Plant Diversity Through Time

My research addresses fundamental questions about the patterns and processes that explain the changes in plant diversity through time. With a background in systematics and (macro-) evolutionary biology, I am particularly interested in using phylogenetic approaches to reveal evolutionary relationships among taxa, including formal classification, and address the drivers of niche- and trait evolution, often with a particular focus on reproductive diversity. To this end, my study groups are clades that display relevant dimensions of diversity, such as island and mountain radiations or groups with species in extreme environments or with extreme morphologies. These include Aeonium, Cactaceae, Connaraceae, Lupinus, Montiaceae, Saxifraga, Primula. Herbaria are a central tool in my research, and I am also interested in the prelinnean history of herbarium-based research. 

Education and Professional Experience

2017-ongoing Senior Scientist / Curator of the Herbaria (BAS/BASBG/RENZ, since 2017) and Botanical Garden (since 2021), Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Switzerland.
2015-2017 Early Career Research Fellow, Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom.
2014-2015 Postdoctoral Research Associate, Edwards Lab, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, United States.
2014 Visiting researcher, Harder Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Canada.
2013-2014 Swiss National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, Edwards Lab, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, United States
2008-2012 PhD Student, Conti Lab, Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Switzerland. Thesis "Reproductive-ecological and macroevolutionary aspects of floral variation in the primrose Family, Primulaceae". PhD received with distinction.
2001-2007 Student in Biology, specialization Ecology and Biodiversity, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.  MSc received with Distinction.

Selected Publications and Projects

Please find them here: link

Student supervision

PhD students:

• Livio Bätscher, SNF Project "Plant reproduction of the alpine zone: disentangling ecological drivers of trait evolution" (primary advisor). Defended 2024.
• Patricia Dos Santos, Project “Adaptive radiation of Canary Island Crassulaceae” (co-advisor with Cristina Branquiro, Univ. Lisbon).
• Michelangelo Moerland, Project “Integrated monography of the genus Saxifraga L.”, based at RBG Kew, United Kingdom (co-advisor, with Julie Hawkins, Univ. Reading; Wolf Eiserhardt, Univ. Aarhus; William Baker, RBG Kew). Defended 2021.

MSc students:

• Serafin Streiff, January 2021 - June 2022. Project "Systematics and floral evolution of Rourea sensu lato, Connaraceae".
• Ursina Studer, November 2020 - February 2023. Project "Evolution of pollen and ovule numbers along climatic gradients".
• Maya Bosshard, October 2020 - June 2022. Project "150 years of phenological and climatic change in Northwest Switzerland".
• Seraina Rodenwald, April 2019 - December 2020. Project "Does within-species variation along elevational gradients predict among-species diversification in Saxifraga?".
• Rafael Pulfer, March 2018 - February 2022. Project “Systematics and floral evolution of Dracula orchids”

Teaching

• Lecture: Systematics of Flowering Plants (12231-01, 2 ECTS)
• Lecture: Introduction to Flower Biology (11938-01, 1 ECTS)
• Excursion: Flora and Vegetation of the Region Basel (19595-01, 2 ECTS)
• Excursion: Ecology and Evolution of Subtropical Island Vegetation: Canary Island excursion (21571-01, 3 ECTS).
• Excursion: Ecology and Evolution of Mediterranean Systems (19653-01, 3 ECTS).