Dr. Christoph Bachofen

Function

Scientific staff member

Community Ecology

Functional Plant Ecology

Contact

christoph.bachofen(at)wslto make life hard for spam bots.ch

Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
c/o EPFL-ENAC-PERL
Station 2
1015 Lausanne 15

Site

Lausanne La GR B2 426

Research interests

I am interested in how trees acclimate to changes in environmental conditions, with a focus on light, water availability and temperature. For this, I look into a number of functional traits from physiological to morpho-anatomical traits, and from leaf to roots. I use a combination of experiments with seedlings in pots or mesocosms with field studies of saplings and adult trees.

In my research I try to understand the contrasting ecological strategies of tree species for dealing with environmental changes and their underlying trade-offs. Currently, I am investigating how acclimation to local climate affects tree transpiration responses to soil water and vapour pressure deficit. Another project aims at understanding how an invasive palm species outcompetes native regeneration with physiological advantages in the utilisation of light, water and warm temperatures.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

HEAT - Keeping it cool in a Hotter world: brEAking new ground into the drivers and consequences of forest Temperature regulation

We will use a hierarchical cross-scale approach that spans plant physiology, remote sensing, and community ecology to assess the physiological and ecological processes that underpin forest temperature regulation during hotter droughts. The work will take place at the Model Ecosystem Facility (MODOEK) and in Saillon (Valais).

Species invasiveness in the Anthropocene

The project aims at understanding the physiological traits driving the competitive strength of the non-native windmill palm in insubric forests. The work takes place in 6 sites in Spain, France and Switzerland.

Invasiveness of T. fortunei in the forests of southern Switzerland

The invasion of ecosystems by non-native species is one of the largest threats for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning worldwide. To control the spread of non-native plants, it is crucial to understand by which mechanisms they outperform native vegetation. Yet, despite the considerable applied re

Publications WSL

Scientific publication article peer reviewed

Bachofen, C.; Poyatos, R.; Flo, V.; Martínez‐Vilalta, J.; Mencuccini, M.; Granda, V.; Grossiord, C., 2023: Stand structure of Central European forests matters more than climate for transpiration sensitivity to VPD. Journal of Applied Ecology, 60, 5: 886-897. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.14383

Grossiord, C.; Bachofen, C.; Gisler, J.; Mas, E.; Vitasse, Y.; Didion‐Gency, M., 2022: Warming may extend tree growing seasons and compensate for reduced carbon uptake during dry periods. Journal of Ecology, 110, 7: 1575-1589. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.13892

Bachofen, C.; Perret‐Gentil, A.; Wohlgemuth, T.; Vollenweider, P.; Moser, B., 2021: Phenotypic plasticity versus ecotypic differentiation under recurrent summer drought in two drought‐tolerant pine species. Journal of Ecology, 109, 11: 3861-3876. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.13762

Didion‐Gency, M.; Bachofen, C.; Buchmann, N.; Gessler, A.; Morin, X.; Vicente, E.; Vollenweider, P.; Grossiord, C., 2021: Interactive effects of tree species mixture and climate on foliar and woody trait variation in a widely distributed deciduous tree. Functional Ecology, 35, 11: 2397-2408. doi: 10.1111/1365-2435.13898

Moser, B.; Frei, E.R.; Bachofen, C.; Wasem, U.; Wohlgemuth, T., 2021: Douglasiensämlinge im Wettstreit mit mittel-europäischen Baumarten. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen, 172, 2: 106-117. doi: 10.3188/szf.2021.0106

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