Conservation Biology

About us

Research

My main research interests lie in agro-ecology and conservation biology, in particular in the management, restoration and conservation of semi-natural grasslands.

Currently in my group we are experimentally testing different pro-active grassland restoration methods to push degraded lowland meadow plant and invertebrate communities towards species-richer stable states [link]. We are also studying passive restoration of mountain grasslands located in the Swiss Alps [link]. In a research project that just started in 2022, we are investigating quantitatively which species (in particular mustelids) are favoured by the presence of piles of branches or stones and the role of these small structures on the functionality of agroecosystems [link]. In another project we further explore the farmland biodiversity-productivity frontiers at the landscape scale (1 km2) under the following over-arching question: “How to sustainably feed a steadily growing human population?” [link].

Altogether, we are working at plot, field and landscape scales, with different taxa among plants, birds, small mammals and invertebrates (e.g. orthopterans, spiders, butterflies, wild bees, plant- and leafhoppers, parasitoid wasps) looking at both species richness and population abundance.

While conducting applied research, I intend to bridge the gaps between science and policy, as well as science and society.

 Year Description
 2016 - present
 Group leader and lecturer in the research team of Prof. Raphaël Arlettaz, Division Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern.
 2017 Habilitation, Venia docendi, University of Bern.
 2010 - 2016 Research and teaching assistant for Prof. Raphaël Arlettaz, Division Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern.
 2014 - 2015 Three months scientific visit in Dr John Dwyer's group at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia.
 2007 - 2010 PhD at the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ETH. Thesis on low input meadow harvesting process and its impact on field invertebrates. With Mr. Thomas Walter ART and Prof. Jaboury Ghazoul ETH.
 2001 - 2006 MSc in Biology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Lausanne.
 2004 - 2005 One year academic exchange at the University of Montana, USA.

Publication list

Peer-reviewed articles

Zingg S, Grenz J and Humbert, J-Y, 2024. Food production and biodiversity are not incompatible in temperate heterogeneous agricultural landscapes. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 8:1377369. (PDF 2.3 MB)

Knollová I et al. (265 co-authors including Humbert J‐Y), 2024. ReSurveyEurope: A database of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe. Journal of Vegetation Science, 35:e13235. (PDF 6.2 MB)

Jachowski DS et al. (26 co-authors including Humbert J‐Y), 2024. Non‐invasive methods for monitoring weasels: emerging technologies and priorities for future research. Mammal Review. (PDF 2.8 MB)

Rossier L, Auberson C, Arlettaz R and Humbert J-Y, 2023. Effects of uncut grass refuges on the plant community of extensively managed hay meadows. Basic and Applied Ecology 72:38-44. (PDF 1.8 MB)

Slodowicz D, Auberson C, de Carvalho EF, Angeleri R, Stańska M, Hajdamowicz I, Kurtogullari Y, Roth R, Rossier L, Enz G, Humbert J-Y* and Arlettaz R*, 2023. No detrimental effects of soil disturbance resulting from grassland restoration operations on above ground‐dwelling invertebrate communities. Restoration Ecology 31:e13860. (PDF 3.8 MB)
* Co-senior authors

Slodowicz D, Durbecq D, Ladouceur E, Eschen R, Humbert J-Y* and Arlettaz R*, 2023. The relative effectiveness of different grassland restoration methods: A systematic literature search and meta-analysis. Ecological Solutions and Evidence 4:e12221. (PDF 1.8 MB)
* Co-senior authors

Humann‐Guilleminot S., Boch S, Martínez‐De León G, Lessard‐Therrien M, Hayoz‐Andrey A, Serres‐Hänni A and Humbert J-Y, 2023. Experimental extensification of mountain grasslands restores plant species richness but not species composition in the mid‐term. Journal of Applied Ecology 60:530–540. (PDF 2.9 MB)

Kühne I, Arlettaz R and Humbert J-Y, 2022. Landscape woody features, local management and vegetation composition shape moth communities in extensively managed grasslands. Insect Conservation and Diversity 15:739–751. (PDF 0.6 MB)

Martínez-De León G, Dani L, Hayoz-Andrey A, Humann‑Guilleminot S, Arlettaz R and Humbert J-Y, 2022. Mid-and long-term responses of land snail communities to the intensification of mountain hay meadows management. BMC Ecology and Evolution 22(19):1-11. (PDF 2.6 MB)

Humbert J-Y, Delley S and Arlettaz R, 2021. Grassland intensification dramatically impacts grasshoppers: Experimental evidence for direct and indirect effects of fertilisation and irrigation. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 314:107412. (PDF 2.2 MB)

