Prof. Dr. Michael Döring

Work at ZHAW

Position

• Senior researcher and lecturer
• Head Research Group for Ecohydrology

Focus

• Ecology of floodplains and streams
• Structural and functional dynamics of floodplains
• Restoration and conservation of streams
• Ecological consequences of hydropower production and flood protection in floodplains
• Remote sensing and spatial analyses (GIS) of ecosystems
• Indicator development
• Organic matter processing

Teaching

• River ecology and restoration (6 credits Bachelor level)
• Remote sensing for ecosystems (3 credits Master level)
• Remote sensing for field ecology (3 credits). Flathead Lake Biological Station. University of Montana, USA.
• Certified Advanced Studies (CAS) in River Restoration

Experience

• Lecturer
  Flathead Lake Biological Station of the University of Montana, USA
  07 / 2017 - today
• Senior lecturer and group leader Ecohydrology
  ZHAW, Switzerland
  07 / 2014 - today
• Board member
  Swiss Society for Hydrology and Limnology - SSHL
  01 / 2011 - today
• Guest scientist
  Eawag, Switzerland
  07 / 2014 - 06 / 2019
• Research scientist
  Department of Aquatic Ecology ECO, EAWAG, Switzerland
  04 / 2009 - 06 / 2014
• Coordinator
  Work package “Optimal ecological discharge” integrated in the EU InterReg project “AlpWaterScarce”
  04 / 2009 - 10 / 2011
• Risk Analyst
  Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd, SwissRe, Switzerland
  07 / 2007 - 03 / 2009
• Postdoc
  Department of Aquatic Ecology ECO, EAWAG, Switzerland
  02 / 2007 - 06 / 2007
• GIS specialist
  Concepta LLC, Germany
  08 / 2002 - 12 / 2002

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Dr. sc. ETH / Environmental Sciences
  ETH Zurich/ EAWAG, Switzerland
  01 / 2003 - 02 / 2007
• Master of Geography / Major: Geoecology, Spatial information analysis (GIS); Minor: Zoology, Botany, Geobotany, Geology
  Ruhr University of Bochum, Germany; EAWAG Switzerland
  10 / 1995 - 08 / 2002

