Dr. Markus Didion

Research Interests and Expertise

I am broadly interested in applied and interdisciplinary research on the effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbance on natural resources. A focus of my research activities has been the use of modeling techniques to study the spatial and temporal dynamics of forest ecosystems. In particular, I am applying my expertise to address management and policy issues of forest carbon sequestration that are of concern to national and international climate policy and sustainable forest management.

Professional

 Experience



Research Scientist, WSL (since 04/2012)

Grantholder, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra, Italy (2011/2012)

Researcher Forest and Climate, Forest Ecosystems, Alterra, Wageningen UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands (2009-2011)

Research Assistant, Forest Ecology, ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland (2005-2009)

Research Assistant, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada (2003-2004)

Data Analyst, Parks Canada, Western and Northern Service Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada (2002-2003)

Scientific activities (ongoing)

UNFCCC Roster of Experts (expert review team (LULUCF), REDD+ reference levels)

Swiss Greenhouse gas inventory (Contributor; sector expert LULUCF)

Reviewer for journals and funding agencies

Education



PhD Forest Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystem, ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland (2009)



Master Resource Management (MRM), School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada (2003)



B.Sc. Honours Environmental Science, University of Stirling, Scotland, UK (2000)

Mayer, M., Rusch, S., Didion, M., Baltensweiler, A., Walthert, L., Ranft, F., … Hagedorn, F. (2023). Elevation dependent response of soil organic carbon stocks to forest windthrow. Science of the Total Environment, 857, 159694 (9 pp.).doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159694

Didion M., M. Abegg. 2022. Tree stumps — an important but undervalued dead wood pool. Annals of Forest Science 79:34. doi:10.1186/s13595-022-01155-7

Kwon, T., H. Shibata, S. Kepfer-Rojas,  […] M. Didion, [...], I. Djukic. 2021. Effects of Climate and Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition on Early to Mid-Term Stage Litter Decomposition Across Biomes. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4. doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2021.678480

Didion, M. 2020. Extending harmonized national forest inventory herb layer vegetation cover observations to derive comprehensive biomass estimates. Forest Ecosystems 7:16. doi:10.1186/s40663-020-00230-7

Mao, Z., D. Derrien, M. Didion, J. Liski, T. Eglin, M. Nicolas, M. Jonard, and L. Saint-André. 2019. Modeling soil organic carbon dynamics in temperate forests with Yasso07. Biogeosciences 16:1955-1973. doi:
10.5194/bg-16-1955-2019

Stadelmann, G., C. Temperli, B. Rohner, M. Didion, A. Herold, E. Rösler, and E. Thürig. 2019. Presenting MASSIMO: A Management Scenario Simulation Model to Project Growth, Harvests and Carbon Dynamics of Swiss Forests. Forests 10:94. doi: 10.3390/f10020094

Djukic, I., S. Kepfer-Rojas, I. K. Schmidt, K. S. Larsen, C. Beier, B. Berg, K. Verheyen, […] Z. Kotroczó, and Z. Tóth. 2018. Early stage litter decomposition across biomes. Science of The Total Environment 628–629:1369-1394. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.012

Hernández, L., R. Jandl, V. N. B. Blujdea, A. Lehtonen, K. Kriiska, I. Alberdi, V. Adermann, I. Cañellas, G. Marin, D. Moreno-Fernández, I. Ostonen, M. Varik, and M. Didion. 2017. Towards complete and harmonized assessment of soil carbon stocks and balance in forests: The ability of the Yasso07 model across a wide gradient of climatic and forest conditions in Europe. Science of The Total Environment 599–600:1171-1180. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.298

Stadelmann, G., A. Herold, M. Didion, B. Vidondo, A. Gomez, and E. Thürig. 2016. Holzerntepotenzial im Schweizer Wald: Simulation von Bewirtschaftungsszenarien. Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen 167:152-161. doi: 10.3188/szf.2016.0152

Didion, M., A. Repo, J. Liski, M. Forsius, M. Bierbaumer, and I. Djukic. 2016. Towards Harmonizing Leaf Litter Decomposition Studies Using Standard Tea Bags—A Field Study and Model Application. Forests 7:167.
doi: 10.3390/f7080167

Didion, M., V. Blujdea, G. Grassi, L. Hernández, R. Jandl, K. Kriiska, A. Lehtonen, and L. Saint-André. 2016. Models for reporting forest litter and soil C pools in national greenhouse gas inventories: methodological considerations and requirements. Carbon Management 7:79-92. doi: 10.1080/17583004.2016.1166457

Yousefpour, R., M. Didion, J. B. Jacobsen, H. Meilby, G. M. Hengeveld, M.-J. Schelhaas, and B. J. Thorsen. 2015. Modelling of adaptation to climate change and decision-makers behaviours for the Veluwe forest area in the Netherlands. Forest Policy and Economics 54:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.forpol.2015.02.002

Hengeveld, G. M., M. Didion, S. Clerkx, C. Elkin, G.-J. Nabuurs, and M.-J. Schelhaas. 2015. The landscape-level effect of individual-owner adaptation to climate change in Dutch forests. Regional Environmental Change 15:1515-1529. doi: 10.1007/s10113-014-0718-5

Didion, M., B. Frey, N. Rogiers, and E. Thürig. 2014. Validating tree litter decomposition in the Yasso07 carbon model. Ecological Modelling 291:58-68. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.07.028

Hengeveld, G. M., G.-J. Nabuurs, M. Didion, I. van den Wyngaert, A. P. P. M. Clerkx, and M.-J. Schelhaas. 2012. A Forest Management Map of European Forests. Ecology and Society 17. doi: 10.5751/es-05149-170453

Didion, M., A. Kupferschmid, A. Wolf, and H. Bugmann. 2011. Ungulate herbivory modifies the effects of climate change on mountain forests. Climatic Change 109:647-669. doi: 10.1007/s10584-011-0054-4

Didion, M., A. D. Kupferschmid, and H. Bugmann. 2009. Long-term effects of ungulate browsing on forest composition and structure. Forest Ecology and Management 258, Supplement:S44-S55. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2009.06.006

Didion, M., A. D. Kupferschmid, A. Zingg, L. Fahse, and H. Bugmann. 2009. Gaining local accuracy while not losing generality – Extending the range of gap model applications. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 39:1092-1107. doi: 10.1139/X09-041

Didion, M., A. D. Kupferschmid, M. J. Lexer, W. Rammer, R. Seidl, and H. Bugmann. 2009. Potentials and limitations of using large-scale forest inventory data for evaluating forest succession models. Ecological Modelling 220:133-147. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2008.09.021

Didion, M., M.-J. Fortin, and A. Fall. 2007. Forest age structure as indicator of boreal forest sustainability under alternative management and fire regimes: a landscape level sensitivity analysis. Ecological Modelling 200:45-58. doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2006.07.011