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PSC Annual Report 2025

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In 2025, the PSC advanced research, education and dialogue at the intersection of machine learning and plant and environmental sciences. Learn more about all PSC activities in 2025 - from symposia and interdisciplinary training initiatives to outreach events and exhibitions.

PSC Annual Report 2025 (PDF, 11 MB)

 

New Field Course 2026: Marine Ecology & Art in Western Scotland

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Join us in September 2026 for a unique, immersive learning experience at the intersection of marine ecology and artistic practice. Explore the rich marine ecosystems of Western Scotland while engaging with the culture, history, and communities that shape this region. At the heart of the course lies a pressing question: What roles do imagination and creativity play in shaping a society that values life on Earth and respects planetary boundaries?

What to expect:

  • Hands-on exploration of marine ecosystems and diverse coastlines

  • Encounters with experts in marine science, restoration, and coastal economies

  • Participation in a real oyster restoration project at a research station

  • A blend of scientific inquiry and artistic documentation methods

  • Inspiring workshops with professional artists and a poet

  • Excursions to research institutes, local initiatives, and historical sites

Course highlights:

  • Introduction to marine biodiversity: algae and animal life

  • Ecology of coastal environments across different gradients

  • Sensory and reflective engagement with nature—scientifically and artistically

  • Lectures on marine ecology, rewilding, and restoration practices

  • Insights into local fishing economies and sustainable supply chains

The course is based at Kilchoan Estate, home to a seaweed farm and oyster rewilding project. Additional visits include the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) near Oban, as well as a local museum and a former slate mining community.

Contact: Dr. Juanita Schläpfer

Course description (PDF, 155 KB)

Flyer (PDF, 3 MB)

News from the PSC Blog

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This recent blog article was written by Dušan Denić who was a Doctoral Researcher at the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at the University of Zurich as well as a RESPONSE (MSCA H2020) fellow in the PhD program Science and Policy.

 

PSC Newsletter

The PSC Newsletter offers information on latest research highlights, education, network events, new members, and outreach activities.

PSC Newsletter latest edition (PDF, 8 MB)

previous PSC Newsletter

subscribe to PSC Newsletter

 

 

 

 

Science Highlights

  • Soil and forest floor respiration

    Scapucci, L., Krebs, L., Burri, S. et al. Soil and forest floor respiration already acclimated to increasing temperatures in a mixed deciduous forest. Ecol Process 14, 71 (2025).

    Forest ecosystems can help reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, but this benefit can be offset by CO respiration from soils and the forest floor. A long-term study in a Swiss mixed forest shows that despite rising temperatures, these CO2 emissions have not increased, suggesting the ecosystem has already adapted to warmer conditions.
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  • Ancient alleles drive contemporary climate adaptation

    Simone Fior et al. Ancient alleles drive contemporary climate adaptation in an alpine plant. Science390,59-64 (2025).

    Species need to adapt genetically to survive in a warming climate, but it is often unclear where helpful variants come from and how they influence evolution over time. This study shows that an Alpine carnation already carries “warm” and “cold” gene versions for flowering time that arose in the past and are likely to help the species adapt to future climate change.
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  • Pre-meiotic H1.1 degradation is essential for Arabidopsis gametogenesi

    Li, Y., Fei, D., Schubert, J. et al. Pre-meiotic H1.1 degradation is essential for Arabidopsis gametogenesis. EMBO J 45, 789–819 (2026).

    Plants and animals both reorganize their DNA packaging when forming reproductive cells, but how this process works in plants was unclear. This study shows that Arabidopsis uses two molecular pathways to remove a key histone protein, which is essential for successful reproduction and the formation of functional germ cells.
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  • Blinded by the lights?

    Anne C. Roulin. Blinded by the lights? Re-examining the adaptive role of transposable elements in plants with population genomics. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, Volume 89 (2026).

    Transposable elements are mobile DNA sequences in plant genomes that can sometimes influence traits and help plants respond to environmental change, but most are harmful and removed by natural selection. This article argues that their role in local adaptation is complex and often overstated, and that broader genomic studies across many species are needed to understand their true impact.
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  • Variation in herbivore defense strategies among plant species

    Dorey, T., Deluigi, J., Maccagni, A., Rasmann, S., Glauser, G. and Willi, Y. Variation in herbivore defense strategies among plant species differing in elevational distribution and the role of temperature in defense. New Phytol. (2026).

    Temperature affects both plants and the insects that feed on them, which can change how well plants defend themselves. Experiments with mustard-family plants along a mountain slope show that high-elevation species suffer less herbivory and use strong, flexible defenses - especially chemical ones - helping them cope with insects under different temperatures.
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Additional Information

PSC on Social Media

LinkedIn
Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center
Plant Fellows
Feminno

Instagram
@plantsciencenter
@creativelabzurich
@nachtaktive.live

PSC Blogs

Klimagarten 2085
CreativeLabZ
Science and Policy
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Nachtaktiv continues!

More about Nachtaktiv continues!

Experience an unforgettable evening at a museum! 

Discover exciting research from ETH Zurich and the Universities of Zurich and Basel, meet inspiring start-up founders, explore the current exhibitions, and enjoy a live DJ set by Helvetiarockt.

All events are free. Find out more and register: https://nachtaktiv.ethz.ch/