
Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
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Head: Prof. Dr. Rolf Holderegger
The research unit Biodiversity and Conservation Biology studies the diversity of life in its various forms, from genetic diversity to the diversity of species and ecosystems as well as their interactions. In collaboration with partners such as federal, cantonal and local authorities, we elaborate scientific knowledge for management strategies for the conservation of biodiversity and the preservation of natural resources in Switzerland and internationally.
Research groups
FURTHER INFORMATION
Staff
Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
Head of Research Unit, Member of Directors Board |
Ecosystem Dynamics
Teamleader | |
technical expert II | |
Visiting scientist | |
Scientific staff member | |
Scientific staff member | |
Scientific staff member | |
Technical staff member | |
temporary employee | |
Visiting scientist | |
Technical staff member | |
Visiting scientist | |
Postdoc |
Conservation Biology
Teamleader, Senior Scientist | |
Visiting scientist | |
Postdoc | |
Visiting scientist | |
Visiting scientist | |
master student | |
visiting scientist | |
Visiting scientist | |
Civil service employee | |
Visiting scientist | |
Senior Scientist | |
Scientific staff member | |
PhD student guest | |
visiting scientist | |
temporary employee | |
master student | |
Master student |
Biodiversity
Teamleader, Senior Scientist | |
Scientific assistant | |
Technical staff member | |
Scientific assistant | |
Scientific staff member | |
Scientific staff member | |
Scientific staff member | |
Scientific assistant | |
Scientific assistant | |
Scientific staff member | |
Trainee | |
Trainee | |
Scientific staff member | |
Visiting scientist | |
Scientific assistant | |
PhD student | |
Postdoc | |
Trainee | |
Scientific staff member | |
Visiting scientist | |
Scientific staff member | |
temporary employee | |
Scientific staff member | |
Scientific assistant | |
PhD student | |
Bachelor student | |
lab technician |
Ecological Genetics
Teamleader | |
Senior Scientist, Deputy Teamleader | |
Visiting scientist | |
Technical staff member | |
Scientific staff member | |
PhD student guest | |
Scientific staff member | |
Visiting scientist | |
Technical staff member | |
Scientific staff member | |
Visiting scientist | |
Gast / Schülerin | |
lab technician | |
Scientific staff member | |
Apprentice |
Spatial Evolutionary Ecology
Teamleader, Senior Scientist | |
Administrative staff member | |
Master student | |
Visiting scientist | |
Visiting scientist | |
Technical staff member | |
scientific staff member | |
Postdoc | |
Postdoc | |
PhD student | |
Scientific staff member | |
Guest | |
Postdoc | |
Trainee | |
PhD student guest | |
Postdoc | |
Postdoc | |
visiting scientist | |
Visiting scientist | |
Temporary employee / Scientific staff member | |
Technical staff member |
Evolutionary genetics
Teamleader | |
Postdoc | |
Trainee | |
Temporary employee | |
Trainee | |
Aushilfe / Gastwissenschafterin | |
Projektkoordinatorin | |
PhD student | |
Visiting scientist | |
Scientific assistant |
Ecological fluid dynamics
Teamleader, Senior Scientist | |
PhD student | |
Master student | |
Postdoc | |
Visiting scientist | |
PhD student guest | |
Visiting scientist | |
Visiting scientist | |
Temporary employee | |
PhD student |
Publications
Shnapp, R.; Steinberg, V., 2022: Nonmodal elastic instability and elastic waves in weakly perturbed channel flow. Physical Review Fluids, 7, 6: 063901 (17 pp.). doi: 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.7.063901
Obrist, M.K., 2022: [Review of the book "Bat calls of Britain and Europe", by Jon Russ]. Bioacoustics, doi: 10.1080/09524622.2021.2024392
Jardim de Queiroz, L.; Doenz, C.J.; Altermatt, F.; Alther, R.; Borko, Š.; Brodersen, J.; Gossner, M.M.; Graham, C.; Matthews, B.; McFadden, I.R.; Pellissier, L.; Schmitt, T.; Selz, O.M.; Villalba, S.; Rüber, L.; Zimmermann, N.E.; Seehausen, O., 2022: Climate, immigration and speciation shape terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity in the European Alps. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 289, 1980: 20221020 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1020
Büttner, M.; Weibel, U.; Jutzi, M.; Bergamini, A.; Holderegger, R., 2022: A 150-year-old herbarium and floristic data testify regional species decline. Biological Conservation, 272: 109609 (9 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109609
Twining, C.W.; Weber, C.; Kowarik, C.; Gossner, M.M.; Graham, C.H.; Matthews, B.; Shipley, J.R., 2022: Zum Fressen gern: unsere Gewässer aus der Vogelperspektive. Wasser, Energie, Luft, 114, 2: 68-74.
