Dr. Michael Nobis
Function
scientific staff member
Contact
Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Zürcherstrasse 111
8903 Birmensdorf
Site
Birmensdorf Bi HL E 32
Main research interests
- Macroecology - large-scale analyzes of spatial patterns, ecology and dynamics of biodiversity (focus on Switzerland and vascular plants but also including analyzes from global to landscape scales)
- Trait analyses - relationships between biological traits and the environment
- Biological invasions - distribution and dynamics of non-native vascular plants in Switzerland
- Ecoinformatics - software development for applications in ecology
Current and previous positions
| since 2011 | Research group «Dynamic Macroecology» (project leader & deputy head), research unit «Landscape Dynamics» (M. Bürgi, until 2013 N. Zimmermann) |
| 2006-2010 | Head of the research group «Spatial ecology», research unit «Biodiversity and Conservation Biology» (C. Scheidegger) |
| 2001-2006 | Scientist at the Swiss Federal Research Institut WSL, research unit «Landscape Dynamics and Spatial Development» (F. Kienast) |
| 1999-2001 | Scientific assistant, University of Darmstadt, Institute of Botany (A. Schwabe-Kratochwil) |
| 1995-1999 | PhD, University of Freiburg, Germany (O. Wilmanns) |
Scientific commissions & Editorial boards
- Info Flora: Since 2012 member of the scientific commission. Prior to this member of the Swiss Commission of Wild Plant Conservation CPS/SKEW (2006-2011). Collaboration on the revision of the Black & Watch-List of non-native invasive plants.
- FloZ:Commission of the citizen-science project for the floristic mapping of the canton of Zurich.
- Phytocoenologia: Editorial board; Phytocoenologia is published in collaboration with the 'International Association of Vegetation Science' (IAVS).
Teaching
- Guest lectureships at the University of Freiburg, Germany (Institute of Biology II, Geobotany), University of Göttingen (Albrecht von Haller Institute of Plant Sciences), Chales University Prague/Pruhonice (Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), University of Tübingen (Institute of Geosciences, Geoecology).
Software
- KISSMig. A simple model to simulate species migration and range dynamics for the free software environment R.
- Flora indicativa - E. Landolt et al. - 2010 - Ecological Indicator Values and Biological Attributes of the Flora of Switzerland and the Alps.
- SideLook - a software tool for the analysis of vertical vegetation structure based on digital images. It is mainly used for grassland communities but also in forest stands (hemispherical canopy-photographs). SideLook has been registered so far by more than 250 scientists from 28 countries.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Publications WSL
Scientific publication article peer reviewed
Liao, Z.; Nobis, M.P.; Xiong, Q.; Tian, X.; Wu, X.; Pan, K.; Zhang, A.; Wang, Y.; Zhang, L., 2021: Potential distributions of seven sympatric sclerophyllous oak species in Southwest China depend on climatic, non-climatic, and independent spatial drivers. Annals of Forest Science, 78, 1: 5 (22 pp.). doi: 10.1007/s13595-020-01012-5
Saladin, B.; Pellissier, L.; Graham, C.H.; Nobis, M.P.; Salamin, N.; Zimmermann, N.E., 2020: Rapid climate change results in long-lasting spatial homogenization of phylogenetic diversity. Nature Communications, 11: 4663 (8 pp.). doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-18343-6
Van 't Veen, H.; Chalmandrier, L.; Sandau, N.; Nobis, M.P.; Descombes, P.; Psomas, A.; Hautier, Y.; Pellissier, L., 2020: A landscape-scale assessment of the relationship between grassland functioning, community diversity, and functional traits. Ecology and Evolution, 10, 18: 9906-9919. doi: 10.1002/ece3.6650
Abrahamczyk, S.; Wohlgemuth, T.; Nobis, M.; Nyffeler, R.; Kessler, M., 2020: Shifts in food plant abundance for flower-visiting insects between 1900 and 2017 in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Ecological Applications, 30, 6: e2138 (11 pp.). doi: 10.1002/eap.2138
