Plant life in alpine habitats
Plant Population and Evolutionary Biology
Adaptation and phenotypic plasticity are both crucial for the long-term survival of plants in changing world. Our actual research is focused on the functional consequences of the highly structured alpine landscape for demographic, reproductive and evolutionary processes in plants. With increasing altitude, plant life is challenged by low temperature, more snow, a shorter vegetation period, and harsher conditions due to a rising number of extreme weather events.
We aim to explain the pattern of within and among species diversity in relation to altitude, biogeographic factors and human land use, We ask how far the the glacial history of the Alpine flora has affected genetic diversity and ecologically relevant differentiation and adaptation of species. We try to quantify the importance of genetic processes and phenotypic plasticity for local adaptation in functionally important plant traits.
We combine observational studies, molecular analysis, field-, greenhouse and common garden experiments as well as demographic modelling to answer questions and test hypotheses.
Research topics
Genetic diversity, phenotypic plasticity and adaptation in Alpine plants
Effects of land use and global change on biodiversity in grassland
The demographic and functional consequences of clonal growth
Reproductive biology of plants
Interdisciplinary
Demographic modelling
Molecular pattern of adaptation
Phylogeography
Plant-animal interactions
Functional community ecology
