For my MSc thesis, I am working within the project "Conservation of high-alpine alluvial habitats released by melting glaciers as consequence of global warming", which focuses on ecosystems newly exposed by melting glaciers in the Swiss Alps. These habitats are biodiversity hotspots, yet they remain poorly understood and insufficiently protected.
My work investigates how climate change will affect the future distribution of cold-adapted alpine bumblebee species (Bombus alpinus, B. mendax, B. mucidus, B. sichelii, and B. pyrenaeus) across Switzerland. To do so, I apply species distribution models (SDMs) using a nested modeling approach that integrates both global and regional species data.
I model current distributions at 100-meter spatial resolution and project future habitat suitability under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate scenarios. By identifying both in-situ and ex-situ climate refugia, my goal is to pinpoint areas critical for conservation and evaluate the trade-offs between biodiversity and future infrastructure development in glacier forelands.