Liao, Z.; Zhang, L.; Nobis, M.P.; Wu, X.; Pan, K.; Wang, K.; Dakhil, M.A.; Du, M.; Xiong, Q.; Pandey, B.; Tian, X., 2020: Climate change jointly with migration ability affect future range shifts of dominant fir species in Southwest China. Diversity and Distributions, 26, 3: 352-367. doi: 10.1111/ddi.13018
Boch, S.; Bedolla, A.; Ecker, K.T.; Ginzler, C.; Graf, U.; Küchler, H.; Küchler, M.; Nobis, M.P.; Holderegger, R.; Bergamini, A., 2019: Threatened and specialist species suffer from increased wood cover and productivity in Swiss steppes. Flora, 258: 151444 (9 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.flora.2019.151444
Subba, B.; Sen, S.; Ravikanth, G.; Nobis, M.P., 2018: Direct modelling of limited migration improves projected distributions of Himalayan amphibians under climate change. Biological Conservation, 227: 352-360. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.09.035
Breiner, F.T.; Nobis, M.P.; Bergamini, A.; Guisan, A., 2018: Optimizing ensembles of small models for predicting the distribution of species with few occurrences. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9, 4: 802-808. doi: 10.1111/2041-210X.12957
Chongbang, T.B.; Keller, C.; Nobis, M.; Scheidegger, C.; Baniya, C.B., 2018: From natural forest to cultivated land: lichen species diversity along land-use gradients in Kanchenjunga, Eastern Nepal. eco.mont, 10, 1: 46-60. doi: 10.1553/eco.mont-10-1s46
Concepción, E.D.; Götzenberger, L.; Nobis, M.P.; De Bello, F.; Obrist, M.K.; Moretti, M., 2017: Contrasting trait assembly patterns in plant and bird communities along environmental and human-induced land-use gradients. Ecography, 40, 6: 753-763. doi: 10.1111/ecog.02121
Breiner, F.T.; Guisan, A.; Nobis, M.P.; Bergamini, A., 2017: Including environmental niche information to improve IUCN Red List assessments. Diversity and Distributions, 23, 5: 484-495. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12545
Rai, S.K.; Sharma, S.; Shrestha, K.K.; Gajurel, J.P.; Devkota, S.; Nobis, M.P.; Scheidegger, C., 2016: Effects of the environment on species richness and composition of vascular plants in Manaslu Conservation Area and Sagarmatha region of Nepalese Himalaya. Banko Janakari, 26, 1: 3-16. doi: 10.3126/banko.v26i1.15496
Klimešová, J.; Nobis, M.P.; Herben, T., 2016: Links between shoot and plant longevity and plant economics spectrum: environmental and demographic implications. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 22: 55-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ppees.2016.09.002
Zurell, D.; Zimmermann, N.E.; Sattler, T.; Nobis, M.P.; Schröder, B., 2016: Effects of functional traits on the prediction accuracy of species richness models. Diversity and Distributions, 22, 8: 905-917. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12450
Concepción, E.D.; Obrist, M.K.; Moretti, M.; Altermatt, F.; Baur, B.; Nobis, M.P., 2016: Impacts of urban sprawl on species richness of plants, butterflies, gastropods and birds: not only built-up area matters. Urban Ecosystems, 19, 1: 225-242. doi: 10.1007/s11252-015-0474-4
Katuwal, H.B.; Basnet, K.; Khanal, B.; Devkota, S.; Rai, S.K.; Gajurel, J.P.; Scheidegger, C.; Nobis, M.P., 2016: Seasonal changes in bird Species and feeding guilds along elevational gradients of the Central Himalayas, Nepal. PLoS One, 11, 7: e0158362 (17 pp.). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158362
Breiner, F.T.; Guisan, A.; Bergamini, A.; Nobis, M.P., 2015: Overcoming limitations of modelling rare species by using ensembles of small models. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 6, 10: 1210-1218. doi: 10.1111/2041-210X.12403
Concepción, E.D.; Moretti, M.; Altermatt, F.; Nobis, M.P.; Obrist, M.K., 2015: Impacts of urbanisation on biodiversity: the role of species mobility, degree of specialisation and spatial scale. Oikos, 124, 12: 1571-1582. doi: 10.1111/oik.02166
Klimesová, J.; Nobis, M.P.; Herben, T., 2015: Senescence, ageing and death of the whole plant: Morphological prerequisites and constraints of plant immortality. New Phytologist, 206, 1: 14-18. doi: 10.1111/nph.13160
Conedera, M.; Nobis, M.; Wunder, J., 2014: Ailanto: ospite indesiderato in bosco?. Sherwood, 15-18.
