Forest Entomology

Our group Forest Entomology investigates forest insects in their broadest sense: ecology of potential forest pests, natural enemies, diversity of forest insects.

The larch tortrix is back

Nearly 40 year after the last major outbreak of the larch tortix (Zeiraphera griseana) in the Upper Engadine, large-scale defoliation of larches due to the larvae of the larch tortrix could be observed this year. Beat Wermelinger reported in Swiss television (in German).

Projects

Spotlight leverages options to mitigate negative impacts on the ecological environment while meeting human needs for safety and well-being. With an interdisciplinary consortium of lighting engineers, ecologists, and social scientists, we contribute to an evidence-based debate on light pollution.

Mit Unterstützung vom Bundesamt für Umwelt wird ein Netzwerk von 50 Eschenflächen schweizweit aufgebaut. 20 ausgewählte Eschen pro Fläche werden 2023 erstmals erfasst und gemessen.

In diesem Projekt wird getestet, inwieweit die Daten der Gebietüberwachung für ein erweitertes Waldbiodiversitätsmonitoring genutzt werden können.

This project investigates how the interaction between plant phenology, defense chemistry and the trade-offs between growth and chemical defenses are modulated by environmental variation and stress.

Buchdrucker gehören zu den bedeutendsten Schädlingen im Schweizer Wald. In diesem Projekt wird erarbeitet, wie Wasserstress durch Dürre und Auswirkungen von Windwurf Populationen und Massenvermehrungen dieses Borkenkäfers beeinflussen.

show more

The field season has started!

In March, the insect traps for the Lothar projectwere installed so that early flying insects could also be detected.

Call to participate in a global experiment

We propose a global protocol to assess human impacts on forest ecosystems using experimental microcosms. The main question we aim to address is:

How do current and future climatic conditions, forest habitat degradation and management, influence biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in water filled microcosms worldwide?

More information

Interested? Please contact Martin Gossner

Research topics

  • Infestation dynamics of bark beetles, effect of natural enemies
  • Interactions between host trees and bark beetles
  • Recolonization of windthrow and wildfire areas by insect communities
  • Dependency of dead wood (saproxylic) insects on tree and stand characteristics

Mitarbeitende

Forest Entomology

Martin Gossner

Group leader

Carl-Michael Heimo Andersson

Technical staff member

Astrid Bächli

Technical staff member

Mojtaba Moe Bakhtiari

Postdoctoral Scientist

Vittorio Rai Bizzozero

Master student

Janine Bolliger

Senior Scientist

Giulia Casciano

PhD student

Francesca Cerroti

PhD student guest

Fabio Costa

Temporary employee

Giulia Donati

Scientific staff member

Bastiaan Drost

PhD student

Michael Andreas Eisenring

Scientific staff member

Nina Feddern

Visiting scientist

Federico Ferrari

PhD student

Maja Ilic

Visiting scientist

Thibault Lachat

Visiting scientist

Felix Neff

Visiting scientist

Anouchka Perret-Gentil

Lab technician

Aditi Manoj Rawal

PhD student

Caio Graco Rodriguez Leandro Roza

Visiting scientist

Thibaut Rota

Visiting scientist

Nicolas Roth

Visiting scientist

Doris Schneider

Technical staff member

Leila Anna Schuh

Postdoc

Nicola Van Koppenhagen

PhD student

Beat Wermelinger

Visiting scientist

Fengping Yang

Visiting scientist

×