For my master's thesis, I am studying hoverfly diversity and their functionaltraits 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 theircommunity structure is essential for effective conservation management. Toachieve this, I will sample them using Malaise traps and transect walks, eachfollowing a dedicated sampling design. Additionally, we will collectenvironmental variables to better understand their occurrence patterns.
I also aim to examine the morphological traits of body length and hair densityto determine whether specific patterns enable hoverflies to perform better in these extreme environments.
