Dr. Diego Tonolla

Dr. Diego Tonolla
ZHAW
School of Life Sciences and Facility Management
Institute of Natural Resource Sciences
Schloss
8820 Wädenswil
Personal profile
Management role
dep. Head, Deputy Head Ecohydrology
Position at the ZHAW
Senior researcher and lecturer
www.zhaw.ch/iunr/oekohydrologie/
Expertise and research interests
- Ecological consequences of hydropower on rivers as well as evaluation of restoration measures, especially concerning hydropeaking.
- Ecology of streams, rivers and floodplains.
- Spatial analysis of flow and bedload dynamic using passive (hydrophones) and active (ADP) acoustic measurements.
- Spatial and temporal analysis of temperature distribution in aquatic ecosystems, especially using thermal infrared (TIR).
- Morphological restoration and conservation of streams and rivers.
- Hydromorphology.
Educational background
2019 CAS in "University Didactics". Zurich University of Teacher Education(PHZH), Switzerland.
2013 CAS in River Restoration. College of Engineering and Architecture, Fribourg, Switzerland.
06/2011 Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.). Freie Universität Berlin (FUB), Germany.
02/2007-06/2011 Postgraduate (PhD student). Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Shallow Lakes and Lowland Rivers, Berlin, Germany, and Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Department of Aquatic Ecology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
11/2005 Diploma (equivalent to a M. Sc.) in Environmental Sciences. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland.
10/2000 – 10/2005 Study in Environmental Sciences. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland.
Professional milestones
Since 1/2019 Senior researcher and lecturer ZHAW.
04/2015-12/2018 Research Assistant and deputy head Ecohydrology ZHAW.
03/2012-03/2015 Research assistant and project leader for a program focused on mitigating negative ecological impacts due to hydropeaking at the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Water Division, Berne, Switzerland.
7/2013 Award for the best PhD Dissertation in Freshwater Sciences of the European Federation for Freshwater Sciences (EFFS).
12/2013 Prix de la revitalization de course d’eau de l’État de Fribourg for the outstanding personal work during the „Certificate of Advanced Studies“ (CAS) in river restoration.
Since 5/2013 Faculty Affiliate at the Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS), Montana, USA.
Since 3/2012 Guest scientist at the 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 at the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Shallow Lakes and Lowland Rivers, Berlin, Germany.
11/2005-12/2008 Scientific research assistant at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Department of Aquatic Ecology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
11/2005-02/2007 Several Works for the international project “Rivers of Europe”.
08/2013-11/2003 Internship for the analysis of biodiversity in big, old chestnut trees, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL), Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Membership of networks
- Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Hydrologie und Limnologie (SGHL)
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Limnologie e.V. (DGL)
Projects
- Entwicklung eines Bewertungssystems für eine stressor-spezifische Schwallbewertung / Project leader / Project ongoing
- Monitoring künstliche Hochwasser an der Sarine / Deputy project leader / Project ongoing
- 3D Visualisierung von Fluss- und Landschaftsveränderungen durch Revitalisierungsmassnahmen / Team member / Project completed
- Quantifizierung von Grundwasserexfiltrationen anhand von Isotopenmessungen und WärmebilderIsotopenmessungen und Wärmebilder / Project leader / Project completed
- Fliessgewässermonitoring und Bewertung der Auswirkungen von Restwassersanierungen / Project leader / Project completed
- Entwicklung Modellierungstool über die Auswirkungen der Schwall-Sunk Sanierungen an der Saane / Project leader / Project completed
- Drohnen-gestützte TIR-Erfassung der räumlichen Temperaturheterogenität zur Beurteilung von Thermalrefugien / Project leader / Project completed
- Bestimmung der habitatspezifischen hydraulischen Verhältnisse und Drift in natürlichen Gewässersystemen / Project leader / Project completed
- Biomasse-Verdriftung & Referenzstrecke / Project leader / Project completed
- Thermische Messungen Fliessgewässer / Project leader / Project completed
- Effects of hydropower exploitation on spatio-temporal variability of temperature in downstream rivers / Team member / Project completed
- Verdriftung von Makroinvertebraten infolge von Schwall-Sunk / Project leader / Project completed
- Aquatisch-terrestrisches Auenmonitoring mit Hilfe von Fernerkundung / Aquatic-terrestrial floodplain monitoring using remote sensing / Team member / Project completed
- Success control of a reservoir flushing using remote sensing and photogrammetry / Team member / Project completed
- BAFU Vollzugshilfemodul „Schwall-Sunk – Massnahmen" / Project leader / Project completed
- Drohnenaufnahmen Kleinseen – Pilotstudie am Burgseeli (Kt. BE) / Project leader / Project completed
- Hydroecology and Floodplain Sustainability in Application - HyApp NRP70 / Team member / Project completed
Publications
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Antonetti, Manuel; Hoppler, Luca; Tonolla, Diego; Vanzo, Davide; Schmid, Martin; Doering, Michael,
2022.
