Dr. Diego Tonolla

Work at ZHAW

Position

Deputy Head Ecohydrology

Focus

• Ecological consequences of hydropower on rivers as well as evaluation of restoration measures, especially concerning hydropeaking
• Spatial and temporal analysis of temperature distribution in aquatic ecosystems, especially using thermal infrared (TIR)
• Spatial analysis of flow and bedload dynamic using passive (hydrophones) and active (ADP) acoustic measurements
• Ecology of streams, rivers and floodplains, hydromorphology
• Restoration and conservation of streams, rivers and floodplains

Teaching

Lecturer (Bachelor & Master)

Experience

• Senior researcher and lecturer, deputy head reserach group ecohydrology
  ZHAW-IUNR
  01 / 2019 - today
• Reseracher and lecturer, deputy head research group ecohydrology
  ZHAW-IUNR
  04 / 2015 - 12 / 2018
• Faculty Affiliate
  Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS), Montana, USA
  05 / 2013 - 12 / 2015
• Guest scientist
  Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Shallow Lakes and Lowland Rivers, Berlin, Germany
  03 / 2012 - 12 / 2015
• Researcher and project leader for a program focused on mitigating negative ecological impacts due to hydropeaking
  Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Water Division
  03 / 2012 - 03 / 2015
• Scientific research assistant
  Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Shallow Lakes and Lowland Rivers, Berlin, Germany
  01 / 2009 - 12 / 2011
• Scientific research assistant
  Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Aquatic Ecology
  11 / 2005 - 12 / 2008
• nternship for the analysis of biodiversity in big, old chestnut trees
  WSL, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape
  08 / 2003 - 11 / 2003

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.) / Watercourses
  Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), & Freie Universität Berlin (FUB) & Eawag
  02 / 2007 - 06 / 2011
• Diploma (equivalent to a M. Sc.) in Environmental Sciences / Environmental Sciences
  Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)
  10 / 2000 - 11 / 2005

Continuing Education

• CAS in "University Didactics"
  Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH)
  04 / 2019
• CAS in River Restoration
  College of Engineering and Architecture, Fribourg
  06 / 2013

Network

Membership of networks

• Swiss Society for Hydrology and Limnology (SSHL)
• German Limnological Society (DGL)
• Platform "morphological river restoration" of WA21
• "Focus group hydropower" of WA21
• Association "River Pearl Plus" of WWF
• "Core group" International network on hydropeaking

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1172-0033

Awards

• River-Restoration prize for the outstanding CAS thesis on river restoration
  Canton of Fribourg & Hochschule für Technik und Architektur (HEIA)
  12 / 2013
• European award for the best PhD Dissertation in Freshwater Sciences
  European Federation for Freshwater Sciences (EFFS)
  07 / 2013
• Schwoerbel – Benndorf „Young Talent Prize”, Award for outstanding publication
  German Limnological Society (DGL)
  09 / 2012
• Award for the best student poster
  International Society for River Science (ISRS)
  07 / 2009

Social media

• LinkedIn
• ResearchGate

Projects

• Effects of hydropower exploitation on spatio-temporal variability of temperature in downstream rivers / Team member / completed
• Aquatic-terrestrial floodplain monitoring using remote sensing / Team member / completed
• Success control of a reservoir flushing using remote sensing and photogrammetry / Team member / completed
• Hydroecology and Floodplain Sustainability in Application (HyApp) / Team member / completed

