Research interests
Modeling spatio-temporal effect of environmental changes on biodiversity across taxa (plants and animals), trophic guilds, biomes, and type of stressors (natural disturbance; urbanization; management regime) seeking for relationships between biodiversity, community functional traits, and ecosystem functioning.
Education
2008 | Research Associate, Numerical Ecology Lab, Montreal Univ., Quebec, CA |
2004 | Post-doc, School of GeoScience, University of Edinburgh, UK |
2003 | PhD, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zurich, Switzerland |
1991 | Master in Biology, University of Zurich, Switzerland |
Postition and professional experiences
2014- | Project leader at Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf-Zurich, Switzerland |
2006-2013 | Leader of the Insubric Ecosystems Research Group at the Community Ecology Unit, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Bellinzona, Switzerland |
2002-2005 | Research Associate, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Bellinzona, Switzerland |
1993-2001 | Co-director of the Ecological Consulting Office Maddalena & Moretti Sagl., Gordevio, Switzerland |
1992-2001 | Leader of the Bat Conservation Trust Ticino (Switzerland) |
Research experience and ongoing projects
2013-2016 | COST Action FP1204 "GreeUrbs". Task leader of “"Tree species composition and characteristics" and "Urban biodiversity”. |
2013-2015 | Project “Biodiversity in chestnut orchard in Southern Switzerland – Birds, Bats, Insects, Lichens, Vegetation. Synthesis and perspectives”, Forest Section Ct. TIcino, PI, CHF 30’000 |
2012-2013 | Project “Animal Trait database”, WSL Project, PI, CHF 60’000 |
2012-2013 | Project “Role of functional components of biodiversity in understanding soil processes in stressed ecosystems”, Sciex Program, PI, CHF 140’000 |
2011-2013 | Project “BioDiVine-Biodiversity in vineyard ecosystems”, PI, Federal Office for the Environment, PI, CHF 100’000 |
2011-2013 | Project “Biodiversity indicator of land-use processes and gradients (BIKORA)”, Federal Office for the Environment, Co-PI, CHF 180’000 |
2010-2012 | Project “Effects of plant-herbivore functional diversity on grassland ecosystem function”, PI, CHF 140’000 |
2010-2011 | Project “Urban Biodiversity”, Federal Office for the Environment, PI, CHF 100'000 |
2009-2012 | Project CCES-ENHANCE, subproject “Connectivity in fragmented urban environment”, PI, CHF 180'000 |
2006-2010 | EU project “FIRE PARADOX-An innovative and integrated approach to wildland fire management”, Subproject “Ecological effect of fire”, Co-PI, CHF 400'000 |
2005-2009 | Project “BiodiverCity-Ecological and social value of urban nature: tools to identify, maintain and improve biodiversity and its acceptance in urban areas”, NRP 54, PI. CHF 360'000 |