River Research and Applications.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.4043
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Tonolla, Diego; Dossi, Florian; Kastenhofer, Olivier; Döring, Michael; Hauer, Christoph; Graf, Wolfram; Schülting, Lisa,
2022.
River Research and Applications.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.4019
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Schülting, Lisa; Dossi, Florian; Graf, Wolfram; Tonolla, Diego,
2022.
River Research and Applications.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3963
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Alp, Maria; Batalla, Ramon J.; Bejarano, Maria Dolores; Boavida, Isabel; Capra, Hervé; Carolli, Mauro; Casas‐Mulet, Roser; Costa, Maria João; Halleraker, Jo Halvard; Hauer, Christoph; Hayes, Daniel S.; Harby, Atle; Noack, Markus; Palau, Antoni; Schneider, Matthias; Schönfelder, Lennart; Tonolla, Diego; Vanzo, Davide; Venus, Terese; Vericat, Damià; Zolezzi, Guido; Bruno, Maria Cristina,
2022.
Introducing HyPeak : an international network on hydropeaking research, practice, and policy.
River Research and Applications.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3996
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Torgersen, Christian E.; Le Pichon, Céline; Fullerton, Aimee H.; Dugdale, Stephen J.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Giovannini, Floriane; Tales, Évelyne; Belliard, Jérôme; Branco, Paulo; Bergeron, Normand E.; Roy, Mathieu L.; Tonolla, Diego; Lamouroux, Nicolas; Capra, Hervé; Baxter, Colden V.,
2021.
Riverscape approaches in practice : perspectives and applications.
Biological Reviews.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12810
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Doering, Michael; Freimann, Remo; Antenen, Nadine; Roschi, Alexia; Robinson, Christopher T.; Rezzonico, Fabio; Smits, Theo; Tonolla, Diego,
2021.
Science of the Total Environment.
788(147497).
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147497
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Tonolla, Diego; Geilhausen, Martin; Döring, Michael,
2020.
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
46(1), pp. 252-266.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5017
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Milani, Gillian; Kneubühler, Mathias; Tonolla, Diego; Döring, Michael; Schaepman, Michael,
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.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2020.2980381
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Hauer, Christoph; Holzapfel, Patrick; Tonolla, Diego; Habersack, Helmut; Zolezzi, Guido,
2019.
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
44(2), pp. 433-448.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4505
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Linke, Simon; Gifford, Toby; Desjonquères, Camille; Tonolla, Diego; Aubin, Thierry; Barclay, Leah; Karaconstantis, Chris; Kennard, Mark J; Rybak, Fanny; Sueur, Jérôme,
2018.
Freshwater ecoacoustics as a tool for continuous ecosystem monitoring.
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
16(4), pp. 231-238.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1779
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Milani, Gillian; Volpi, Michele; Tonolla, Diego; Döring, Michael; Robinson, Christopher T.; Kneubühler, Mathias; Schaepman, Michael,
2018.
Robust quantification of riverine land cover dynamics by high-resolution remote sensing.
Remote Sensing of Environment.
217, pp. 491-505.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2018.08.035
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Lumsdon, A. E.; Artamonov, I.; Bruno, M. C.; Righetti, M.; Tockner, K.; Tonolla, Diego; Zarfl, C.,
2018.
Soundpeaking : hydropeaking induced changes in river soundscapes.
River Research and Applications.
34(1), pp. 3-12.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3229
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Auer, Stefan; Zeiringer, Bernhard; Führer, Simon; Tonolla, Diego; Schmutz, Stefan,
2017.
Science of the Total Environment.
575, pp. 1515-1521.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.029
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Tonolla, Diego; Bruder, Andreas; Schweizer, Steffen,
2017.
Science of the Total Environment.
574, pp. 594-604.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.101
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Bruder, Andreas; Tonolla, Diego; Schweizer, Steffen P.; Vollenweider, Stefan; Langhans, Simone D.; Wüest, Alfred,
2016.
A conceptual framework for hydropeaking mitigation.
Science of the Total Environment.
568, pp. 1204-1212.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.032
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Robinson, C. T.; Tonolla, Diego; Imhof, B.; Vukelic, R.; Uehlinger, U.,
2015.
Aquatic Sciences.
78(2), pp. 327-341.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-015-0434-3
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Tockner, Klement; Tonolla, Diego; Bremerich, Vanessa; Jähnig, Sonja C.; Robinson, Christopher T.; Zarfl, Christiane,
2022.
