Seminar: The Pace of Life for Trees Across Latitudinal Gradients in a Changing World
Date:
Location:
WSL Birmensdorf, Hörsaal
Organised by:
Biodiversity Center, WSL
Speakers:
Lalasia Bialic-Murphy, WSL
Moderators:
Jeanne Portier, WSL
Languages:
English
Type of event:
Presentations and colloquia
Audience:
Anyone interested in the topics
Abstract ¶
The relationship between species richness and ecosystem productivity has been widely examined, yet the functional mechanisms underlying emergent patterns across global forests often remain unclear. In this seminar, I will present findings from an international collaboration investigating the demographic functional diversity of forests across biogeographic gradients. We reveal predictable patterns in tree growth, maximum stature, and longevity across broad biogeographic gradients and show a strong relationship between the demographic diversity of forests and aboveground biomass productivity. Ongoing research in my group further shows that the demographic sensitivity of North American and European tree species to climate change is strongly predicted by functional trait syndromes linked to drought tolerance and climate niche breadth. We also find that non-native trees tend to erode the demographic diversity of forests, with important implications for forest resilience in a changing world.
About the speaker ¶
Lalasia Bialic-Murphy is the head of the Forest Diversity and Biodemography Group at WSL and a lecturer at ETH Zürich. Her research explores how plant biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are generated and maintained in a changing world. Her group studies these questions across ecological scales, from the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance on tree demography and fitness landscapes to shifts in the functional diversity and resilience of global forest systems. To address these interconnected themes, her group uses computational and mathematical models informed by experimental studies, forest inventory data, and remotely sensed time-series data. This work is motivated by a commitment to generating robust science that supports global restoration efforts and biodiversity policy.
Biodiversity Seminars ¶
The WSL Biodiversity Seminar Series are organized by the WSL-Eawag Biodiversity Center. Every two weeks, we aim to host a seminar speaker who presents research or outreach on topics relevant to the biodiversity community at WSL. The seminars are public and are usually broadcast online.
To find out more about the WSL-Eawag Biodiversity Center and a complete list of events, please visit our website.
Please send an email to events-biodiversity(at)wsl.ch if you would like to be updated on the activities of the WSL-Eawag Biodiversity Center.
Contact ¶
How to get here ¶
Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf
By public transport ¶
Bus stop Birmensdorf ZH, Sternen/WSL
Accessible by bus lines 220 and 350 via Wiedikon/Triemli or via Birmensdorf station with S-Bahn lines 5 and 14.
By car ¶
See map on map.search.ch or Google Maps
You'll find guest parking spaces (for a fee) behind the main building after passing the main entrance.