Two of the most pressing challenges for environmental biologists are forecasting the spread of non-native invasions and predicting the response of native species to global climate change. Our research explores leading questions at the intersection of these global challenges, rooted in a fundamental curiosity about the ecological and evolutionary factors that shape species' distributions.

For the most recent information about research in the Plant Ecology group, please visit https://plantecology-alexander.ethz.ch/research.html

novel interactions

Species distributions are being increasingly reshuffled by climate change. We study the consequences of the novel interactions that arise when this occurs. Read more... 

biological invasions

Biological invasions occur when species are introduced to new geographical regions by people. We study the drivers of non-native species spread and ecological success. Read more...

rapid evolution

We study climate adaptation in native species and during biological invasions to better understand the potential for species to evolve in the face of climate change. Read more...