Dr. Esther Frei

Function

scientific staff member

Forest Dynamics

Community Ecology

Mountain Ecosystems

Disturbance Ecology

Contact

esther.frei(at)wslto make life hard for spam bots.ch

+41 44 739 20 60+41 44 739 20 60

Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Zürcherstrasse 111
8903 Birmensdorf

Site

Birmensdorf Bi HL D 31.1, Da C 1 56

Curriculum

04/2019 - present	Research associate, research group Disturbance ecology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL
05/2017 - 03/2019	Research associate, research group Stand dynamics and silviculture, Research program Forests and Climate Change, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL
05/2014 - 04/2017	Postdoctoral Fellow, Tundra Ecology lab, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia
01/2014 - 04/2014	Visiting scientist, research group Mountain Ecosystems,WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
04/2013 - 12/2013	Research associate, research group Mountain Ecosystems,WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
01/2008 - 03/2013	PhD in Plant Ecology, research group Ecosystem Management, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich
07/2007 - 12/2007	Internship, research group Snow Physics, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
06/2007	MSc in Geography, Department of Geography, University of Zurich

Teaching

Sessional lecturer in Biogeography and Global Change for third year Bachelor students, University of British Columbia, Canada (2016)

Practical training in Experimental Plant Ecology for Bachelor students, ETH Zurich, Switzerland (2011)

Introductory days for Bachelor students at the Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Switzerland (2009 - 2010)

Co-advised students

Jamie Blackley (2017) Reproductive success of High Arctic tundra plant species in response to long-term experimental warming. Work Learn Program and Guided Study for Undergraduates, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Cassandra Elphinstone (2016) Equitable matrix techniques to determine spatial and temporal patterns in temperature, snowfall, and phenology and the resulting effects on High Arctic plant communities. BSc thesis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Eva Bianchi (2015) Seedling recruitment of Larix decidua and Picea abies along an elevational gradient across a treeline ecotone in the Swiss Alps. MSc thesis, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Publications

Peer-reviewed articles

Thomas H.J.D., A.D. Bjorkman, I.H. Myers-Smith, S.C. Elmendorf, …, E.R. Frei, ... & F.T. de Vries (2020) Global plant trait relationships extend to the climatic extremes of the tundra biome. Nature Communications, 11, 1351. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15014-4.

Thomas H.J.D., I.H. Myers-Smith, A.D. Bjorkman, S.C. Elmendorf, …, E.R. Frei, ... & P.M. van Bodegom (2019) Traditional plant functional groups poorly explain plant trait variation in the tundra biome. Global Ecology and Biogeography 28(2):78–95. doi.org/10.1111/geb.12783.

Frei, E.R., E. Bianchi, G. Bernareggi, P. Bebi, M.A. Dawes, C.D. Brown, A.J. Trant, S.D. Mamet & C. Rixen (2018) Biotic and abiotic drivers of tree seedling recruitment across an alpine treeline ecotone. Scientific Reports 8, 10894. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-28808-w.

Bjorkman A.D., I.H. Myers-Smith, S.C. Elmendorf, S. Normand, N. Ruger, …, E.R. Frei, … & E. Weiher (2018) Changes in plant functional traits across a warming tundra biome. Nature 562:57–62. doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0563-7.

Bjorkman A.D., I.H. Myers-Smith, S.C. Elmendorf, S. Normand, H.J.D. Thomas, …, E.R. Frei, … & T. Zamin (2018) Tundra Trait Team: A database of plant traits spanning the tundra biome. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 27(12):1402–1411. doi.org/10.1111/geb.12821.

Bjorkman A.D., M. Vellend, E.R. Frei & G.R.H. Henry (2017) Climate adaptation is not enough: warming does not facilitate success of southern tundra plant populations in the high Arctic. Global Change Biology 23(4):1540–1551. doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13417.

Frei E.R., J. Ghazoul, P. Matter, M. Heggli & A.R. Pluess (2014) Plant population differentiation and climate change: responses of grassland species along an elevational gradient. Global Change Biology 20(2):441–455. doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12403.

