Current position

  •  Head of Research Unit Forest Health and Biotic Interactions, WSL
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (since 2014)
  • Adjunct Lecturer (Dozent), Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Switzerland (since 2021)

Previous positions

  • 1998 - 2019  Principal Scientist / Senior Scientist / Scientist, New Zealand Forest Research Institute (Scion), Christchurch, New Zealand
  • 1998  Postdoctoral Research Associate, Horticultural Research Institute of New Zealand, Lincoln, New Zealand
  • 1994 - 1997  Research Assistant, Canadian Forest Service, Sault Ste. Marie, Canada
  • 1991 - 1994  Research Assistant, CABI-Bioscience (IIBC), Delémont, Switzerland

Education

  • PhD in Forest Entomology/Forest Ecology, University of Toronto, Canada (graduated in 1998)
  • Diplom (MSc equivalent) in Biology (major: Zoology), University of Kiel, Germany (graduated in 1994)

Research interests and lab group

I am a forest ecologist and entomologist specialising in the ecology, impacts and management of non-native and native forest insects and other taxa. I am also passionate about the biodiversity of insects, birds, and vascular plants, and relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In recent years, much of my research has focussed on bark beetles and other wood and bark-boring insects, groups that include many of the highest-impact invaders of forests world-wide. Another key research interest is the role of forest biodiversity in the biotic resistance to insect pests and invasive species as well as other ecosystem services. Finally, I am also studying effects of land cover and land use change on insects, birds and plants.

I enjoy networking and collaborate with colleagues in many countries across the world. For example, I am working with colleagues in New Zealand’s Better Border Biosecurity (B3) Collaboration and in the international EU-funded project “HOMED”, and I participated in several collaborative projects at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS, University of California) and the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC, University of Maryland) where I studied relationships between propagule pressure (i.e., arrival rates of non-native insects) and successful establishments.

In my lab at WSL, several postdocs, students, and I are working on projects on a range of topics including: a national surveillance programme for invasive forest insects with a focus on trees in urban environments (Benno Augustinus), insect invasions in terrestrial and freshwater habitats (Agnieszka Sendek), effects of bark beetle outbreaks and deadwood on woodpecker populations (Marco Basile), fungal associates of ambrosia beetles and bark beetles (José Correia), effects of drought on saproxylic insect assemblages (Timothy Work), and population genetics of bark beetles (Julia Kappeler and former MSc student Lea Bischofberger).

Other current and past activities

  • Co-Editor-in-Chief, New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science (since 2019)

  • Associate Editor, Biodiversity and Conservation (since 2009)

  • Associate Editor and subject editor (Entomology), Forestry (Oxford University Press) (since 2013)

  • Editorial board member, New Zealand Entomologist (since 2010)

  • Board member, International Union of Forest Research Organisations, and Co-ordinator of IUFRO Division 7, Forest Health (2011-2021)

  • Coordinator, IUFRO Task Force on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2013-2017), and Task Force member (2012-2013)

  • Member, IUFRO Task Force on Forests and Biological Invasions (2015-2018)

  • President of the Entomological Society of New Zealand (2007-2009) as well as Vice-president (2005-2007) and Immediate Past President (2009-2011)

Projects

Das Waldlabor Zürich zeigt und erklärt auf 150 Hektaren den vom Menschen genutzten und gepflegten Kulturwald . Im öffentlich zugänglichen Freiluftlabor erforscht das Waldlabor Zürich historische, aktuelle und künftige Formen der Waldbewirtschaftung und macht sie so erlern- und erlebbar.

We will explore what pests attack North-American trees in Europe, to inform an early-warning system and blacklists in the USA.

Insects are among the most successful invasive species but there are surprisingly few aquatic insects that invaded freshwater ecosystems. In this collaborative project between WSL and Eawag we are analysing several international datasets to determine why insects are under-represented among aquatic insects.

The project aims to assess how the abundance of spruce bark beetles affects populations of woodpeckers. Long-term datasets on the annual amount of spruce timber infested by bark beetles and woodpecker abundance data, along with environmental variables are being used to model these relationships.

This project will evaluate the contribution of birds in the regulation of invasive insect pests and the potential spread of tree pathogens in urban areas. Insectivorous birds are known to be important predators of insects. This includes several invasive insect species that cause tree damage.

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.

Publications

Brockerhoff E.G., Sopow S.L., Bader M.K.F. (2025) Resource pulses drive spatio-temporal dynamics of non-native bark beetles and wood borers. J. Appl. Ecol. 62(1), 80-92. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.14819 Institutional Repository DORA

Augustinus B.A., Abegg M., Queloz V., Brockerhoff E.G. (2024) Higher tree species richness and diversity in urban areas than in forests: implications for host availability for invasive tree pests and pathogens. Landsc. Urban Plan. 250, 105144 (10 pp.). doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2024.105144 Institutional Repository DORA

Bedoya C.L., Brockerhoff E.G., Kirkendall L.R., Hofstetter R.W., Nelson X.J. (2024) Body size and sequence of host colonisation predict the presence of acoustic signalling in beetles. Sci. Rep. 14(1), 15532 (7 pp.). doi:10.1038/s41598-024-66108-8 Institutional Repository DORA

Beenken L., Hölling D., Brockerhoff E., Queloz V. (2024) Mort subite du chêne. Phytophthora ramorum Werres, De Cock & Man. Fiche d'information protection de la forêt suisse. Birmensdorf: Protection de la forêt suisse; Institut fédéral de recherches WSL. 2 p. Institutional Repository DORA

