Dr. Georg von Arx
Function
teamleader
Contact
Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Zürcherstrasse 111
8903 Birmensdorf
Site
Birmensdorf Bi HL C 29
Research interests
I am interested in intra- and inter-annual growth of trees, shrubs and non-woody plants, and the intrinsic and extrinsic processes and factors influencing it. Form fits function – with this simple concept in mind, I use anatomical properties of cells in the xylem and other tissues to learn about tree and plant functioning, particularly regarding water and carbon relations. In dated tree rings, this allows me to obtain detailed insight into centuries of tree growth and how it was influenced by environment (dendroecology), and inversely to infer from past tree growth on past climate (dendroclimatology).
Furthermore, I am interested in forest ecology, particularly in the interactions between forest structure and microclimate, and tree regeneration; and in plant ecology, particularly in phenotypic plasticity, life-history changes and growth responses in perennial forbs to changing environments
FURTHER INFORMATION
Publications in process
Accepted and online first
- Peters RL, Speich M, Pappas C, Kahmen A, von Arx G, Graf Pannatier E, Steppe K, Treydte K, Stritih A, Fonti P. 2019. Contrasting plasticity of stomatal conductance to temperature and drought in mature Larix decidua and Picea abies. Plant, Cell & Environment 42:1674-1689. doi.org/10.1111/pce.13500
- Cuny HE, Fonti P, Rathgeber CBK, von Arx G, Peters RL, Frank D. 2019. Couplings in cell differentiation kinetics mitigate air temperature influence on conifer wood anatomy. Plant, Cell & Environment 42:1222-1232. doi.org/10.1111/pce.13464
In review
- Björklund J, Seftigen K, Nievergelt D, Fonti P, von Arx G. Dendroclimatic potential of dendroanatomy in temperature-sensitive Pinus sylvestris.
- Björklund J, von Arx G, Nievergelt D, Wilson R, Van den Bulcke J, Günther B, Loader N, Rydval M, Fonti P, Scharnweber T, Andreu-Hayles L, Buntgen U, D’Arrigo R, Davi N, De Mil T, Esper J, Gärtner H, Geary J, Gunnarson B, Hartl-Maier C, Hevia A, Song H, Janecka K, Kaczka RJ, Kirdyanov AV, Kochbeck M, Yu L, Meko M, Mundo I, Nicolussi K, Oelkers R, Pichler T, Sánchez Salguero R, Schneider L, Schweingruber F, Timonen M, Trouet V, Van Acker J, Verstege A, Villalba R, Wilmking M, Frank D. Scientific merits and analytical challenges of tree-ring densitometry.
- Peters RL, von Arx G, Nievergelt D, Ibromb A, Stillhard J, Trotsiuk V, Mazurkiewicz A, Babst F. How does axial variation in radial stem growth and wood density affect aboveground biomass increment in mature trees?
- Piermattei A, von Arx G, Avanzi C, Fonti P, Gärtner H, Piotti A, Urbinati C, Vendramin GG, Büntgen U, Crivellaro A. Inter-annual and inter-individual wood anatomical trait variation in Picea abies.
- Nola P, Bracco F, Assini S, von Arx G, Castagneri D. Climate differently affects xylem anatomical traits of Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Quercus robur L. coexisting in a temperate alluvial forest.
- Guerin M, von Arx G, Martin-Benito D, Andreu-Hayles L, Griffin K, McDowell N, Pockman W, Gentine P. Opposite xylem responses to extreme vs. prolonged drought in pine trees.
- Kniesel B, Günther B, Meyer M, Roloff A, von Arx G. Different strategies in xylem adjustment between diffuse-porous beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and ring-porous oak (Quercus robur L.) – a vessel-based pointer-year analysis.