Continuing Education

CAS University didactics
Zurich University of Teacher Education PHZH
10 / 2017

Network

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8890-4690

Social media

• LinkedIn
• ResearchGate

Projects

• Monitoring artificial flooding Saane (2026–2030) / Project leader / ongoing
• HistoRiCH: Historical river change – Planning for the future by exploring the mapped past / Project leader / completed
• Effects of hydropower exploitation on spatio-temporal variability of temperature in downstream rivers / Team member / completed
• Aquatic-terrestrial floodplain monitoring using remote sensing / Project leader / completed
• Success control of a reservoir flushing using remote sensing and photogrammetry / Project leader / completed
• Hydroecology and Floodplain Sustainability in Application / Project leader / completed
• Monitoring Simme and Kander / Project leader / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Antonelli, M. et al. (2024) 'Identifying anthropogenic legacy in freshwater ecosystems', WIREs Water, 11(4), p. e1729. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1729.
• Wissen Hayek, U. et al. (2023) 'Sensing river and floodplain biodiversity : developing a prototype', Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture, (8), pp. 523–532. doi: 10.14627/537740055.
• Scherelis, V. et al. (2023) 'Hydromorphological information in historical maps of Switzerland : from map feature definition to ecological metric derivation', Annals of the American Association of Geographers. doi: 10.1080/24694452.2022.2160693.
• Scherelis, V., Döring, M. and Laube, P. (2023) 'HydroWidth : a small‐scale approach to calculate river width and its variability', Transactions in GIS, 27(5), pp. 1503–1525. doi: 10.1111/tgis.13083.
• Tonolla, D. et al. (2022) 'Effects of hydropeaking on drift, stranding and community composition of macroinvertebrates : a field experimental approach in three regulated Swiss rivers', River Research and Applications, 39(3), pp. 427–443. doi: 10.1002/rra.4019.
• Antonetti, M. et al. (2022) 'Integrating two‐dimensional water temperature simulations into a fish habitat model to improve hydro‐ and thermopeaking impact assessment', River Research and Applications, 39(3), pp. 501–521. doi: 10.1002/rra.4043.
• Consoli, G. et al. (2022) 'Tributary effects on the ecological responses of a regulated river to experimental floods', Journal of Environmental Management, 303(114122). doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114122.
• Doering, M. et al. (2021) 'Microbial communities in floodplain ecosystems in relation to altered flow regimes and experimental flooding', Science of the Total Environment, 788(147497). doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147497.
• Tonolla, D., Geilhausen, M. and Döring, M. (2020) 'Seven decades of hydrogeomorphological changes in a near‐natural (Sense River) and a hydropower‐regulated (Sarine River) pre‐Alpine river floodplain in Western Switzerland', Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 46(1), pp. 252–266. doi: 10.1002/esp.5017.
• Milani, G. et al. (2020) 'Characterizing flood impact on Swiss floodplains using inter-annual time series of satellite imagery', IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 13, pp. 1479–1493. doi: 10.1109/JSTARS.2020.2980381.
• Milani, G. et al. (2019) 'Remotely sensing variation in ecological strategies and plant traits of willows in perialpine floodplains', Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 124(7), pp. 2090–2106. doi: 10.1029/2018JG004969.
• Ehrbar, D. et al. (2018) 'Continuous seasonal and large-scale periglacial reservoir sedimentation', Sustainability, 10(9), p. 3265. doi: 10.3390/su10093265.
• Martin, E. et al. (2018) 'Evaluation of restoration and flow interactions on river structure and function : channel widening of the Thur river, Switzerland', Water, 10(4), p. 439. doi: 10.3390/w10040439.
• Milani, G. et al. (2018) 'Robust quantification of riverine land cover dynamics by high-resolution remote sensing', Remote Sensing of Environment, 217, pp. 491–505. doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2018.08.035.
• Mori, N. et al. (2017) 'Spatio-temporal heterogeneity of actual and potential respiration in two contrasting floodplains', Hydrological Processes, 31(14), pp. 2622–2626. doi: 10.1002/hyp.11211.
• Martin, E. J., Döring, M. and Robinson, C. T. (2017) 'Ecological assessment of a sediment by-pass tunnel on a receiving stream in Switzerland', River Research and Applications, 33(6), pp. 925–936. doi: 10.1002/rra.3145.
• Ehrbar, D. et al. (2017) 'Measuring suspended sediments in periglacial reservoirs using water samples, laser in-situ scattering and transmissometry and acoustic Doppler current profiler', International Journal of River Basin Management, 15(4), pp. 413–431. doi: 10.1080/15715124.2017.1327866.
• Bodmer, P. et al. (2016) 'Spatio-temporal relationships between habitat types and microbial function of an upland floodplain', Aquatic Sciences, 78(2), pp. 241–254. doi: 10.1007/s00027-015-0420-9.
• Simcic, T. et al. (2015) 'The response in floodplain respiration of an Alpine river to experimental inundation under different temperature regimes', Hydrological Processes, 29(26), pp. 5438–5450. doi: 10.1002/hyp.10584.
• Cardenas, M. B. et al. (2014) 'Analysis of the temperature dynamics of a proglacial river using time-lapse thermal imaging and energy balance modeling', Journal of Hydrology, 519(Part B), pp. 1963–1973. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.09.079.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Scherelis, V., Laube, P. and Doering, M. (2023) 'From change detection to change analytics : decomposing multi-temporal pixel evolution vectors', in 12th International Conference on Geographic Information Science (GIScience 2023). Schloss Dagstuhl - Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik, pp. 65:1–65:6. doi: 10.4230/LIPIcs.GIScience.2023.65.
• Ehrbar, D. et al. (2017) 'Measuring sediment fluxes in periglacial reservoirs using water samples, LISST and ADCP', in Wieprecht, S. et al. (eds) Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on River Sedimentation, ISRS 2016, Stuttgart, Germany, 19-22 September 2016. CRC Press, pp. 1118–1125.