Boch S, Kurtogullari Y, Allan E, Lessard-Therrien M, Rieder NS, Fischer M, Martínez De León G, Arlettaz R and Humbert J-Y, 2021. Effects of fertilization and irrigation on vascular plant species richness, functional composition and yield in mountain grasslands. Journal of Environmental Management 279:111629. (PDF 2.3 MB)

Stöckli A, Slodowicz D, Arlettaz R and Humbert J-Y, 2021. Transfer of invertebrates with hay during restoration operations of extensively managed grasslands in Switzerland. Journal of Insect Conservation 25:189-194. (PDF 1.4 MB)

Breitenmoser S, Humbert J-Y and Viollier S, 2020. Creation of new grasslands within the ecological network “La Frontière” (Western Switzerland) and effects on orthopterans (Insecta: Orthoptera). Alpine Entomology 4:117-128. (PDF 4.9 MB)

Jeliazkov A et al. (80 co-authors including Humbert J‐Y), 2020. A global database for metacommunity ecology, integrating species, traits, environment and space. Scientific Data 7:1-15. (PDF 2.0 MB)

Kurtogullari Y, Rieder NS, Arlettaz R and Humbert J‐Y, 2020. Conservation and restoration of Nardus grasslands in the Swiss northern Alps. Applied Vegetation Science 23:26–38. (PDF 2.5 MB)

Slodowicz D, Humbert J-Y and Arlettaz R, 2019. The relative effectiveness of seed addition methods for restoring or re-creating species rich grasslands: a systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence 8:28. (PDF 0.8 MB)

Herzog C, Lessard-Therrien M, Van der Heijden M, Arlettaz R and Humbert J‐Y, 2019. The impact of mountain hay meadow management on litter decomposition and root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Grassland Science in Europe 24:452-454. (PDF 0.6 MB)

van Klink R, Menz MH, Baur H, Dosch O, Kühne I, Lischer L, Luka H, Meyer S, Szikora T, Unternährer D, Arlettaz R and Humbert J‐Y, 2019. Larval and phenological traits predict insect community response to mowing regime manipulations. Ecological Applications 29:e01900. (PDF 1.1 MB)

Zingg S, Ritschard E, Arlettaz R and Humbert J‐Y, 2019. Increasing the proportion and quality of land under agri-environment schemes promotes birds and butterflies at the landscape scale. Biological Conservation 231:39-48.

Zingg S, Grenz J and Humbert J‐Y, 2018. Landscape-scale effects of land use intensity on birds and butterflies. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 267:119-128.

Boch S, Allan E, Humbert J‐Y, Kurtogullari Y, Lessard-Therrien M, Müllerd J, Prati D, Rieder SN, Arlettaz R and Fischer M, 2018. Direct and indirect effects of land use on bryophytes in grasslands. Science of the Total Environment 644:60-67.

Lessard‐Therrien M, Humbert J‐Y, Hajdamowicz I, Stańska M, van Klink R, Lischer L and Arlettaz R, 2018. Impacts of management intensification on ground-dwelling beetles and spiders in semi-natural mountain grasslands. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 251:59-66.

Landwehr A, Oberson A, Lessard-Therrien M, Humbert J‐Y, Arlettaz R and Huguenin-Elie O, 2017. Effects of irrigation on phosphorus in soil, soil microbes and plants of semi-natural grasslands. Grassland Science in Europe 22:348-350. (PDF 0.8 MB)

Lessard‐Therrien M, Humbert J‐Y and Arlettaz R, 2017. Experiment‐based recommendations for biodiversity‐friendly management of mountain hay meadows. Applied Vegetation Science 20:352-362.

van Klink R, Boch S, Buri P, Rieder NS, Humbert J‐Y* and Arlettaz R*, 2017. No detrimental effects of delayed mowing or uncut grass refuges on plant and bryophyte community structure and phytomass production in low-intensity hay meadows. Basic and Applied Ecology 20:1-9. (PDF 1.4 MB)
* Co-senior authors

Meyer S, Unternährer D, Arlettaz R, Humbert J‐Y and Menz MH, 2017. Promoting diverse communities of wild bees and hoverflies requires a landscape approach to managing meadows. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 239:376-384.