Nobis, M.P.; Normand, S., 2014: KISSMig – a simple model for R to account for limited migration in analyses of species distributions. Ecography, 37, 12: 1282-1287. doi: 10.1111/ecog.00930
Sattler, T.; Pezzatti, G.B.; Nobis, M.P.; Obrist, M.K.; Roth, T.; Moretti, M., 2014: Selection of multiple umbrella species for functional and taxonomic diversity to represent urban biodiversity. Conservation Biology, 28, 2: 414-426. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12213
Katuwal, H.B.; Khanal, B.; Basnet, K.; Rai, B.; Devkota, S.; Rai, S.K.; Nobis, M.; Scheidegger, C., 2013: The mammalian fauna from the Central Himalaya, Nepal. Asian Journal of Conservation Biology, 2, 1: 21-29.
Haag, S.; Nobis, M.P.; Krüsi, B.O., 2013: Profitieren invasive Neophyten von Flussrevitalisierungen? Untersuchungen an 16 Flüssen der Schweiz. Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung, 45, 12: 357-364.
Nobis, M.P.; Schweingruber, F.H., 2013: Adult age of vascular plant species along an elevational land-use and climate gradient. Ecography, 36, 10: 1076-1085. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0587.2013.00158.x
Nobis, M.P.; Traiser, C.; Roth-Nebelsick, A., 2012: Latitudinal variation in morphological traits of the genus Pinus and its relation to environmental and phylogenetic signals. Plant Ecology and Diversity, 5, 1: 1-11. doi: 10.1080/17550874.2012.687501
Bergamini, A.; Obrist, M.K.; Nobis, M., 2011: Der artenreichste Quadratkilometer der Schweiz? Der Tag der Artenvielfalt 2010 in Mörel-Filet (VS). Bulletin de la Murithienne, 128: 7-42.
Scheidegger, C.; Nobis, M.P.; Shrestha, K.K., 2010: Biodiversity and livelihood in land-use gradients in a era of climate change - outline of a Nepal-Swiss research project. Botanica Orientalis, 7: 7-17. doi: 10.3126/botor.v7i0.4368
Kaennel Dobbertin, M.; Nobis, M.P., 2010: Exploring research issues in selected forest journals 1979-2008. Annals of Forest Science, 67, 8: 800 (7 pp.). doi: 10.1051/forest/2010052
Kühn, I.; Nobis, M.P.; Durka, W., 2009: Combining spatial and phylogenetic eigenvector filtering in trait analysis. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 18, 6: 745-758. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00481.x
Nobis, M.P.; Jaeger, J.A.G.; Zimmermann, N.E., 2009: Neophyte species richness at the landscape scale under urban sprawl and climate warming. Diversity and Distributions, 15, 6: 928-939. doi: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2009.00610.x
Bollmann, K.; Bergamini, A.; Senn-Irlet, B.; Nobis, M.; Duelli, P.; Scheidegger, C., 2009: Konzepte, Instrumente und Herausforderungen bei der Förderung der Biodiversität im Wald. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen, 160, 3: 53-67. doi: 10.3188/szf.2009.0053
Wohlgemuth, T.; Nobis, M.P.; Kienast, F.; Plattner, M., 2008: Modelling vascular plant diversity at the landscape scale using systematic samples. Journal of Biogeography, 35, 7: 1226-1240. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2008.01884.x
Nobis, M.; Hunziker, U., 2005: Automatic thresholding for hemispherical canopy-photographs based on edge detection. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 128, 3-4: 243-250. doi: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2004.10.002
Nobis, M.; Wohlgemuth, T., 2004: Trend words in ecological core journals over the last 25 years (1978-2002). Oikos, 106, 2: 411-421. doi: 10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.13496.x
Zehm, A.; Nobis, M.; Schwabe, A., 2003: Multiparameter analysis of vertical vegetation structure based on digital image processing. Flora, 198, 2: 142-160. doi: 10.1078/0367-2530-00086
Further scientific publications
Thomas, W.; Del Fabbro, C.; Keel, A.; Kessler, M.; Nobis, M.; Spillmann, J., 2020: Einführung. In: Zürcherische Botanische Gesellschaft; Del Fabbro, C.; Wohlgemuth, T.; Kessler, M.; Keel, A.; Nobis, M. (eds), 2020: Flora des Kantons Zürich. Bern, Haupt Verlag. 13-16.
Wohlgemuth, T.; Del Fabbro, C.; Keel, A.; Kessler, M.; Nobis, M. (eds), 2020: Flora des Kantons Zürich. 1128 p.