Other publications

• Antonelli, M. et al. (2024) 'Quantitative Analyse von Fliessgewässerökosystemen und ihrer Dynamik anhand digitalisierter historischer Karten', Wasser Energie Luft, 116(4), pp. 259–266. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-32116.
• Döring, M. (2023) 'Künstliche Hochwasser zur Renaturierung von Fluss- und Auenlandschaften', aqua viva, (2), pp. 20–23. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-29016.
• Döring, M., Tonolla, D. and Antonetti, M. (2023) 'Adaptive management and restoration of a complex floodplain system using artificial flooding (Sarine floodplain, Western Switzerland)', in Slovenian Water Days, Rimske Toplice, Slovenia, 24-25 May 2023. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-27937.
• Stähli, S. et al. (2021) 'Künstliche Hochwasser in Restwasserstrecken unter Berücksichtigung von Geschiebevorkommen, hydromorphologischer und ökologischer Indikatoren', Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft, 14(8), pp. 492–502.
• Greter, R. et al. (2021) 'Die Seeforellenlaichwanderung in der Hasliaare 2019 im Kontext abiotischer Faktoren', WasserWirtschaft, 111(2-3), pp. 33–40.
• Tonolla, D. et al. (2019) 'Drohnen-gestützte und terrestrische Wärmebilder zur Beurteilung der Fliessgewässer-Temperatur', Aqua & Gas, 2019(4), pp. 44–50. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-19443.
• Schweizer, S. et al. (2019) 'Entwicklungsszenarien einer alpinen Aue bei einem natürlichen Geschiebedefizit : die Triftaue im Oberhasli', Wasser Energie Luft, 111(4), pp. 223–228. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-19120.
• Schweizer, S. et al. (2019) 'Das Triftprojekt : ein Überblick zu Projekt, Ökologie und Partizipation', Wasser Energie Luft, 111(4), pp. 213–221. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-19121.
• Döring, M. et al. (2018) 'Künstliches Hochwasser an der Saane : eine Massnahme zum nachhaltigen Auenmanagement', Wasser Energie Luft, 110(2), pp. 119–127. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-2040.
• Gufler, C., Döring, M. and Tonolla, D. (2018) 'Künstliches Hochwasser an der Saane : eine Massnahme zur Förderung eines nachhaltigen Auenmanagements', IUNR Magazin, 2018(2), pp. 32–33. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-13237.
• Fink, S. et al. (2017) Merkblatt 5 : Dynamik und Biodiversität in Auen. Bern: Bundesamt für Umwelt. Available at: https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/de/dokumente/wasser/uw-umwelt-wissen/merkblatt-sammlung-wasserundoekologie-17.pdf.
• Facchini, M. et al. (2017) Merkblatt 6 : Sedimentumleitstollen und künstliche Hochwasser. Bern: Bundesamt für Umwelt. Available at: https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/de/dokumente/wasser/uw-umwelt-wissen/merkblatt-sammlung-wasserundoekologie-17.pdf.
• Weber, C. et al. (2017) Merkblatt 1 : Sedimentdynamik im Gewässernetz, Merkblatt-Sammlung Wasserbau und Ökologie : Geschiebe- und Habitatsdynamik. Bern: Bundesamt für Umwelt. Available at: https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/de/dokumente/wasser/uw-umwelt-wissen/merkblatt-sammlung-wasserundoekologie-17.pdf.
• Döring, M. et al. (2017) Merkblatt 2 : Sedimentdynamik und ihre Auswirkungen messen. Bern: Bundesamt für Umwelt. Available at: https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/de/dokumente/wasser/uw-umwelt-wissen/merkblatt-sammlung-wasserundoekologie-17.pdf.
• Schweizer, S. et al. (2016) 'Instream Measures in einer alpinen Schwallstrecke – eine erste Bilanz von der Hasliaare', Ingenieurbiologie, 2016(1), pp. 89–93. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-1439.
• Martin, E., Döring, M. and Robinson, C. T. (2015) 'Ecological effects of sediment bypass tunnels', in Boes, R. M. (ed.) Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Sediment Bypass Tunnels, VAW-Mitteilungen 232, Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Zürich: ETH Zürich, pp. 147–156. Available at: https://www.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/baug/vaw/vaw-dam/documents/das-institut/mitteilungen/2010-2019/232.pdf.
• Ochsner, P. et al. (2015) 'Innovative Fernerkundungslösungen im Umweltmonitoring', Transfer, 2015(1), p. 7. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-5358.
• Döring, M. et al. (2015) 'Hydroökologie und nachhaltiges Auenmanagement - 2D Modellierung und räumliche Multikriterienanalyse zur Entscheidungshilfe bei Revitalisierungen', Wasser Energie Luft, 107(1), pp. 29–36. doi: 10.5169/seals-941834.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Doering, M. et al. (2026) 'Multi-year artificial flooding to restore a hydropower-regulated floodplain system : balancing biodiversity needs and hydropower requirements'. doi: 10.5194/wbf2026-467.
• Geilhausen, M. et al. (2016) 'A match made in heaven : a hands-on GIS pipeline unlocks the potential of budget remote sensing', in 24th GIS Research UK Annual Conference (GISRUK16), Greenwich, 30 March - 1 April 2016.