Buri P*, Humbert J‐Y*, Stańska M, Hajdamowicz I, Tran E, Entling MH and Arlettaz R, 2016. Delayed mowing promotes planthoppers, leafhoppers and spiders in extensively managed meadows. Insect Conservation and Diversity 9:536-545.
* Co-first authors

Andrey A, Humbert J‐Y* and Arlettaz R*, 2016, Functional response of leaf-and planthoppers to modern fertilisation and irrigation of hay meadows. Basic and Applied Ecology 17:627-637.
* Co-senior authors

Lavanchy G, Strehler M, Llanos Roman MN, Lessard‐Therrien M, Humbert J‐Y, Dumas Z, Jalvingh K, Ghali K, García‐Cuenca AF, Zijlstra B, Arlettaz R and Schwander T, 2016. Habitat heterogeneity favors asexual reproduction in natural populations of grassthrips. Evolution 70:1780-1790.

Bruppacher L, Pellet J, Arlettaz R and Humbert J‐Y, 2016. Simple modifications of mowing regime promote butterflies in extensively managed meadows: Evidence from field-scale experiments. Biological Conservation 196:196–202.

Humbert J‐Y, Dwyer JM, Andrey A and Arlettaz R, 2016. Impacts of nitrogen addition on plant biodiversity in mountain grasslands depend on dose, application duration and climate: a systematic review. Global Change Biology 22:110-120.

Trivellone V, Knop E, Turrini T, Andrey A, Humbert J‐Y and Kunz G, 2015. New and remarkable leafhoppers and planthoppers (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) from Switzerland. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique Suisse 88:273-284. (PDF 550 KB)

Kühne I, Arlettaz R, Pellet J, Bruppacher L and Humbert J‐Y, 2015. Leaving an uncut grass refuge promotes butterfly abundance in extensively managed lowland hay meadows in Switzerland. Conservation Evidence 12:25-27. (PDF 436 KB)

Andrey A, Humbert J‐Y, Pernollet C and Arlettaz R, 2014. Experimental evidence for the immediate impact of fertilization and irrigation upon the plant and invertebrate communities of mountain grasslands. Ecology and Evolution 4:2610-2613. (PDF 901 KB)

Buri P, Humbert J‐Y and Arlettaz R, 2014. Promoting pollinating insects in intensive agricultural matrices: field-scale experimental manipulation of hay-meadow mowing regimes and its effects on bees. PLoS ONE 9(1):e85635. (PDF 631 KB)

Buri P, Arlettaz R and Humbert J‐Y, 2013. Delaying mowing and leaving uncut refuges boosts orthopterans in extensively managed meadows: Evidence drawn from field-scale experimentation. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 181:22-30.

Humbert J‐Y, Pellet J, Burri P and Arlettaz R, 2012. Does delaying the first mowing date benefit biodiversity in meadowland? Environmental Evidence 1-9. (PDF 730 KB)

Humbert J‐Y, Ghazoul J, Richner N and Walter T, 2012. Uncut grass refuges mitigate the impact of mechanical meadow harvesting on orthopterans. Biological Conservation 152:96-101.

Humbert J‐Y, Ghazoul J, Richner N and Walter T, 2010. Hay harvesting causes high orthopteran mortality. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 139:522–527.

Humbert J‐Y, Ghazoul J, Sauter GJ and Walter T, 2010. Impact of different meadow mowing techniques on field invertebrates. Journal of Applied Entomology 134:592-599.

Humbert J‐Y, Mills LS, Horne JS and Dennis B, 2009. A better way to estimate population trend. Oikos 118:1940-1946.

Humbert J‐Y, Ghazoul J, Sauter GJ and Walter T, 2009. Mowing impacts on invertebrate models. Grassland Science in Europe 15:61-63.

Humbert J‐Y, Ghazoul J and Walter T, 2009. Meadow harvesting techniques and their impacts on field fauna. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 130:1-8.

Schwander T, Humbert J‐Y, Brent CS, Helms Cahan S, Chapuis L, Renai E and Keller L, 2008. Maternal effect on female caste determination in a social insect. Current Biology 18:265-269.

