Loïc Pellissier

Loïc Pellissier is a Professor of Ecosystems and Landscape Evolution at ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) since 2015. Born in Martigny, Switzerland, he completed his Ph.D. at the University of Lausanne in 2012, followed by postdoctoral research at the Arctic Research Center at Aarhus University in Denmark. His research integrates ecological and evolutionary mechanisms with paleo-environmental reconstructions to understand biodiversity patterns across different spatial and temporal scales. Pellissier develops innovative methods for modeling biodiversity across landscapes and tracking ecosystem changes using advanced monitoring technologies, having produced significant contributions including comprehensive species range maps for marine fishes globally. His work investigates how climate change affects both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, developing trait-based mechanistic models to quantify potential ecological responses. At ETH Zurich, he leads several courses including Landscape Ecology and Environmental DNA for Biodiversity Monitoring, while emphasizing the importance of understanding biodiversity decline and developing solutions, particularly noting that over a third of species and more than half of habitats in Switzerland are endangered. Through his research and teaching, Pellissier continues to advocate for evidence-based approaches to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management, integrating multiple disciplines to address complex environmental challenges.