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

• ----------------------Peer reviewed-----------------------
• Doering, M., Uehlinger, U., Tockner, K. (2013): Vertical hydraulic exchange, hyporheic respiration and periphyton biomass in a large floodplain river (Tagliamento River, Italy). Freshwater Science. 32, 12-25.
• Robinson, C. T.& Doering, M. (2013): Spatial patterns in macroinvertebrate assemblages in surface-flowing waters of a glacially-influenced floodplain. Aquatic Sciences. 75, 373–384.
• Langhans, S.D., Richard, U., Rueegg, J., Uehlinger U., Doering, M., Edwards, P., Tockner, K. (2013): Environmental heterogeneity affects input, storage, and transformation of coarse particulate organic matter in a floodplain mosaic. Aquatic Sciences. 75, 335–348.
• Doering, M., Blaurock, M., Robinson, C. T. (2012): Landscape transformation of an Alpine floodplain influenced by humans: Historical analysis of aerial images. Hydrological Processes. 26, 3319-3326
• Robinson, C. T., Doering, M., Seelen, L. (2011): Importance of protected areas for freshwater biomonitoring - Case studies in Switzerland. Eco.mont. 3, 13-23
• Doering, M., Uehlinger, U., Ackermann, T., Woodtli, M., Tockner, K. (2011): Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of soil and sediment respiration in a river-floodplain mosaic (Tagliamento, NE Italy). Freshwater Biology. 56, 1297-1311
• Doering, M., Schläpfer, D., Rotach, A., Uehlinger, U., Tockner, K. (2007): Ecosystem expansion and contraction dynamics along a large alpine alluvial corridor (Tagliamento River, Northeast Italy). Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 32, 1693-1704
• ---------------------- Article, Reports, Book Chapters-----------------------
• Schleiss, A., Boes, R., Brodersen, J., Doering, M., Franca, M. J., Nadyeina, O., Pfister, M., Robinson,C., Scheidegger, C., Vetsch, D., Weitbrecht,V., Weber, C., Werth, S. (2014): Geschiebe- und Habitatsdynamik – Forschungsprogramm „Wasserbau und Ökologie“. Wasser Energie Luft. Heft 2/2014
• Scheidegger, C., Weber, C., Schleiss, A., Vetsch, D., Boes, R., Brodersen, J., Doering, M., Franca, M. J., Nadyeina, O., Pfister, M., Robinson, C. T., Weitbrecht, V., Werth, S. (2014): Forschungsprogramm „Wasserbau und Ökologie“: Geschiebe- und Habitatsdynamik. Inside, 14, 20-24.
• Doering, M., Schweizer, S., Blaurock, M., Oppliger, S., Fuchs, M., Robinson, C. T. (2013): Hydroökology und nachhaltiges Auenmanagement - Die Sandey Aue als Modellökosystem für eine Konzeptstudie. Wasser, Energie, Luft. 105. Jahrgang, Heft 1.
