Ecosystem Functioning and Global Change

Research in the Grassland Sciences group focuses on the process- and system-oriented understanding of functional plant diversity and of ecosystem biogeochemistry, in particular biospheric-atmospheric greenhouse gas exchange, both in response to human and biophysical drivers, across spatial and temporal scales.

Based on a multidisciplinary approach, we use classical ecological methods and further develop innovative tools, such as stable isotope analyses and micrometeorological measurements, in our observational and experimental studies.

• The results of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiments are realistic
  Jochum, Malte; Fischer, Markus; Isbell, Forest; Roscher, Christiane; van der Plas, Fons; Boch, Steffen; Boenisch, Gerhard; Buchmann, Nina; Catford, Jane A; Cavender-Bares, Jeannine; Ebeling, Anne; Eisenhauer, Nico; Gleixner, Gerd; Hoelzel, Norbert; Kattge, Jens; Klaus, Valentin H.; Kleinebecker, Till; Lange, Markus; Le Provost, Gaetane; Meyer, Sebastian T.; Molina-Venegas, Rafael; Mommer, Liesje; Oelmann, Yvonne; Penone, Caterina; Prati, Daniel; Reich, Peter B.; Rindisbacher, Abiel; Schaefer, Deborah; Scheu, Stefan; Schmid, Bernhard; Tilman, David; Tscharntke, Teja; Vogel, Anja; Wagg, Cameron; Weigelt, Alexandra; Weisser, Wolfgang W.; Wilcke, Wolfgang; Manning, Peter
  Nature Ecology & Evolution Early Access: AUG 2020, DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-1280-9
• Biodiversity increases multitrophic energy use efficiency, flow and storage in grasslands
  Buzhdygan, OY; Meyer, ST; Weisser, WW; Eisenhauer, N; Ebeling, A; Borrett, SR; Buchmann, N; Cortois, R; De Deyn, GB; de Kroon, H; Gleixner, G; Hertzog, LR; Hines, J; Lange, M; Mommer, L ; Ravenek, J; Scherber, C; Scherer-Lorenzen, M; Scheu, S; Schmid, B; Steinauer, K; Strecker, T; Tietjen, B; Vogel, A; Weigelt, A; Petermann, JS
  Nature Ecology & Evolution 2020, 10.1038/s41559-020-1123-8
• Carbon-nitrogen interactions in European forests and semi-natural vegetation - Part 1: Fluxes and budgets of carbon, nitrogen and greenhouse gases from ecosystem monitoring and modelling
  Flechard, Chris R.; Ibrom, Andreas; Skiba, Ute M.; de Vries, Wim; van Oijen, Marcel; et al.
  Biogeosciences  DOI: 10.5194/bg-17-1583-2020, Published: MAR 26 2020
• Carbon-nitrogen interactions in European forests and semi-natural vegetation - Part 2: Untangling climatic, edaphic, management and nitrogen deposition effects on carbon sequestration potentials
  Flechard, Chris R.; van Oijen, Marcel; Cameron, David R.; de Vries, Wim; Ibrom, Andreas; et al.
  Biogeosciences  DOI: 10.5194/bg-17-1621-2020, Published: MAR 26 2020
• Plant diversity effects on forage quality, yield and revenues of semi-natural grasslands
  Schaub, S; Finger, R; Leiber, F; Probst, S; Kreuzer, M; Weigelt, A; Buchmann, N; Scherer-Lorenzen, M
  Nature Communications 11(1) Article Number: 768 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14541-4  FEB 7 2020
• Assessing the response of forest productivity to climate extremes in Switzerland using model-data fusion
  Trotsiuk, Volodymyr; Hartig, Florian; Cailleret, Maxime; Babst, Flurin; Forrester, David I.; Baltensweiler, Andri; Buchmann, Nina; Bugmann, H; Gessler, A; Gharun, M; Minunno, F;  Rigling, A; Rohner, B; Stillhard, J; Thurig, E; Waldner, P; Ferretti, M; Eugster, W; Schaub, M
  Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.15011 FEB 2020
