Research Laboratory for Functional Plant Ecology
Research Interests:
Plant functional traits which determine the performance of plants in different environments, and the consequences of these traits at population, at community and at ecosystem levels. The focus of my studies lies in turnover characteristics, i.e. on the one hand growth rate and resource acquisition, and on the other hand organ life-span and resource conservation.
Select Publications:
Ryser P., Gill H.K. and Byrne C.J. (in press). Constraints of root response to waterlogging in Alisma triviale. Plant and Soil. (link for pdf)
Vernescu, C. and Ryser, P. 2009. Constraints on leaf structural traits in wetland plants. American Journal of Botany 96: 1068-1074. (link for pdf)
Ryser P. and Kamminga A.T. 2009. Root survival of six cool-temperate wetland graminoids in autumn and early winter. Plant Ecology & Diversity 2: 27-35. (pdf)
Santala, K.R. and Ryser, P. 2009. Influence of heavy-metal contamination on plant response to water availability in white birch, Betula papyrifera. Environmental and Experimental Botany 66: 334-340. (link for pdf)
Ryser P., Bernardi J., and Merla A. 2008. Determination of leaf fresh mass after storage between moist paper towels: constraints and reliability of the method. Journal of Experimental Botany 59: 2461-2467 (link for pdf)
Ryser P. & Emerson P. 2007. Growth, root and leaf structure, and biomass allocation in Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. (Asteraceae) as influenced by heavy-metal-containing slag. Plant and Soil 301: 315-324. (link for pdf)
Ryser, P. 2006. The mysterious root length. Plant and Soil 286: 1-6. (link for pdf)
Ryser P. & Sauder W.R. 2006. Effects of heavy-metal-contaminated soil on growth, phenology and biomass turnover of Hieracium piloselloides. Environmental Pollution 140: 52-61. (link for pdf)
Kahlert B.R., Ryser P. & Edwards P.J. 2005. Leaf phenology of three dominant limestone grassland plants matching disturbance regime. Journal of Vegetation Science 16: 433-442.
Köhler B., Gigon A., Edwards P.J., Krüsi B., Langenauer R., Lüscher A. & Ryser P. 2005. Changes in the species composition and conservation value of limestone grasslands in Northern Switzerland after 22 years of contrasting managements. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 7: 51-67.
Vernescu, C., Coulas, J. & Ryser P. 2005. Leaf mass loss in wetland graminoids during senescence. Oikos 109: 187-195.
Güsewell S., Bollens U., Ryser P. & Klötzil F. 2003. Contrasting effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and water regime on first-year and second-year growth of 16 wetland plant species. Functional Ecology 16: 754-765.
Wahl S., Ryser P. & Edwards P.J. 2001. Phenotypic plasticity of grass root anatomy in response to light intensity and nutrient supply. Annals of Botany 88: 1071-1078.
Ryser P. & Wahl S. 2001. Interspecific variation in RGR and the underlying traits among 24 grass species grown in full daylight. Plant Biology 3: 426-436.
Koehler B., Ryser P., Güsewell S. & Gigon A. 2001. Nutrient availability and limitation in traditionally mown and abandoned limestone grasslands: A bioassay experiment. Plant and Soil 230: 323-332.
Wahl S. & Ryser P. 2000. Root tissue structure is linked to ecological strategies of grasses. New Phytologist 148: 459-471.
Ryser P. & Urbas P. 2000. Ecological significance of leaf life span among Central European grass species. Oikos 91: 41-50.
Ryser P. & Eek L. 2000. Consequences of phenotypic plasticity vs. interspecific variation in leaf and root traits for acquisition of above ground and below ground resources. American Journal of Botany 87: 402-411.
Ryser P. & Aeschlimann U. 1999. Proportional dry mass content as an underlying trait for the variation in relative growth rate among 22 Eurasian populations of Dactylis glomerata s.l. Functional Ecology 13: 473-482.
Ryser P., Verduyn B. & Lambers H. 1997. Phosphorus productivity and its components in three grass species with contrasting response to N and P supply. New Phytologist 137: 293-302.
Ryser P. 1996. The importance of tissue density for growth and life span of leaves and roots: a comparison of five ecologically contrasting grasses. Functional Ecology 10: 717-723.
Schläpfer B. & Ryser P. 1996. Leaf and root turnover of three ecologically contrasting grass species in relation to their performance along a productivity gradient. Oikos 75: 398-406.
Ryser P. & Notz R. 1996. Competitive ability of three ecologically contrasting grass species at low nutrient supply in relation to their maximal relative growth rate and tissue density. Bulletin of the Geobotanical Institute ETH 62: 3-12.
Ryser P. & Lambers H. 1995. Root and leaf attributes accounting for the performance of fast- and slow-growing grasses at different nutrient supply. Plant and Soil 170: 251-265.
Ryser P., Langenauer R. & Gigon A. 1995. Species richness and vegetation structure in a limestone grassland after 15 years management with 6 different biomass removal regimes. Folia Geobotanica et Phytotaxonomica 30: 157-167.