Meet the Lab

The Crowther Lab at ETH Zürich is an interdisciplinary research group which aims to generate a better understanding of global ecology in order to inform and address biodiversity loss and climate change.

We are theoretical ecologists, restoration experts, and data scientists studying global ecosystems and our work is helping create the scientific foundation for ecosystem restoration.

We’re optimistic problem solvers and communicators, students and teachers, partners and parents. We’re the Crowther Lab at ETH Zurich!

Portrait Prof. Dr. Thomas Crowther Lead scientist and lab founder

Prof. Dr. Thomas Crowther

Lead Scientist and Lab Founder

Thomas Crowther is an ecologist studying the connections between biodiversity and climate change. He is a professor in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich, chair of the advisory council for the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and founder of Restor, an online platform for the global restoration movement. In 2021, the World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader for his work on the protection and restoration of biodiversity. Read more.

Fundamental Ecology

What is diversity and how did it even arise? We don’t know, yet! This group studies the core mechanisms, processes, and principles that give rise to biological diversity and ecosystem function. They focus on levels of organization ranging from the individual organism to landscape level dynamics, identifying how species interactions and environmental conditions interactively shape the composition, structure, and function of natural ecosystems.

The Fundamental Ecology group is led by Dr. Lalasia Bialic-Murphy. Learn more about her research.

image

Dr. Lalasia Bialic-Murphy

Lead Scientist

image

Dr. Xianyu Yang

Postdoc

Understanding the role of demographic strategies in maintaining species distributional patterns and diversity.

image

Kathi Runge

PhD student

Puzzled by the complexity of ecosystems' dynamics and trying to solve the puzzle of thresholds to guide nature conservation.

image

Wenna Tu

Guest PhD student

Exploring ecosystems under human influence.

Microbial Ecology

What is happening belowground and how does it drive what we see aboveground? This group is interested in understanding microbial influence on plant diversity and biogeography. We also study human impacts on plants, microbes, and plant-microbe relationships, such as land use change, nutrient deposition and invasion. We study all plant associated and soil microbes, but have a strong focus on mutualistic mycorrhizal fungi. To do this, we use multiple types of data and tools, from greenhouse experiments to global data, and wet lab analyses to large models.

The Microbial Ecology group is led by Dr. Camille Delavaux. Learn more about her resesarch.

image

Dr. Camille Delavaux

Lead Scientist

Understanding how invisible soil microbes shape forest diversity and plant biogeography.

image

Dr. Laura van Galen

Postdoc

Exploring the below-ground world of hidden diversity.

image

Dr. Sara Cazzaniga

Postdoc

Fascinated by the many and diverse ways microbes impact life on Earth, and striving to learn more about them.

image

Matilde Bragadini

PhD student

Lover of nematodes exploring soil microbes.

image

Alice Simões Neves

Research Assistant

Global Vegetation Ecology

Plants play a crucial role in maintaining life on Earth, regulating the climate, and providing a home to countless organisms. Our research team studies how plants respond to global warming and the vital role their ecosystems play in tackling climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. To explore the intricate feedbacks between global vegetation and the climate system, we use a balanced approach, integrating experimental, meta-analytical, and modeling methods. Our primary goal is to gain a deeper understanding of ecosystems and their capacity to cope with climate change. Through our research efforts, we aspire to contribute to the development of strategies aimed at addressing climate change, safeguarding the balance of nature for future generations.

The Global Vegetation Ecology group is led by Dr. Constantin Zohner. Learn more about his resesarch.

image

Dr. Constantin Zohner

Lead Scientist

Solving the mysteries of phenology and other stuff trees do in response to climate change.

image

Dr. Lidong Mo

Postdoc

image

Dr. Nils Hohmuth

Postdoc

Health impact of climate change and biodiversity loss.

image

Yibiao Zou

PhD Student

Badminton lover who tries to hit the shuttlecock of macro-ecology.

image

Dominic Rebindaine

PhD Student

Animal conservationist turned vegetation ecologist.

