We are interested in variation among individuals, populations and species of plants and animals, and how they interact in nature and under controlled experimental conditions. Describing and manipulating networks of interacting organisms we hope to get a better understanding of the structure, dynamics and functioning of ecological systems. Ultimately, we would also like to find out to which extent variation and interactions among organisms are mere coincidence or the result of underlying evolutionary processes.
We use a systems-biological approach to study the structure and dynamics of ecological systems from the level of single populations to multi-trophic communities. Our model ecosystems are naturally occurring or experimentally established grasslands and forests in Europe and China and in these we focus on plant–plant and plant–soil interaction webs as drivers of ecosystem functioning and evolution.

Former head of group: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Schmid

Ongoing projects

• Mechanisms underlying plant community productivity, assembly and stability
• Community history and ecosystem functioning (SNF, URPP GCB)
• Aboveground primary productivity in forest ecosystems as a function of species richness and composition (DFG, EU IDP-Bridges)
• Epigenetic contributions to hybrid vigor in apomictic offspring (Syngenta)
• URPP Evolution in Action: Project 3 - Investigating the importance of epigenetics in adaptation and co-evolution (UZH)
• URPP GCB: University Research Priority Program Global Change and Biodiversity (UZH)
• URPP GCB: Project 4 - Quantification and predictions of ecosystem services at policy-relevant scales (UZH)
• URPP GCB: Project 5 - Ecological genomics of plastic and evolutionary responses to environmental changes (UZH)

Past projects

• Influence of abiotic and biotic environment on the ecological performance of GM and non-GM wheat (NFP-59, SNSF)
• Climate, environment, and phylogeny as drivers of leaf traits across Chinese grassland biomes
• Decision-making in plants: resource allocation to mycorrhizal hyphal networks (Syngenta)
• Plant Interaction Networks
• Effects of forest biodiversity and climate on ecosystem carbon flux (Sino-Swiss joint project, SNSF)
• Transgenic wheat and non-target impacts on insect herbivores and food webs