I am a biologist working on different aspects of plant ecology since my Master studies. My interest broadly includes plant ecology, multi-trophic interactions, alien plant species, pollination biology and conservation ecology.
During my PhD at the University of Konstanz in Germany, I explored Darwin’s naturalization hypothesis, including different aspects of a plant’s life and multi-trophic interactions. My focus was on how the success of an introduced plant depends on its phylogenetic relatedness to the native community. During my Masters in South Africa I worked in Ndumo Game Reserve and in the Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg on alien plant removal and its effect on arthropod communities.
Since June 2020, I am working at the Botanical Garden in Bern on ex-situ plant conservation, addressing the risks and the relevance of different factors for plant performance in ex-situ cultures. The aim is to provide science based guidelines for ex-situ plant conservation. This means I collaborate with relevant actors both within and outside academia, in order to implement the findings of my research. Together with InfoFlora and the Botanical Garden of Genève, we organize a biyearly workshop to bring together and update the ex-situ plant conservation community of Switzerland on the most recent findings on the topic. Currently, in collaboration with RegioFlora and on behalf of the BAFU (Federal Office for the Environment) and the BLW (Federal Office for Agriculture) I am contributing to the writing of a concept for ex-situ plant conservation in Switzerland.
My current projects include, among others: studying the role of heterospecific pollen interference between common and rare species; a project on ruderal annual species investigating the role of stratification; determining the potential of using green roofs for conservation purposes; a project on the tiny mousetail (Myosurus minimus), a species that currently has only a single population in Switzerland.
I also teach statistical analyses with R from time to time and intend to develop a course on advanced statistical analyses for ecologist for doctoral students and postdocs.