Introduction to European rivers
.
In:
Tockner, Klement; Robinson, Christopher T.; Zarfl, Christiane, eds.,
Rivers of Europe.
Elsevier.
pp. 1-26.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102612-0.00001-8
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Stähli, Severin; Tonolla, Diego; Franca, Mario J.; Robinson, Christoper T.; Döring, Michael; Schleiss, Anton J.,
2021.
Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft.
14(8), pp. 492-502.
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Herold, Thilo; Tonolla, Diego; Junghardt, Johann; Helbling, Andreas; Thommen, Markus; Ninck, Lena,
2019.
Bestockung und Beschattung : Erfassung an Fliessgewässern.
Aqua & Gas.
2019(4), pp. 52-57.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-19442
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Tonolla, Diego; Junghardt, Johann; Antonetti, Manuel; Döring, Michael,
2019.
Drohnen-gestützte und terrestrische Wärmebilder zur Beurteilung der Fliessgewässer-Temperatur.
Aqua & Gas.
2019(4), pp. 44-50.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-19443
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Gufler, Christa; Döring, Michael; Tonolla, Diego,
2018.
IUNR Magazin.
2018(2), pp. 32-33.
Available from: https://www.zhaw.ch/storage/lsfm/institute-zentren/iunr/iunr-magazin-0218.pdf
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Döring, Michael; Tonolla, Diego; Robinson, C. T.; Schleiss, A.; Stähly, S.; Gufler, Christa; Geilhausen, Martin; Di Cugno, Nina,
2018.
Künstliches Hochwasser an der Saane : eine Massnahme zum nachhaltigen Auenmanagement.
Wasser, Energie, Luft.
110(2), pp. 119-127.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2040
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Tonolla, Diego; Chaix, Olivier; Meile, Tobias; Zurwerra, Andreas; Büsser, Peter; Oppliger, Silvia; Essyad, Kalid,
2017.
Schwall-Sunk – Massnahmen : ein Modul der Vollzugshilfe Renaturierung der Gewässer.
Umwelt-Vollzug Gewässerschutz
; 1701.
Bern:
Bundesamt für Umwelt.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3715
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Hauer, Christoph; Zeiringer, Bernhard; Holzapfel, Patrick; Greimel, Franz; Schmutz, Stefan; Habersack, Helmut; Tonolla, Diego,
2016.
In:
Schwall und Sunk: Forschungsstand und Ausblick: Sonderband.
Expertentag des Vereins für Ökologie und Umweltforschung, Lunz am See, Österreich, 20.-21. Mai 2014.
Wien:
Verein für Ökologie und Umweltforschung.
pp. 83-116.
Schriftenreihe für Ökologie und Ethologie.
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Schweizer, Steffen; Schmidlin, Stephanie; Bieri, Martin; Büsser, Peter; Meyer, Matthias; Money, Judith; Schläppi, Sandro; Schneider, Mathias; Tonolla, Diego; Tuhtan, Jeff; Wächter, Kurt,
2016.
Die erste Schwall-Sanierung der Schweiz : die Hasliaare als Fallbeispiel.
WasserWirtschaft.
2016(1), pp. 10-15.
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Hauer, Christoph; Holzapfel, Patrick; Tonolla, Diego; Habersack, Helmut,
2016.
WasserWirtschaft.
2016(1), pp. 23-28.
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Hauer, Christoph; Holzapfel, Patrick; Tonolla, Diego; Habersack, Helmut,
2016.
WasserWirtschaft.
2016(1), pp. 16-22.
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Schweizer, Steffen; Tonolla, Diego; Bruder, Andreas; Vollenweider, Stefan,
2015.
Schwall und Sunk : ein kurzer Überblick.
WasserWirtschaft.
2015(6), pp. 15-20.
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Schülting, Lisa; Dossi, Florian; Graf, Wolfram; Tonolla, Diego,
2018.
In:
12th International Symposium on Ecohydraulics (ISE 2018), Tokyo, Japan, 19-24 August 2018.
Publications before appointment at the ZHAW
Publications (peer reviewed)
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. Doi: 10.1127/1863-9135/2014/0552.
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. Doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2012.07.014.
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. Doi: 10.4319/lo.2011.56.6.2319.
Tonolla D, Acuña V, Uehlinger U, Frank T, Tockner K. 2010. Thermal heterogeneity in river floodplains. Ecosystems 13: 727-740. Doi: 10.1007/s10021-010-9350-5.
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. Doi: 10.1002/hyp.7730.
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. Doi: 10.1007/s00027-009-0111-5.
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.
Book chapters
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.
Not Peer reviewed articles and reports
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. www.diss.fu-berlin.de/diss/receive/FUDISS_thesis_000000023479.
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.