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Ecological Genetics

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We study ecological processes in populations of plants, mycorrhizal fungi and animals with molecular-genetic methods and supplement them with experimental approaches. We mainly investigate species that are relevant for Switzerland owing to their function in ecosystems, their distributional focus or their conservation status. We describe how plants of the Alpine region evolve to adapt to changing environmental conditions (adaptation). As important symbiosis partners of our forest trees, we investigate mycorrhizal fungi, their adaptation to tree partners and local conditions, and their significance for the stability of forest ecosystems in a changing environment. We study how landscape features impact the dispersal and connectivity of organisms and their populations and how land use affects rare plant and animal species (conservation genetics).

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Projects

Mycorrhiza Adaptation GenomICs

In this bilateral LabEx-SwissForestLab project, we are investigating whether the main mutualistic partners of beech forests are adapted to their local habitat and if trees and fungi form a co-adaptation complex that could confer benefits for nutrient and water supply in adverse environments.

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.

Identifying seed sources for highly adaptable oak forests in a changing climate

The international BiodivERsA project ACORN aims to identify oak populations capable to cope with future drought-stress due to climate change.

OAKID2

Transferability and phylogenetic extension of species-diagnostic SNP markers in European white oak species

GenWood

We link genomic and dendro-phenotypic data in Norway Spruce (Picea abies) to study the genomic basis of wood anatomy and assess the adaptive potential of forest trees under climate change.

BLACKDYNAMITE

This Swiss-Spanish project investigates the dynamics and competition of the black Périgord and Burgundy truffles under the influence of climate change.

Root endophytic fungi and their contribution to arctic and alpine climate change feedback

Arctic and Alpine vegetation dynamics under climate change can exert a lasting impact on belowground processes and ultimately on world's largest carbon stocks. This long-term field manipulation investigates the functional significance of plant interactions with species-specific endophytic fungi.

Adaptation of trees to extreme climate events

Extreme climate events are expected to become more frequent with climate warming. We test genetic differentiation in resistance to late frost and drought in silver fir populations planted in the 1980s in Swizterland and abroad.

Tool kit conservation genetics

Partners from the private and academic sector joined to set up a ready-to-use tool kit, which allows authorities and consultancies to apply conservation genetic methods in a standardized way in their everyday work.

Metalink

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a widespread problem affecting natural, cultivated, urban and industrial sites throughout Europe. The main objective in this Swiss/Polish collaboration project is to characterize the links between environmental, genotypic, and phenotypic features in the metal-tolerant plant model Arabidopsis halleri.

GenTree

GenTree aims at providing the European forestry sector with better knowledge, methods and tools for optimizing the management and sustainable use of forest genetic resources in Europe in the context of climate change and continuously evolving demands for forest products and services.

PiCadapt - Adaptive genetic variation of Swiss stone pine in response to environmental gradients across the Alpine timberline ecotone

PiCadapt aims to study gene-encoded nucleotide variation in the bird-dispersed P. cembra, a keystone tree species of the Alpine timberline ecotone, in response to environmental gradients.

GeneScale

GeneScale describes genomic variation in the Alpine rock-cress (Arabis alpina) and seeks indications of local adaptation to small-scale environmental conditions.

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.

QuercAdapt

We investigate the relationship between genetic variation and environmental factors, notably soil characteristics, in three native oak species. Thereby we can investigate the adaptedness of the different species and provenances in the context of silvicultural practice under climate change.

Disentangling truffle ecology

We study the complex biotic and abiotic ecology and the population genetics of the Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum) in Switzerland and the German pre-Alps, with particular emphasis on the ecological and climatological drivers for the productivity and phenology of this most valuable truffle species.

Stillberg enzyme activities

Climate change will particularly influence species distribution and the structure and function of sensitive ecosystems at the treeline. In an interdisciplinary experiment carried out at Stillberg Davos we will investigate how soil warming and enhanced CO2 concentrations will affect the ectomycorrhizal community structure and extracellular enzyme activities in the soil and at mycorrhizal roots.

Exotic tree species

Exotic tree species, which are adapted to a warmer and dryer climate, could contribute to coping with climate change. Six such species are tested in a long-term field experiment near Mutrux (Canton of Vaud).

AVE

The main aim of this SNF-supported SINERGIA project is to characterize adaptive genetic diversity associated with environmental heterogeneity in natural populations of related plant species and to experimentally test the adaptive value of candidate loci under ecologically relevant environmental conditions

Kastanienrindenkrebs

Der eingeschleppte Kastanienrindenkrebs gefährdet die Edelkastanienbestände auf der Alpennordseite. Um diese Bestände zu erhalten, wird im Rahmen dieses Projektes der Kastanienrindenkrebs auf der Alpennordseite mit hypovirulenten Pilzstämmen bekämpft

Mycorrhiza and forest fire

In this project, we aim to investigate 1) to what extent diversity of mycorrhizal fungi is diminished by forest fire, and 2) whether this has consequences for performance of Pinus sylvestris seedlings.

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.

Evoltree

A large network of research institutions collaborates within an EC-funded Network of Excellence to study the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems from an evolutionary perspective.

IntraBioDiv

Within an EC-funded project, scientists from WSL study possible correlations between intraspecific diversity and species richness or habitat variation. They want to find and explain possible relationships among different levels of plant biodiversity, to elaborate a modelling approach.

WATER

A network of four research institutions collaborates within an EC-funded Network of Excellence to determine and understand the influence of genetic diversity of trees and site water regime on neutral and functional diversities of the associated mycorrhizal community.

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Publications

Wraase, L.; Reuber, V.M.; Kurth, P.; Fekadu, M.; Demissew, S.; Miehe, G.; Opgenoorth, L.; Selig, U.; Woldu, Z.; Zeuss, D.; Schabo, D.G.; Farwig, N.; Nauss, T., 2022: Remote sensing-supported mapping of the activity of a subterranean landscape engineer across an afro-alpine ecosystem. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, doi: 10.1002/rse2.303

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

Zacharias, M.; Pampuch, T.; Dauphin, B.; Opgenoorth, L.; Roland, C.; Schnittler, M.; Wilmking, M.; Bog, M.; Heer, K., 2022: Genetic basis of growth reaction to drought stress differs in contrasting high-latitude treeline ecotones of a widespread conifer. Molecular Ecology, doi: 10.1111/mec.16648

Schwörer, C.; Leunda, M.; Alvarez, N.; Gugerli, F.; Sperisen, C., 2022: The untapped potential of macrofossils in ancient plant DNA research. New Phytologist, 235, 2: 391-401. doi: 10.1111/nph.18108

Staubli, F.; Imola, L.; Dauphin, B.; Molinier, V.; Pfister, S.; Piñuela, Y.; Schürz, L.; Sproll, L.; Steidinger, B.S.; Stobbe, U.; Tegel, W.; Büntgen, U.; Egli, S.; Peter, M., 2022: Hidden fairy rings and males - genetic patterns of natural Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.) populations reveal new insights into its life cycle. Environmental Microbiology, doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.16131

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Short film to introduce the new Globi non-fiction book "Globi and the Microbes": We dive with Globi into the WWW of nature - the fungus network in the forest (Wood-Wide-Web). Martina Peter explains to Globi, Atlant & Arin what role mushrooms play in the forest. 03.05.2022, 9:02min

White truffle in Zurich.
24.01.2022, SRF Schweiz aktuell, 4.22min, with Dr. Martina Peter

Winter in the Swiss Alps. How animal survive.
30.12.2021, ARTE Doku, 52min, Dr. Felix Gugerli und Dr. Maik Rehnus give explanations in the documentary film.

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