Antoine Guisan
Professeur associé

My main focus is on spatial predictive modelling of plant and animal distributions (see Guisan & Zimmermann 2000 and Guisan & Thuiller 2005 in the "Publications" page of my group).
Below the methodological interest itself, my group develop models for various purposes, such as rare species management, assessing the potential impact of climate change on plant and vegetation distribution, and invading species forecasting. Several of these topic are investigated jointly with the "Laboratory for Conservation Biology" of the University of Lausanne to which I am affiliated.

The main local study area for model development is the Swiss Prealps of Canton de Vaud, a mountainous landscape (ranging from about 400 to 3200 m). I also work on the entire scale of Switzerland (rare and invading species) and Europe (climate change models).

For more detailed on my projects, see the "Research" page.

Married, three children

2007-
Associate Professor in Plant Ecology, University of Lausanne


2001 - Assistant Professor in Plant Biogeography and Spatial Ecology, University of Lausanne


1998-2001 - Permanent position at Swiss Center for Faunal Cartography (CSCF), Neuchâtel (Predictive habitat distribution models, GIS)


1998-1999 - Postdoc at the Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques (CJB) in Geneva (Plant distribution modelling, climate change, Swiss Alps) 1997 - Postdoc at Standford University, Center for Conservation Biology (Plant Distribution Modeling1993-1996 - PhD from the University of Geneva (Plant distribution modelling, climate change, Swiss Alps)


1992 - Masters from the University of Geneva, at FOREL Limnology Institute (Algal Bioassays)

Science policy

• 2002-2004 - President of Section V (Biology of the Organisms) of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SC.NAT)
• Member of the Plenum (Scientific Board) of the Swiss Biodiversity Forum (SC.NAT)
• Contributing author to IPCC assessment reports 1996, 2001 and 2007

C=course, P = practicals, S = seminars

• Principles of Ecology (C, Bachelor, Semester 2, Geosciences & Environment Faculty)
• Plant Biogeography (C, Bachelor, Semester 6), jointly with L. Fumagalli
• Spatial analyses & GIS (ANSPAT; C/P, Master BEC - Biology, Evolution & Conservation, Semester 7)
• Predictive distribution models (MODPRED, C/P, Master BEC, Semester 8)
• Alpine Botany & Plant Biogeography Camp (Master BEC & Geoscience & Environment Faculty, Semester 8)
• Interface Vegetation-Soil-Water (IVSE, C/P, Master BEC & Geoscience & Environment Faculty, Semester 8)

Teaching Coordination

• Responsible of the Botany Module since 2003
• Seminars in Conservation Biology (Master BEC, Semester 8)

• Swiss Botanical Society (SBS)
• Vegetatio Helvetica (VH)
• International Association for Vegetation Science (IAVS)
• International Association of Landscape Ecology (IALE)
• International Society for Ecological Modelling (ISEM)

My modest engagement for a more sustainable world

• I use either an ELECTRIC SCOOTER (Peugeot Scootelec; mais voir aussi EVT Scooters) or an ELECTRIC BIKE (www.biketec.ch) for travelling to work (see also www.legair.ch)
• My house is equiped with SOLAR PANELS on the roof for heating water (nearly 100% efficiency from April to October) ; I have also installed two square-meters of PHOTOVOLTAIC solar panels; these are directly providing their (modest) production to the electric network.
• In addition, I buy 400 CHFrs of SOLAR ELECTRIC POWER ("Bourse solaire" + Coop) every year to support the development of such sustainable energy production in my region
• I use essentially RAILWAYS for my professionnal moves within the country
• I strongly support Swiss and international environment/nature protection NGOs and especially the NORDESTA Association which is doing an incredible work (social and environmental) in the North-East of Brasil since more than twenty years