• Light and VPD gradients drive foliar nitrogen partitioning and photosynthesis in the canopy of European beech and silver fir
  Bachofen, Christoph; D'Odorico, Petra; Buchmann, Nina
  Oecologia, 10.1007/s00442-019-04583-x, FEB 2020
• TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
  Kattge, Jens; Boenisch, Gerhard; Diaz, Sandra; Lavorel, Sandra; Prentice, Iain Colin; et al.
  Global Change Biology, 10.1111/gcb.14904, JAN 2020
• Economic benefits from plant species diversity in intensively managed grasslands
  Schaub, Sergei; Buchmann, Nina; Luscher, Andreas; Finger, Robert
  Ecological Economics,  DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.106488  2020
• Adaptation to local climate in multi-trait space: evidence from silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) populations across a heterogeneous environment
  Csillery, Katalin; Ovaskainen, Otso; Sperisen, Christoph; Buchmann, Nina; Widmer, Alex; Gugerli, F
  Heredity,  DOI: 10.1038/s41437-019-0240-0, 2020
• Limited evidence for spatial resource partitioning across temperate grassland biodiversity experiments
  Barry, Kathryn E.; van Ruijven, Jasper; Mommer, Liesje; Bai, Yongfei; Beierkuhnlein, Carl; Buchmann, N; de Kroon, H; Ebeling, A; Eisenhauer, N; Guimaraes-Steinicke, C; Hildebrandt, A; Isbell, F; Milcu, A; Nesshover, C; Reich, PB; Roscher, C; Sauheitl, L; Scherer-Lorenzen, M; Schmid, B; Tilman, D; von Felten, S; Weigelt, A
  Ecology,  DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2905, 2020
• Transferring biodiversity-ecosystem function research to the management of 'real-world' ecosystems
  Manning, Peter; Loos, Jacqueline; Barnes, Andrew D.; Batary, Peter; Bianchi, Felix J. J. A.; et al.
  Mechanisms Underlying The Relationship Between Biodiversity And Ecosystem Function, 10.1016/bs.aecr.2019.06.009, 2019
• A multitrophic perspective on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research
  Eisenhauer, Nico; Schielzeth, Holger; Barnes, Andrew D.; Barry, Kathryn E.; Bonn, Aletta; et al.
  Mechanisms Underlying The Relationship Between Biodiversity And Ecosystem Function,  DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2019.06.001
• The Rich Picture Method: A Simple Tool for Reflective Teaching and Learning about Sustainable Food Systems
  Grant, Michelle; Gilgen, Anna K.; Buchmann, Nina
  Sustainability,  DOI: 10.3390/su11184815, 2019
• Assessment of spatial variability of multiple ecosystem services in grasslands of different intensities
  Solen, Le Clec'h; Finger, Robert; Buchmann, Nina; Gosal, Arjan S.; Hoertnagl, Lukas; et al.
  Journal Of Environmental Management, 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109372, 2019
• Comment on "The global tree restoration potential"
  Veldman, JW; Aleman, JC; Alvarado, ST; Anderson, TM et al.
  SCIENCE, 10.1126/science.aay7976, Published: OCT 18 2019
• Microbial succession on decomposing root litter in a drought-prone Scots pine forest
  Herzog, C; Hartmann, M; Frey, B; Stierli, B; Rumpel, C; Buchmann, N; Brunner, I
  ISME JOURNAL, 13 (9):2346-2362; 10.1038/s41396-019-0436-6 SEP 2019
• Step back from the forest and step up to the Bonn Challenge: how a broad ecological perspective can promote successful landscape restoration
  Temperton, VM; Buchmann, N; Buisson, E; Durigan, G; Kazmierczak, L; Perring, MP; Dechoum, MD; Veldman, JW; Overbeck, GE
  RESTORATION ECOLOGY, 27 (4):705-719; 10.1111/rec.12989 JUL 2019