Publications WSL
Scientific publication article peer reviewed
Peters, R.L.; Speich, M.; Pappas, C.; Kahmen, A.; Von Arx, G.; Graf Pannatier, E.; Steppe, K.; Treydte, K.; Stritih, A.; Fonti, P., 2019: Contrasting stomatal sensitivity to temperature and soil drought in mature alpine conifers. Plant, Cell and Environment, 42: 1674-1689. doi: 10.1111/pce.13500
Cuny, H.E.; Fonti, P.; Rathgeber, C.B.K.; Von Arx, G.; Peters, R.L.; Frank, D.C., 2019: Couplings in cell differentiation kinetics mitigate air temperature influence on conifer wood anatomy. Plant, Cell and Environment, 42: 1222-1232. doi: 10.1111/pce.13464
Anadon-Rosell, A.; Dawes, M.A.; Fonti, P.; Hagedorn, F.; Rixen, C.; Von Arx, G., 2018: Xylem anatomical and growth responses of the dwarf shrub Vaccinium myrtillus to experimental CO2 enrichment and soil warming at treeline. Science of the Total Environment, 642: 1172-1183. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.117
Kiorapostolou, N.; Galiano-Pérez, L.; Von Arx, G.; Gessler, A.; Petit, G., 2018: Structural and anatomical responses of Pinus sylvestris and Tilia platyphyllos seedlings exposed to water shortage. Trees: Structure and Function, 32, 5: 1211-1218. doi: 10.1007/s00468-018-1703-2
Klein, T.; Zeppel, M.J.B.; Anderegg, W.R.L.; Bloemen, J.; De Kauwe, M.G.; Hudson, P.; Ruehr, N.K.; Powell, T.L.; Von Arx, G.; Nardini, A., 2018: Xylem embolism refilling and resilience against drought-induced mortality in woody plants: processes and trade-offs. Ecological Research, 33, 5: 839-855. doi: 10.1007/s11284-018-1588-y
Castagneri, D.; Battipaglia, G.; Von Arx, G.; Pacheco, A.; Carrer, M., 2018: Tree-ring anatomy and carbon isotope ratio show both direct and legacy effects of climate on bimodal xylem formation in Pinus pinea. Tree Physiology, 38, 8: 1098-1109. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpy036
García-Cervigón, A.I.; Olano, J.M.; Von Arx, G.; Fajardo, A., 2018: Xylem adjusts to maintain efficiency across a steep precipitation gradient in two coexisting generalist species. Annals of Botany, 122, 3: 461-472. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcy088
Prendin, A.L.; Mayr, S.; Beikircher, B.; Von Arx, G.; Petit, G., 2018: Xylem anatomical adjustments prioritize hydraulic efficiency over safety as Norway spruce trees grow taller. Tree Physiology, 38, 8: 1088-1097. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpy065
Prendin, A.L.; Petit, G.; Fonti, P.; Rixen, C.; Dawes, M.A.; Von Arx, G., 2018: Axial xylem architecture of Larix decidua exposed to CO2 enrichment and soil warming at the tree line. Functional Ecology, 32, 2: 273-287. doi: 10.1111/1365-2435.12986
González-Muñoz, N.; Sterck, F.; Torres-Ruiz, J.M.; Petit, G.; Cochard, H.; Von Arx, G.; Lintunen, A.; Caldeira, M.C.; Capdeville, G.; Copini, P.; Gebauer, R.; Grönlund, L.; Hölttä, T.; Lobo-do-Vale, R.; Peltoniemi, M.; Stritih, A.; Urban, J.; Delzon, S., 2018: Quantifying in situ phenotypic variability in the hydraulic properties of four tree species across their distribution range in Europe. PLoS One, 13, 5: e0196075 (17 pp.). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196075
Petit, G.; Von Arx, G.; Kiorapostolou, N.; Lechthaler, S.; Prendin, A.L.; Anfodillo, T.; Caldeira, M.C.; Cochard, H.; Copini, P.; Crivellaro, A.; Delzon, S.; Gebauer, R.; Gričar, J.; Grönholm, L.; Hölttä, T.; Jyske, T.; Lavrič, M.; Lintunen, A.; Lobo-do-Vale, R.; ... Sterck, F., 2018: Tree differences in primary and secondary growth drive convergent scaling in leaf area to sapwood area across Europe. New Phytologist, 218, 4: 1383-1392. doi: 10.1111/nph.15118
Rebetez, M.; Von Arx, G.; Gessler, A.; Pannatier, E.G.; Innes, J.L.; Jakob, P.; Jetel, M.; Kube, M.; Nötzli, M.; Schaub, M.; Schmitt, M.; Sutter, F.; Thimonier, A.; Waldner, P.; Haeni, M., 2018: Meteorological data series from Swiss long-term forest ecosystem research plots since 1997. Annals of Forest Science, 75, 2: 41 (7 pp.). doi: 10.1007/s13595-018-0709-7
