About us

Terrestrial Systems Ecology is an interdisciplinary group studying dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems as impacted by environmental changes such as climatic change. The group is headed by Andreas Fischlin.

Terrestrial Systems Ecology has three focuses:

• Systems theory of ecological systems. It provides the "background" theory and concepts for the other research activities relying on modeling and simulation. E.g., within the research project RAMSES we develop a general modeling theory plus the related software tools , which particularly support the structured, modular modeling of complex ecological systems (e.g. Fischlin 1991 ).
  
  

• Secondly the relationships between biophysical forcing factors and ecosystem functions are studied. E.g., techniques are developed to downscale the output of climate models (GCMs) to the regional scale, and to construct optimal consistent bioclimatic scenarios to drive an ecosystem model (e.g. Gyalistras et al. 1994 ).

• Thirdly, responses of mountain forests to climatic change in the Alpine region are studied (see figure). In collaboration with scientists from within and outside the Instiute of Terrestrial Eclogy (ITO) we develop integrated models to simulate the dynamics of forests (e.g. ForClim Bugmann 1994, Fischlin et al. 1995, Perruchoud 1996, Bugmann 1996, Gyalistras 2 1997 ). The models are built in a modular manner from integratable, yet independent submodels to test, analyze, and validate them against field data. Currently studied submodels mimick tree dynamics (e.g. C- and N-dynamics in the soil), tree migration, and herbivory (e.g. insect pests, grazing). The models are used to assess impacts of putative climatic change and to explore the sensitivity of forests to environmental changes (e.g. Fischlin & Gyalistras 1997 ).

Lectures and courses serve to introduce students from many curriculae to the theory and methods of systems ecology.