For my master's thesis, I am studying hoverfly diversity and their functional traits in high-alpine alluvial habitats. These habitats emerge as glaciers melt in the Swiss Alps, creating unique ecosystems with largely unknown biodiversity. So far little research has been conducted on hoverflies in these environments — I want to change that.
Since hoverflies are crucial pollinators at high altitudes, understanding their community structure is essential for effective conservation mangement. To achieve this I will sample them using Malaise traps and transect walks, each following a dedicated sampling design. Additionally, we will collect environmental variables to better understand their occurrence patterns.
I also aim to examine the morphological traits of body length and hair density to determine whether specific patterns enable hoverflies to perform better in these extreme environments.
