populations

The project aims to assess how the abundance of spruce bark beetles affects populations of woodpeckers. Long-term datasets on the annual amount of spruce timber infested by bark beetles and woodpecker abundance data, along with environmental variables are being used to model these relationships.

Insect biomass developments in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

We investigate the development of the frequency and species richness of aquatic and terrestrial insect communities in Switzerland.

Patterns and processes of biological invasions in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems

Insects are among the most successful invasive species but there are surprisingly few aquatic insects that invaded freshwater ecosystems. In this collaborative project between WSL and Eawag we are analysing several international datasets to determine why insects are under-represented among aquatic i

Revision of the Red List of the threatened fungi in Switzerland

The first Red List of Switzerland's macrofungi was published in 2007. Within the framework of this project, a reassessment of the threat levels of Swiss macrofungi is being carried out on behalf of the FOEN.

HIATE: Testing the generality of biotic homogenization by human impact in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

This project contributes to the Blue Green Biodiversity Research Initiative - an Eawag-WSL collaboration focusing on Biodiversity at the interface of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Urban Trees

We assess the state of knowledge about the importance of trees in cities for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Future research needs are defined with a specific focus on the city Zurich.

Let's talk about Better Gardens

Let's talk about Better Gardens hat zum Ziel, die Ergebnisse des gleichnamigen Forschungsprojekts einer breiten Öffentlichkeit zu vermitteln und einfache und effektive Methoden zur Förderung der Biodiversität in städtischen Quartieren zu entwickeln.

Let's Talk about Better Gardens

In diesem Umsetzungsprojekt vermitteln wir die Ergebnisse eines Forschungsprojektes über den Zusammenhang von Bewirtschaftungsformen von städtischen Gärten, Biodiversität und Wohlbefinden an die Bevölkerung und entwickeln einfache Methoden, um Biodiversität in Nachbarschaften zu fördern.

Integration of biodiversity conservation and forest management

The publication "How to balance biodiversity conservation and forest management - a tour across Europe" written by more than 70 scientific and professional experts from 50 Institutions and 20 different countries explores how to best integrate biodiversity conservation in forest management

3000 Mushrooms - Book and App

The Swiss Fungus Data and Information Centre SwissFungi supports an innovative book and app project by Haupt Verlag and the mushroom book author duo Ruedi Winkler and Gaby Keller.

Nightscapes 2019

Wir untersuchen die relativen Auswirkungen verschiedener spektraler LED-Strassenleuchten und bedarfsorientierter Beleuchtungssysteme auf acht Insekten- und Fledermaus-Artengruppen.

Städtische Luftqualität mit Topfpflanzen messen

Einwohnerinnen und Einwohner der Stadt Zürich erhalten die Gelegenheit, Daten für die Umweltforschung zu erheben. Dies im Rahmen des internationalen Citizen Science Projekts strawbAIRies der Universität Antwerpen, an dem neben Zürich die Städte Lissabon, Paris, Poznan, Tartu und Antwerpen teilnehmen

Hanfpalme: Auswirkungen der Invasion im Wald

Die chinesische Hanfpalme, auch als Tessiner Palme bekannt, ist eine invasive Art der Schwarzen Liste, die sich in den Wäldern südlich der Alpen stark ausbreitet. Sie bildet lokal geschlossene Formationen, in denen die Ökosystemleistungen des Waldes beeinträchtigt werden könnten. Ziel des Projekts ist es, ein Bild der Situationsentwicklung zu vermitteln.

ISOWEB

Our objective is to develop a protocol to analyse food webs in deadwood using compound-specific stable isotope analyses. The applicability to track changes in foodwebs between tree species and different management types along deadwood decomposition will be tested using data from a large experiment.

Insect biomass development

We investigate the development of insect abundance trends in Switzerland during the last 30 years.

Fledermaus-Flugkorridore

Wie erreichen Fledermäuse aus ihren Quartieren ihre Jagdlebensräume? Wir modellieren die Korridore im GIS!

MoGLI – modelling woody species in NFI

The main goal of MoGLI is to project the potential distribution of the most common Swiss woody species across the entire forested area of Switzerland.

Biodiversity and multifunctionality

Multi-BEF investigates the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functions, by testing the contribution of different assemblages of soil species on litter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and plant performance.

FuncNet

We study effects of land-use in grasslands and forests on functional plant-insect networks and consequences for ecosystem processes

Urban forests

Urban forests fulfil important ecosystem services and are greatly appreciated by the public for their social and cultural services. The aim of the project is to get insights into people's expectations and assessments of these services. Furthermore, the project aims to link the population's perceptions and expectations with on-site forest characteristics.

Population ecology of the mountain hare

We study the distribution, abundance and dynamics of a mountain hare population in a strictly protected Alpine ecosystem with annual field surveys and non-invasive genetic methods.

BetterGardens: Biodiversität, Bodenqualität und soziale Aspekte von Stadtgärten

Ziel der Studie ist es, die Bedeutung städtischer Gärten für die Biodiversität, die Ökosystemprozesse und -dienstleistungen und die Lebensqualität der Bürger besser zu verstehen.

Structural Diversity and Forest Biodiversity

What is the importance of the structural diversity and composition of forest stands for a rich forest biodiversity? This is the key question at the centre of this study.

Wild fire and insects

In 2003 some 300 ha of forest on the hillside above Leuk burnt down. Along a horizontal gradient from within-forest to the center of the fire area and along an altitudinal gradient from 1200 to 1700 m a.s.l. we investigate the process of colonization by insects and the succession of the taxonomic and functional groups.

Biodiversität und Raumentwicklung

Das Projekt «Biodiversität und Raumentwicklung» hat Zusammenhänge zwischen Biodiversität und Raumentwicklung auf Landschaftsebene untersucht. Die Resultate sind kartographisch dargestellt und können zur Visualisierung von Szenarien der Landschaftsentwicklung eingesetzt werden.

Climate change and forest birds

In this study, we assess the direct and indirect effects of climate change on the realised ecological niches of habitat specialists of mountain forests by assessing key structural and vegetational habitat components along a climatic gradient.

BioDiVine

Vineyards are among the oldest anthropogenic environments of high cultural and natural value that shape the landscape of large areas in Central and Southern Europe. In several mountain regions of the Alps, vineyards are a valid alternative to the landscape homogenization due to post-cultural land abandonment and agriculture intensification.

Gene flow in Swiss stone pine

Stone pines depend on nutcrackers for seed dispersal to favorable microsites, while nutcrackers almost exclusively forage on the pines, caching their seeds for winter food reserves. Genetic parentage analysis on juvenile stone pines germinated from cached nuts, will elucidate how dispersal by nutcrackers affects the spatial genetic structure of future pine populations.

BiodiverCity

The main goal of the project is to understand the relationship between urban diversity, built environment and the acceptance of the human population, in order to identify initial measures for integrating findings on how to enhance urban biodiversity and the acceptance of the residents into urban development processes.

Population model for the capercaillie in the Swiss Alps

We are studying the metapopulation biology of Alpine capercaillie using a) traditional field methods, and b) landscape ecological, and c) population genetic approaches.

Quality wood production

The WSL initiated together with other institutions a research program aiming at high quality chestnut timber by minimizing the costs and improving the functional features and the stability of the coppice stands.

Windthrow fauna

After the devestating windstorms in 1990 (Vivian) and 1999 (Lothar) investigations were started to monitor the development and succession of the insect fauna on cleared and uncleared windthrow areas, relative to control treatments in the intact forest. Until now, insects have been sampled during 7 (Vivian) and 4 (Lothar) years.

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