• Robinson, C. T. & Doering, M.: Künstliche Hochwasser am Spöl - Ein Langzeitprojekt mit vielfältigem Nutzen. In: Atlas des Schweizerischen Nationalparks. In Haller, H. Eisennhut, R. & Haller, R. (Hrsg) (2013): Atlas des Schweizerischen Nationalparks – Die ersten 100 Jahre. Haupt Verlag, Bern, Schweiz.
• Doering, M. & Robinson, C. T. (2012): Wassermanagement: Schutz und Nutzen verbinden. Eawag News. 72d, 18-21.
• Robinson, C. T. & Doering, M. (2012): Integrating high flows into adaptive management of water resources. The Waterleader June/2012
• Doering, M. (2012): Alp Water Scarce – Ein Interreg IVB Alpine Space Programme. ARE Newsletter 18/2012
• Brenčič, M., Castaings, W.,…, Doering, M. et al. (2012): Work Package 6: Monitoring and Modelling. Final report for Alp Water Scarce
• Doering, M., Robinson, C. T. et al. (2012): Work Package 7: Optimal ecological discharge. Final report for Alp Water Scarce
• Zessar, H., Brancelj, A., …, Doering M. et al. (2012): Work Package 8: Early warning system. Final report for Alp Water Scarce
• Suette, G., Harum, T.,…, Doering, M. et al. (2012): Work Package 5: Water system characterization. Final report for Alp Water Scarce
• Saulnier, G. M., Hohenwallner, D.,..., Doering, M. et al. (2012): Monitoring and Modeling of Mountain Water Resources – A short guideline based on the results of Alp Water Scarce Report
• Saulnier, G.M., Castaigns, W.,..., Doering, M. et al. (2012): Climatic scenarios guideline, Alp Water Scarce
• Saulnier, G. M., Hohenwallner, D.,..., Doering, M. et al. (2012): Water Resources, Management and Water Scarcity in the Alps: Recommendations for Water Resources Managers and Policy-makers
• Doering, M. & Robinson, C. T. (2010): Optimaler ökologischer Abfluss, strukturelle und funktionelle Auenaspekte. Interner Report Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU)
• Doering, M. (2010): Landschaftsveränderungen einer Aue durch Wassernutzung. ARE Newsletter 11/2010
• Doering, M. (2010): Optimaler ökologischer Abfluss im Rahmen des Projektes Alp Water Scarce. ARE Newsletter 8/2010
• Doering, M. & Robinson C. T. (2009): Nahrungsnetze in Gewässern. Cratschla 2/2009
• Doering M. & Tockner K. (2008): Morphology and dynamics of riparian zones. In: Mendes, A., Rabaça, J. and Arzipe, D.: Sustainable riparian zones: A management guide.
• Doering, M. (2007): Environmental heterogeneity and respiration in a dynamic river corridor: Structural properties and functional performance. Dissertation ETHZ Nr. 17046.
• Doering, M. & Uehlinger, U. (2005): Biofilme im Tagliamento. Eawag News. 60d, 11-13.
• Doering, M. (2002): Ecological assessment of springs and spring brooks in the Swiss National Park: Combining fieldwork with geodesy (GPS/Tachymetry) and GIS. Diploma thesis Geography. Ruhr Universität Bochum.

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