Peters, R.L.; Balanzategui, D.; Hurley, A.G.; Von Arx, G.; Prendin, A.L.; Cuny, H.E.; Björklund, J.; Frank, D.C.; Fonti, P., 2018: RAPTOR: row and position tracheid organizer in R. Dendrochronologia, 47: 10-16. doi: 10.1016/j.dendro.2017.10.003
Guérin, M.; Martin-Benito, D.; Von Arx, G.; Andreu-Hayles, L.; Griffin, K.L.; Hamdan, R.; McDowell, N.G.; Muscarella, R.; Pockman, W.; Gentine, P., 2018: Interannual variations in needle and sapwood traits of Pinus edulis branches under an experimental drought. Ecology and Evolution, 8, 3: 1655-1672. doi: 10.1002/ece3.3743
Hiebert-Giesbrecht, M.R.; Novelo-Rodríguez, C.Y.; Dzib, G.R.; Calvo-Irabién, L.M.; Von Arx, G.; Peña-Rodríguez, L.M., 2018: Herb-chronology as a tool for determining the age of perennial forbs in tropical climates. Botany, 96, 1: 73-78. doi: 10.1139/cjb-2017-0167
Von Arx, G.; Arzac, A.; Fonti, P.; Frank, D.; Zweifel, R.; Rigling, A.; Galiano, L.; Gessler, A.; Olano, J.M., 2017: Responses of sapwood ray parenchyma and non-structural carbohydrates of Pinus sylvestris to drought and long-term irrigation. Functional Ecology, 31, 7: 1371-1382. doi: 10.1111/1365-2435.12860
Björklund, J.; Seftigen, K.; Schweingruber, F.; Fonti, P.; Von Arx, G.; Bryukhanova, M.V.; Cuny, H.E.; Carrer, M.; Castagneri, D.; Frank, D.C., 2017: Cell size and wall dimensions drive distinct variability of earlywood and latewood density in Northern Hemisphere conifers. New Phytologist, 216, 3: 728-740. doi: 10.1111/nph.14639
Carrer, M.; Castagneri, D.; Prendin, A.L.; Petit, G.; Von Arx, G., 2017: Retrospective analysis of wood anatomical traits reveals a recent extension in tree cambial activity in two high-elevation conifers. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8: 737 (13 pp.). doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00737
Olano, J.M.; González-Muñoz, N.; Arzac, A.; Rozas, V.; Von Arx, G.; Delzon, S.; García-Cervigón, A.I., 2017: Sex determines xylem anatomy in a dioecious conifer: hydraulic consequences in a drier world. Tree Physiology, 37, 11: 1493-1502. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpx066
Prendin, A.L.; Petit, G.; Carrer, M.; Fonti, P.; Björklund, J.; Von Arx, G., 2017: New research perspectives from a novel approach to quantify tracheid wall thickness. Tree Physiology, 37, 7: 976-983. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpx037
Nielsen, S.; Von Arx, G.; Damgaard, C.F.; Abermann, J.; Buchwal, A.; Büntgen, U.; Treier, U.A.; Barfod, A.S.; Normand, S., 2017: Xylem anatomical trait variability provides insight on the climate-growth relationship of Betula nana in western Greenland. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 49, 3: 359-371. doi: 10.1657/AAAR0016-041
Petrucco, L.; Nardini, A.; Von Arx, G.; Saurer, M.; Cherubini, P., 2017: Isotope signals and anatomical features in tree rings suggest a role for hydraulic strategies in diffuse drought-induced die-back of Pinus nigra. Tree Physiology, 37: 523-535. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpx031
Castagneri, D.; Fonti, P.; Von Arx, G.; Carrer, M., 2017: How does climate influence xylem morphogenesis over the growing season? Insights from long-term intra-ring anatomy in Picea abies. Annals of Botany, 119, 6: 1011-1020. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcw274
Von Arx, G.; Crivellaro, A.; Prendin, A.L.; Čufar, K.; Carrer, M., 2016: Quantitative wood anatomy – practical guidelines. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7: 781 (13 pp.). doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00781
Lintunen, A.; Paljakka, T.; Jyske, T.; Peltoniemi, M.; Sterck, F.; Von Arx, G.; Cochard, H.; Copini, P.; Caldeira, M.C.; Delzon, S.; Gebauer, R.; Grönlund, L.; Kiorapostolou, N.; Lechthaler, S.; Lobo-do-Vale, R.; Peters, R.L.; Petit, G.; Prendin, A.L.; Salmon, Y.; ... Hölttä, T., 2016: Osmolality and non-structural carbohydrate composition in the secondary phloem of trees across a latitudinal gradient in Europe. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7: 726 (15 pp.). doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00726