Frei E.R., J. Ghazoul, & A.R. Pluess (2014) Plastic responses to elevated temperature in low and high elevation populations of three grassland species. PLoS ONE 9(6): e98677. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0098677.

Frei E.R., T. Hahn, J. Ghazoul & A.R. Pluess (2014) Divergent selection in low and high elevation populations of a perennial herb in the Swiss Alps. Alpine Botany 124(2):131–142. doi.org/10.1007/s00035-014-0131-1.

Matter P., C.J. Kettle, E.R. Frei, J. Ghazoul & A.R. Pluess (2014) Geographic distance is more relevant than elevation in patterns of outbreeding in Ranunculus bulbosus. Journal of Ecology 102:518–530. doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12214.

Hahn T., C. Kettle, J. Ghazoul, E.R. Frei, P. Matter & A.R. Pluess (2012) Patterns of genetic variation across altitude in three plant species of (semi-)dry grasslands. PLoS ONE 7(8): e41608. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0041608.

Maysenhölder W., M. Heggli, X. Zhou, T. Zhang, E. Frei & M. Schneebeli (2012) Microstructure and sound absorption of snow. Cold Regions Science and Technology 83–84:3-12. doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2012.05.001.

Pluess A.R., E. Frei, C. Kettle, T. Hahn & J. Ghazoul (2011) Plant growth and fitness of Scabiosa columbaria under climate warming conditions. Plant Ecology & Diversity 4(4):379–389. doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2011.618848.

Frei E., J. Bodin & G.-R. Walther (2010) Plant species’ range shifts in mountainous areas – all uphill from here? Botanica Helvetica 120(2):117–128. doi.org/10.1007/s00035-010-0076-y.

Heggli M., E. Frei & M. Schneebeli (2009) Snow Replica method for three-dimensional X-ray microtomographic imaging. Journal of Glaciology 55(192):631–639. doi.org/10.3189/002214309789470932.

Further scientific publications

Frei, E.R., C. Rixen & P. Bebi (2018). Was beeinflusst den Anstieg der Waldgrenze? Jagd in Tirol. 12:22-26. www.tjv.at/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/12-Jagd-in-Tirol-Dezember-1.pdf.

Frei, E.R., K. Streit & P. Brang (2018). Testpflanzungen zukunftsfähiger Baumarten: auf dem Weg zu einem schweizweiten Netz. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen 169(8):347-350. doi.org/10.3188/szf.2018.0347.

K. Streit, E.R. Frei & P. Brang (2018). Testpflanzungen zukunftsfähiger Baumarten. Zürcher Wald 6:9-12.

P. Brang, K. Streit & E.R. Frei (2018). Testpflanzungen zukunftsfähiger Baumarten. Bündner Wald 6:38-42.

Rixen C., S. Wipf, E.R. Frei, & V. Stöckli (2014) Faster, higher, more? Past, present and future Dynamics of alpine and arctic flora under climate change. Alpine Botany 124(2):77–79. doi.org/10.1007/s00035-014-0141-z.

Burga C.A., Frei E., R. Reinalter & G.-R. Walther (2007) Neue Daten zum Monitoring alpiner Pflanzen im Engadin. Berichte der Reinhold-Tüxen-Gesellschaft 19:37–43.

Theses

Frei E.R. (2013) Adaptation and plasticity of plant populations in the Swiss Alps in the context of climate change. PhD thesis, ETH Zurich. http://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-010002721.

Frei E.R. (2006) Die Vegetation des Piz Languard, Fallbeispiel für einen klimainduzierten Florenwandel? Diploma thesis, Department of Geography, University of Zurich.

Projects

Auswirkungen der Sommerdürre 2018 auf die Buche auf der Alpennordseite

Die Sommerdürre 2018 erzeugte eine bis dato unbekannt grosse Buchenmortalität. Darum startete die WSL im Sommer 2018 das 1000-Buchen-Projekt, in dessen Rahmen die Vitalität von 825 Buchen mit vorzeitigem und 139 Buchen mit normalem Laubfall während einem Jahr verglichen wurden.