Other pertinent publications

Herzon I, Bullock JM, Humbert J-Y, Arlettaz R, Török P and Stein-Bachinger K, 2025. Improving biodiversity in agricultural grassland systems, in van den Pol-van Dasselaar A (ed.), Advances in temperate grassland science and management, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK. (PDF 1.2 MB)

Humbert J-Y and Arlettaz R, 2024. Gestion des prairies favorisant la biodiversité. Tätigkeitsbericht der Abteilung Naturförderung, Kanton Bern. (PDF 440 KB)

Humbert J‐Y and Arlettaz R, 2022. Anticiper la fauche des prairies, une fausse bonne idée pour la biodiversité. Le Temps 14.06.2022 p. 8. (PDF 147 KB)

Hold A, Humbert J-Y, Zingg S, 2022. Flexibler Schnitt auf BFF Wiesen. N+L Inside 22:38-42. (PDF 2 MB)

Hold A, Humbert J-Y, Zingg S, 2022. Fauche flexible des prairies SPB. N+L Inside 22:38-42. (PDF 2 MB)

Humbert J-Y, Arlettaz R and Frei J, 2021. Biodiversitätsfördernde Grünlandbewirtschaftung. Agrarbericht 2021, BLW. (link)

Humbert J-Y, Arlettaz R and Frei J, 2021. Gestion des prairies favorisant la biodiversité. Rapport agricole 2021, OFAG. (link)

Boch S, Arlettaz R, Kurtogullari Y, Allan E, Lessard-Therrien M, Rieder NS, Fischer M, Martínez De León G, Arlettaz R and Humbert J-Y, 2021. Maximaler Heuertrag kann auch mit geringeren Düngermengen erzielt werden. N+L Inside 21:22-25. (PDF 1.5 MB)

Boch S, Arlettaz R, Kurtogullari Y, Allan E, Lessard-Therrien M, Rieder NS, Fischer M, Martínez De León G, Arlettaz R and Humbert J-Y, 2021. Un rendement fourrager maximal peut être assuré en réduisant les niveaux de fumure des prairies de montagne. N+L Inside 21:22-25. (PDF 1.5 MB)

Rossier L, Roth O and Humbert J-Y, 2021. Ast- und Steinhaufen – und wer davon profitieren könnte - Eine Literaturstudie zu ihrer Bedeutung für Wiesel, Amphibien und Reptilien. Abteilung Conservation Biology der Universität Bern. (PDF 944 KB)

Ritschard E, Zingg S, Arlettaz R and Humbert J‐Y, 2019. Surfaces de promotion de la biodiversité: étendue et qualité favorisent oiseaux et papillons. Recherche Agronomique Suisse 10:206-213. (PDF 308 KB)

Ritschard E, Zingg S, Arlettaz R and Humbert J‐Y, 2019. Biodiversitätsförderflächen: Vögel und Tagfalter profitieren von der Fläche und Qualität. Agrarforschung Schweiz 10:2016-213. (PDF 308 KB)

Kurtogullari Y, Rieder N and Humbert J-Y, 2019. Wie können Bewirtschaftungsvorgaben im Hinblick auf eine Bewahrung der Artenvielfalt der Borstgrasrasen optimiert werden? Abschlussbericht der Masterarbeiten, Bern. (PDF 479 KB)

Humbert J‐Y, Buri P, Unternährer D and Arlettaz R, 2018. Des régimes de fauche alternatifs pour favoriser la biodiversité des prairies. Recherche Agronomique Suisse 9:314-321. (PDF 196 KB)

Humbert J‐Y, Buri P, Unternährer D and Arlettaz R, 2018. Alternative Mähregimes zur Förderung der Artenvielfalt von Wiesen. Agrarforschung Schweiz 9:314-321. (PDF 194 KB)

Fischer M et al., 2015. Zustand der Biodiversität in der Schweiz 2014. Hrsg.: Forum Biodiversität Schweiz et al., Bern.

Humbert J‐Y, 2014. Des prairies favorables aux abeilles et orthoptères. Agri hebdo 31.01.2014 p. 16 (PDF 224 KB)

Humbert J‐Y, 2012. Policy Brief: Grassland management to enhance invertebrate conservation. The Bulletin of the British Ecological Society 43(4):11-14. (PDF 1 MB)

Humbert J‐Y, Richner N, Sauter GJ, Ghazoul J and Walter T, 2010. Graslandernte-Prozesse und ihre Wirkung auf die Fauna. Zurich. ART Report 724. Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART, Zurich. (PDF 832 KB)

Humbert J‐Y, Richner N, Sauter GJ, Ghazoul J and Walter T, 2010. Effets sur la faune des processus de récolte des prairies. ART Report 724. Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART, Zurich. (PDF 693 KB)

Humbert J‐Y and Walter T, 2009. Wirkung von Grasernte-Techniken auf die Fauna. KBNL Inside 2/09. (PDF 100 KB)

Humbert J‐Y, Beerli C and Jacot K, 2006. Effets des ourlets semés sur les campagnols et les taupes. Revue suisse Agric. 38:285-290. (PDF 347 KB)