Dr. Andri Baltensweiler

Function

Scientist

Forest Resources and Management

GIS

Contact

andri.baltensweiler(at)wslto make life hard for spam bots.ch

+41 44 739 24 96+41 44 739 24 96

Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Zürcherstrasse 111
8903 Birmensdorf

Site

Birmensdorf Bi HP C 76

Research interests

I am interest in spatial modelling of various phenomena to identify relationships between them and environmental site conditions. The objectives are to understand the phenomena themselves but also to make spatial predictions. I am particularly interested to identify the relevant spatial scales at which processes operate.

I develop and apply digital soil mapping and species distribution models using different GIS, remote sensing and statistical methods.

Teaching at ETH Zurich

Geographic Information Systems. Master course (No. 651-4031-00L) at the Department of Earth Sciences. Yearly course autumn semester.

Geographic Data Processing with Python and ArcGIS. Master course (No. 701-1776-00L) at the Department of Environmental Systems Science. Yearly course (3 day block course) one week before the autumn semester starts.

Geoprocessing with ArcGIS and Python. Module at Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in RIS/GIS at the Institute of Cartography and Geoinformation (Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering).

Master thesis

If you are interested in writing a master thesis in the context of digital soil mapping, modelling biodiversity or forest functions using remote sensing techniques, please contact me.

Keywords: Geographic information science, Airborne and terrestrial LiDAR, Digital soil mapping, Species distribution models, Forest structures, Terrain attributes

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

SOLID - SOiL Information for species Distribution modelling

In this project, we are investigating the extent to which the spatial predictability of forest plant species and fungi can be improved by using high-resolution soil maps. In addition, we analyse how climate change affects the distribution of different species and what role soil plays in this.

Pre-study soil inventory

In the years 2021 - 2025, the forest soil survey of 1993 on the 8 x 8 km will be repeated. This grid does not cover all combinations of soil formation and environmental factors that potentially occur in Switzerland. This project evaluates the most efficient way to close these gaps.

DivScaling

The main objective of this project is to elaborate how different diversity components in Swiss forest change with increasing area and how they depend on changing heterogeneity.

High-resolution soil maps for the Swiss forest

In this project we model high-resolution soil maps with different soil properties such as pH or texture for the entire Swiss forest.

MoGLI – modelling woody species in NFI

The main goal of MoGLI is to project the potential distribution of the most common Swiss woody species across the entire forested area of Switzerland.

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Publications

Scientific publication article peer reviewed

Huber, N.; Ginzler, C.; Pazur, R.; Descombes, P.; Baltensweiler, A.; Ecker, K.; Meier, E.; Price, B., 2023: Countrywide classification of permanent grassland habitats at high spatial resolution. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 9, 1: 133-151. doi: 10.1002/rse2.298

Scherrer, D.; Baltensweiler, A.; Bürgi, M.; Fischer, C.; Stadelmann, G.; Wohlgemuth, T., 2023: Low naturalness of Swiss broadleaf forests increases their susceptibility to disturbances. Forest Ecology and Management, 532: 120827 (8 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2023.120827

Mayer, M.; Rusch, S.; Didion, M.; Baltensweiler, A.; Walthert, L.; Ranft, F.; Rigling, A.; Zimmermann, S.; Hagedorn, F., 2023: Elevation dependent response of soil organic carbon stocks to forest windthrow. Science of the Total Environment, 857: 159694 (9 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159694

Meusburger, K.; Trotsiuk, V.; Schmidt-Walter, P.; Baltensweiler, A.; Brun, P.; Bernhard, F.; Gharun, M.; Habel, R.; Hagedorn, F.; Köchli, R.; Psomas, A.; Puhlmann, H.; Thimonier, A.; Waldner, P.; Zimmermann, S.; Walthert, L., 2022: Soil–plant interactions modulated water availability of Swiss forests during the 2015 and 2018 droughts. Global Change Biology, 28, 20: 5928-5944. doi: 10.1111/gcb.16332

Baltensweiler, A.; Walthert, L.; Hanewinkel, M.; Zimmermann, S.; Nussbaum, M., 2021: Machine learning based soil maps for a wide range of soil properties for the forested area of Switzerland. Geoderma Regional, 27: e00437 (13 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.geodrs.2021.e00437

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Further scientific publications

Baltensweiler, A.; Walthert, L.; Zimmermann, S.; Nussbaum, M., 2022: Hochauflösende Bodenkarten für den Schweizer Wald. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen, 173, 6: 288-291. doi: 10.3188/szf.2022.0288

Mayer, M.; Rusch, S.; Didion, M.; Baltensweiler, A.; Walthert, L.; Ranft, F.; Rigling, A.; Zimmermann, S.; Hagedorn, F., 2022: Humusverlust nach Windwurf - Risiko im Bergwald?. In: Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL (eds), 2022: Waldböden - intakt und funktional. Forum für Wissen 2022, Birmensdorf. 43-45. doi: 10.55419/wsl:32005

Baltensweiler, A.; Brun, P.; Pranga, J.; Psomas, A.; Zimmermann, N.E.; Ginzler, C., 2020: Räumliche Analyse von Trockenheitssymptomen im Schweizer Wald mit Sentinel-2-Satellitendaten. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen, 171, 5: 298-301. doi: 10.3188/szf.2020.0298

Walthert, L.; Scherler, M.; Stähli, M.; Huber, M.; Baltensweiler, A.; Ramirez-Lopez, L.; Papritz, A., 2015: Böden und Wasserhaushalt von Wäldern und Waldstandorten der Schweizunter heutigem und zukünftigem Klima (BOWA-CH).. 118 p.

