Most of our research is concerned with drivers and functional consequences of biodiversity change, with the ecology and evolution of rare and invasive plants, with Alpine ecology, with Botanical Gardens (Botanical Garden of the University of Bern), and with conservation biology.

• Plant functional trait shifts explain concurrent changes in the structure and function of grassland soil microbial communities
  Boeddinghaus, RS; Marhan, S; Berner, D; Boch, S; Fischer, M; Holzel, N; Kattge, J; Klaus, VH; Kleinebecker, T; Oelmann, Y; Prati, D; Schafer, D;
  Schoning, I; Schrumpf, M; Sorkau, E; Kandeler, E; Manning, P
  JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, 107 (5):2197-2210; 10.1111/1365-2745.13182 SEP 2019
• Exclusion of large herbivores affects understorey shrub vegetation more than herb vegetation across 147 forest sites in three German regions
  Schafer, D; Prati, D; Schall, P; Ammer, C; Fischer, M
  PLOS ONE, 14 (7):10.1371/journal.pone.0218741 JUL 10 2019
• Disentangling the fundamental branching patterns of phylogenetic divergence to refine eco-phylogenetic analyses
  Molina-Venegas, R; Fischer, M; Hemp, A
  JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, 10.1111/jbi.13692 
• Increasing plant diversity of experimental grasslands alters the age and growth of Plantago lanceolata from younger and faster to older and slower
  Roeder, A; Schweingruber, FH; Fischer, M; Roscher, C
  OIKOS, 128 (8):1182-1193; 10.1111/oik.05739 AUG 2019
• Will I stay or will I go? Plant species-specific response and tolerance to high land-use intensity in temperate grassland ecosystems
  Busch, V; Klaus, VH; Schafer, D; Prati, D; Boch, S; Muller, J; Chiste, M; Mody, K; Bluthgen, N; Fischer, M; Holzel, N; Kleinebecker, T
  JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, 30 (4):674-686; 10.1111/jvs.12749 JUL 2019
• Climatic controls of decomposition drive the global biogeography of forest-tree symbioses
  Steidinger, BS; Crowther, TW; Liang, J; … Fischer, M; …; Niklaus, P; …; Schmid, B; Schongart, J; Searle, E; Seben, V; Serra-Diaz, JM; Salas-Eljatib, C; Sheil, D; Shvidenko, A; Silva-Espejo, J; Silveira, M; Singh, J; Sist, P; Slik, F; Sonke, B; Souza, AF; Sterenczak, K; Svenning, JC; Svoboda, M; Targhetta, N; Tchebakova, N; ter Steege, H; Thomas, R; Tikhonova, E; Umunay, P; Usoltsev, V; Valladares, F; van der Plas, F; Do, TV; Martinez, RV; Verbeeck, H; Viana, H; Vieira, S; von Gadow, K; Wang, HF; Watson, J; Westerlund, B; Wiser, S; Wittmann, F; Wortel, V; Zagt, R; Zawila-Niedzwiecki, T; Zhu, ZX; Zo-Bi, IC
  Group Author(s): GFBI Consortium
  NATURE, 569 (7756):404-+; 10.1038/s41586-019-1128-0 MAY 16 2019
• Climate-land-use interactions shape tropical mountain biodiversity and ecosystem functions
  Peters, MK; Hemp, A; Appelhans, T; Becker, JN; Behler, C; Classen, A; Detsch, F; Ensslin, A; Ferger, SW; Frederiksen, SB; Gebert, F; Gerschlauer, F; Gutlein, A; Helbig-Bonitz, M; Hemp, C; Kindeketa, WJ; Kuhnel, A; Mayr, AV; Mwangomo, E; Ngereza, C; Njovu, HK; Otte, I; Pabst, H; Renner, M; Roder, J; Rutten, G; Costa, DS; Sierra-Cornejo, N; Vollstadt, MGR; Dulle, HI; Eardley, CD; Howell, KM; Keller, A; Peters, RS; Ssymank, A; Kakengi, V; Zhang, J; Bogner, C; Bohning-Gaese, K; Brandl, R; Hertel, D; Huwe, B; Kiese, R; Kleyer, M; Kuzyakov, Y; Nauss, T; Schleuning, M; Tschapka, M; Fischer, M; Steffan-Dewenter, I
  NATURE, 568 (7750):88-+; 10.1038/s41586-019-1048-z APR 4 2019
• Ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic soil fungal biomass are driven by different factors and vary among broadleaf and coniferous temperate forests
  Awad, A; Majcherczyk, A; Schall, P; Schroter, K; Schoning, I; Schrumpf, M; Ehbrecht, M; Boch, S; Kahl, T; Bauhus, J; Seidel, D; Ammer, C; Fischer, M; Kues, U; Pena, R
  SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY, 131 9-18; 10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.12.014 APR 2019
• Identifying the tree species compositions that maximize ecosystem functioning in European forests