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

• Lorang MS, Tonolla D. 2014. Combining active and passive hydroacoustic techniques during flood events for rapid spatial mapping of bedload transport patterns in gravel-bed rivers. Fundamental and Applied Limnology 184: 321-246
• Tonolla D, Wolter C, Ruhtz T, Tockner K. 2012. Linking fish assemblages and spatiotemporal thermal heterogeneity in a river-floodplain landscape using high-resolution airborne thermal infrared remote sensing and in-situ measurements. Remote Sensing of Environment 125: 134-146
• Tonolla D, Lorang MS, Heutschi K, Gotschalk CC, Tockner K. 2011. Characterization of spatial heterogeneity in underwater soundscapes at the river segment scale. Limnology and Oceanography 56: 2319-2333
• Tonolla D, Acuña V, Uehlinger U, Frank T, Tockner K. 2010. Thermal heterogeneity in river floodplains. Ecosystems 13: 727-740
• Tonolla D, Acuña V, Lorang MS, Heutschi K, Tockner K. 2010. A field-based investigation to examine underwater soundscapes of five common river habitats. Hydrological Processes 24: 3146-3156
• Tonolla D, Lorang MS, Heutschi K, Tockner K. 2009. A flume experiment to examine underwater sound generation by flowing water. Aquatic Sciences 71: 449-462
• Duelli P, Moretti M, Tonolla D, Barbalat S. 2006. Scented traps yield two large lacewing species (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae) new to Switzerland. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft 79: 25-28
• Tockner K, Uehlinger U, Robinson CT, Siber R, Tonolla D, Peter FD. 2010. European Rivers. In River Ecosystem Ecology, Likens GE (ed). Elsevier Publisher: Oxford; 340-351.
• Tockner K, Uehlinger U, Robinson CT, Tonolla D, Siber R, Peter FD. 2009. Introduction to European Rivers. In Rivers of Europe, Tockner K, Uehlinger, U, Robinson CT (eds). Elsevier Publisher: London; 1-21.
• Tockner K, Uehlinger U, Robinson CT, Siber R, Tonolla D, Peter FD. 2009. European Rivers. In Encyclopedia of Inland Waters, Likens GE (ed). Elsevier Publisher: Oxford; 366-377
• Schweizer S, Tonolla D, Bruder A, Vollenweider S. 2015. Schwall und Sunk – ein kurzer Überblick. WasserWirtschaft 6: 15-20
• Tonolla D, Acuña V, Uehlinger U, Wolter C, Frank T, Ruhtz T, Tockner K. 2013. Quantification of the spatial thermal heterogeneity of river-floodplain using thermal infrared remote sensing. Extended abstracts of the annual conference of the German Limnological Society (DGL), 2012 (Koblenz). DGL Publisher: Hardegsen; 7-11
• Schweizer S, Schmidlin S, Tonolla D, Büsser P, Meyer M, Monney J, Schläppi S, Wächter K. 2013. Schwall/Sunk-Sanierung in der Hasliaare – Phase 1a: Gewässerökologische Bestandsaufnahme. Wasser Energie Luft 105: 191-199
• Schweizer S, Schmidlin S, Tonolla D, Büsser P, Meyer M, Monney J, Schläppi S, Schneider M, Tuhtan J, Wächter K. 2013. Schwall/Sunk-Sanierung in der Hasliaare – Phase 1b: Ökologische Bewertung des Ist-Zustands anhand der 12 Indikatoren der aktuellen BAFU-Vollzugshilfe. Wasser Energie Luft 105: 200-207
• Schweizer S, Bieri M, Tonolla D, Monney J, Rouge M, Stalder P. 2013. Schwall/Sunk-Sanierung in der Hasliaare – Phase 2a: Konstruktion repräsentativer Abflussganglinien für künftige Zustände. Wasser Energie Luft 105: 269-276
• Schweizer S, Schmidlin S, Tonolla D, Büsser P, Maire A, Meyer M, Monney J, Schläppi S, Schneider M, Theiler Q, Tuhtan J, Wächter K. 2013. Schwall/Sunk-Sanierung in der Hasliaare – Phase 2b: Ökologische Bewertung von künftigen Zuständen. Wasser Energie Luft 105: 277-287
• Bruder A, Vollenweider S, Schweizer S, Tonolla D, Meile T. 2012. Schwall und Sunk: Planung und Bewertung von Sanierungsmassnahmen. Möglichkeiten und Empfehlungen aus wissenschaftlicher Sicht. Wasser Energie Luft 104: 265-272
• Bruder A, Schweizer S, Vollenweider S, Tonolla D, Meile T. 2012. Schwall und Sunk: Auswirkungen auf die Gewässerökologie und mögliche Sanierungsmassnahmen. Wasser Energie Luft 104: 257-264
• Tonolla D. 2011. Acoustic and thermal characterization of river landscapes. Dissertation, Freie Universität Berlin (FUB), Germany.
• Tockner K, Tonolla D, Junker B, Heutschi K. 2009. Der Klang der Flüsse. Nationalpark 1: 20-21
• Tonolla D, Tockner K, Junker B, Heutschi K. 2008. The sound of rivers. EAWAG Annual Report: 29
• Tockner K, Uehlinger U, Robinson CT, Tonolla D, Siber R, Peter FD. 2008. European rivers under pressure. EAWAG Annual Report: 31
• Tonolla D. 2005. Characterization of the temporary hydro-system of a high alpine catchment (Val Roseg, Switzerland) by GIS mapping and assessment of morphological features. Diploma thesis in Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland
• Moretti M, Tonolla D, Altenburger I, Duelli P. 2004. Biodiversità delle selve castanili del Mont Grand (Soazza, Grigioni). Quaderni Grigionitaliani 73: 355-362

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