Mazziotta, A.; Lundström, J.; Forsell, N.; Moor, H.; Eggers, J.; Subramanian, N.; Aquilué, N.; Morán‐Ordóñez, A.; Brotons, L.; Snäll, T., 2022: More future synergies and less trade‐offs between forest ecosystem services with natural climate solutions instead of bioeconomy solutions. Global Change Biology, doi: 10.1111/gcb.16364
Rega-Brodsky, C.C.; Aronson, M.F.J.; Piana, M.R.; Carpenter, E.; Hahs, A.K.; Herrera-Montes, A.; Knapp, S.; Kotze, D.J.; Lepczyk, C.A.; Moretti, M.; Salisbury, A.B.; Williams, N.S.G.; Jung, K.; Katti, M.; MacGregor-Fors, I.; MacIvor, J.S.; La Sorte, F.A.; Sheel, V.; Threfall, C.G.; Nilon, C.H., 2022: Urban biodiversity: state of the science and future directions. Urban Ecosystems, 25: 1083-1096. doi: 10.1007/s11252-022-01207-w
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
Neff, F.; Lehmann, M.M.; Moretti, M.; Pellissier, L.; Gossner, M.M., 2022: Tracking sucking herbivory with nitrogen isotope labelling: lessons from an individual trait-based approach. Basic and Applied Ecology, 63: 104-114. doi: 10.1016/j.baae.2022.06.004
Lyu, L.; Leugger, F.; Hagen, O.; Fopp, F.; Boschman, L.M.; Strijk, J.S.; Albouy, C.; Karger, D.N.; Brun, P.; Wang, Z.; Zimmermann, N.E.; Pellissier, L., 2022: An integrated high‐resolution mapping shows congruent biodiversity patterns of Fagales and Pinales. New Phytologist, 235, 2: 759-772. doi: 10.1111/nph.18158
Döbbeler, P.; Büschlen, A.; Eckstein, J.; Gross, A., 2022: Belonium coroniforme Rehm (Helotiales), a highly specialized museicolous ascomycete on Orthotrichaceae and Leucodon. Sydowia, 74: 163-174. doi: 10.12905/0380.sydowia74-2021-0163
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
Allen, J.L.; Scheidegger, C., 2022: Short communication: co-occurring Lobaria pulmonaria and Ricasolia quercizans share green algal photobionts: consequences for conservation. Bryologist, 125, 2: 219-221. doi: 10.1639/0007-2745-125.2.219
Alós Ortí, M.; Casanelles-Abella, J.; Chiron, F.; Deguines, N.; Hallikma, T.; Jaksi, P.; Kwiatkowska, P.K.; Moretti, M.; Muyshondt, B.; Niinemets, Ü.; Pinho, P.; Pinto, M.J.; Saar, P.; Samson, R.; Tryjanowski, P.; Van Mensel, A.; Laanisto, L., 2022: Negative relationship between woody species density and size of urban green spaces in seven European cities. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 74: 127650 (9 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127650
Gasperini, C.; Bollmann, K.; Brunet, J.; Cousins, S.A.O.; Decocq, G.; De Pauw, K.; Diekmann, M.; Govaert, S.; Graae, B.J.; Hedwall, P.; Iacopetti, G.; Lenoir, J.; Lindmo, S.; Meeussen, C.; Orczewska, A.; Ponette, Q.; Plue, J.; Sanczuk, P.; Spicher, F.; ... De Frenne, P., 2022: Soil seed bank responses to edge effects in temperate European forests. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi: 10.1111/geb.13568
Szép, E.; Trubenová, B.; Csilléry, K., 2022: Using gridCoal to assess whether standard population genetic theory holds in the presence of spatio-temporal heterogeneity in population size. Molecular Ecology Resources, doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.13676
