Plant-Animal Interactions

Head: PD Dr. Anita Risch

We are studying the distribution of and interactions among producers, consumers as well as decomposers and between these communities and their environment. We focus on food webs in real world ecosystems and thus mainly sample our data during experimental field campaigns. Data collection under controlled conditions in the greenhouse or experimental garden are, however, common add-ons hereby. We are mainly interested in the functioning of natural ecosystems and often conduct research in National Parks around the world. Our main study area is, however, the Swiss National Park. While working on basic research questions, we regularly consider applied aspects that are related to protecting or conserving endangered ecosystems.

Examples of research question of our research group assesses are:

How is species loss related to ecosystem processes and functions? Which species or species groups are particularly relevant for ecosystem functioning? Which effects are expected with the loss of such important species groups? How are aboveground organisms interacting with belowground organisms? Which abiotic and biotic conditions favor diverse ecosystems? Is global change (for example eutrophication, habitat fragmentation, climate) a thread for diverse ecosystems? How can diverse ecosystems be protected?

Projects

Staff

Plant-Animal Interactions

Pia Anderwald

Visiting scientist

Guilherme Barros Villela

Bachelor student

Kajsa Bornhauser

Master student

Irene Cordero Herrera

Scientific staff member

Jonathan Donhauser

Visiting scientist

Aline Frossard

Scientific staff member

Tomas Garcia

PhD student guest

Christian Geckeler

PhD student guest

Luca Girardi

PhD student guest

Sophie Gombeer

Technical staff member

Zeeshan Khan

PhD student guest

Steffen Kirchgeorg

PhD student guest

Annina Maier

PhD student guest

Gabriel Maquignaz

PhD student guest

Stefano Mintchev

Visiting scientist

Valentin Moser

PhD student

Aisha Oyabu

Master student

Anita Christina Risch

Member of Directors Board, Senior Scientist, Groupleader

Eduarda Rodrigues Sproesser

Bachelor student

Zoe Adriana Rodriguez Marvaldi

PhD student guest

Jose Schreckinger

Postdoc

Josef Senn

Visiting scientist