Institute of Plant Sciences - Plant Ecology

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	Plant Ecology
	University of Bern > Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Plant Sciences > Plant Ecology > Research > Arctic Ecology

	Plant Ecology\|Veget. Ecology\|Paleoecology\|Nutrition\|Development\|Physiology\|Sys. Biology\|Associated\|Emeriti

Team

Research

Evolutionary Ecology

Functional Biodiversity

Conservation Biology

Invasion Biology

Global Change Ecology

Arctic & Alpine Ecology

Publications

Teaching

Group Seminar

MSc/Bachelor

Events

M.U.R.I

last update:
August 09, 2011
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Arctic & Alpine Ecology

Impacts of hemiparasitic plants on plant community dynamics under global change

Patrick Kuss
Hemiparasitic plants are known to negatively impact total biomass production of grasslands. At the same time they may facilitate species co-occurrence through mediating competitive hierarchies among species. In a set of experiments we aim to elucidate the functional role of hemiparasites in species co-occurrences under global change scenarios for the Swiss Alps.

Facultative vs. obligatory hemiparasitism of Pedicularis under different environmental conditions

Patrick Kuss
Cultivation of Pedicularis is notoriously difficult and usually fails without adequate hosts. However, field observation suggest that hemiparasitism is differentially expressed during distinct life-stages and under different site conditions. We test these observations experimentally with a model host grass species.

Phylogeny of the hemiparasitic plant genus Pedicularis

Patrick Kuss

The plant genus Pedicularis harbors >600 species which are predominantly distributed in polar and alpine habitats of the Northern hemisphere. Traditional intrageneric classification has largely focused on flower morphology as the main phylogenetic character whereas first molecular evidence emphasized phyllotaxy. We use chloroplast and nuclear DNA as well as quantitative and qualitative morphological traits in order to elucidate the phylogeny of this genus.
(in collaboration with Rick Ree, Field Museum Chicago)

Long-term effects of different fertilizer and land-use treatments on the composition of an alpine pasture

Christine Heiniger, Patrick Kuss, Markus Fischer
In the early 1940’s, Werner Lüdi set up a large field experiment in the Swiss Alps to test how an unproductive alpine pasture could be improved in terms of biomass and nutritious value. He applied several fertilizer and land-use treatments and recorded species composition and frequency as well as biomass production and soil parameters. We will carry out vegetation relevés on the initial 1-m² plots and analyze biomass and soil in order to outline long-term fertilizer and land-use impacts on biodiversity and productivity of this unique pasture.

Fischer Lab

Prof. Dr. Markus Fischer

University of Bern, Plant Sciences
Altenbergrain 21
CH-3013 Bern
phone +41 31 631 4943
fax +41 31 631 4942

e-mail Markus.Fischer@ips.unibe.ch
internet http://www.botany.unibe.ch/planteco