Cioldi, F.; Baltensweiler, A.; Brändli, U.; Duc, P.; Ginzler, C.; Herold Bonardi, A.; Thürig, E.; Ulmer, U., 2010: Waldressourcen. In: Brändli, U. (eds), 2010: Schweizerisches Landesforstinventar. Ergebnisse der dritten Erhebung 2004-2006. Birmensdorf; Bern, Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL; Bundesamt für Umwelt, BAFU. 31-113.

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Magazine article and brochures

Baltensweiler, A.; Allgaier Leuch, B., 2021: Wo wachsen welche Gehölzarten? Neue Online-Karten verraten es. Infoblatt Arbeitsgruppe Waldplanung und -management, 6-7.

Brändli, U.; Baltensweiler, A.; Bergamini, A.; Ulmer, U.; Schwyzer, A., 2009: Verbreitung und Häufigkeit der Eibe (Taxus baccata) in der Schweiz, Ergebnisse aus dem Landesforstinventar (LFI). Eibenfreund, 43-49.

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Supervised theses

Flükiger, L. 2020. Including soil information in high-resolution distribution modelling of woody species. MSc thesis, ETH Zurich. Supervisor Prof. N. Zimmermann, Cosupervisor R. Wüest.

Füglister B. 2020. Spatial distribution and environmental factors of dead spruce stands in the Swiss Plateau and Jura. MSc thesis, ETH Zurich. Supervisor Prof. N. Zimmermann.

Pranga J. 2019. Analysis of drought patterns in beech stands concerning environmental factors, in Switzerland. MSc thesis, University of Freiburg (D), Supervisor Dr. H. Weinacker.

Flavian S. 2019. Modellierungen von Baumarten der Schweiz mit Einbezug der Bewirtschaftung. BSc thesis, ETH Zürich.

Hertzog M. 2017. Modelling soil attributes with the Random Forest method for the Swiss forest area. MSc thesis, ETH Zurich. Supervisor Prof. D. Or, Cosupervisors: A. Papritz, L. Walthert.

Hürlimann R. 2016. Geostatistical modelling of soil pH based on LiDAR-measurements. MSc thesis, Wageningen University. Supervisor Prof. Gerard Heuvelink.

Lenggenhager A. 2014. Modellierung der Bodenacidität mit terrestrischem LiDAR im Alptal. MSc thesis University of Zurich. Supervisor Prof. R. Purves.

Allemann M. 2012. Nachbilden der Bodeneignungskarte für die Waldböden in der Schweiz und ergänzen der Kartierungseinheiten mit Informationen zum Wasser- und Nährstoffspeichervermögen. MSc thesis University of Bern. Supervisor Prof. W. Wilcke, Cosupervisor L. Walthert.

Nussbaum M. 2011. Modellierung des organischen Kohlenstoffgehalts und –vorrats in Schweizer Waldböden. MSc thesis, University of Zurich. Supervisor Prof. M. Schmidt, Cosupervisor A. Papritz.

Camathias L. 2010. Potential von hochauflösenden Höhenmodellen als Indikatoren für die Biodiversität im Wald. MSc thesis University of Bern. Supervisor PD Dr. S. Wunderle, Cosupervisor A. Bergamini.

Stadelmann G. 2008. Modellierung der Waldentwicklung an der Rigi-Nordlehne zur Analyse der Schutzwirkung von Wald gegen Murgang. MSc thesis, ETH Zurich. Supervisor Dr. M. Frehner, Cosupervisors Prof. H. Bugmann, C. Graf.

Services and products

Distribution maps of the most common woody species (NFI Project MoGLI)

High-resolution soil maps for the Swiss forest (Project SOMA-CH)

WSL websites

waldwissen.net

Knowhow for forestry experts and all others interested in the forest

lfi.ch

Swiss National Forest Inventory NFI - a forest information service

envidat.ch

Access to environmental monitoring and research data

natural-hazards.ch

Warnings on natural hazards by Swiss federal authorities

slf.ch

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Davos

Main menu

Main menu

Dr. Andri Baltensweiler

Research interests

Teaching at ETH Zurich

Master thesis

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

SOLID - SOiL Information for species Distribution modelling

Pre-study soil inventory

DivScaling

High-resolution soil maps for the Swiss forest

MoGLI – modelling woody species in NFI

Beurteilung von Schutzwäldern mittels Fernerkundung

Distribution of red wood ants

Publications

Scientific publication article peer reviewed

Further scientific publications

Magazine article and brochures

Supervised theses

Services and products

Navigation mit Access Keys

Main menu

Main menu

Dr. Andri Baltensweiler

Teaching at ETH Zurich

Master thesis

SOLID - SOiL Information for species Distribution modelling

Pre-study soil inventory

DivScaling

High-resolution soil maps for the Swiss forest

MoGLI – modelling woody species in NFI

Beurteilung von Schutzwäldern mittels Fernerkundung

Distribution of red wood ants