Dr. Harald Auge
Contact
Dr. Harald Auge
Head of Research Group
Experimental Population and Community Ecology
Department of Community Ecology
Helmholtz-Centre for
Environmental Research - UFZ
Theodor-Lieser-Straße 4
06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
Phone:++49 341 6025 4309
harald.auge@ufz.de

Research interests
I am interested in plant population ecology and community ecology, and apply experimental approaches to study how species interactions mediate ecosystem responses to global change drivers, such climate change, land use and biological invasions.
- Effects of climate change and land use on species interactions and ecosystem processes
- Effects of biological invasions and consumers on plant species coexistence and functioning of grassland ecosystems
- The effects of tree diversity on the functioning of forest ecosystems

Curriculum vitae
1980 - 1985
Studies of biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
1986
Diploma degree in biology
1984 - 1987
PhD student, Institute of Geobotany, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
1987 - 1991
Research assistant, Institute of Geobotany, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
1991
PhD thesis, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg:
"Experimental population ecology of Galium aparine L. (Rubiaceae) - ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity", supervisor: Prof. E.-G. Mahn
1991
Project co-ordinator, Institute of Geography and Geo-Ecology, Academy of Sciences, Leipzig
1992
Project co-ordinator, UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, Germany
1993 - 1997
Research scientist, Department of Community Ecology, UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle
since 1997
Head of the Plant Population Biology group & Deputy head of the Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Germany
Editorial and advisory boards
- Editorial Board of Basic and Applied Ecology (2004-2018)
- Editorial Board of Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants (since 2013)
- Associate Editor of Neobiota (since 2011)
- Editorial Board of PLoS ONE (since 2012)
- Advisory Team of BugNet (since 2021)
Publications of the last 5 years
Dieskau J, Hensen I, Eisenhauer N, Durka W, Lachmuth S, Auge H (2025) Plant-soil feedback in European grasslands is phylogenetically independent but affected by plant origin. Journal of Plant Ecology: accepted.
Augusto L, Borelle R, Boča A, Bon L, Orazio C, Arias-González A, Bakker MR, Gartzia-Bengoetxea N, Auge H, Bernier F, Cantero A, Cavender-Bares J, Correia AH, De Schrijver A, Diez-Casero JJ, Eisenhauer N, Fotelli MN, Gâteblé G, Godbold DL, Gomes-Caetano-Ferreira M, Gundale MJ, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Larsson M, Laudicina VA, Legout A, Martín-García J, Mason WL, Meredieu C, Mereu S, Montgomery RA, Musch B, Muys B, Paillassa E, Paquette A, Parker JD, Parker WC, Ponette Q, Reynolds C, Rozados-Lorenzo MJ, Ruiz-Peinado R, Santesteban-Insausti X, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Silva-Pando FJ, Smolander A, Spyroglou G, Teixeira-Barcelos EB, Vanguelova EI, Verheyen K, Vesterdal L, Charru M (2025) Widespread slow growth of acquisitive tree species. Nature: accepted.
Korell L, Andrzejak M, Berger S, Durka W, Haider S, Hensen I, Herion Y, Höfner J, Kindermann L, Knight TM, Klotz S, Linstädter A, Madaj A-M, Merbach I, Michalski S, Plos C, Roscher C, Schädler M, Welk E, Auge H (2024) Land use modulates resistance of grasslands against future climate and inter-annual climate variability in a large field experiment. Global Change Biology 30: e17418. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17418
Dieskau J, Hensen I, Eisenhauer N, Gaberle I, Durka W, Lachmuth S, Auge H (2024) Phylogenetic relationships and plant life stage but not biogeographic history mediate priority effects of European grassland plants. Journal of Ecology 112: 2007–2017. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14373
Scherzinger F, Schädler M, Reitz T, Yin R, Auge H, Merbach I, Roscher C, Harpole S, Blagodatskaya E, Siebert J, Ciobanu M, Marder F, Eisenhauer N, Quaas M (2024) Sustainable land management enhances ecological and economic multifunctionality under ambient and future climate. Nature Communications 15: 4930. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48830-z
Komatsu KJ, Avolio ML, Padullés Cubino J, Schrodt F, Auge H, Cavender-Bares J, Clark AT, Flores-Moreno H, Grman E, Harpole WS, Kattge J, Kimmel K, Koerner SE, Korell L, Langley JA, Münkemüller T, Ohlert T, Onstein RE, Roscher C, Soudzilovskaia NA, Taylor BN, Tedersoo L, Terry RS, Wilcox K (2024) CoRRE Trait Data: A dataset of 17 categorical and continuous traits for 4079 grassland species worldwide. Scientific Data 11: 795. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03637-x