Van der Maaten, E.; Van der Maaten-Theunissen, M.; Smiljanić, M.; Rossi, S.; Simard, S.; Wilmking, M.; Deslauriers, A.; Fonti, P.; Von Arx, G.; Bouriaud, O., 2016: dendrometeR: analyzing the pulse of trees in R. Dendrochronologia, 40: 12-16. doi: 10.1016/j.dendro.2016.06.001
Shi, S.; Li, Z.; Wang, H.; Von Arx, G.; Lü, Y.; Wu, X.; Wang, X.; Liu, G.; Fu, B., 2016: Roots of forbs sense climate fluctuations in the semi-arid Loess Plateau: herb-chronology based analysis. Scientific Reports, 6: 28435 (9 pp.). doi: 10.1038/srep28435
Gärtner, H.; Cherubini, P.; Fonti, P.; Von Arx, G.; Schneider, L.; Nievergelt, D.; Verstege, A.; Bast, A.; Schweingruber, F.H.; Büntgen, U., 2015: A technical perspective in modern tree-ring research - how to overcome dendroecological and wood anatomical challenges. Journal of Visualized Experiments, e52337 (10 pp.). doi: 10.3791/52337
Carrer, M.; Von Arx, G.; Castagneri, D.; Petit, G., 2015: Distilling allometric and environmental information from time series of conduit size: the standardization issue and its relationship to tree hydraulic architecture. Tree Physiology, 35, 1: 27-33. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpu108
Fonti, P.; Tabakova, M.A.; Kirdyanov, A.V.; Bryukhanova, M.V.; Von Arx, G., 2015: Variability of ray anatomy of Larix gmelinii along a forest productivity gradient in Siberia. Trees: Structure and Function, 29, 4: 1165-1175. doi: 10.1007/s00468-015-1197-0
Von Arx, G.; Arzac, A.; Olano, J.M.; Fonti, P., 2015: Assessing conifer ray parenchyma for ecological studies: pitfalls and guidelines. Frontiers in Plant Science, 6, 11: 1016 (10 pp.). doi: 10.3389/fpls.2015.01016
Venegas-González, A.; Von Arx, G.; Peres Chagas, M.; Tomazello Filho, M., 2015: Plasticity in xylem anatomical traits of two tropical species in response to intra-seasonal climate variability. Trees: Structure and Function, 29, 2: 423-435. doi: 10.1007/s00468-014-1121-z
Kniesel, B.M.; Günther, B.; Roloff, A.; Von Arx, G., 2015: Defining ecologically relevant vessel parameters in Quercus robur L. for use in dendroecology: a pointer year and recovery time case study in Central Germany. Trees: Structure and Function, 29, 4: 1041-1051. doi: 10.1007/s00468-015-1183-6
Büntgen, U.; Egli, S.; Schneider, L.; Von Arx, G.; Rigling, A.; Camarero, J.J.; Sangüesa-Barreda, G.; Fischer, C.R.; Oliach, D.; Bonet, J.A.; Colinas, C.; Tegel, W.; Ruiz Barbarin, J.I.; Martínez-Peña, F., 2015: Long-term irrigation effects on Spanish holm oak growth and its black truffle symbiont. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 202: 148-159. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2014.12.016
Von Arx, G.; Carrer, M., 2014: ROXAS - a new tool to build centuries-long tracheid-lumen chronologies in conifers. Dendrochronologia, 32, 3: 290-293. doi: 10.1016/j.dendro.2013.12.001
Sterck, F.; Eilmann, B.; Wegner, L.; De Vries, S.M.G.; Von Arx, G.; Mohren, G.M.J.; Den Ouden, J.; Sass-Klaassen, U., 2014: Wood structural differences between northern and southern beech provenances growing at a moderate site. Tree Physiology, 34, 8: 882-893. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpu069
Olano, J.M.; Almería, I.; Eugenio, M.; Von Arx, G., 2013: Under pressure: how a Mediterranean high-mountain forb coordinates growth and hydraulic xylem anatomy in response to temperature and water constraints. Functional Ecology, 27, 6: 1295-1303. doi: 10.1111/1365-2435.12144
Von Arx, G.; Dobbertin, M.; Rebetez, M., 2013: Detecting and correcting sensor drifts in long-term weather data. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185, 6: 4483-4489. doi: 10.1007/s10661-012-2831-6
Von Arx, G.; Graf Pannatier, E.; Thimonier, A.; Rebetez, M., 2013: Microclimate in forests with varying leaf area index and soil moisture: potential implications for seedling establishment in a changing climate. Journal of Ecology, 101, 5: 1201-1213. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12121
Wegner, L.; Von Arx, G.; Sass-Klaassen, U.; Eilmann, B., 2013: ROXAS - an efficient and accurate tool to detect vessels in diffuse-porous species. IAWA Journal, 34, 4: 425-432. doi: 10.1163/22941932-00000034
