Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning

Master in Biology, Spring Semester

This course addresses the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem functioning and the services they provide to humans. The course covers the following aspects: Human impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning at all spatial scales; Ecosystem functions, ecosystem services and nature’s contribution to humans; The multiple facets of biodiversity; Empirical approaches to assess the impact of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functioning; Biological mechanisms of the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, including interactions; multidiversity and multifunctionality; Implications for ecosystem management, restoration and conservation.

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Seminar: Biodiversity Conservation

Master in Biodiversity Conservation, Fall Semester

This is a weekly seminar on biodiversity conservation. Designed to provide an overview of the topic from an interdisciplinary perspective, this seminar invites you to explore the different dimensions of safeguarding our planet’s biological diversity. By participating in this seminar, you will gain a deep understanding of the challenges and strategies related to biodiversity conservation.

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Advanced population ecology (3BL2312)

Master in Biodiversity Conservation, Spring Semester
Master in Biology, Spring Semester

This course moves beyond classical population ecology into modern, process-based approaches to understanding population dynamics. The course covers the following aspects: Core theory and dynamics, including density dependence and population regulation versus limitation; Demographic and matrix population models, including age- and stage-structured approaches and stochasticity; Spatial population ecology, including metapopulation dynamics, source–sink systems, and movement and connectivity; Multispecies interactions, including competition models and trophic cascades; Population Viability Analysis and its applications to prediction, retrospective assessment, and conservation decision-making under uncertainty.

The course runs in two parts over the spring semester. Part I consists of weekly sessions divided into three components: a theoretical lecture introducing foundational and modern concepts, a student-led discussion of primary scientific literature (presented and led by small groups, followed by class-wide discussion), and a hands-on lab exercise applying the concepts through data analysis in R. Part II consists of weekly sessions that shift from lecture-based learning to independent project work: dataset selection and hypothesis generation, data analysis, a poster presentation and lightning talks sessions.

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Long-term Ecological Monitoring

Master in Biodiversity Conservation, Spring Semester; Field-Based Module

This project establishes and surveys a long-term ecological monitoring program at Marais-Rouge, a peatland restoration site within the Ponts-de-Martel bog reserve, designed as a dual-purpose framework that supports both adaptive restoration management and hands-on student training. The course covers the following aspects: Hydrological recovery following restoration interventions, including groundwater levels, conductivity, and pH; Vegetation succession and peatland recovery, including functional group cover, woody encroachment, and Sphagnum composition and structure; Faunal responses to restoration across breeding birds, amphibians, and rotating specialist taxa (adders, ground beetles, Odonata); Comparative trajectories across restored, degraded, and reference sectors using a stratified, space-for-time and before-after/control-impact design; Field methods training in permanent-plot sampling, hydrological monitoring, and vegetation assessment; Communication of restoration outcomes to non-specialists and integration with cantonal conservation management.

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