
Forest Entomology
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Head: Dr. Martin Gossner
Our group Forest Entomology investigates forest insects in their broadest sense: ecology of potential forest pests, natural enemies, diversity of forest insects.
Research topics
- Infestation dynamics of bark beetles, effect of natural enemies
- Interactions between host trees and bark beetles
- Recolonization of windthrow and wildfire areas by insect communities
- Dependency of dead wood (saproxylic) insects on tree and stand characteristics

FURTHER INFORMATION
News
Open Master Theses
There are three open master theses in the forest entomology group:
If interested, contact Martin Gossner.
Call to participate in a global experiment

We propose a global protocol to assess human impacts on forest ecosystems using experimental microcosms. The main question we aim to address is:
How do current and future climatic conditions, forest habitat degradation and management, influence biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in water filled microcosms worldwide?
Interested? Please contact Martin Gossner
The field season has started!

In March, the insect traps for the Lothar project were installed so that early flying insects could also be detected.
The larch tortrix is back
![The moth of the larch tortrix (Zeiraphera griseana). Photo: Beat Wermelinger, WSL [Translate to Englisch:] Bild: Beat Wermelinger, WSL](/typo3conf/ext/wsl_template/Resources/Public/Images/lazyloading-placeholder.png)
Nearly 40 year after the last major outbreak of the larch tortix (Zeiraphera griseana) in the Upper Engadine, large-scale defoliation of larches due to the larvae of the larch tortrix could be observed this year. Beat Wermelinger reported in Swiss television (in German).
Publications
Müller, S.; Gossner, M.M.; Penone, C.; Jung, K.; Renner, S.C.; Farina, A.; Anhäuser, L.; Ayasse, M.; Boch, S.; Haensel, F.; Heitzmann, J.; Kleinn, C.; Magdon, P.; Perović, D.J.; Pieretti, N.; Shaw, T.; Steckel, J.; Tschapka, M.; Vogt, J.; ... Scherer- Lorenzen, M., 2022: Land-use intensity and landscape structure drive the acoustic composition of grasslands. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 328: 107845 (13 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2021.107845
Larrieu, L.; Courbaud, B.; Drénou, C.; Goulard, M.; Bütler, R.; Kozák, D.; Kraus, D.; Krumm, F.; Lachat, T.; Müller, J.; Paillet, Y.; Schuck, A.; Stillhard, J.; Svoboda, M.; Vandekerkhove, K., 2022: Key factors determining the presence of tree-related microhabitats: a synthesis of potential factors at site, stand and tree scales, with perspectives for further research. Forest Ecology and Management, 515: 120235 (12 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120235
Leroy, B.M.L.; Seibold, S.; Morinière, J.; Bozicevic, V.; Jaworek, J.; Roth, N.; Vogel, S.; Zytynska, S.; Petercord, R.; Eichel, P.; Weisser, W.W., 2022: Metabarcoding of canopy arthropods reveals negative impacts of forestry insecticides on community structure across multiple taxa. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59, 4: 997-1012. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.14110
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
Wermelinger, B.; Schneider Mathis, D., 2022: Les ennemis naturels des scolytes. Silva Belgica, 2: 30-42.
Questa guida da campo supplementare descrive i 47 tipi di microhabitat degli alberi, divisi in 15 gruppi e 7 forme. La guida da campo è un supplemento alla pubblicazione "Conoscere, proteggere e promuovere gli alberi habitat".
Limsopatham, K.; Tanajitaree, C.; Sanit, S.; Sukontason, K.; Somboon, P.; Amendt, J.; Feddern, N.; Sukontason, K.L., 2022: Wing morphometrics as a tool for the identification of forensic important Lucilia spp. (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Acta Tropica, 226: 106242 (6 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106242
Valdés-Correcher, E.; Popova, A.; Galmán, A.; Prinzing, A.; Selikhovkin, A.V.; Howe, A.G.; Mrazova, A.; Dulaurent, A.M.; Hampe, A.; Tack, A.J.M.; Bouget, C.; Lupaștean, D.; Harvey, D.; Musolin, D.L.; Lövei, G.L.; Centenaro, G.; Halder, I.V.; Hagge, J.; Dobrosavljević, J.; ... Castagneyrol, B., 2022: Herbivory on the pedunculate oak along an urbanization gradient in Europe: effects of impervious surface, local tree cover, and insect feeding guild. Ecology and Evolution, 12, 3: e8709 (13 pp.). doi: 10.1002/ece3.8709
