Research platform
The exciting research opportunities that VegCHange is offering far exceed what we can achieve within the framework of the funded project (one doctoral position and one 50% postdoctoral position). Therefore, we are looking for interested students and partners at ZHAW, in Switzerland and abroad, who would like to collaborate with us. While we cannot provide funding, we can offer excellent data, promising research ideas and intensive (Co-) supervision. The aim of our Work Package 6 (research platform) is to publicise these opportunities and attract talented young scientists.
The following list is compiled of suggested topics, align with the target groups and relevant contact persons (for emails, see project team). This offer is aimed at all levels, from projects in Bachelor programmes to postdoctoral projects:
- Analysis of all vegetation resurvey studies in Switzerland (analogous to Klinkovská et al. 2025 in Czechia) (Postdoc or PhD; contact Jürgen Dengler & Stefan Widmer).
- Comprehensive analysis of Z7 vascular plant data (1 km2) from the BDM monitoring of Switzerland after 25 years (Postdoc, PhD or ambitious Master students; contact Jürgen Dengler & Stefan Widmer).
- Scale dependence of plant diversity change. Using high-quality data from 2001–2025, the aim is to analyse whether and how the observed patterns of biodiversity change systematically change depending on spatial resolution (10 m² plots BDM Z9, 1 km2 BDM Z7 and InfoFlora, 100 km2 InfoFlora) and what conclusions can be drawn from this for biodiversity conservation (postdoc or PhD; contact: Jürgen Dengler).
- Processing of spatial environmental data on landscape structure and heterogeneity in Switzerland as important parameters for our planned modelling of biodiversity changes and their causes (Bachelor's and Master students, contact: Stefan Widmer).
- Resurvey of selected permanent moss plots (NISM-Plots, 100 m2, ca. 30 years old). There are > 1000 such plots in Switzerland; Marjalena Seipp can only resurvey a maximum of 100 of them in her doctoral thesis (Master students or PhD; contact: Marjalena Seipp & Jürgen Dengler).
- Temporal trends in lichen species and their diversity in Switzerland. Once the corresponding analyses for vascular plants and mosses have been completed, the methodology could be transferred to the floristic database of lichens in Switzerland (ambitious Master students from around 2028; contact: Jürgen Dengler & Stefan Widmer).
- Temporal trends in charophyte species and their diversity in Switzerland. Once the corresponding analyses for vascular plants and mosses have been completed, the methodology could be transferred to the floristic database of charophytes in Switzerland (ambitious Master students from around 2028; contact: Jürgen Dengler & Stefan Widmer).
Postdocs from abroad have the opportunity to apply for a Swiss Federal Excellence Scholarship for one year in Jürgen Dengler's research group at the ZHAW (by personal arrangement, please note lead times).