Dr. Harald Auge

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

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

Bondaruk V, Xu C, Wilfahrt P, Yahdjian L, Yu Q, Borer ET, Jentsch A, Seabloom EW, Smith MD, Alberti J, Oñatibia GR, Dieguez H, Carbognani M, Kübert A, Power SA, Eisenhauer N, Isbell F, Auge H, Chandregowda MH, Churchill AC, Daleo P, Forte T, Greenville A, Koerner SE, Ohlert T, Peri P, Petraglia A, Salesa D, Tedder M, Valdecantos A, Verhoeven E, Wardle GM, Werner C, Wheeler GR, An H, Biancari L, Diao HJ, Gutknecht J, Han L, Ke YG, Liu JL, Maziko Y, Tian DS, Tissue D, Wanke S, Wei CZ, Wilkins K, Wu HH, Young AL, Zhang FW, Zhang B, Zhu JT, Zong N, Zuo XA, Hautier Y (2025) Aridity modulates biomass changes following nutrient addition and extreme drought on globally distributed grasslands. Nature Ecology and Evolution: 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 640: 395-401. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08692-x

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: https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtaf021

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.

Complete list of publications >>