• Covariations between plant functional traits emerge from constraining parameterization of a terrestrial biosphere model
  Peaucelle, M; Bacour, C; Ciais, P; Vuichard, N; Kuppel, S; Penuelas, J; Marchesini, LB; Blanken, PD; Buchmann, N; Chen, JQ; Delpierre, N; Desai, AR; Dufrene, E; Gianelle, D; Gimeno-Colera, C; Gruening, C; Helfter, C; Hortnagl, L; Ibrom, A; Joffre, R; Kato, T; Kolb, TE; Law, B; Lindroth, A; Mammarella, I; Merbold, L; Minerbi, S; Montagnani, L; Sigut, L; Sutton, M; Varlagin, A; Vesala, T; Wohlfahrt, G; Wolf, S; Yakir, D; Viovy, N
  GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY, 10.1111/geb.12937 
• Measurement precision and accuracy of high artificial enrichment N-15 and C-13 tracer samples
  Mannerheim, N; Werner, RA; Buchmann, N
  RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, 33 (13):1153-1163; 10.1002/rcm.8451 JUL 15 2019
• Multiple plant diversity components drive consumer communities across ecosystems
  Schuldt, A; Ebeling, A; Kunz, M; Staab, M; Guimaraes-Steinicke, C; Bachmann, D; Buchmann, N; Durka, W; Fichtner, A; Fornoff, F; Hardtle, W; Hertzog, LR; Klein, AM; Roscher, C; Schaller, J; von Oheimb, G; Weigelt, A; Weisser, W; Wirth, C; Zhang, JY; Bruelheide, H; Eisenhauer, N
  NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 10 10.1038/s41467-019-09448-8 MAR 29 2019
• Estimating cropland carbon fluxes: A process-based model evaluation at a Swiss crop-rotation site
  Revill, A; Emmel, C; D'Odorico, P; Buchmann, N; Hortnagl, L; Eugster, W
  FIELD CROPS RESEARCH, 234 95-106; 10.1016/j.fcr.2019.02.006 MAR 15 2019
• Vertical patterns of photosynthesis and related leaf traits in two contrasting agricultural crops
  D'Odorico, P; Emmel, C; Revill, A; Liebisch, F; Eugster, W; Buchmann, N
  FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY, 46 (3):213-227; 10.1071/FP18061 2019
• Memory effects of climate and vegetation affecting net ecosystem CO2 fluxes in global forests
  Besnard, S; Carvalhais, N; Arain, MA; Black, A; Brede, B; Buchmann, N; Chen, JQ; Clevers, JGPW; Dutrieux, LP; Gans, F; Herold, M; Jung, M; Kosugi, Y; Knohl, A; Law, BE; Paul-Limoges, E; Lohila, A; Merbold, L; Roupsard, O; Valentini, R; Wolf, S; Zhang, XD; Reichstein, M
  PLOS ONE, 14 (2):10.1371/journal.pone.0211510 FEB 6 2019
• Functional composition has stronger impact than species richness on carbon gain and allocation in experimental grasslands
  Roscher, C; Karlowsky, S; Milcu, A; Gessler, A; Bachmann, D; Jesch, A; Lange, M; Mellado-Vazquez, P; Strecker, T; Landais, D; Ravel, O; Buchmann, N; Roy, J; Gleixner, G
  PLOS ONE, 14 (1):10.1371/journal.pone.0204715 JAN 31 2019
• Source partitioning of atmospheric methane using stable carbon isotope measurements in the Reuss Valley, Switzerland
  Stieger, Jacqueline; Bamberger, Ines; Siegwolf, Rolf T. W.; Buchmann, Nina; Eugster, Werner
  ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES, 55 (1):1-24; 10.1080/10256016.2018.1561448 JAN 2 2019
• Species-specific differences in water uptake depth of mature temperate trees vary with water availability in the soil
  Brinkmann, N.; Eugster, W.; Buchmann, N.; Kahmen, A.
  PLANT BIOLOGY, 21 (1):71-81; 10.1111/plb.12907 JAN 2019
• …

• Plant and Ecosystem Ecophysiology
• Biogeochemistry
• Greenhouse Gas Exchange (CO₂, H₂O, CH₄, N₂O)
• Biodiversity & Ecosystem Functioning
• Stable Isotope Ecology
• Policy Advice

• Global change biology
• Sustainable and efficient resource use.
• Ecosystem Ecology