  Baeten, L; Bruelheide, H; van der Plas, F; Kambach, S; Ratcliffe, S; Jucker, T; Allan, E; Ampoorter, E; Barbaro, L; Bastias, CC; Bauhus, J; Benavides, R; Bonal, D; Bouriaud, O; Bussotti, F; Carnol, M; Castagneyrol, B; Charbonnier, Y; Checko, E; Coomes, DA; Dahlgren, J; Dawud, SM; De Wandeler, H; Domisch, T; Finer, L; Fischer, M; Fotelli, M; Gessler, A; Grossiord, C; Guyot, V; Hattenschwiler, S; Jactel, H; Jaroszewicz, B; Joly, FX; Koricheva, J; Lehtonen, A; Muller, S; Muys, B; Nguyen, D; Pollastrini, M; Radoglou, K; Raulund-Rasmussen, K; Ruiz-Benito, P; Selvi, F; Stenlid, J; Valladares, F; Vesterdal, L; Verheyen, K; Wirth, C; Zavala, MA; Scherer-Lorenzen, M
  JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, 56 (3):733-744; 10.1111/1365-2664.13308 MAR 2019
• Landscape-Scale Mixtures of Tree Species are More Effective than Stand-Scale Mixtures for Biodiversity of Vascular Plants, Bryophytes and Lichens
  Heinrichs, S; Ammer, C; Mund, M; Boch, S; Budde, S; Fischer, M; Muller, J; Schoning, I; Schulze, ED; Schmidt, W; Weckesser, M; Schall, P
  FORESTS, 10 (1):10.3390/f10010073 JAN 2019
• Effects of structural heterogeneity on the diurnal temperature range in temperate forest ecosystems
  Ehbrecht, M; Schall, P; Ammer, C; Fischer, M; Seidel, D
  FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT, 432 860-867; 10.1016/j.foreco.2018.10.008 JAN 15 2019
• Effects of forest management on bryophyte species richness in Central European forests
  Muller, J; Boch, S; Prati, D; Socher, SA; Pommer, U; Hessenmoller, D; Schall, P; Schulze, ED; Fischer, M
  FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT, 432 850-859; 10.1016/j.foreco.2018.10.019 JAN 15 2019
• Towards the development of general rules describing landscape heterogeneity-multifunctionality relationships
  van der Plas, F; Allan, E; Fischer, M; Alt, F; Arndt, H; Binkenstein, J; Blaser, S; Bluthgen, N; Bohm, S; Holzel, N; Klaus, VH; Kleinebecker, T;
  Morris, K; Oelmann, Y; Prati, D; Renner, SC; Rillig, MC; Schaefer, HM; Schloter, M; Schmitt, B; Schoning, I; Schrumpf, M; Solly, EF; Sorkau, E;
  Steckel, J; Steffan-Dewenter, I; Stempfhuber, B; Tschapka, M; Weiner, CN; Weisser, WW; Werner, M; Westphal, C; Wilcke, W; Manning, P
  JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, 56 (1):168-179; 10.1111/1365-2664.13260 JAN 2019
• Specialisation and diversity of multiple trophic groups are promoted by different forest features
  Penone, C; Allan, E; Soliveres, S; Felipe-Lucia, MR; Gossner, MM; Seibold, S; Simons, NK; Schall, P; van der Plas, F; Manning, P; Manzanedo, RD; Boch, S; Prati, D; Ammer, C; Bauhus, J; Buscot, F;
  Ehbrecht, M; Goldmann, K; Jung, K; Muller, J; Muller, JC; Pena, R; Polle, A; Renner, SC; Ruess, L; Schonig, I; Schrumpf, M; Solly, EF; Tschapka, M; Weisser, WW; Wubet, T; Fischer, M
  ECOLOGY LETTERS, 22 (1):170-180; 10.1111/ele.13182 JAN 2019
• Plant niche breadths along environmental gradients and their relationship to plant functional traits
  Costa, DS; Gerschlauer, F; Kiese, R; Fischer, M; Kleyer, M; Hemp, A
  DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, 24 (12):1869-1882; 10.1111/ddi.12815 DEC 2018
• Multiple forest attributes underpin the supply of multiple ecosystem services
  Felipe-Lucia, MR; Soliveres, S; Penone, C; Manning, P; van der Plas, F; Boch, S; Prati, D; Ammer, C; Schall, P; Gossner, MM; Bauhus, J; Buscot, F; Blaser, S; Bluthgen, N; de Frutos, A; Ehbrecht, M; Frank, K; Goldmann, K; Hansel, F; Jung, K; Kahl, T; Nauss, T; Oelmann, Y; Pena, R; Polle, A; Renner, S; Schloter, M; Schoning, I; Schrumpf, M; Schulze, ED; Solly, E; Sorkau, E; Stempfhuber, B; Tschapka, M; Weisser, WW; Wubet, T; Fischer, M; Allan, E
  NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 9 10.1038/s41467-018-07082-4 NOV 16 2018
• Relations between forest management, stand structure and productivity across different types of Central European forests
  Schall, P; Schulze, ED; Fischer, M; Ayasse, M; Ammer, C
  BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY, 32 39-52; 10.1016/j.baae.2018.02.007 NOV 2018
• Low-intensity management promotes bryophyte diversity in grasslands
  Boch, S; Muller, J; Prati, D; Fischer, M
  TUEXENIA, (38):311-328; 10.14471/2018.38.014 2018
• Direct and indirect effects of land use on bryophytes in grasslands
  Boch, S; Allan, E; Humbert, JY; Kurtogullari, Y; Lessard-Therrien, M; Muller, J; Prati, D; Rieder, NS; Arlettaz, R; Fischer, M
  SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 644 60-67; 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.323 DEC 10 2018
• Impacts of species richness on productivity in a large-scale subtropical forest experiment
  Huang, Y; Chen, Y; Castro-Izaguirre, N; Baruffol, M; Brezzi, M; Lang, AN; Li, Y; Haerdtle, W; Oheimb, G; Yang, X; Liu, X; Pei, K; Both, S; Yang, B; Eichenberg, D; Assmann, T; Bauhus, J; Behrens, T; Buscot, F; Chen, XY; Chesters, D; Ding, BY; Durka, W; Erfmeier, A; Fang, J; Fischer, M; Guo, LD; Guo, D; Gutknecht, JLM; He, JS; He, CL; Hector, A; Hoenig, L; Hu, RY; Klein, AM; Kuehn, P; Liang, Y; Li, S; Michalski, S; Scherer-Lorenzen, M; Schmidt, K; Scholten, T; Schuldt, A; Shi, X; Tan, MZ; Tang, Z; Trogisch, S; Wang, Z; Welk, E; Wirth, C; Wubet, T; Xiang, W; Yu, M; Yu, XD; Zhang, J; Zhang, S; Zhang, N; Zhou, HZ; Zhu, CD; Zhu, L; Bruelheide, H; Ma, K; Niklaus, PA; Schmid, B
  SCIENCE, 362 (6410):80-+; SI 10.1126/science.aat6405 OCT 5 2018
• Fagus sylvatica seedlings show provenance differentiation rather than adaptation to soil in a transplant experiment
  Manzanedo, RD; Schanz, FR; Fischer, M; Allan, E
  BMC ECOLOGY, 18 10.1186/s12898-018-0197-5 OCT 3 2018
• Genetic differentiation, phenotypic plasticity and adaptation in a hybridizing pair of a more common and a less common Carex species
  Schmidt, L; Schmid, B; Oja, T; Fischer, M
  ALPINE BOTANY, 128 (2):149-167; 10.1007/s00035-018-0211-8 OCT 2018
• Increase in CO2 concentration could alter the response of Hedera helix to climate change
  Manzanedo, RD; Ballesteros-Canovas, J; Schenk, F; Stoffel, M; Fischer, M; Allan, E
  ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 8 (16):8598-8606; 10.1002/ece3.4388 AUG 2018
• Plant and animal functional diversity drive mutualistic network assembly across an elevational gradient
  Albrecht, J; Classen, A; Vollstadt, MGR; Mayr, A; Mollel, NP; Costa, DS; Dulle, HI; Fischer, M; Hemp, A; Howell, KM; Kleyer, M; Nauss, T; Peters, MK; Tschapka, M; Steffan-Dewenter, I; Bohning-Gaese, K; Schleuning, M
  NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 9 10.1038/s41467-018-05610-w AUG 9 2018
• Opportunities for research on mountain biodiversity under global change
  Payne, D; Spehn, EM; Snethlage, M; Fischer, M
  CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, 29 40-47; 10.1016/j.cosust.2017.11.001 DEC 2017
• Understanding the evolutionary potential of epigenetic variation: a comparison of heritable phenotypic variation in epiRILs, RILs, and natural ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana
  Zhang, Yuan-Ye; Latzel, Vit; Fischer, Markus; Bossdorf, Oliver
  HEREDITY, 121 (3):257-265; 10.1038/s41437-018-0095-9 SEP 2018
• Connecting experimental biodiversity research to real-world grasslands
  Buchmann T; Schumacher J; Ebeling A; Eisenhauer N ; Fischer M; Gleixner G; Hacker N; Lange M; Oelmann Y; Schulze ED; Weigelt A; Weisser WW; Wilcke W; Roscher C
  PERSPECTIVES IN PLANT ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS Volume: 33 Pages: 78-88 DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2018.06.002 AUG 2018

• Evolutionary Ecology
• Functional Biodiversity Research
• Conservation Biology
• Invasion Biology
• Alpine Ecology

Often in the framework of several larger research units in Switzerland, Germany, China and Africa we collaborate with

• Molecular biologists
• Population geneticists and biologists
• Biodiversity and ecosystem researchers of all kinds
• Modelers, mostly on plant interactions with other organisms.