Viljur, M.; Abella, S.R.; Adámek, M.; Alencar, J.B.R.; Barber, N.A.; Beudert, B.; Burkle, L.A.; Cagnolo, L.; Campos, B.R.; Chao, A.; Moretti, M.; Obrist, M.K.; Wermelinger, B.; Thorn, S., 2022: The effect of natural disturbances on forest biodiversity: an ecological synthesis. Biological Reviews, doi: 10.1111/brv.12876
Tobar, F.; Guevara, E.A.; Gavilanes, M.J.; Poveda, C.; Marcayata, A.; Nieto, A.; Pérez, Á.J.; Rojas, B.; Cevallos, D.; Rea, E.; Graham, C.H., 2022: Plants of Sachatamia Reserve visited by hummingbirds. Sachatamia, San Miguel de Los Bancos, Pichincha, Ecuador. Field guide, 1388. 11 p.
Tobar, F.; Guevara, E.A.; Santander G., T.; Poveda, C.; Gavilanes, M.J.; Peréz, Á.J.; Rojas, B.; Cevallos, D.; Rea, E.; Graham, C.H., 2022: Plants of Casa Rumisitana visited by hummingbirds. Casa Rumisitana, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador. Field guide, 1459. 7 p.
Tobar, F.; Gavilanes, M.J.; Poveda, C.; Guevara, E.A.; Santander G., T.; Marcayata, A.; Pérez, Á.J.; Cevallos, D.; Rea, E.; Rojas, B.; Graham, C.H., 2022: Plants of Alaspungo Reserve visited by hummingbirds. Quito, Pichincha-Ecuador. Field guide, 1449. 9 p.
20 from 2265 publications
Teaching
Blockkurs: Biologie der Moose und Farne
Fieldcourse: Diversity of Vertebrates (Mammalia)
Integrierte Exkursionen
Lecture and Practical: Mycology and Lichenology
Lecture: Conservation Genetics
Lecture: Tree Genetics - Concepts and Applications
Research Practical: Lichenology and Mycology
Seminar: Naturschutz
Vorlesung: Ökologie der Wirbeltiere
Master thesis
Open master thesis
Differences in the distribution of genetic variants among neighbouring populations of mountain hares (Lepus timidus) in the Alps
The mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is a genuine Arctic species in its Alpine range, where it lives as glacial relict populations with high site fidelity at high elevations. Thus, it is considered to be particularly vulnerable to climate change by habitat loss and increasing habitat fragmentation. Non-invasive genetic samples (feces) have been sampled at various locations within and around the Swiss National Park (SNP) to study potential relationships and connectivity among populations. In this Master's thesis, the aim is to derive the degree of connectivity among these populations. Furthermore, a time series from a genetic monitoring in the SNP (2014-2022) may be re-visited to follow up on the population trends in this intensively studied site.
More information (PDF)
Investigating local adaptation in the spring leaf phenology of European white oaks
In this Master thesis, you will look at budburst variation within the WSL common garden to identify differences in spring leaf development between oak species and provenances, and perform a GWAS analysis to map the genes that potentially control this trait. The aim is to improve our understanding of variation in white oak budburst across Europe, so that we can incorporate this trait into guidelines for future plantings. In this project you will work in the experiment at WSL measuring spring budburst (this occurs from April to early June) and work with genomic data.
More information (PDF)
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