Wohlgemuth, T.; Bachmann, P.; Bergamini, A.; Burnand, J.; Ginzler, C.; Keel, A.; Kessler, M.; Nobis, M.; Nyffeler, R.; Röthlisberger, J.; Spillmann, J.; Wyss, G., 2012: 173 Jahre nach Kölliker: Zeit für eine neue Flora des Kantons Zürich. Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich, 157, 1-2: 9-22.
Nobis, M., 2011: Rezension. Biologische Invasionen.. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen, 162, 9: 351.
Di Giulio, M.; Holderegger, R.; Nobis, M.; Righetti, A.; Senn, J.; Stofer, S., 2011: Trafic et infrastructures de transport. In: Lachat, T.; Pauli, D.; Gonseth, Y.; Klaus, G.; Scheidegger, C.; Vittoz, P.; Walter, T. (eds), 2011: Evolution de la biodiversité en Suisse depuis 1900. Avons-nous touché le fond?. Zürich, Bristol-Stiftung; Bern, Stuttgart, Wien, Haupt. 264-295.
Landolt, E.; Bäumler, B.; Erhardt, A.; Hegg, O.; Klötzli, F.; Lämmler, W.; Nobis, M.; Rudmann-Maurer, K.; Schweingruber, F.H.; Theurillat, J.; Urmi, E.; Vust, M.; Wohlgemuth, T., 2010: Flora indicativa. Ökologische Zeigerwerte und biologische Kennzeichen zur Flora der Schweiz und der Alpen. Ecological indicators values and biological attributes of the flora of Switzerland and the Alps. Bern, Haupt. 376 p.
Nobis, M., 2010: Software. In: Landolt, E.; Bäumler, B.; Erhardt, A.; Hegg, O.; Klötzli, F.; Lämmler, W.; Nobis, M.; Rudmann-Maurer, K.; Schweingruber, F.; Theurillat, J.-P.; Urmi, E.; Vust, M.; Wohlgemuth, T. (eds), 2010: Flora indicativa. Ökologische Zeigerwerte und biologische Kennzeichen zur Flora der Schweiz und der Alpen. Bern; Stuttgart; Wien, Haupt. 320.
Di Giulio, M.; Holderegger, R.; Nobis, M.; Righetti, A.; Senn, J.; Stofer, S., 2010: Verkehr und Verkehrsinfrastruktur. In: Lachat, T.; Pauli, D.; Gonseth, Y.; Klaus, G.; Scheidegger, C.; Vittoz, P.; Walter, T. (eds), 2010: Wandel der Biodiversität in der Schweiz seit 1900. Ist die Talsohle erreicht?. Zürich, Bristol-Stiftung; Bern, Stuttgart, Wien, Haupt. 266-297.
Di Giulio, M.; Nobis, M., 2008: Landschaftszerschneidung und Biodiversität: Barrieren oder Ausbreitungswege?. In: Tobias, S. (eds), 2008: Ballungsräume für Mensch und Natur. Forum für Wissen 2008, Birmensdorf, November 6, 2008. 23-30.
Angst, C.; Bürgi, A.; Duelli, P.; Egli, S.; Heiniger, U.; Hindenlang, K.; Kuhn, M.; Lässig, R.; Lüscher, P.; Moser, B.; Nobis, M.; Polomski, J.; Reich, T.; Wermelinger, B.; Wohlgemuth, T., 2004: Waldentwicklung nach Windwurf in tieferen Lagen der Schweiz 2000-2003. Schlussbericht eines Projektes im Rahmen des Programms "Lothar Evaluations- und Grundlagenprojekte". Birmensdorf, Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL. 98 p.
Magazine article and brochures
Buholzer, S.; De Micheli, A.; Marazzi, B.; Nobis, M.; Rometsch, S.; Schmidt, L.; Schönenberger, N., 2020: Couper le mal à la racine. Néophytes envahissantes. UFA-Revue, 30-33.
Buholzer, S.; De Micheli, A.; Marazzi, B.; Nobis, M.; Rometsch, S.; Schmidt, L.; Schönenberger, N., 2020: Eindringlinge in der Landwirtschaft. Invasive Neophyten. UFA-Revue, 30-33.
Buholzer, S.; Nobis, M.; Rometsch, S.; Schoenenberger, N., 2017: Neuankömmlinge unter den gebietsfremden Arten. Nouveautés parmi les plantes exotiques. info flora plus, 6: 12-14.
Tobias, S.; Obrist, M.K.; Moretti, M.; Nobis, M.P., 2016: Raumansprüche von Mensch und Natur: wie vereinbaren? – Comment concilier les exigences spatiales de l'homme et de la nature?. Nature + Paysage. Natur + Landschaft: Inside, 20-24.
