Disturbance Ecology

Thomas Wohlgemuth is head of the research group Disturbance Ecology at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL in Birmensdorf (Switzerland). He investigates reforestation after windthrow, forest fire, and drought-induced mortality, as well as early growth of tree species under experimental conditions. His focus is on the interaction between disturbance and climate change, and the effects of this interaction on forest communities.Anke Jentsch is professor of Disturbance Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics at the University of Bayreuth (Germany). Her research covers, in particular, disturbance and biodiversity, natural hazards, and climate change. Her scientific interests focus on the understanding of ecosystem dynamics and community resilience. Her work includes extensive field experiments in Central Europe on the effects of weather extremes on ecosystem functions.Rupert Seidl is professor of Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany. He works towards a better understanding of forest change, and harnesses these insights to improve ecosystem management. Methodologically, he combines dynamic simulation models with remote sensing data and field observations to quantify past and potential future changes in forest structure, composition, and function.

• Chap 1: Disturbance ecology: a guideline.- Chap 2: Definitions and quantifications.- Chap 3: Concepts.- Chap 4: Abiotic disturbances.- Chap 5: Biotic disturbances.- Chap 6: Anthropogenic disturbances.- Chap 7: Disturbances in global change.- Chap 8: Disturbances and management.