Von Arx, G.; Kueffer, C.; Fonti, P., 2013: Quantifying plasticity in vessel grouping - added value from the image analysis tool ROXAS. IAWA Journal, 34, 4: 433-445. doi: 10.1163/22941932-00000035
Olano, J.M.; Arzac, A.; García-Cervigón, A.I.; Von Arx, G.; Rozas, V., 2013: New star on the stage: amount of ray parenchyma in tree rings shows a link to climate. New Phytologist, 198, 2: 486-495. doi: 10.1111/nph.12113
Von Arx, G.; Archer, S.R.; Hughes, M.K., 2012: Long-term functional plasticity in plant hydraulic architecture in response to supplemental moisture. Annals of Botany, 109, 6: 1091-1100. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcs030
Von Arx, G.; Dobbertin, M.; Rebetez, M., 2012: Spatio-temporal effects of forest canopy on understory microclimate in a long-term experiment in Switzerland. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 166-167: 144-155. doi: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2012.07.018
Fonti, P.; Von Arx, G.; García-González, I.; Eilmann, B.; Sass-Klaassen, U.; Gärtner, H.; Eckstein, D., 2010: Studying global change through investigation of the plastic responses of xylem anatomy in tree rings. New Phytologist, 185, 1: 42-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.03030.x
Fonti, P.; Eilmann, B.; García-González, I.; Von Arx, G., 2009: Expeditious building of ring-porous earlywood vessel chronologies without loosing signal information. Trees: Structure and Function, 23, 3: 665-671. doi: 10.1007/s00468-008-0310-z
Further scientific publications
Remund, J.; Von Arx, G.; Gallien, L.; Rebetez, M.; Huber, B.; Zimmermann, N.E., 2016: Klimawandel in der Schweiz - Entwicklung waldrelevanter Klimagrössen. In: Pluess, A.R.; Augustin, S.; Brang, P.; Bundesamt für Umwelt BAFU,Bern; Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald,Schnee und Landschaft WSL,Birmensdorf (eds), 2016: Wald im Klimawandel. Grundlagen für Adaptationsstrategien. Bern, Stuttgart, Wien, Haupt. 23-37.
Remund, J.; Von Arx, G.; Gallien, L.; Rebetez, M.; Huber, B.; Zimmermann, N.E., 2016: Changements climatiques en Suisse - définition de paramètres climatiques relatifs à la forêt. In: Pluess, A.R.; Augustin, S.; Brang, P.; Office fédéral de l’environnement OFEV,Berne; Institut fédéral de recherches sur la forêt (eds), 2016: Forêts et changements climatiques. Éléments pour des stratégies d'adaptation. Berne, Stuttgart, Vienne, Haupt. 23-39.
Magazine article and brochures
Software
ROXAS is a tool for the quantitative analysis of cell anatomical features such as lumen area, cell wall thickness and cell topology in trees (angiosperms and conifers), shrubs and herbaceous plants. Many options for optimizing and customizing the analysis help to produce high-quality anatomical data with comparably little effort. Data output is for each cell, as well as in summarized form for each annual ring. Read more...
Projects
Biosketch
Professional experiences
| Since 2017 | Head of Dendrosciences Research Group, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL (Birmensdorf, Switzerland) |
| 2013 - 2017 | Scientific staff member at Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL (Birmensdorf, Switzerland) |
| 2010 - 2013 | Postdoc at Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL (Birmensdorf, Switzerland) |
| 2009 - 2010 | Project management at Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences SATW (Zurich, Switzerland) |
| 2007 - 2008 | Postdoc at Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research / School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ, USA) |
| 2006 - 2007 | Image analysis project «ROXAS», funded by the Velux Stiftung (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) |
| 2005 - 2006 | High school teacher in Biology and Chemistry at Paedagogische Maturitaetsschule (Kreuzlingen, Switzerland) |
Education
| 2007 | Degree as a high school teacher in biology, ETH Zurich |
| 2005 | PhD thesis, Geobotanical Institute, ETH Zurich |
| 2001 | Master thesis, Geobotanical Institute, ETH Zurich |