Plos C, Hensen I, Korell L, Auge H, Römermann C (2024) Plant species phenology differs between climate and land-use scenarios and relates to plant functional traits. Ecology and Evolution 14: e11441. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11441
Shovon TA, Auge H, Haase J, Nock CA (2024) Positive effects of species diversity on productivity switch to negative after severe drought mortality in a temperate forest experiment. Global Change Biology 30: e17252. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17252
Smith MD, Wilkins K, ... , Auge H, ... , Zuo X (2024) Extreme drought impacts have been underestimated in grasslands and shrublands globally. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121: e2309881120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2309881120
Zheng L, Barry K, Guerrero-Ramírez NR, Craven D, Reich PB, Verheyen K, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Eisenhauer N, Auge H, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Binkley D, Bruelheide H, Cavender-Bares J, Dolezal J, Zhao Z, Fagundes M, Ferlian O, Fiedler S, Forrester D, Ganade G, Gebauer T, Haase J, Hajek P, Hector A, Hérault B, Hölscher D, Hulvey K, Irawan B, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Lanta V, Leps J, Mereu S, Messier C, Montagnini F, Mörsdorf M, Müller S, Muys B, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker W, Parker J, Parrotta J, Paterno G, Perring M, Piotto D, Polley H, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Quosh J, Rewald B, van Ruijven J, Standish R, Stefanski A, Sundawati L, Tilman D, Urgoiti J, Williams L, Wilsey B, Yang B, Zhang L, Godbold D, Sandén H, Ebeling A, Schmid B, Fischer M, Hautier Y (2024) Effects of plant diversity on productivity strengthen over time due to trait-dependent shifts in species overyielding. Nature Communications 15: 2078. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46355-z
Depauw L, De Lombaerde E, Dhiedt E, Blondeel H, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Damtew A, Eisenhauer N, Fagundes MV, Ganade G, Godbold D, Guillemot J, Hajek P, Hector A, Hérault B, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Mereu S, Messier C, Muys B, Paquette A, Parker WC, Patterno GB, Perring MP, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich P, Rewald B, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schnabel F, Sousa-Silva R, Weih M, Zemp DC, Auge H, Gravel D, Chu C, Liu X, Verheyen K, Baeten L (2024) Enhancing tree performance through species mixing: review of a quarter-century TreeDivNet experiments revealing research gaps and practical insights. Current Forestry Reports 10: 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40725-023-00208-y
Blondeel H, Guillemot J, Martin N, Druel A, Bilodeau-Gauthier S, Bauhus J, Grossiord C, Hector A, Jactel H, Jensen J, Messier C, Muys B, Serrano-León H, Auge H, Barsoum N, Birhane E, Bruelheide H, Cavender-Bares J, Chu C, Cumming J, Damtew A, Eisenhauer N, Ferlian O, Fiedler S, Ganade G, Godbold D, Gravel D, Hall J, Holscher D, Hulvey K, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Lapadat C, Liang J, Liu X, Meredieu C, Mereu S, Montgomery R, Morillas L, Nock C, Paquette A, Parker J, Parker W, Brant Paterno G, Perring M, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich P, Rentch J, Rewald B, Sandén H, Sinacore K, Standish R, Stefanski A, Tobin P, van Breugel IM, Fagundes M, Weih M, Williams L, Zhou M, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Verheyen K, Baeten L (2024) Tree diversity reduces variability in sapling survival under drought. Journal of Ecology 112: 1164-1180. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14294
Proß T, Haider S, Auge H, Bruelheide H (2024) Leaf trait variation within individuals mediates the relationship between tree species richness and productivity. Oikos 2024: e10255. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.10255
Jessen M-T, Auge H, Harpole WS, Eskelinen A (2023) Litter accumulation, but not light limitation drives plant recruitment under nutrient enrichment and grazing. Journal of Ecology 111: 1174-1187. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14099
Gottschall F, Cesarz S, Auge H, Kovach K, Nock C, Eisenhauer N (2023) Tree community composition stabilizes ecosystem functions in response to drought. Ecosphere 14: e4486. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4486.
