Prof. Dr. Andreas Rigling
Prof. Dr. Andreas Rigling
Lecturer at the Department of Environmental Systems Science
Additional information
Research area
Personal Research Focus - Keywords
Climate change impact; forest dynamics, forest management, dendroecology; disturbance ecology; germination, growth and mortality of trees; integrated forest management; forest biodiversity; interdisciplinarity; mountain forests; site ecology; transdisciplinarity; mortality ecology.
Research Activities
I am studying the dynamics of forest ecosystems as affected by abiotic and biotic factors and its impacts on forest management. The main focus lies on ecosystems' adaptation to, resistance against and resilience after environmental changes with a special focus on climate change. Specifically, also the legacy effects of past land use on today’s forest dynamics are studied.
System analyses in forest ecosystem research need to consider different disciplines on varying spatial and temporal scales. Hence, they are never single-disciplinary and require integrative approaches combining the advantages of different research concepts. I am interested in bridging natural sciences with socio-economy and integrate stakeholder knowledge into research concepts. Inter- and transdisciplinary research is challenging and effortful but solving nowadays problems in the context of environmental change requires holistic initiatives.
Academic Education
1987-1993: Study of Forest Sciences, ETH Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
Focus on mountain forest ecology
Practice in Switzerland (FR, VS – 11 months) and Canada (BC – 4 months)
1996-2000: Dissertation, University of Basel, Institute of Botany, Basel
„Wood anatomical characteristics as indicators of biotic and abiotic stress factors:
a dendroecological study in the Scots pine forest-steppe ecotone of Europe & Siberia“
1998-1999: Diploma in applied statistics, ETH Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
Post-graduate diploma course in applied statistics
Professional Experience
since 2022: Adjunct Professor and group leader Forest Growth and Global Change ETH Zurich
since 2016: Adjunct Professor Forest Dynamics ETH Zurich
2009-2022: Member of the Board of Directors, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
2006-2022: Head Research Unit Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
2000-2006: Project leader (tree-forest-climate), Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
1993-2000: Scientist (soil monitoring), Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
1984-1987: High-school (second educational pathway, KME, Zürich, Switzerland)
1980-1983: Apprenticeship as forester (Forstwart), Forest Service Schaffhausen
CV PDFMembership
Honours
| Year | Distinction |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Scientific Image Competition of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF): Distinction in the category “Locations and instruments” for the photograph “Siberian trees witness 1000 years of climate change” taken on an expedition to North-Eastern Siberia in Summer 2019. |
| 2013 | td-Award of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences for outstanding inter- and transdisciplinary research for the project MOUNTLAND - A. Rigling (PI) et al. Price money Fr. 50'000.- |
| 2011 | Honorary professor; Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| 1993 | ETH medal for outstanding diploma thesis |
Additional information
Teaching
- Lecturer in „Growth of Trees and Forests – from Germination to Tree Death “, ETH-Zurich, Dep. Environmental Systems Science (since 2020)
- Lecturer in „Mountain Forest Ecology“, ETH-Zurich, Dep. Environmental Science (2007-2011; since 2018)
- Lecturer in „Dendroecology“, ETH-Zurich, Dep. Environmental Systems Science (2007-2019)
- Lecturer in „Dendroecology“, University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences (2001-2005)
- Lectures in “Applied Dendroecology for Foresters”, Center of Forest Formation Maienfeld (Bildungszentrum Wald) (2001, 2003, 2006)
- Lectures on “Dendroecology” and “Tree-line dynamics”, ETH-Zurich, Dep. Forest Sciences (2001, 2002, 2003)
Scientific Networks - Board Memberships
- Federal Office of the Environment FOEN/BAFU, Bern, CH - Member scientific advisory group for Environmental Research (OFU/ORE) (since 2025): https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/en/home/topics/education/environmental-research--mandate--objectives--funding.html#-1807578702
- Bundesforschungs- & Ausbildungszentrum für Wald, Naturgefahren und Landschaft BFW, Wien, A – Member strategic advisory board (Strategiebeirat) (since 2024): https://www.bfw.gv.at/
- Forest Research Institute FVA, Freiburg, D – Member advisory board (Kuratorium) (since 2018): http://www.fva-bw.de/indexjs.html?http://www.fva-bw.de/fva/abt_dirkurat.html
- Bergwaldprojekt Schweiz, Trin, CH - Mitglied Stiftungsrat (Member Board of Trustees) (since 2025): https://bergwaldprojekt.ch/ueber-uns/bergwaldprojekt/
- Forest Research Partnership NFZ Nancy-Freiburg-Zürich (since 2009) – Member since 2006, chairman (2014-16 & 2022-2025): http://www.nfz-forestnet.eu/
- Bern University of Applied Sciences - Member advisory board of the Division of Forest sciences (since 2014). https://www.hafl.bfh.ch/forschung-dienstleistungen/waldwissenschaften.html
- Waldwissen.net - member steering board (2009-2022): http://www.waldwissen.net/
- Board of directors of the Forest Research Organizations of Germany, Austria and Switzerland – representative of WSL (2009-2022).
- International Union of Forest Research Organizations IUFRO – member International Council, representative of Switzerland (2010-2014; 2020-2024): http://www.iufro.org/iufro/
- European Forest Institute EFI, Central European Regional Office EFICENT- member advisory board (until 2016): https://efi.int/