Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL

Main research interests

My research investigates species distribution dynamics and biodiversity change at different spatial and temporal scales. Using vascular plants as the major study system, I combine biodiversity and environmental data, dynamic species-distribution modelling, AI-based species mapping, and macroecology to better understand biodiversity change – from post-glacial species migration to recent global change and biological invasions.

Current and previous positions

since 2011Research group «Dynamic Macroecology» (project leader & deputy head), research unit «Land Change Science» 
2006-2010Head of the research group «Spatial ecology», research unit «Biodiversity and Conservation Biology» 
2001-2006Scientist at the Swiss Federal Research Institut WSL, research unit «Landscape Dynamics and Spatial Development»
1999-2001Scientific assistant, University of Darmstadt, Institute of Botany
1995-1999PhD, University of Freiburg, Germany (O. Wilmanns)

Scientific commissions & Editorial boards

  • Info Flora: Member of the scientific commission since 2012. Prior to this member of the Swiss Commission of Wild Plant Conservation CPS/SKEW (2006-2011) - one of the two predecessor of Info Flora. As a member of the working group on invasive neophytes involved in updating the List of invasive and potentially invasive neophytes in Switzerland.
  • Vegetation Classification and Survey (VCS), editorial board: VCS is an international, peer-reviewed journal on plant community ecology published on behalf of the International Association for Vegetation Science (IAVS).

Software 

  • KISSMig. A simple model to simulate species migration and range dynamics for the free software environment R.

Supervised theses

Dissertations

  • Liao, Y. (2025) Evaluating and optimizing the umbrella effect of giant panda in conserving endemic plants of China, co-supervisor, Prof. Dr. Yan Wu, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Liao, Z. (2022) The impact of migration limitation on the distribution dynamics and diversity patterns of typical forest species in China, co-supervisor, Prof. Dr. Kaiwen Pan, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Rai K.S. (2022) Ecological modelling of vascular plant diversity under different climate and land use change scenarios in Nepal Himalaya, co-supervisor, in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Ch. Scheidegger/WSL, Prof. Dr. K. Shresta/Tribhuvan University Kathmandu, Nepal
  • 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

  • Rieben L. (2022) Analysis of urban wall typologies in Zurich: Evaluation of their suitability to host spontaneous vascular plants, Master Thesis, in cooperation with Dr C. Catalano/ZHAW.
  • 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

Projects

Publications