Palaeoecology (Willy Tinner)

Research topics include biodiversity, evolutionary and community ecology, population biology as well conservation biology, terrestrial and aquatic palaeoecology, and vegetation ecology in tropical ecosystems. (terrestrial palaeoecology, Willy Tinner; aquatic palaeoecology, Oliver Heiri)

Plant Ecology (Markus Fischer)

Performs basic and applied research in a wide spectrum of plant ecological disciplines including population biology, evolutionary ecology, community ecology and conservation biology. Main research foci are functional biodiversity research, evolutionary ecology of rare and invasive plant species, biodiversity in the alps, and life-history evolution.

Vegetation Ecology (David M. Newbery)

The focus is on tropical rain forest ecology and ecosystems, looking at structure, phenology and dynamics of woody vegetation, ecosystem and community processes as well as nutrient cycling and water relations in trees. Quantitative, statistical methods of analysis and modeling are used….

Plant Genetics & Development (Cris Kuhlemeier)

Main subjects are leaf development, the ecology of plant-pollinator interactions (Cris Kuhlemeier), crop breeding and genomics of Tef (Zerihun Tadele) and systems biology and modelling (Richard Smith).

Nutrition (Urs Feller)

Investigates the physiological limitations for plant growth at elevated temperatures and under drought, studies heavy metal transport and protein metabolism.

Molecular Plant Physiology (Doris Rentsch)

Has a focus on intra- and intercellular transport of organic nitrogen (N) compounds in plants and other organisms.