PhD candidate in Dendroecology and Ecophysiology

The Research Unit Forest Dynamics investigates how changing environmental conditions affect forest ecosystem functioning. Our new SNSF-funded project Trees-Pace aims to quantify the sensitivity of tree species to climate warming and drought in three major European mountain ranges. By September 1, 2025, or upon agreement, we are looking for a

PhD candidate in Dendroecology and Ecophysiology

You will join a dynamic team working to quantify how the climatic sensitivity of radial growth and physiological processes of key European tree species have shifted with elevation. The project involves fieldwork, lab analyses and manipulative experiments. The research sites are located in the Alps (Switzerland), Pyrenees (Spain), and Carpathians (Romania), and the experimental study will be conducted in Switzerland. You will apply dendroecological techniques to measure and analyse carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in the cellulose of tree rings as proxies of physiological changes. Additionally, you will participate in an experimental study on saplings growing along an elevational transect in the Alps, examining their morphological, physiological, and phenological responses to climate stressors (heat, drought, and frost). Ultimately, the goal is to rank species by their sensitivity to recent and future climatic stressors, helping forest managers select the most resilient species for each elevation zone.

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