Das Schweizerische Raumplanungsgesetz verlangt von den Gemeinden ihre Siedlungsentwicklung einzuschränken bzw. nach innen zu richten. Das stellt die stark wachsenden Gemeinden um die Agglomerationen vor grosse Herausforderungen.
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Le développement urbain en Suisse n’inquiète pas seulement les urbanistes. La population dans son ensemble y voit également une menace pour le paysage, comme l’a montré la nette adoption de la révision de la loi sur l’aménagement du territoire lors de la votation populaire nationale de mars 2013.
Wohlgemuth, T.; Del Fabbro, C.; Keel, A.; Kessler, M.; Nobis, M.; Spillmann, J.H.; Wyss, G., 2014: Eine neue Flora des Kantons Zürich entsteht. info flora plus, 13-15.
Wunder, J.; Nobis, M.; Conedera, M.; Gay, J., 2014: La place de l'ailante en forêt reste à étudier. Forêt, 67, 11: 12-15.
Wunder, J.; Nobis, M.; Conedera, M., 2014: Der Götterbaum - eine Gefahr für den Schweizer Wald?. Wald und Holz, 40-43.
Le esigenze espresse dalla popolazione sugli spazi e gli ambienti verdi in città sembrano essere ottime premesse per una natura urbana diversi cata e vitale, favorevole a molte specie di piante e animali presenti in città: Come gestire la natura in città affinché sia la popolazione che gli animali e le piante possano trarne vantaggi?
Nos exigences vis-à-vis des espaces de détente et des paysages quotidiens coïncident étonnamment bien avec les conditions qui favorisent une nature urbaine diversifiée, habitat d’un grand nombre d’animaux et de plantes: Quelle attitude adopter à l’égard de la nature en ville pour que les êtres humains, mais aussi les animaux et les plantes puissent en bénéficier?
Unsere Ansprüche an Erholungsräume und Alltagslandschaften decken sich mit den Voraussetzungen für eine vielfältige Stadtnatur als Lebensraum für eine grosse Anzahl von Tieren und Pflanzen erstaunlich gut: Wie gehen wir mit der Natur in der Stadt um, dass sowohl Menschen als auch Tiere und Pflanzen davon profitieren?
Nobis, M., 2009: Des néophytes envahissantes présentes aussi en forêt. Forêt, 62, 5: 22-25.
Nobis, M., 2008: Invasive Neophyten auch im Wald?. Wald und Holz, 89, 8: 46-49.
Supervised theses
Dissertations
- Rai K.S. (in prep.) Vascular Plant Diversity under Different Climate and Land Use Change Scenarios in Nepalese Himalaya, co-supervisor, in cooperation with Prof Dr Ch. Scheidegger/WSL, Prof Dr K. Shresta/Tribhuvan University Kathmandu
- Breiner F. (2015) Revision of the Red List of fern and vascular plants - evaluation and application of statistical methods, co-supervisor with Dr A. Bergamini/WSL and Prof Dr A. Guisan/UNIL
- Brose H. (2011) Analyzing distributions and dynamics of vascular plant species richness at the landscape scale in Switzerland. A study based on the deconstructive approach to biodiversity. University of Bern, Prof Dr M. Fischer; Committee Prof Dr Ch. Scheidegger/WSL, Univ. Bern, Dr M.P. Nobis/WSL, Dr I. Kühn/UFZ, M. Plattner/Hintermann & Weber AG). A research cooperation with the Swiss Biodiversity Monitoring program (BDM)
- Schlup M.B. (2009) Assessing the functional connectivity of calcareous grassland plant communities. Examiner Prof Dr H. Bugmann/ETHZ, Co-examiners Prof H.H. Wagner/University of Toronto, Prof Dr P.J. Edwards/ETHZ, Dr M.P. Nobis/WSL
Others
- Federer C. (2015) Distribution of Senecio inaequidens in Zurich from 1985 to 2015, Master Thesis, in cooperation with PD Dr S. Güsewell/ETHZ
- Haag S. (2013) Neophyten an revitalisierten Gewässern in der Schweiz, Master Thesis, in cooperation with Dr B. Krüsi/ZHAW
- Gasser M. (2010)Vergleich von Neophytenvorkommen in siedlungsnahen und -fernen Waldrändern der "S5-Stadt" zwischen Zürich und Rapperswil, Matura Thesis, in cooperation with Dr T. Rauch-Schwegler/ETHZ