Restoration Ecology

Ecological restoration projects can often be ineffective or inefficient, not for lack of effort, but for a lack of ecological and socio-economic information to guide implementation. For example, forest restoration efforts may fail or meet with limited success due to improper species selection or failure to address underlying environmental or socio-economic barriers to forest establishment and retention. Restoration efforts can be made more efficient by understanding the conditions where assisted regeneration vs natural recovery are necessary. Research to develop an array of effective approaches for assisted regeneration that meet different objectives such as carbon sequestration, conserving biodiversity, or providing ecosystem services, and that address site-specific challenges, is critically needed.

As we enter the UN’s Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, it is our responsibility, as scientists, to ensure that ecological restoration efforts are guided by access to the best science, underpinned by rigorous and innovative research, long-term monitoring and assessment of outcomes, and local- to global-scale analytics.

The Restoration Ecology group is led by Dr. Daisy Dent. Learn more about her resesarch.

image

Dr. Daisy Dent

Lead Scientist

image

Dr. Leland Werden

Lead Scientist

Identifying and finding solutions to restoration and conservation challenges around the world.

image

Dr. Carolina Bello

Postdoc

Understanding how animals can help us to restore ecosystems and counter climate change.

image

Dr. Sara Löfqvist

Postdoc

Exploring the role of finance in promoting equitable ecosystem restoration.

image

Dr. Rebecca Cole

Restoration Ecologist (Costa Rica)

image

Giacomo Delgado

PhD Student

Environmental activist using cutting-edge technology to monitor the impacts of policy on biodiversity and ecosystems.

image

Matilde Bragadini

PhD student

Lover of nematodes exploring soil microbes.

image

Elodie Adam

PhD student

Diving into data to uncover impactful insights that help biodiversity thrive.

image

Gerald Quirós

Restoration Project Coordinator

image

Hubert Szczygieł

Research Assistant

Landscapes

What is a landscape? A place? A genre of painting or photography? A printer orientation? In the Landscapes Group, we investigate different ways of looking at the Earth and the things that live there, especially (but not exclusively) humans and plants. We are interested in measuring patterns in physical, geographic landscapes and exploring what these patterns mean for the things that humans might like landscapes to do. We also seek to explore landscapes of thought and sentiment, since such expressionistic landscapes form the foundation for the realist landscapes taking shape on the ground.

The Landscapes group is led by Dr. Gabriel Smith. Learn more about his resesarch.

image

Dr. Gabriel Smith

Lead Scientist

Finding facets and functions of figures and flora to foster formation of flourishing futures.

image

Josephine Reek

PhD Student

image

Gayoung Yang

PhD Student

Lab & Data Science

image

Dr. Johan van den Hoogen

Lab Manager, Research Scientist

I make maps.

image

Thomas Lauber

Data Scientist

Making the scientists' dreams come true.

image

Felix Specker

Geospatial Data Scientist

Remote sensing for biodiversity.

image

Amber Martinovits

Project Assistant

Aspiring researcher on a mission to make the word “eco” cool again.

Communications & Operations

image

Emily Clark

Group Manager

Scientist whisperer, human Siri, and overseer of work-life balance.

image

Elizabeth Rembelska

Project Manager

I work behind the curtains while our researchers are on stage.

image

Stella Tandhika

Digital Marketing and Content Strategist

On the way to make ecology as cool as NASA, one reel at a time.

image

Chrysa Chouliara

Visual Communications Specialist

Visual storyteller in love with science.

SEED

image

Dr. Robert McElderry

Product Manager SEED

Sensible science for practical solutions.

image

Dr. Ian Brettell

Policy Director

Translating science into effective policy.

image

Alexa Firmenich

Special Advisor

Making the world fall in love with complexity, one SEED at a time.

image

Charbel El Khoury

Geospatial Deep Learning Specialist

image

Dr. Priyanka Chaudhary

Geospatial Deep Learning Scientist

image

Dr. Manu Shivakumara

eDNA Data Ecologist

Leveraging genomics to gain insights into biodiversity.

image

Prof. Dr. Anna Schweiger

Remote Sensing Ecologist (USA)

Remote sensing biodiversity and ecosystem function.