Desie E, Zuo J, Verheyen K, Djukic I, Van Meerbeek K, Auge H, Barsoum N, Baum C, Bruelheide H, Eisenhauer N, Feldhaar H, Ferlian O, Gravel D, Jactel H, Kappel Schmidt I, Kepfer-Rojas S, Meredieu C, Mereu S, Messier C, Morillas L, Nock C, Paquette A, Ponette Q, Reich PB, Roales J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Seitz S, Schmidt A, Stefanski A, Trogisch S, Van-Halder I, Weih M, Williams LJ, Yang B, Muys B (2023) Disentangling drivers of litter decomposition in a multi-continent network of tree diversity experiments. Science of the Total Environment 857: 159717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159717
Jessen MT, Auge H, Hautier Y, Harpole WS, Eskelinen A (2022) Grazing and light modify Silene latifolia responses to nutrients and future climate. PLoS ONE 17: e0276789. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0276789
Cesarz S, Craven D, Auge H, Bruelheide H, Castagneyrol B, Gutknecht J, Hector A, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Messier C, Muys B, O’Brien MJ, Paquette A, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich P, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Smith A, Verheyen K, Eisenhauer N (2022) Biotic and abiotic drivers of soil microbial functions across tree diversity experiments. Global Ecology and Biogeography 31: 872-885. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13461
Andrzejak M, Korell L, Auge H, Knight T (2022) Effects of climate change and pollen supplementation on the reproductive success of two grassland plant species. Ecology and Evolution 12: e8501. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8501
Slabbert E, Knight T, Wubet T, Kautzner A, Baeßler C, Auge H, Roscher C, Schweiger O (2022) Abiotic factors are more important than land management and biotic interactions in shaping vascular plant and soil fungal communities. Global Ecology and Conservation 33: e01960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01960
Gottschall F, Cesarz S, Auge H, Kovach K, Mori A, Nock C, Eisenhauer N (2022) Spatio-temporal dynamics of abiotic and biotic processes explain biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships. Ecological Monographs 92: e1490. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1490
Messier C, Bauhus J, Sousa-Silva R, Auge H, Baeten L, Bruelheide H, Caldwell B, Cavender-Bares J, Dhiedt E, Eisenhauer N, Ganade G, Gravel D, Guillemot J, Hall JS, Hector A, Hérault B, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Mereu S, Muys B, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker JD, Perring MP, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich PB, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schnabel F, Verheyen K, Weih M, Wollni M, Zemp DC (2022) For the sake of resilience and multifunctionality, let’s diversify planted forests! Conservation Letters 14: e12829. DOI: 10.1111/conl.12829
Kambach S, Sadlowski C, Peršoh D, Guerreiro M, Auge H, Röhl O, Bruelheide H (2021) Foliar fungal endophytes in a densely planted tree diversity experiment are driven by the identity and composition but not by the diversity of the tree neighborhood. Life 11: 1081. https://doi.org/10.3390/life11101081
Korell L, Auge H, Chase J, Harpole SW, Knight T (2021) Responses of plant diversity to precipitation change are strongest at local spatial scales and in drylands. Nature Communications 12: 2489. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22766-0
Schmidt R, Deising H, Hensen I, Schädler M, Auge H (2020) Natural enemies do not contribute to negative frequency-dependence in native and exotic grassland plants. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 46: 125565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2020.125565.
Slabbert EL, Schweiger O, Wubet T, Kautzner A, Baeßler C, Auge H, Roscher C, Knight, TM (2020) Scale-dependent impact of land management on above- and belowground biodiversity. Ecology and Evolution 10: 10139-10149.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6675.
Ladouceur E, Harpole WS, Blowes SA, Roscher C, Auge H, Seabloom EW, Chase JM (2020) Reducing dispersal limitation via seed addition leads to increased species richness but not aboveground biomass. Ecology Letters 23: 1442-1450. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13566.
Schmidt R, Auge H, Deising HB, Hensen I, Mangan SA, Schädler M, Stein C, Knight TM (2020) Abundance, origin and phylogeny of plants do not predict community-level patterns of pathogen diversity and infection. Ecology and Evolution 10: 5506-5516. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6292.
Korell L, Auge H, Chase JM, Harpole WS, Knight TM (2020) Understanding plant communities of the future requires filling knowledge gaps. Global Change Biology 26: 328-329. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14920.
Korell L, Auge H, Chase JM, Harpole WS, Knight TM (2020) We need more realistic climate change experiments for understanding ecosystems of the future. Global Change Biology 26: 325-327. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14797.
Weise H, Auge H, Baessler C, Bärlund I, Bennett EM, Berger U, Bohn F, Bonn A, Borchardt D, Brand F, Chatzinotas A, Corstanje R, De Laender F, Dietrich P, Dunker S, Durka W, Fazey I, Groeneveld J, Guilbaud CSE, Harms H, Harpole S, Harris J, Jax K, Jeltsch F, Johst K, Joshi J, Klotz S, Kühn I, Kuhlicke C, Müller B, Radchuk V, Reuter H, Rinke K, Schmitt-Jansen M, Seppelt R, Singer A, Standish RJ., Thulke HH, Tietjen B, Weitere M, Wirth C, Wolf C, Grimm V (2020) Resilience trinity: safeguarding ecosystem functioning and services across different time horizons and decision contexts. Oikos 129: 445-456. DOI: 10.1111/oik.07213.