A5089042170- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Tree-ring climate responses
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Climate change and permafrost
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Plant responses to elevated CO2
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Forest Management and Policy
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Forest ecology and management
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Soil and Unsaturated Flow
- Plant Ecology and Soil Science
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Forest Biomass Utilization and Management
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
2016-2025
World Economic Forum
2022
Amt für Umwelt
2022
GeoInformation (United Kingdom)
2022
ETH Zurich
2022
Landscape Institute
2002-2004
University of Bayreuth
1996-2000
The impact of climate change on the soil microbiome potentially alters biogeochemical cycle terrestrial ecosystems. In semi-arid environments, water availability is a major constraint cycles due to combination high summer temperatures and low rainfall. Here, we explored how 10 years irrigation water-limited pine forest in central European Alps altered associated ecosystem functioning. A decade stimulated tree growth, resulting higher crown cover, larger yearly increments biomass, increased...
The intensity and frequency of droughts events are projected to increase in future with expected adverse effects for forests. Thus, information on the dynamics tree water uptake from different soil layers during after drought is crucial. We applied an situ isotopologue monitoring system determine oxygen isotope composition xylem European beech a 2-h resolution together measurements content, transpiration deficit. Using Bayesian mixing model, we inferred relative absolute contribution four...
During the particularly severe hot summer drought in 2018, widespread premature leaf senescence was observed several broadleaved tree species Central Europe, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). For beech, it is yet unknown whether evoked a decline towards mortality or trees can recover longer term. In this study, we monitored crown dieback, and secondary damage symptoms 963 initially live that exhibited either normal 2018 three regions northern Switzerland from to 2021. We related multiple...
Abstract The ongoing climatic changes potentially affect plant growth and the functioning of temperature‐limited high‐altitude high‐latitude ecosystems; rate magnitude these biotic are, however, uncertain. aim this study was to reconstruct stand structure forms Larix sibirica (Ledeb.) in undisturbed forest–tundra ecotones remote Polar Urals on a centennial time scale. Comparisons current ecotone with historic photographs from 1960s clearly document that forests have significantly expanded...
Soils are the product of a complex suite chemical, biological, and physical processes. In spite importance soils for society sustaining life on earth, our knowledge soil formation rates influence biological activity mineral weathering geochemical cycles is still limited. this paper we provide description Damma Glacier Critical Zone Observatory present first synthesis multidisciplinary studies 150‐yr chronosequence. The aim research was to improve understanding ecosystem development barren...
Summary According to the insurance hypothesis, more diverse plant communities are likely be resistant drought. Whilst many experiments have been carried out determine effects of diversity on community insurance, results still contradictory. Here, we conducted a drought experiment where tested whether presence subordinate species increases insurance. In S wiss Jura grassland, combined removal with summer event using rainout shelters. Plant composition was determined after and based biomass...
Abstract High‐altitude treelines are temperature‐limited vegetation boundaries, but little quantitative evidence exists about the impact of climate change on in untouched areas Russia. Here, we estimated how forest‐tundra ecotones have changed during last century along Ural mountains. In South, North, Sub‐Polar, and Polar Urals, compared 450 historical recent photographs determined ages 11 100 trees 16 altitudinal gradients. these four regions, boundaries open closed forests (crown covers...
Abstract Understanding and quantification of phosphorus (P) fluxes are key requirements for predictions future forest ecosystems changes as well transferring lessons learned from natural to croplands plantations. This review summarizes evaluates the recent knowledge on mechanisms, magnitude, relevance by which dissolved colloidal inorganic organic P forms can be translocated within or exported ecosystems. Attention is paid hydrological pathways losses at soil profile landscape scales,...
Summary Rapidly increasing atmospheric CO 2 is not only changing the climate system but may also affect biosphere directly through stimulation of plant growth and ecosystem carbon nutrient cycling. Although forest ecosystems play a critical role in global cycle, experimental information on responses to rising scarce, due sheer size trees. Here, we present synthesis study world‐wide where diverse set mature broadleaved trees growing natural has been exposed future levels ( c . 550 ppm) by...
Abstract In carbonate‐containing soils a reliable determination of organic C requires method that effectively separates and inorganic without altering the matter. This study was conducted to determine whether HCl vapor completely removes carbonates even in dolomite‐rich what extent widely used acid‐fumigation has be modified for humus‐rich soils. Furthermore, it tested fumigation alters organic‐C content. Since N parameters are often analyzed simultaneously we also influence acid‐vapor...
Abstract Will warming lead to an increased use of older soil organic carbon ( SOC ) by microbial communities, thereby inducing C losses from ‐rich alpine soils? We studied community composition, activity, and substrate after 3 4 years (+4 °C, 2007–2010) at the treeline in S witzerland. The experiment was nested a free air CO 2 enrichment using depleted 13 (δ = −30‰, 2001–2009). traced this label phospholipid fatty acids PLFA layer (0–5 cm depth) mineralized root‐free soils distinguish ages...
An improved identification of the environmental variables that can be used to predict content soil organic carbon (SOC) stored belowground is required reduce uncertainties in estimating response largest terrestrial reservoir change. Recent studies indicate some metal cations have an active role stabilization SOC, primarily by coordinating interaction between minerals and matter through cation bridging creating complexes with molecules when their hydration shells are displaced. The effective...
Climate warming may alter ecosystem nitrogen (N) cycling by accelerating N transformations in the soil, and changes be especially pronounced cold regions characterized N-poor ecosystems. We investigated dynamics across plant-soil continuum during 6 years of experimental soil (2007-2012; +4 °C) at a Swiss high-elevation treeline site (Stillberg, Davos; 2180 m a.s.l.) featuring Larix decidua Pinus uncinata. In we observed considerable increases NH4+ pool size first (by >50%), but this effect...
Abstract Upland soils are important sinks for atmospheric methane ( CH 4 ), a process essentially driven by methanotrophic bacteria. Soil uptake often depends on land use, with afforestation generally increasing the soil sink. However, mechanisms driving these changes not well understood to date. We measured and N 2 O fluxes along an chronosequence Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) established extensively grazed subalpine pasture. Our experimental design included forest stands ages ranging from...
Soil nitrogen mineralisation (Nmin), the conversion of organic into inorganic N, is important for productivity and nutrient cycling. The balance between immobilisation (net Nmin) varies with soil properties climate. However, because most global-scale assessments net Nmin are laboratory-based, its regulation under field-conditions implications real-world functioning remain uncertain. Here, we explore drivers realised (field) potential (laboratory) across 30 grasslands worldwide. We find that...
While vegetation has intensively been surveyed on mountain summits, limited knowledge exists about the diversity and community structure of soil biota. Here, we study how climatic variables, vegetation, parent material, properties, slope aspect affect microbiome 10 GLORIA (Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine environments) summits ranging from lower alpine to nival zone Switzerland. At these sampled soils all four aspects examined bacterial fungal communities vary by using...