Gli alberi habitat sono una componente chiave della biodiversità forestale. Un gruppo di professionisti europei ha elaborato un catalogo degli habitat che possono essere identificati sugli alberi e risultano imprescindibili per migliaia di organismi specializzati.
Rieker, D.; Krah, F.S.; Gossner, M.M.; Uhl, B.; Ambarli, D.; Baber, K.; Buscot, F.; Hofrichter, M.; Hoppe, B.; Kahl, T.; Kellner, H.; Moll, J.; Purahong, W.; Seibold, S.; Weisser, W.W.; Bässler, C., 2022: Disentangling the importance of space and host tree for the beta-diversity of beetles, fungi, and bacteria: lessons from a large dead-wood experiment. Biological Conservation, 268: 109521 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109521
Moor, H.; Gossner, M.M.; Graham, C.; Hobi, M.L.; Logar, I.; Matthews, B.; Narwani, A.; Seehausen, O.; Holderegger, R.; Altermatt, F., 2022: Blau-grüne Biodiversität ist ein wichtiger Teil des Waldes. Wald und Holz, 103, 4: 30-33.
Maeder, M.; Guo, X.; Neff, F.; Schneider Mathis, D.; Gossner, M.M., 2022: Temporal and spatial dynamics in soil acoustics and their relation to soil animal diversity. PLoS One, 17, 3: e0263618 (22 pp.). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263618
Franić, I.; Prospero, S.; Adamson, K.; Allan, E.; Attorre, F.; Auger-Rozenberg, M.A.; Augustin, S.; Avtzis, D.; Baert, W.; Barta, M.; Feddern, N.; Gossner, M.M.; Ruffner, B.; Eschen, R., 2022: Worldwide diversity of endophytic fungi and insects associated with dormant tree twigs. Scientific Data, 9, 1: 62 (9 pp.). doi: 10.1038/s41597-022-01162-3
Moor, H.; Gossner, M.M.; Graham, C.; Hobi, M.L.; Logar, I.; Narwani, A.; Reber, U.; Seehausen, O.; Holdereger, R.; Altermatt, F., 2022: Besserer Biodiversitätsschutz in Blau-Grünen Ökosystemen. Des écosystèmes bleus-verts pour mieux protéger la biodiversité. Nature + Paysage. Natur + Landschaft: Inside, 25-29.
Kortmann, M.; Roth, N.; Buse, J.; Hilszczański, J.; Jaworski, T.; Morinière, J.; Seidl, R.; Thorn, S.; Müller, J.C., 2022: Arthropod dark taxa provide new insights into diversity responses to bark beetle infestations. Ecological Applications, 32, 2: e2516 (16 pp.). doi: 10.1002/eap.2516
Burner, R.C.; Drag, L.; Stephan, J.G.; Birkemoe, T.; Wetherbee, R.; Muller, J.; Siitonen, J.; Snäll, T.; Skarpaas, O.; Potterf, M.; Doerfler, I.; Gossner, M.M.; Schall, P.; Weisser, W.W.; Sverdrup-Thygeson, A., 2022: Functional structure of European forest beetle communities is enhanced by rare species. Biological Conservation, 267: 109491. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109491
Purahong, W.; Günther, A.; Gminder, A.; Tanunchai, B.; Gossner, M.M.; Buscot, F.; Schulze, E., 2022: City life of mycorrhizal and wood-inhabiting macrofungi: importance of urban areas for maintaining fungal biodiversity. Landscape and Urban Planning, 221: 104360. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104360
Gossner, M.M.; Petermann, J.S., 2022: Vertical stratification of insect species developing in water-filled tree holes. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 4: 816570 (12 pp.). doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2021.816570
Courbaud, B.; Larrieu, L.; Kozak, D.; Kraus, D.; Lachat, T.; Ladet, S.; Müller, J.; Paillet, Y.; Sagheb‐Talebi, K.; Schuck, A.; Stillhard, J.; Svoboda, M.; Zudin, S., 2022: Factors influencing the rate of formation of tree‐related microhabitats and implications for biodiversity conservation and forest management. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59, 2: 492-503. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.14068
Scherreiks, P.; Gossner, M.M.; Ambarlı, D.; Ayasse, M.; Blüthgen, N.; Fischer, M.; Klaus, V.H.; Kleinebecker, T.; Neff, F.; Prati, D.; Seibold, S.; Simons, N.K.; Weisser, W.W.; Wells, K.; Westphal, C.; Thiele, J., 2022: Present and historical landscape structure shapes current species richness in Central European grasslands. Landscape Ecology, doi: 10.1007/s10980-021-01392-7
20 from 406 publications
Staff
Forest Entomology
teamleader, senior scientist | |
guest | |
technical staff member | |
PhD student | |
Postdoc | |
visiting scientist | |
Postdoc | |
visiting scientist | |
visiting scientist | |
Postdoc | |
civil service employee | |
visiting scientist | |
lab technician | |
visiting scientist | |
visiting scientist | |
Trainee | |
technical staff member | |
trainee | |
temporary employee | |
senior scientist | |
visiting scientist |