Beenken L., Hölling D., Brockerhoff E., Queloz V. (2024) Morte improvvisa delle querce. Phytophthora ramorum Werres, De Cock & Man. Factsheet protezione della foresta svizzera. Birmensdorf: Protezione della foresta svizzera; Istituto federale per la foresta, la neve e il paesaggio WSL. 2 p. Institutional Repository DORA

Beenken L., Hölling D., Brockerhoff E., Queloz V. (2024) Plötzlicher Eichentod. Phytophthora ramorum Werres, De Cock & Man. Factsheet Waldschutz Schweiz. Birmensdorf: Waldschutz Schweiz; Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL. 2 p. Institutional Repository DORA

Blaser S., Hoelling D., Ruffner B., Brockerhoff E., Marazzi C., Mattei G., … Beenken L. (2024) First record of the invasive ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff, 1875) (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) and its fungal associates in Switzerland. BioInvasions Rec. 13(3), 621-636. doi:10.3391/bir.2024.13.3.05 Institutional Repository DORA

Branco M., Dokhelar T., Brockerhoff E.G., Liebhold A.M., Jactel H. (2024) Widespread experimental evidence of Allee effects in insects: a meta-analysis. Entomol. Gen. 44(4), 765-778. doi:10.1127/entomologia/2024/2377 Institutional Repository DORA

Christen S., Brockerhoff E.G., Gossner M.M., Augustinus B.A. (2024) A biosecurity perspective on urban trees in public and private spaces and trees available from nurseries. Urban For. Urban Green. 101, 128529 (11 pp.). doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128529 Institutional Repository DORA

Ferretti M., Fischer C., Gessler A., Graham C., Meusburger K., Abegg M., … Shackleton R.T. (2024) Advancing forest inventorying and monitoring. Ann. For. Sci. 81(1), 6 (25 pp.). doi:10.1186/s13595-023-01220-9 Institutional Repository DORA

Isitt R., Liebhold A.M., Turner R.M., Battisti A., Bertelsmeier C., Blake R., … Pureswaran D.S. (2024) Asymmetrical insect invasions between three world regions. NeoBiota. 90, 35-51. doi:10.3897/neobiota.90.110942 Institutional Repository DORA

Liebhold A.M., Turner R.M., Bartlett C.R., Bertelsmeier C., Blake R.E., Brockerhoff E.G., … Yamanaka T. (2024) Why so many Hemiptera invasions? Divers. Distrib. 30(12), e13911 (12 pp.). doi:10.1111/ddi.13911 Institutional Repository DORA

Nguyen H.T.M., Chu L., Liebhold A.M., Epanchin-Niell R., Kean J.M., Kompas T., … Moore J.L. (2024) Optimal allocation of resources among general and species-specific tools for plant pest biosecurity surveillance. Ecol. Appl. 34(3), e2955 ( 28 pp.). doi:10.1002/eap.2955 Institutional Repository DORA

Queloz V., Beenken L., Hölling D., Ruffner B., Dubach V., Cornejo C., … Prospero S. (2024) Überwachung von besonders gefährlichen Schadorganismen für den Wald - Jahresbericht 2023. Surveillance des organismes nuisibles particulièrement dangereux pour la forêt - rapport annuel 2023. Monitoraggio degli organismi nocivi particolarmente pericolosi per il bosco - rapporto annuale 2023. WSL Berichte: Vol. 149. Birmensdorf: Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL. 51 p. Institutional Repository DORA

Ribeiro-Correia J.P., Prospero S., Beenken L., Biedermann P.H.W., Blaser S., Branco M., … Brockerhoff E.G. (2024) Distribution of the invasive ambrosia beetle Anisandrus maiche (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) in Switzerland and first record in Europe of its ambrosia fungus Ambrosiella cleistominuta. Alp. Entomol. 8, 35-49. doi:10.3897/alpento.8.117537 Institutional Repository DORA

Yamanaka T., Turner R.M., Bertelsmeier C., Blake R.E., Brockerhoff E.G., Nahrung H.F., … Liebhold A.M. (2024) International imports and climatic filtering drive compositional variation in non-native insect establishments. Divers. Distrib. 30(7), e13844 (11 pp.). doi:10.1111/ddi.13844 Institutional Repository DORA

Basile M., Krištín A., Mikusiński G., Thorn S., Żmihorski M., Pasinelli G., Brockerhoff E.G. (2023) Salvage logging strongly affects woodpecker abundance and reproduction: a meta-analysis. Curr. Forestry Rep. 9, 1-14. doi:10.1007/s40725-022-00175-w Institutional Repository DORA

Branco S., Douma J.C., Brockerhoff E.G., Gomez-Gallego M., Marcais B., Prospero S., … Branco M. (2023) Eradication programs against non-native pests and pathogens of woody plants in Europe: which factors influence their success or failure? NeoBiota. 84, 281-317. doi:10.3897/NEOBIOTA.84.95687 Institutional Repository DORA

Brockerhoff E.G., Corley J.C., Jactel H., Miller D.R., Rabaglia R.J., Sweeney J. (2023) Monitoring and surveillance of forest insects. In J. D. Allison, T. D. Paine, B. Slippers, & M. J. Wingfield (Eds.), Forest entomology and pathology: Vol. 1. Entomology. Cham: Springer. 669-705. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-11553-0_19 Institutional Repository DORA

Brockerhoff E.G., Gresham B.A., Meurisse N., Nahrung H.F., Perret-Gentil A., Pugh A.R., … Turner R.M. (2023) Pining away and at home: global utilisation of Pinus radiata by native and non-native insects. NeoBiota. 84, 137-167. doi:10.3897/NEOBIOTA.84.95864 Institutional Repository DORA

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